English Learning: Sports Vocabulary for Beginners
Dialogue
Alice: Hey, Bob! What are you doing here? I thought you were at home watching a soccer game.
Bob: Oh, Alice! Yeah, I was. But it got a bit boring. You know, too much running and not enough score.
Alice: Haha, Bob. That’s soccer for you! My brother plays football – the American kind, with the big helmets.
Bob: Ah, American football! Lots of tackling and throwing the ball. I prefer sports where you kick it.
Alice: Like soccer? Or karate? You don’t kick a ball in karate, but you definitely kick!
Bob: Uh, yeah, karate is cool. I like basketball too. You have to jump and throw the ball into the hoop.
Alice: I’m terrible at basketball. My favorite is swimming. It’s so relaxing to just swim laps.
Bob: Swimming? Really? I always feel like a fish trying to run underwater. It’s too much work!
Alice: It’s good exercise! What about tennis? You hit a ball with a racket.
Bob: Tennis! Yes! My grandpa loves tennis. He even has a special tennis ball catcher.
Alice: A tennis ball catcher? That sounds… lazy.
Bob: He says it saves his back. Anyway, I think golf is a good sport for him. Lots of walking and hitting a small ball.
Alice: Or just driving a golf cart! What about something more active, like cycling?
Bob: Cycling? Hmm, I prefer riding my sofa to riding a bike. Is couch potato a sport?
Alice: Haha, Bob! Maybe for you! But it’s definitely not on the Olympic list!
Current Situation
Sports are a universal language! Even if you don’t play them, knowing basic sports vocabulary is super helpful. You’ll hear these words in everyday conversations, on TV, in movies, and when reading the news. Understanding common sports names and actions allows you to join in discussions about games, understand cultural references, and describe your own physical activities. For beginners, it’s a fun way to learn new verbs and nouns related to actions and objects.
Key Phrases
- What are you doing here?
(Used to ask someone why they are in a particular place.)
Example: “What are you doing here? I thought you were at the library!” - Too much X and not enough Y.
(Used to describe an imbalance, often complaining about something.)
Example: “This movie has too much talking and not enough action.” - That’s [something] for you!
(Used to say that something is typical or characteristic of a person or situation.)
Example: “He’s always late. That’s John for you!” - My favorite is X.
(Used to express your preference.)
Example: “My favorite is pizza.” - It’s good exercise.
(Used to say that an activity is beneficial for your physical health.)
Example: “Walking up the stairs is good exercise.” - I prefer X to Y.
(Used to state that you like one thing more than another.)
Example: “I prefer coffee to tea.” - Is X a sport?
(A question to determine if an activity qualifies as a sport, sometimes humorously.)
Example: “Is eating a hot dog really a sport?”
Grammar Points
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1. Simple Present Tense for Habits and Facts
We use the simple present tense for actions that happen regularly, are always true, or are facts.
- Structure: Subject + Verb (add -s/-es for he/she/it)
- Examples from dialogue:
- “My brother plays football.” (A regular activity)
- “You kick it.” (A general action in that sport)
- “He even has a special tennis ball catcher.” (A fact about his grandpa)
-
2. The Verb “To Be” (is / am / are)
The verb “to be” is used to describe identity, characteristics, or states of being.
- Forms: I am, You/We/They are, He/She/It is
- Examples from dialogue:
- “What are you doing here?” (Asking about an ongoing action)
- “It is so relaxing.” (Describing a feeling)
- “I am terrible at basketball.” (Describing an ability)
-
3. Action Verbs for Sports
Many sports are defined by specific actions. Learning these verbs is key to talking about sports.
- Examples from dialogue:
- run: “too much running“
- kick: “you kick it”
- throw: “throwing the ball”
- jump: “you have to jump“
- swim: “to just swim laps”
- hit: “You hit a ball”
- walk: “Lots of walking“
- ride: “riding my sofa” (humorous) / “riding a bike”
- Examples from dialogue:
Practice Exercises
-
Exercise 1: Match the Sport with the Action
Draw lines (or write the letter) to match each sport to its main action(s).
1. Soccer (a) Jump, throw
2. Basketball (b) Hit with a racket
3. Swimming (c) Kick a ball
4. Tennis (d) Use your body in water1. (c) Kick a ball
2. (a) Jump, throw
3. (d) Use your body in water
4. (b) Hit with a racket -
Exercise 2: Fill in the Blanks
Complete the sentences using the correct sport or action word from the box below.
(swim, kick, basketball, racket, cycling, hoop, golf)1. In __________, players try to throw the ball into a __________.
2. You use a __________ to hit the ball in tennis.
3. I like to __________ in the pool every morning.
4. To score in soccer, you need to __________ the ball into the net.
5. My dad loves __________; he rides his bike for many miles.1. basketball, hoop
2. racket
3. swim
4. kick
5. cycling -
Exercise 3: Complete the Sentences (Simple Present / To Be)
Choose the correct form of the verb in parentheses.
1. She __________ (play / plays) tennis every Sunday.
2. We __________ (am / are) good friends.
3. My brother __________ (is / are) a football fan.
4. They __________ (swim / swims) at the beach in summer.
5. He __________ (like / likes) to watch basketball games.1. plays
2. are
3. is
4. swim
5. likes -
Exercise 4: Answer the Questions
Answer these questions about yourself or generally, using vocabulary from the dialogue.
1. What is your favorite sport?
2. What action do you do in soccer?
3. Is swimming good exercise?(Possible answers)
1. My favorite sport is basketball. / I like swimming.
2. In soccer, you kick the ball.
3. Yes, swimming is good exercise.
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