Vocabulary · Free time
Sports in English
A1
Sports in English: team sports, individual sports, equipment and places, and the verbs play, do and go to talk about the sports you like. With British pronunciation (IPA) and examples.
Quick answer
Popular sports
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| football / soccer(n.)“I play football every Saturday.” | a team game with a round ball | /ˈfʊtbɔːl/ |
| basketball(n.) | throwing a ball through a high hoop | /ˈbɑːskɪtbɔːl/ |
| tennis(n.) | hitting a ball over a net with rackets | /ˈtenɪs/ |
| rugby(n.) | a team game with an oval ball | /ˈrʌɡbi/ |
| volleyball(n.) | hitting a ball over a net with hands | /ˈvɒlibɔːl/ |
| baseball(n.) | hitting a ball with a bat, then running | /ˈbeɪsbɔːl/ |
| handball(n.) | throwing a ball into a goal | /ˈhændbɔːl/ |
Individual sports
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| swimming(n.) | moving through water with arms and legs | /ˈswɪmɪŋ/ |
| running(n.) | moving fast on your feet | /ˈrʌnɪŋ/ |
| cycling(n.) | riding a bike | /ˈsaɪkəlɪŋ/ |
| skiing(n.) | sliding down snow on long boards | /ˈskiːɪŋ/ |
| gymnastics(n.) | jumps, rolls and balances on mats and bars | /dʒɪmˈnæstɪks/ |
| horse riding(n.) | travelling on the back of a horse | /hɔːs ˈraɪdɪŋ/ |
Equipment and places
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| ball(n.) | a round object you throw or kick | /bɔːl/ |
| racket(n.) | a bat with strings, used in tennis | /ˈrækɪt/ |
| helmet(n.) | a hard hat that protects your head | /ˈhelmət/ |
| field(n.) | a grass area for sports | /fiːld/ |
| court(n.) | a marked area for tennis or basketball | /kɔːt/ |
| gym(n.) | a room with machines for exercise | /dʒɪm/ |
| stadium(n.) | a big place with seats around a field | /ˈsteɪdiəm/ |
Verbs and phrases
| Word | Meaning | Pronunciation |
|---|---|---|
| to play(v.) | to take part in a game | /pleɪ/ |
| to do(v.) | used with yoga, karate and gymnastics | /duː/ |
| to go(v.) | used with sports ending in -ing | /ɡəʊ/ |
| team(n.) | a group of players who play together | /tiːm/ |
| match / game(n.) | a contest between two players or teams | /mætʃ/ |
| to win(v.) | to finish first; to beat the others | /wɪn/ |
| to lose(v.) | to not win a game | /luːz/ |
Common mistakes to avoid
I do football ❌: play, do or go?
Play + ball games and team sports (play football). Do + individual activities (do yoga, do karate). Go + sports that end in -ing (go swimming, go running, go cycling).
Football (UK) = soccer (US)
In the UK, football is the game with a round ball. In the US, that game is soccer, and football means American football. Be careful when you read an American text!
Practice quiz
Going further
The “Sports” topic is part of the contest vocabulary
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Frequently asked questions
When do you use play, do or go with sports?+
Play + ball games and team sports (play tennis, play football). Do + individual activities (do yoga, do gymnastics). Go + sports that end in -ing (go swimming, go running).
Is it football or soccer?+
In the UK, football is the game with a round ball. Americans call it soccer. In the US, football means American football, a game with an oval ball that looks a bit like rugby. To be clear, you can say association football or American football.
Is it sport or sports?+
Both are correct: I like sport (UK, singular) and I like sports (US, plural). Other useful phrases: I play + sport, I'm a fan of + sport, My favourite sport is…
Updated on 12 November 2026 by the Big Challenge teaching team. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999. Our teaching approach →
The Big Challenge · Updated on 12 November 2026 · Source: www.thebigchallenge.com/bl/academy/learn-english/vocabulary/sports
© The Big Challenge. Copying allowed for classroom use. Every year, more than 500,000 students across Europe take part in our English contest, created in 1999.