Free time & Hobbies

20 words

1. 1

   spend quality timecollocation/spɛnd ˈkwɒlɪti taɪm/

   to spend meaningful, focused time with someone or doing something that strengthens relationships or relaxes you

   “I try to spend quality time with my parents on Sundays.”

2. 2

   learn a new skillcollocation/lɜːn ə njuː skɪl/

   to acquire the ability to do something new, often through practice or study

   “During the summer I want to learn a new skill, probably basic coding.”

3. 3

   sign up for a coursecollocation/saɪn ʌp fɔːr ə kɔːs/

   to enroll or register oneself for a class or course

   “I signed up for a course in digital marketing last week.”

4. 4

   unwind after workcollocation/ʌnˈwaɪnd ˈɑːftə wɜːk/

   to relax and reduce stress after finishing the working day

   “I usually unwind after work by cooking something simple.”

5. 5

   sharpen one's skillscollocation/ˈʃɑːpən wʌnz skɪlz/

   to improve and refine one's abilities through practice or additional training

   “Volunteering at the shelter helped him sharpen his communication skills.”

6. 6

   have a night incollocation/hæv ə naɪt ɪn/

   to spend an evening at home relaxing rather than going out

   “On Friday we'll probably have a night in and watch a film.”

7. 7

   pursue a creative outletcollocation/pəˈsjuː ə kriːˈeɪtɪv ˈaʊtlet/

   to take up or continue an activity that allows creative expression and relaxation

   “On weekends I pursue a creative outlet by painting landscapes.”

8. 8

   sample local cuisinecollocation/ˈsæmpəl ˈləʊkəl kwɪˈziːn/

   to try small amounts of typical dishes from a place in order to experience the local food

   “On our city break we made a point of sampling local cuisine at the markets every day.”

9. 9

   pick up a musical instrumentcollocation

   to begin learning or trying to play a musical instrument

   “During lockdown many people picked up a musical instrument to pass the time.”

10. 10

    catch a live performancecollocation/kætʃ ə laɪv pəˈfɔːməns/

    to see an event performed live in front of an audience (music, theatre, dance, etc.)

    “We tried to catch a live performance by a local band while we were in town.”

11. 11

    go backpackingcollocation/ɡəʊ ˈbækˌpækɪŋ/

    to travel with a backpack, often on a budget and for an extended period, visiting several places

    “After graduation she plans to go backpacking through Southeast Asia for three months.”

12. 12

    engage in recreational activitiescollocation

    to take part in activities done for enjoyment, relaxation or exercise

    “Local councils encourage residents to engage in recreational activities to improve wellbeing.”

13. 13

    attend a local meetupcollocation/əˈtɛnd ə ˈləʊkəl ˈmiːtʌp/

    to go to an informal gathering organised by local people who share an interest

    “She decided to attend a local meetup to practice her spoken English.”

14. 14

    host a game nightcollocation/həʊst ə ɡeɪm naɪt/

    to organise and invite people to an evening of board games, card games or party games

    “We host a game night every Friday and rotate who brings snacks.”

15. 15

    attend a community eventverb phrase/əˈtend ə kəˈmjuːnɪti ɪˈvent/

    to go to an event organised by the local community, such as a fair, meeting, or charity activity

    “Many students attend a community event each semester to gain volunteer hours.”

16. 16

    plan a weekend getawayverb phrase/plæn ə ˈwiːkˌend ˈɡetəweɪ/

    to arrange a short trip over the weekend, usually to relax or explore nearby places

    “We plan a weekend getaway to the coast every summer.”

17. 17

    have a staycationverb phrase/hæv ə steɪˈkeɪʃən/

    to take a short holiday while staying at home or nearby instead of travelling far away

    “After exams I decided to have a staycation and explore local museums.”

18. 18

    host a dinner partyverb phrase/həʊst ə ˈdɪnə ˌpɑːti/

    to organise and invite people to an evening meal at your home

    “For her birthday she hosted a dinner party for close friends.”

19. 19

    take a scenic walkverb phrase/teɪk ə ˈsiːnɪk wɔːk/

    to go for a leisurely walk in a place with attractive views

    “After breakfast we took a scenic walk along the cliff path.”

20. 20

    go stargazingverb phrase/ɡəʊ ˈstɑːrɡeɪzɪŋ/

    to go outside at night to observe stars and constellations

    “We drove out of the city to go stargazing where the sky was clearer.”