For many of our students the concept of like, love, hate and can’t stand in English can be a bit tricky compared to ‘hoşlanmak’, ‘sevmek’, ‘nefret etmek’ in Turkish.
Most of our students know how to use ‘to love’ and ‘to like’.
In positive statements:
- I like chocolate.
- I love chocolate!
- I like her very much.
- I love that new video game.
In questions and negatives statement, ‘to like’ is more commonly used:
- I don’t like my new teacher
- Do you like shopping?
- I don’t like carrots.
- Do you like her new boyfriend?
For questions and negative statements, you can use ‘to love’ if you are talking about a person:
- Don’t you love me?
- I don’t love him anymore
However, if you are not talking about a person, don’t use ‘to love’. Instead, use ‘to like’.
- I don’t love cleaning the house
- I don’t like cleaning the house
- I don’t love swimming
- I don’t like swimming
Also, if you really don’t like something or someone, you can use the expression ‘can’t stand’ or ‘to hate’.
To hate should be used carefully. It is a strong verb and you should be careful when you use it to talk about your own opinions, and especially about people:
- I hate chocolate…is generally acceptable
- I hate studying… if ok too
- I hate her… is a very strong and negative statement
Avoid using the verb to hate until you are a more advanced speaker.
Most English speakers use ‘can’t stand’
For example:
- She can’t Istanbul traffic
- I can’t stand her brother, Mehmet
- He can’t stand the smell of kokoreç
- I can’t stand cleaning the kitchen!
If you use ‘can’t stand’ with a verb, that verb has to take the +ing form (this is the same as to like, to love and to hate)
- I can’t stand being here!
- I can’t stand waiting any longer.
- I can’t stand talking to him!
Keep in mind, that if you prefer video learning exercise we have a library of video learning exercises waiting for you in our Ingilizce Dersleri section! These videos are available to you at all times and are a great compliment to written exercises and live conversation classes.
Look at each of the following things and people.
Then, use each verb once to make a sentence.
For example:
Blue cheese (a thing)
1. (to love) My mother loves blue cheese.
2. (to like) I don’t like eating blue cheese.
3. (can’t stand) My sister cant’ stand blue cheese.
4. (to hate) Many people hate blue cheese.
The President (a person)
1. (to love) Many people love the President.
2. (to like) I like the President.
3. (can’t stand) The opposition parties can’t stand the President.
4. (to hate) Some voters hate the President.
Now try #1 to #7 below!
1. English grammar
2. İşkembe
3. His new wife
4. Tattoos
5. Erik
6. Galatasaray
7. My English teacher
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