You know the world of English is a fun and exciting place to be, I'm so glad you could join me for another lesson.
Hi everybody, this is Misterduncan in England. How are you today? Are you OK? I hope so! Are you happy? I hope so! In this lesson we will be taking a look at two words which serve as direct opposites to each other. They both relate to the way we see almost everything around us. They define us as individuals. They can bring groups of people together as one, and push them apart as complete rivals. In today's lesson we are going to talk about… Like and Dislike.
The words like and dislike relate to the things we see and experience. They represent our personal feelings. They allow us to express the things we desire and wish for, and those things we despise and push away. The things liked differ from one person to another. This is also true of the things we dislike. Very often we like or dislike something because of the way it looks, or more to the point, the way it makes us feel when we look at it.
There are many ways of expressing a general like or dislike for something or someone.
You feel happy about something. You warm to something or someone. You are fond of a thing or a person. You enjoy doing something. You love something or someone.
You feel unhappy about something. You act or behave coldly towards something or someone. You loathe something or someone. You despise a thing or a person. You feel repulsed or put-off. You hate something or someone.
There are certain rules which must be followed when expressing a like or dislike. If we are showing our feelings about an object or event, we must use 'it' as the subject.
'Do you like my new car?' 'Yes I like it.'
'What do you think of my new hat?' 'I think it looks nice.'
'Did you enjoy the movie?' 'No, I did not enjoy it.'
'How was the meal, was it okay?' 'Yes it was good!'
If we are referring to a person or an animal, then we normally use the gender as the subject.
'What do you think of your new boss?' 'She seems nice.'
'Do you like my new dog?' 'Yes he is very cute.'
'What do you think of Misterduncan?' 'I don't like him.'
If the subject consists of more than one person, we use 'they' or 'them'.
'What do you think of your new neighbours?' 'I like them.'
'Do you like listening to 'Take That'?' 'Yes, they are a good group.'
You can also show your admiration. You admire or appreciate something for the way it looks. You can show your approval. You approve of something.
You may express scorn towards a person. You might show you disapproval. You disapprove of something. You show your disapproval.
There are some very strong ways of expressing a dislike. A strong negative feeling towards something you really hate.
You feel disgusted. You show your revulsion. You feel repulsed. You express outrage. You are offended. You feel sickened.
You may find yourself liking something for no strong or apparent reason. You feel drawn towards it, but you do not know why. You may also dislike something in the same way. You do not know why, but you are really put-off by it. Do you ever find yourself in this situation? Do you sometimes find yourself liking of disliking something for no reason? We often describe this as a 'gut feeling'. 'I do not like my new boss, I'm not sure why though, It's a gut feeling.' The phrase 'gut feeling' normally refers to your instinct.
You can like or dislike almost anything… An item of clothing. A certain model of car. A style of music. A particular place. A certain moment from your past. A day of the week.
A particular type of animal. A person's name. A feeling. A certain… smell or sound. A word. A book. A movie. A TV show. And of course you can like or dislike… A person.
Words & Phrases connected with 'Like'.
Attached. You are attached to someone or something emotionally.
Soft Spot. You have a feeling of warmth and a place in your heart for someone or something.
Fondness. You feel (or have) a strong attraction to someone or something.
You have a liking for something. You have a high regard for something or someone. You look on at someone with favour. You hold someone or something in high esteem. You fancy someone or something. You find someone or something attractive. You are keen on someone or something. You take a shine to someone or something. You are into someone or something.
Something you prefer can also be a 'like'. To have a liking for something. You have a weakness for something. To 'get off' on something. To love, savour, to be hooked, to get a buzz. To 'dig' and to be 'mad about' someone or something.
Words & Phrases connected with 'Dislike'.
Abominate. Abhor. Despise. Detest. Loathe. Hate. Scorn. Shun.
To have an aversion to someone or something. To hold someone in disfavour. To have no liking for someone or something. To disapprove of, object to, oppose, reject, disagree with, take exception to, to shrink from. To find distasteful. Be unable to tolerate someone or something. To find someone or something repellent.
As a noun… To view someone or something with dislike, with an aversion, with disfavour, with disapproval, with hostility, with antipathy, with hate, with disgust, with contempt, with disdain.
It is also worth noting that the word 'like' can refer to an activity you enjoy doing or something you want to do or agree to do. 'I like travelling to other countries.' 'I like teaching English.' 'I would like to see you tomorrow.' 'I would like a piece of cake.' 'Would you like something to eat?' 'Yes I would like that very much.'
The word 'like' has another meaning too. It can express a similarity between one thing and another. Two things look similar. They look alike. They look like each other. 'He looks like my best friend from school.' 'There is nothing like a relaxing break from work.' 'That car looks like mine.' 'Twins often look like each other.' 'That painting looks nothing like me.'
Besides saying whether you like something or not, you can of course show your response through an action too. The expression on your face can easily show whether you like something or not. A simple smile… or a disgruntled grimace is all you need to show, to tell another person how you feel about something or someone. Hand gestures can also be used. We can give a 'thumbs up' to something we like or approve of… and a disapproving 'thumbs down' to those things we do not.
Nothing fascinates me more than the behaviour of people. One aspect in particular which I find interesting is how our personal likes and dislikes can clash with each other. For example - I like winter but I dislike the cold weather it brings. I like eating peanuts, but I dislike all food containing peanuts. I like being busy, but I dislike starting a new chore. I like travelling to far-off places, but I dislike sitting still on a plane for long periods of time. Sometimes our likes and dislikes make no sense.
Surely the most contentious and controversial part of expressing any like or dislike is the effect it has on those around you. This form of opinion will often express how you feel about something.
This normally results in you stating whether or not you like something or someone. It would be fair to say that we can't all like the same things. One person's sweet is another person's bitter. What makes you laugh might make another cry. One person's like may be another's dislike.
It is not just a matter of whether we like something or not. It is also about the way in which we treat those whose likes and dislikes do not much our own. There is a strong belief among many people that showing respect for another person's choice can go a long way towards maintaining on amicable peace. It is still possible to observe and understand something, even if you happen to dislike it. Despite what some people may say and as history has all too often demonstrated to us… ignorance is not bliss.
I hope today's lesson was to your liking and that you approve of it. I will see you all again for another lesson very soon. This is Misterduncan in England saying thank you for watching me, teaching you… and of course… ta-ta for now.