English Lesson: Collocations for Leisure

Photo Credit: Victoria Bilsborough (Florida, USA)

In this lesson, we will focus on things people do in their spare time, such as having some hobbies, shopping and sleeping. The best way to sound more natural and concise in English is by using collocations. 
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COLLOCATIONS FOR HOBBIES 

take up a hobby (= start going it) 

• If you feel stressed, you can take up a hobby to keep yourself busy with something interesting. 
• Taking up a hobby is a great way to fill up your free time with something meaningful. This could be anything from learning a new language to cooking or gardening. 

pursue your hobbies (formal) (= do them) 

• When I graduated from high school, I had more time to pursue my hobbies. 
• When I was doing a 9-to-5 job, I never had any time to pursue my hobbies, especially during the week. 

take up a sport (= start doing it)  

• I really need to take up a sport to get fit. 
• In my opinion, taking up a sport can have a positive impact on people's well-being. (= general health and happiness) 

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develop a passion for something | have a passion for something 

• While at school, I developed a passion for dancing. 
• I think many people have a passion for music. They can actually turn their hobby into a career. 

go for a stroll | go for a walk (= to walk somewhere for pleasure) 

• I often go for a stroll in the park. 
• On Sunday. I go for a walk in the park near my flat. 

COLLOCATIONS FOR SHOPPING 

go to the shops (= go shopping) 

• I have to go to the shops in town this weekend. 
• I normally go to the shops twice a week and I tend to stick to my shopping list so that I don't spend more than I have planned. 

do the shopping | do some shopping 

• On weekends, I usually do the shopping and play tennis with friends. 
• I do my grocery shopping online. (= food shopping) 

weekly shopping | monthly shopping 

• I do my weekly shopping on a Friday. (= every Friday) 
• I go to the supermarket only once a month. I normally make a list of what I already have and what needs to be purchased. The best way to do my monthly shopping is by planning ahead. 

online shopping 

• One of the main advantages of online shopping is that it saves people time and energy because they don't have to go to physical stores. 
• Online food shopping is convenient for many reasons. One of them, for example, is that you get the best prices and you can browse offers at your leisure. Another advantage of ordering food online is that you can avoid crowds and queuing at the checkout to pay. 

COLLOCATIONS FOR SLEEPING 

sleep late (= wake up late) 

• At weekends, I usually try to relax and sleep late. 
• As far as I'm concerned, sleeping late is considered to be unhealthy. I prefer to get up early because I feel physically active, I can focus my mind on work, and I'm productive throughout the day. 

catch up on some sleep (phrase) (= sleep after not having enough sleep) 

• I normally catch up on some sleep at the weekend since my schedule is quite busy during the week. [You can use 'since' to give the reason for something.] 
• I usually study hard and catch up on some sleep after my exams are finished. 

a good night's sleep (phrase) (= when you sleep well)  

• My weekdays are always very busy and I tend to get up quite early in the morning. I can only get a good night's sleep at the weekend. 
• I've noticed that I'm most productive after a good night's sleep. 

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English collocation lessons: 
English Lesson: Collocations for Feelings 
English Lesson: Collocations for Success 
English Lesson: Collocations for Rural Life 
English Lesson: Collocations for Urban Life 
Collocations and Expressions for Childhood 

Other lessons: 
English Lesson: 5 Types of Lifestyle 
English Lesson: Describing a Friend 
English Conversation: Saying Goodbye 
Commonly Used Phrases in Spoken English 
Spoken English: How to Agree and Show Interest 


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