ESL WORKSHEET - Talking about sports and games

LESSON PLAN FOR ENGLISH TEACHERS

SPORTS AND GAMES

LinguaHouse

Jan. 27, 2025

Level: Pre-Intermediate (A2-B1)
Type of language: General English
Tags: Celebrities and Historical Figures; Sport and Fitness; Health and Well-being; British Culture; Hobby; Speaking; Vocabulary Lesson; 10-12 Years Old; 13-15 Years Old; 16-18 Years Old; 18+ Years Old
Publication date: 01/27/2025

This lesson will help students improve their ability to talk about sports and games. Within the lesson, the students will be introduced to important vocabulary that is needed to talk about these topics more fluently. Students will listen to someone talking about some of the most popular sports and then develop their vocabulary in relation to games through a crossword activity. Throughout the lesson, students will be given different opportunities to practice the new language through the personalization of the expressions. (by Peter Clarkin)

• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in American English.
• CLICK HERE to download the student’s worksheet in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download the teacher’s lesson plan in British English.
• CLICK HERE to download/listen to the audio in British English.

AUDIO TRANSCRIPT

Speaker: Popular sports in the UK
Despite being around in some form for centuries, soccer was not formally created as a sport until 1863. These days it is by far the most popular sport in the UK with over 8 million people playing it regularly and over 40 million supporters attending matches each season. On the pitch the most famous English player is probably David Beckham, nicknamed “Golden Balls”, a captain for both England and Manchester United, he went on to own his own club in the USA.
Coming in the same century as soccer, rugby is a game that you play more with your hands than your feet. There are around two million people around the country who love to play rugby as a hobby and despite its rough nature, it is loved by kids as well.
Cricket as a sport is well-loved in England but perhaps a little less in the other countries that make up the UK. The sport became a reality in the 16th century and during the summer months over one million people take to the soft green grass of England and try to hit a four or a six. One game of cricket, a “Test” can last up to five days, but despite being a little slow, it is a sport that is loved around the world, especially in India, Pakistan, Australia, and the West Indies.
In relation to the sport of tennis, Wimbledon is a name that is known by millions. Officially called “lawn tennis” it is a sport that grows in popularity during the summer months. This racket sport was invented in Birmingham, but the sport shares many similarities with a game created in France. In fact, the word “tennis” comes from the French word “tenez” which translates as hold, receive, or take.
The only sport on the list to involve an animal, the sport of horse racing has been around since the 12th century. These beautiful horses take part in races with a jockey on their back encouraging them to run as fast as they can. Races come in two forms, one with jumps known as a steeple chase or one without jumps known as racing on the flat. The biggest race in the UK is called the Grand National and it attracts around 150,000 fans every year.

Adapted from: https://www.linguahouse.com/esl-lesson-plans/general-english/sports-and-games. Accessed on February 24, 2025. LinguaHouse.com © 2008–2025. All rights reserved.