Language Learning- Likes, Preferences and Desires

Language learning likes, preferences and desires

Practice and presentation of the language of likes, dislikes, preferences and desires

Find out about your partner’s desires and preferences and make recommendations on good language ideas especially for them. If you are working with your teacher, you can imagine that they want to study another language, e.g. your language.

Useful language for asking about likes, preferences and desires -        Do you enjoy…? -        Do you like…? -        Do you prefer … or…? -        Do you want…? -        What’s your favourite…? -        Would you like…? -        Would you prefer… or…? Useful phrases for giving advice -        In that case, I suggest…/ I think you should…/ my advice is to…/ you could… -        … go to…/…try…/…study…/…buy… -        What do you think?/ Do you agree? Useful phrases for responding to advice -        I agree./ I think you’re right. -        Really?/ Do you think so? I think…/ I can see your point, but I would say… -        Actually, I don’t think that’s (such) a good idea.

 

Suggested language learning topics to ask about/ talk about

• British English – American English – Australian English
• Business English – general English
• DVD – cinema/ movie theater
• English for international communication – native speaker English
• English subtitles – subtitles in your own language
• English-speaking friends
• TV – DVDs
• accuracy – fluency
• basic English – higher level English
• children’s TV
• children’s movies
• classic books – modern books
• classic movies – modern movies
• comics
• comprehension – production
• do self-study – study seriously in class
• drama – action movie – comedy
• emails – letters
• exams
• fiction
• graded readers – books for native speakers
• grammar – vocabulary
• idioms
• improve your confidence – have all your mistakes corrected
• individual sounds – stress and intonation
• karaoke
• local news – international news
• magazines
• meet new people
• movies
• music
• news
• non-fiction
• online news – newspapers
• politics
• public speaking/ giving speeches/
• radio
• read
• reading slowly and carefully – reading for pleasure
• revision/ review – new language
• sitting still – being (physically) active
• slang
• study – chat
• subtitles – dubbing
• translation – just English
• travel English – English for use in your own country
• use a smartphone – use a computer
• use technology
• videoconference – teleconference
• watch the same thing again
• websites
• writing

 

The language of likes, preferences and desires presentation

In small groups, work together to answer these questions:

Which of these forms must be followed by “to + verb” (= can only be followed by “to + verb”?

• Do you like…?
• Do you enjoy…?
• Would you like…?
• Do you want…?
• Would you prefer… or…?
• Do you prefer … or…?

Which of these forms have the same meaning as each other?

• Do you enjoy…?
• Do you like…?
• Do you prefer … or…?
• Do you want…?
• What’s your favourite…?
• Would you like…?
• Would you prefer… or…?

What are the differences in meaning between these forms?

• Do you like…?/ Would you like to…?
• Would you like…?/ Would you prefer…?
• Do you prefer … or…?/ Would you prefer… or…?

Check your answers as a class or below the fold.  

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Suggested answers

Which of these forms must be followed by “to + verb” (= can only be followed by “to + verb”?

• Would you like…?
• Do you want…?
• Would you prefer… or…?

Which of these forms have the same meaning as each other?

• Do you enjoy…?/ Do you like…?
• Do you want…?/ Would you like…?

What are the differences in meaning between these forms?

• Do you like…?/ Would you like to…? – (Present) like/ (Future) desire
• Would you like…?/ Would you prefer…? – (Future) desire/ Comparing two or more different future desires
• Do you prefer … or…?/ Would you prefer… or…? – Comparing two or more (present) likes/ Comparing two or more (future) desires

 

Likes, desires and preferences freer speaking

Find out about your partner’s likes, desire and preferences and try to recommend something they have never tried in one of the categories below:

• Movies
• Books
• Exercise/ Sport
• Music
• Places to go
• Food
• Restaurants
• Websites
• Magazines
• Things to study/ Ways of studying

 

More useful phrases Would you like to try something different, or would you prefer more of the same thing? What kind of… do you like? If you like…, you will love… How do you feel about…? Would you like to improve your…?