In the IELTS Speaking test, it is possible that you will have to talk about your dislikes, for example what you dislike about your work, a type of music that you don’t like, the negative aspects about your hometown, a party or event that you didn’t enjoy, etc. Here are some tips for talking about what you dislike in natural English.
‘Soften’ verbs
When native speakers talk about what they don’t like, they often soften negative verbs with adverbs such as quite, really, particularly, so much, etc. This sounds more polite and natural. Here are some examples:
- What I don’t really like about my hometown is the transport system.
- I don’t particularly enjoy learning grammar.
- I don’t like the weather so much.
‘Soften’ adjectives
It is also natural to soften negative adjectives when we talk about what we dislike using adverbs such as a bit, a little, rather, a little bit, quite, fairly, etc. Here are some examples:
- To be honest, I find TV shows a bit boring.
- My work can get a little tedious at times.
- The transport system in my city is quite inefficient.
Expressing a strong dislike
Of course, it is not always appropriate to be so diplomatic. If you really dislike something, consider using a more extreme expression:
- The film I saw was absolutely awful.
- The traffic in my town is an absolute nightmare.
- I really detest soap operas.
- I can’t stand the weather in my country.
You can find many more tips like this in the IELTS Speaking Masterclass course, an essential programme of training materials for IELTS Speaking including videos and downloadble pdfs.
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