I like music, I hate exams

This lesson explains how to talk about likes and dislikes in English. You will learn which verbs express preferences, how to use them with nouns and actions, and how to form negatives and questions in the present simple.

• Use verbs of preference (like, love, hate, enjoy, prefer, dislike) + noun or + gerund (verb+ing).
• Present simple expresses general tastes or habits: I like music. She hates exams.
• For third person singular (he/she/it), add -s: He likes jazz.
• Negatives and questions use do / does: I don't like exams. Does she like music?

Use the present simple to state general preferences or habits. Choose noun or gerund depending on whether you name the activity or the action.

• Affirmative: Subject + verb (add -s for he/she/it) + object/gerund. → She enjoys jazz.
• Negative: Subject + do/does + not + base verb + object. → He does not like exams.
• Question: Do/Does + subject + base verb + object? → Do you like classical music?

Remember: like / love / hate / enjoy + noun OR + verb-ing; prefer can take to + infinitive or a noun.

Learners often make predictable errors when expressing likes and dislikes. Watch for these universal pitfalls.

• Forgetting the -s in third person singular: He like → He likes.
• Using continuous forms with stative verbs incorrectly: I am liking music (incorrect) — use I like music.
• Confusing 'like' (preference) with 'would like' (polite desire): I like coffee ≠ I would like coffee.
• Incorrect negative/question structure: Don't forget do/does in negatives/questions: She not likes → She does not like.

Check verb form, the use of do/does in negatives and questions, and whether the verb is stative or active.