62   I can discuss my likes and dislikes

MISCHA BARON: the food king!

Meaning

I'm mad about food. I spend a lot of time thinking about it.

be mad about sth/sb  INF like sth/sb very much. SYN be crazy about sth/sb INF.

 

I adore cooking, though I’m not very keen on washing up afterwards.

adore (doing) sth  INF love (doing) sth.

be keen on (doing) sth  INF (usually used in the negative) like or enjoy (doing) sth.

 

I’m very fond of Asian food, particularly Thai and Korean.

be fond of (doing) sth  like or enjoy (doing) sth, especially over a long time.

 

I don’t like takeaway food at all.

not at all  not in any way. (If you don’t like sth at all, you dislike it very much.)

 

As a child, I loathed cabbage (I hated the smell), but I’ve got to like it now.   

loathe (doing) sth  dislike (doing) sth very much (also loathe sb).

get to like sth/sb  start to like sth/sb.

 

There are only a couple of things I can’t stand: One is snails. The other thing I absolutely detest is yoghurt. I’d rather die than eat yoghurt.  

can’t stand (doing) sth   INF strongly dislike (doing) sth. SYN can’t bear (doing) sth.

detest (doing) sth  hate (doing) sth (also detest sb). SYN loathe sth/sb.

would rather ... than  would prefer.

 

spotlight  verb +-ing

Many verbs meaning ‘like’ or ‘dislike.’ (= not like) can be followed by an -ing form.

2     Correct the mistakes in the sentence beginnings.

►   I’m not keen for...     I’m not keen on...   

1     I fond of...               ________            

2     I don’t stand...          ________         

3     I loathe to cook...      ________        

4     I’m mad in...             ________           

5     I can’t bearing...        ________         

6     I’m detest...               ________       

7     I adore eat...             ________           

8     I’ve crazy about...     ________         

9     Recently, I’ve got for like...    ________     

10   I’m rather eat...than...             ________   

1     I'm fond of...

2     I can't stand...

3     I loathe cooking...

4     I'm mad about...

5     I can't bear...

6     I detest...

7     I adore eating...

8     I'm crazy about...

9     Recently, I've got to like...

10     I'd rather eat...than...

3     ABOUT YOU Complete the sentences in Exercise 2. Write about food, drinks, cooking, things you like doing, etc. If possible, tell another student. 

Answers from a Polish person

1     chocolate cake

2     cigarette smoke

3     liver

4     reading

5     people who smoke in my presence

6     waiting in departure lounges at airports

7     white chocolate

8     travelling to new places

9     mussels

10   fish, meat