#35 Talking About New Year’s Plans｜Everyday English Phrases
Izumi English Morning
#39 Talking About Pets｜Everyday English Phrases
Izumi
Talking about pets is a friendly and engaging topic in everyday conversation.
Questions like “Do you have a dog?”, “What’s its name?”, or “Are you a cat person?” are great icebreakers and help you build rapport with others.
In this article, I explain useful English expressions for talking about pets and key grammar points that will help your conversations flow more naturally.
Contents
Dialogue
Do you have any pets?
Yes, I have a dog named Coco. She’s a golden retriever.
That’s cute! How old is she?
She’s five years old. I’ve had her since she was a puppy.
Does she like going for walks?
She loves it! We go to the park every morning.
1. Asking Whether Someone Has Pets
This question is useful when you want to ask if someone owns a pet.
- Do you have any pets?
The word “any” in “any pets” suggests “any kind,” giving the question a broad meaning without limiting it to a specific type such as dogs, cats, or birds.
Other recommended questions include:
- Are you a dog person or a cat person?
- Have you ever had a pet?
→ Used to ask about past experience, not the present.
2. Describing the Type and Name of Your Pet
You can introduce your pet with the structure: “I have a + A + named + B.”
- I have a dog named Coco.
Here, “named Coco” functions like an adjective describing the dog.
If you want to mention the breed or type, you can add it separately:
- She’s a golden retriever.
3. Talking About Age and How Long You’ve Had Your Pet
Just like with people, you can ask a pet’s age using:
- How old is she?
- She’s five years old.
In English-speaking cultures, pets are often treated like family members, so it is common to use “he” or “she” rather than “it” for dogs and cats.
To describe how long you’ve owned your pet, the present perfect tense is used:
- I’ve had her since she was a puppy.
The present perfect (have + past participle) expresses a situation that started in the past and continues to the present.
“Since she was a puppy” indicates the starting point of that timeline.
4. Talking About Your Pet’s Likes and Habits
The expression “Does she like ～?” is simple and useful for asking about your pet’s preferences or routines.
- Does she like going for walks?
When responding, you can say:
- She loves it!
- We go to the park every morning.
To emphasize affection, “love” can be used instead of “like.”
To describe habits, use the pattern “go to + place + frequency,” placing the frequency expression (e.g., “every morning”) at the end of the sentence.
Summary
- Do you have any pets?
→ A basic question to start a conversation about pets. - I have a dog named ～.
→ Used to introduce a pet and its name. - How old is she? / I’ve had her since ～.
→ Useful for talking about age and how long you’ve owned your pet. - Does she like ～? / She loves it!
→ Helpful expressions for talking about a pet’s personality, preferences, and daily routines.
