phrasal verbs for hobbies and interests

Phrasal Verbs for Hobbies and Interests

Phrasal verbs are an essential part of English, especially when talking about hobbies and interests. They consist of a verb and a particle (preposition or adverb) that together create a new meaning. Below is a comprehensive list of phrasal verbs related to hobbies, along with their meanings, examples, and exercises.

1. Take Up

Meaning: To start a new hobby or activity.

• She decided to take up painting last summer.
• He took up playing the guitar after watching a concert.
• They took up hiking to stay fit.

2. Give Up

Meaning: To stop doing a hobby or activity.

• She had to give up dancing because of her knee injury.
• He gave up collecting stamps when he moved to a smaller house.
• They gave up gardening because they didn’t have enough time.

3. Go For

Meaning: To choose or try something (often a hobby or activity).

• She decided to go for swimming lessons this summer.
• He went for photography as his new hobby.
• They always go for outdoor activities on weekends.

4. Keep Up

Meaning: To continue doing something regularly.

• She keeps up with her yoga practice every morning.
• He tries to keep up his piano skills by practicing daily.
• They keep up their interest in birdwatching by joining a club.

5. Pick Up

Meaning: To learn or acquire a skill or hobby casually.

• She picked up knitting from her grandmother.
• He picked up Spanish while traveling in Spain.
• They picked up surfing during their vacation in Hawaii.

6. Work On

Meaning: To practice or improve a skill or hobby.

• She is working on her baking skills.
• He spends weekends working on his woodworking projects.
• They are working on their dance routine for the competition.

7. Get Into

Meaning: To develop an interest in something.

• She recently got into pottery.
• He got into cycling after buying a new bike.
• They got into board games during the lockdown.

8. Sign Up For

Meaning: To register or enroll in an activity or class.

• She signed up for a cooking class.
• He signed up for a marathon next month.
• They signed up for a photography workshop.

9. Put Off

Meaning: To postpone or delay an activity.

• She put off learning the piano until she had more time.
• He put off joining the gym until after his exams.
• They put off their hiking trip because of bad weather.

10. Look Forward To

Meaning: To feel excited about something in the future (often a hobby-related event).

• She looks forward to her weekly painting class.
• He looks forward to playing soccer with his friends every weekend.
• They look forward to their annual camping trip.

Exercises

Exercise 1: Fill in the Blanks

Fill in the blanks with the correct phrasal verb from the list above.

1. She decided to __________ gardening after retiring.
2. He had to __________ playing tennis because of his back pain.
3. They __________ birdwatching during their nature walks.
4. She __________ a pottery class next month.
5. He __________ improving his chess skills.

Exercise 2: Match the Phrasal Verb with Its Meaning

Phrasal Verb	Meaning
Take up	a) To postpone
Give up	b) To start a new hobby
Put off	c) To stop doing something

Exercise 3: Write Sentences

Write three sentences using any of the phrasal verbs above.

Answer Key

Exercise 1 Answers:

1. take up
2. give up
3. got into
4. signed up for
5. is working on

Exercise 2 Answers:

• Take up – b) To start a new hobby
• Give up – c) To stop doing something
• Put off – a) To postpone

Exercise 3 (Sample Answers):

• She took up knitting last winter.
• He gave up playing video games to focus on studies.
• They look forward to their weekly dance practice.