Sports Events: Sports Vocabulary and Invitations in English

Learn to talk about sports and invite someone to a game. This free A1 English lesson for adult beginners introduces sports vocabulary, the verbs play, do, and go, and useful invitation phrases. Its 16 interactive slides include picture quizzes, vocabulary audio, a sports video, listening activities, role-play, and a short writing task about your favourite sport.

What you will learn

• Name sports and describe a sports event.
• Use play, do, and go with common sports activities.
• Talk about sports you like and ask Do you like ...?
• Say how often you play or watch sports.
• Invite someone to an event and accept or decline politely.
• Write five or six sentences about your favourite sport.

English vocabulary for sports events

A sports event is an organized game or competition where players or teams take part. Start with the picture quiz to identify sports and activities such as baseball, football, jogging, rollerblading, and surfing.

Learn these words for talking about a game:

• Stadium: a place where people watch sports events.
• Team: a group of players competing together.
• Match: a game between teams or players.
• Ticket: a pass that allows entry to an event.

Listen to each vocabulary card, repeat the word, and use it in a sentence: My favourite team is playing a match. or I have a ticket for the game.

Play, do, and go with sports

Learn the verb and activity together as a phrase. The grouped vocabulary cards and video help you practice these combinations.

The cards also include boxing, weightlifting, parachuting, and diving. Repeat the audio phrases and practice choosing a verb in the video activity. Many go phrases use an activity ending in -ing, such as go swimming and go jogging.

Talking about your favourite sport

Ask What is your favourite sport? or Do you like basketball? Use the lesson phrases to explain your interests and abilities.

• My favourite sport is football.
• I really enjoy swimming.
• I do not really enjoy it.
• I am not keen on ball games.
• I am good at tennis.

After enjoy, use a noun or an -ing activity: I enjoy football. I enjoy swimming. Practice a short answer, then add a detail about when or where you do the activity.

How often do you play or watch sports?

Use always, sometimes, and never to describe frequency. You can also use expressions such as every weekend or twice a week.

• I always watch the games on TV.
• I sometimes play basketball.
• I never go skiing.
• I play tennis every weekend.

In these sentences, always, sometimes, and never come before the main verb. Listen to the four speakers in the matching activity and identify the two sports or activities each person mentions.

Inviting someone to a sports event

Use Do you like ...? to ask about an interest. Use Do you want to ...? to make an invitation. Then ask about availability and agree on a time.

The lesson also practices invitations to a movie or a coffee. Listen for whether the person accepts, declines, or suggests a different day. Pay attention to can and can't when repeating the conversation.

A short sports invitation role-play

Friend A: Do you like football?
Friend B: Yes, I love it. I sometimes watch matches on TV.
Friend A: Do you want to go to a match on Saturday?
Friend B: Yes, I'd love to. What time?
Friend A: The game starts at seven. Let's meet at half past six.
Friend B: Sounds great. See you then.

This is a model conversation for practice. Take turns and change the sport, day, and time. Try a second version with a polite refusal and an alternative day.

Writing practice: my favourite sport

Write five or six sentences using the prompts My favourite sport is ..., I watch it ..., I play it ..., I like it because ..., and My favourite team is .... Here is a model you can adapt:

My favourite sport is football. I sometimes watch it on TV. I play it with my friends every weekend. I like it because it is exciting. My favourite team is my local team. I am good at football.

Read your sentences aloud. Check your sports verbs and frequency words, then ask a partner about their favourite sport.

Practice with the interactive lesson

1. Identify sports in the picture quiz.
2. Practice play, do, and go with the vocabulary audio and video.
3. Learn stadium, team, match, and ticket.
4. Match the speakers with their sports and hobbies.
5. Practice the sports invitation dialogue.
6. Complete the missing-word listening task and repeat the conversation.
7. Write about your favourite sport and share a new phrase.

Teachers can model an invitation before learners practice in pairs. For self-study, repeat the audio, describe a sport you enjoy, and practice accepting and declining an invitation aloud.

Review everyday banking English in Lesson 12, or explore more free A1 English teaching materials.