蜜芽传媒

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Learning English - The Flatmates

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Sports vocabulary

Khalid, Helen and Kitty looking at the computer

Here is some vocabulary describing types of sports and as well as some phrases and idioms about sports

contact sports
sports like rugby, American football and wrestling in which the players have strong physical contact with each other
He played contact sports when he was younger but then he had a serious accident on the field and hasn't played rugby since.

spectator sports
sports which people go to watch
I don't understand why people think golf is a good spectator sport. It's so slow and not much happens in it. Give me football or tennis any day!

water sports
sports which take place on or in water
She's really good at practically any water sport. She does diving, swimming and water-skiing.

winter sports
sports that take place on snow or ice
They're from Canada and they love doing winter sports. They're both very good ice-hockey players.

blood sports
sports that involve animals being killed or hurt to excite the people watching or taking part
I don't understand why people enjoy killing tigers. There are so few of them left in the world. I think blood sports should be outlawed.

extreme sports
sports that are very dangerous and exciting
She's always doing crazy things like bungee jumping. She loves extreme sports and wouldn't dream of doing anything as boring as badminton!

drop the ball
make a mistake, especially by doing something careless or stupid
He hadn't done his research and really dropped the ball when we were in the meeting.

play ball
agree to work with or help someone in the way they have suggested
She asked if she could hand in her essay later because she'd been ill but the teacher wouldn't play ball.

be on the ball be quick to understand and react to things or situations
She's just not on the ball enough for us to give her the job.

run with the ball
take an idea or plan and develop it further
They came up with a great marketing idea. Now it's our job to run with the ball and create a great campaign for it.

a whole new ball game or a whole different ball game
a situation that is now completely different to what it was before
I'd done a bit of jogging and running before but doing a marathon was a whole different ball game.

keep / have several balls in the air
be responsible for more than one thing or project at a time
Don't talk to me about keeping several balls in the air! I'm organising the party, working full-time and I have to pick the kids up every day.

what's on offer
what's available

individual
something you do alone or by yourself

martial arts
traditional Japanese or Chinese sports that are forms of fighting or defending yourself

a racquet sport
a sport where you use a racquet or bat (sports like tennis, squash or badminton for example)