idioms used in sport

7/27/2019 Idioms Used in Sport

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lesson link TEACHER’S NOTES

Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2012

Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary

Introduction

As students progress beyond intermediate level, an appreciation o idiom

becomes increasingly important.

Idioms can present several problems or language learners. Idioms, by defnition, have

meanings that are greater than the sum o their parts: Knowing the words cat , dog and

rain will not help you to know exactly what is meant by raining cats and dogs (although

this one is usually pretty easy to guess or students). When it comes to production, the main

difculty is that the particular orm o idioms is usually quite fxed, and important to get

exactly right: You can’t say raining dogs and cats, or snowing cats and dogs, or that matter.This lesson takes these actors into consideration, while looking at idioms that have

something to do with the world o sport. The frst activity presents idioms that originally

came rom a sporting usage, but which are now used more widely. The second activity

presents idioms that do not have a sporting origin, but are oten used when talking about

sports. The third activity provides students with opportunities to put the idioms into use.

Level Intermediate and above

Time 60 minutes

Aim To introduce and practise some idioms connected with the topic o sport.

Materials One worksheet per person and at least one copy o the Oxford Idioms

Dictionary for learners of English per pair or group o students.

Procedure

I the students are working in groups sharing a copy, make sure that they take turns using

the dictionary, so that they can all have practice in how to fnd the idioms and the notes.

Activity 1: Idioms with sporting origins [20 mins]

Students should be amiliar with the idea o an idiom (an idiom is an expression which has

a dierent meaning rom the meanings o the individual words in it). Brainstorm a ew

examples on the board, and try to elicit and recycle any idioms that the class might have

met recently in lessons.

Put students in pairs or small groups. Make sure that they know where to fnd inormation

about the origin o an idiom in the dictionary – it is usually given in a blue box below

the entry. For more advanced groups, you may preer to make them do the exercise frst,

beore letting them check their answers.

Ask students to complete the frst part o the exercise, then check answers together and

resolve any difculties. They can then decide which phrases best complete the sentences inthe second part.



lesson link TEACHER’S NOTES

Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2012

Answers

a SPORT IDIOM MEANING

archery the butt o sth the person that people make jokes about

athletics set the pace do sth at a speed that others must ollowbaseball way out in let feld wrong, strange or unusual

boxing the gloves are o stop being gentle in an argument

basketball a slam dunk something that is certain to be successul

cricket on a sticky wicket in a difcult situation

ootball blow the whistle stop sb doing sth illegal

horse racing by a short head by a little

b 1 Why do I always have to be the butt o your stupid jokes?

2 His energy and motivation set the pace or the rest o the team.

3 He’s oten right, but this time I think he’s way out in let feld .4 I’ve tried being patient with you, but now the gloves are o !

5 We won the contest easily. It was a slam dunk .

6 I he doesn’t tackle unemployment, the Prime Minister will be on a sticky wicket .

7 She decided to blow the whistle on her colleagues’ illegal activities.

8 It was very close, but she lost the vote by a short head .

Activity 2: Idioms used in sport [15-20 mins]

These idioms don’t originate rom sports, but are oten used when talking about sports. Ask

students to complete the exercise, again using the dictionary to help them. Check answers

together when they have had time to complete the sentences.Answers

1 All opponents must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in play .

2 The fnal score was 8 - 0. We won the match hands down.

3 He was exhausted, but determined to go the ull distance.

4 The runners are under starters orders … And they’re o!

5 She played well, but she was no match or the deending champion.

6 Their team might be stronger, but we’re determined to put up a good fght .

7 We’re over the moon that we’ve actually made it into the fnals.

8 It was a humiliating deeat. We really got taken to the cleaners.

Activity 3: Guess the idiom [15 mins]

Go through the example with the class, to make sure that they understand. When they have

had enough time to prepare their sentences, ask each pair to say their (second) sentence to

the rest o the class. I your class has a competitive streak, you can easily turn this activity

into a game by awarding pairs with a point i they guess another pair’s idiom, and a urther

point i they can reproduce the sentence with the idiom correctly and accurately.

Extension activity

Students may be interested in talking about idioms in their own L1. Ask students to

provide examples o idioms in their language, and provide good word-or-word and

overall translations or them. This can be particularly interesting in a classroom with a

mixture o nationalities.



lesson link WORKSHEET

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2012Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary

Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary

Activity 1: Idioms with sporting origins

a Many English idioms came originally rom talking about sports, and later

became more widely used. Work with a partner and look at the list o idioms.

Match each idiom with one o the sports on the let and a meaning on the right.

Check your answers in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary .

SPORT IDIOM MEANING

tennis way out in let feld do sth at a speed that others must ollow

archery the ball is in your court wrong, strange or unusual

athletics by a short head the person that people make jokes about

baseball on a sticky wicket by a little

boxing blow the whistle it is sb’s turn to speak, act, etc. next

basketball the gloves are o in a difcult situation

cricket a slam dunk stop sb doing sth illegal

ootball set the pace something that is certain to be successul

horse racing the butt o sth stop being gentle in an argument

b Complete the sentences using words rom the idioms. Use one word or each gap.

Example

I’ve given them a list o the changes that I think are necessary, so the ball’s in

their court now.

1 Why do I always have to be ______________ ______________ ______________ your stupid jokes?

2 His energy and motivation ______________ ______________ ______________ or the rest o the team.

3 He’s oten right, but this time I think he’s ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ .

4 I’ve tried being patient with you, but now ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ !

5 We won the contest easily. It was ______________ ______________ ______________ .

6 I he doesn’t tackle unemployment, the Prime Minister will be ______________ ______________

______________ ______________ .

7 She decided to ______________ ______________ ______________ on her colleagues’ illegal activities.

8 It was very close, but she lost the vote ______________ ______________ ______________ ______________ .



lesson link WORKSHEET

PHOTOCOPIABLE © Oxford University Press 2012Sport in the Oxford Idioms Dictionary

Activity 2: Idioms used in sport

Some English idioms are used requently when talking about sports. Look up the idioms in

the dictionary, and use the inormation to complete the sentences.

cleaners distance fght hands match moon play starters

1 All opponents must remain outside the penalty area until the ball is in ______________ .

2 The fnal score was 8 - 0. We won the match ______________ down.

3 He was exhausted, but determined to go the ull ______________ .

4 The runners are under ______________ orders … And they’re o!

5 She played well, but she was no ______________ or the deending champion.

6 Their team might be stronger, but we’re determined to put up a good ______________ .

7 We’re over the ______________ that we’ve actually made it into the fnals.

8 It was a humiliating deeat. We really got taken to the ______________ .

Activity 3: Guess the idiom

Work with a partner. Choose an idiom rom Activity 1 or Activity 2. Write a new sentence

that uses the idiom. Now write a second version o the sentence that means the same thing,

but does not use the idiom. For example:

I’m over the moon that I won the gold medal.

I’m very happy that I won the gold medal.

Read your second sentence out to the class. See i they can guess the frst sentence that

you wrote.

idioms used in sport

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