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In IELTS Speaking Relaxing and Free Time are common topics. There are many ways to relax and lots of idiomatic vocabulary you can use to talk about your leisure time.
In this free IELTS Speaking lesson, you will learn the vocabulary you need to talk fluently on this topic.
Table of Contents
Relaxing activities
In the picture below we have some activities that can be relaxing.
Can you guess what they are?
Click arrow to open/close answers
- Going to the gym / hitting the gym / working out at (in) the gym
- Watching (live) sport / movies
- Reading
- Playing games / Doing some exercise / Playing with the family / Going outdoors
- Going on holiday / chilling on the beach
- Doing yoga / doing some meditation / doing pilates
IELTS Speaking vocabulary: Relaxing
When we are not working or studying we can relax, this time can be called:
- Free time
- Leisure time
- Downtime (U.S.)
Useful adjectives for activities:
- Relaxing / calming / soothing
- Rewarding / satisfying
- Therapeutic / healing / soothing
- Enjoyable / pleasurable
Remember, you can make your answers much richer by adding adverbs.
The following adverbs can be used with most adjectives:
- really
- extremely
- incredibly
Click for More Useful Adverbs:
Useful verbs for activities:
We usually use the verb ‘to relax’ on its own. We rarely add ‘myself’ or ‘body’. It is possible, but not very normal.
I can relax when I am at home, away from the stress of work.
I like to relax and go swimming.
Swimming helps me relax.
We might add ‘body and mind’ at the end of a sentence, to emphasise the impact on the body and mind.
I find yoga can help me relax my body and mind
This is how we use the verb in a sentence.
I like to relax with + noun
I like to relax with a book / film / coffee / drink
I like to relax by + ING (gerund)
I like to relax by reading a book
Other verbs we use with a similar meaning are;
I like to kick back ’n’ relax
I like to chill (out)
I like to mellow out
I often unwind
I love to disconnect
I need to destress
IELTS Speaking: Spending your free time
When we talk about free time activities that we do, here are some useful phrases:
To dabble in = to try an activity for fun, not too seriously
I like to dabble in painting
To try your hand at = to try a new activity (usually for the first time)
I would like to try my hand at baking
To take up an activity = to start a new activity (usually a new hobby)
I recently took up golf
To be into something = to enjoy doing something
I am really into photography
IELTS Speaking idioms: Talk about relaxing
To take the weight off your mind = to get rid of a problem
That conversation with you over dinner really took a weight off my mind
To blow off steam – release energy or tension in order to relax (when stressed or angry)
I can blow off steam when I play football on Thursdays.
To loosen up = to relax
I am so tense after that terrible meeting, I need a coffee to loosen up.
To let your hair down = to relax
I am going to let my hair down and go dancing
To release my pent up energy = to release tension
I need to go jogging to release this pent up energy
To put your feet up = to relax
I am going to put my feet up and watch a film
To take it easy = to relax
I like to take it easy by reading a book
To while away the time = to spend time in a relaxed way
I like to while away the afternoon watching Netflix.
More Free IELTS Speaking Lessons
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There are more lessons you can follow in the links below too.
RECYCLING in IELTS Speaking. Useful collocations and vocabulary to help you discuss about recycling.
TV SERIES in IELTS Speaking. Vocabulary you need to describe different kinds of Television Series.
HOLIDAYS in IELTS Speaking. Discover the 10 things the British do on holiday and learn the useful vocabulary and idioms to talk about it.
