Here you will learn the IELTS Sports vocabulary.
You will start with a short text to practice your English reading comprehension. You can find some of the words explained at the end of this text. If you scroll down, you will also find English Phrasal Verbs related to Sports.
At the end of this post you will find a video lesson that will help you learn verbs for talking about SPORTS in English.
IELTS Sports Vocabulary Words and Phrases
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English Reading Comprehension
Sport is one of the most popular topics discussed by men and women all over the world. Sport is an important event or past time to improve our health and help us to forget about the stresses and strains of our busy lives. We also like to get our children involved as early as possible so that they too can benefit from an activity that they may well continue into their adult lives. Most sports are done by people in an amateur capacity and only in their recreation time after work or at weekends.
However, professional sport is a big money business all over the world with sports such as Football, Golf, Tennis and Baseball offering big paydays for those gifted participants. Spectators of these sports also generate large amounts of money when they attend the games and buy replica jerseys and other memorabilia connected with those sports.
The pinnacle of an athletes career is to participate in some of the worlds’ biggest sport events. These can include the Olympic games (both Summer and Winter games), the football world cup and the major tennis and golf competitions held throughout the year. Athletes often train for many years in preparation for such tests and the make huge personal sacrifices in an attempt to achieve their goal. The award of a “big cheque” is usually of secondary importance to the prize of lifting a trophy hearing the crowd cheer them on or indeed breaking a record. Competing against a clock or defending their number one position against other contestants is often the only motivation needed.
Intermediate to Advanced English Marathon
INSANITY: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.
Sports Vocabulary Words
1️⃣ MEMORABILIA
Items linked to a sport that people like to collect such as jerseys, bats, photos, caps etc
ex. He attended his first baseball game on his visit to America. He went to the gift shop and bought some memorabilia connected to the game.
2️⃣ SPECTATORS
people who watch a sport.
ex. The game was a sell-out. The organisers were expecting a full house. Approx 20,000 spectators were expected to turn up on the night.
3️⃣ AMATEUR
A person who takes part in a sport and receives no money or payment.
ex. He liked to play football with his friends at the weekend. They played for fun, they were amateurs and did not take it too seriously.
4️⃣ TO BREAK A RECORD
To beat a previous time in a sporting event. The time has to be recognised and accepted by the people who control that particular sport.
ex. The sprint record had stood for 4 years. However, on the last day of the games he ran a really fast time and broke the record by 1 second. The time was confirmed by the marshalls and was an official new world record.
Sports Vocabulary Words
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Sports Vocabulary Words
5️⃣ TO CHEER ON
To shout, cheer and support your team or sporting hero.
ex. John went with his father to watch the game and cheer on his local team in the cup final.
Other Sports Vocabulary words you need to know:
6️⃣ UMPIRES (REFEREES)
These are similar roles in most sports. They are the officials usually in the centre of the field who ensure that the rules are obeyed and followed and to ensure both teams play fairly.
In English football the main official is referred to as a referee and he has two assistants (referees assistants) who run along the lines and a fourth official off the field who is responsible for the time keeping, substitutes etc.
In American baseball the officials are referred to as umpires. In American football the officials are also called referees or judges and in English cricket there are 2 umpires on the field at all times.
ex. The umpire told her that she was 5 minutes late and she was getting 2 penalty points.
7️⃣ TROPHIES
these are the prizes teams or individuals compete for in their different sports. Trophies can also be referred to as Cups, silverware, plates and in one sport the winner is awarded a green jacket to wear. So normally in English football teams play in several competitions each year and the winner of each competition receives a trophy known as a cup. The FA cup, for example. Traditionally, the winning team fills it with Champagne and each of the winning team enjoy a drink from it.
In other sports the trophy may have a different shape. For example, in Wimbledon (Tennis) the winners receive a large circular trophy in the shape of a plate or shield.
8️⃣ FOOTBALL PITCH – BADMINTON/SQUASH/TENNIS COURT
the surface where these sports are played
9️⃣ FOOTBALL FAN or SUPPORTER
A person who supports a particular football team, attends all the games and usually cheers up loudly. Since 1960s British football fans have a bad reputation around the world and often are referred to as “hoolifans” – a mix of hooligans and fans.
1️⃣0️⃣ PERSONAL BEST
You have achieved the best result so far in a particular sport
ex. He achieved his personal best time for the 800 metres.
1️⃣1️⃣ BLOW THE COMPETITION AWAY
Effortlessly win a competition
ex. In their first year they literally blew the competition away at every level.
1️⃣2️⃣ THE MATCH WAS FIXED
The result of the match have been already predetermined, one of the teams (or athletes) were paid to lose the match.
Verbs for talking about SPORTS in English - Video Lesson
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Sports Phrasal Verbs
1️⃣ TO DROP OUT
To leave a race or competition
You can also drop out of college or university.
2️⃣ TO GIVE UP
Stop doing, trying to do something
3️⃣ TO WARM UP
To take gentle exercise to prepare for something
4️⃣ TO GAIN ON
To get nearer to someone/somebody one is chasing
5️⃣ TO CATCH UP
To reach somebody ahead of you by hurrying
6️⃣ TO SAIL THROUGH
To pass something easily
7️⃣ TO BREAK AWAY FROM
To stop being part of something. To break away from the competition, for example.
More Information
For more information in English Expressions, English Phrasal Verbs and English Grammar Rules, check ou the following links:
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