active rest: a leisure time during which you exercise.
| Active rest between lessons helps children to study more effectively.
athletics track (running track): a track for running, usually used for athletic races.
| The 9-lane running track is equipped to cope with competitions of all levels.
barbell: a weight-lifting gear.
blow the competition away: win easily the competition.
| After training for seven years, he blew the baseball competition away.
brisk walk (brisk walking): a sport in which people walk fast, but not as fast as a full run.
| Brisk walking is a great exercise for those, who want to lose weight.
to build muscle: to gain muscle mass.
| John was very skinny five year ago, but now he has built muscle and looks really strong.
fitness program: a timetable of activities to keep you in a good shape.
football fan: someone who adores football.
football pitch: the surface on which you play football.
football season: a period when football is played.
jogging: a form of running at a slow pace.
keep-fit exercises: exercises that help you to keep your body in a good shape.
personal best: an achievement in sport that is better than anything you have achieved before.
| Today I’ve ran 100m in 12 seconds! That is my personal best.
personal trainer (sports coach): a person that helps you to train on a one-to-one basis.
| It’s much easier to train with a sports coach than alone.
sports centre (fitness centre): a specific building where people can do different sports.
| I practise fencing at a local sports centre.
sports facilities: the equipment and services needed to do a sport.
| I chose this gym because it offers a wide range of sports facilities.
sports meeting (athletics meeting): an event at which a number of athletic contests are held.
| The next athletics meeting will be held in November and will include javelin, pole vault, hurdles and steeplechase.
squash/tennis/badminton court: the surface where you play these sports.
strength-training strategy: set of exercises to build muscles.
| My dad advised me a wonderful strength-training strategy.
strenuous exercise: exercise that needs a lot of physical effort.
| It is recommended to drink a lot of water after strenuous exercises.
strong swimmer: an experienced swimmer.
swimming pool: a place filled with water made specifically for swimming.
that’s the way the ball bounces: used to say that things don’t always go as planned, but there is nothing we can do about it.
| Dave didn’t win the game as he expected, but he never minds – that’s the way the ball bounces.
to be keen to do smth (to be keen on doing smth): to be very interested in doing something.
| I’m keen on cycling.
to be out of condition (to be out of shape): to be in bad physical condition, to lose strength.
| Lily hasn’t been training for years, she is out of condition now.
to be saved by the bell: to be saved from losing by a timely interruption.
| Evan would lose this round, if he wasn’t saved by the bell.
to build muscle: to gain muscle by working out.
to get into shape: to become fit.
| Paul started training in gym because he wanted to get into shape.
to keep fit: to stay in a good shape.
| I practise dancing to keep fit.
to run the marathon: to run a distance of 42.195 kilometres.
to set a record: to achieve the best result in a sport.
| A new record in pole vault was set two years ago.
to take up doing smth: to start doing something new (usually sport).
| I took up dancing last week.
to train hard: to train with effort and passion.
to warm up: to perform light exercises to prepare for a hard workout.
| A good warm-up readies your body for a hard training.
to work out: to exercise in gym.
treadmill: an exercise machine in the gym used for walking or running, while staying in the same place.
| Good treadmills provide a indoor workout experience as natural as the outdoors
trial-and-error method: a method of reaching a solution by trying various means until you succeed.
| I learned swimming by trial-and-error method, trying different moves until I figured out how to float on water.
workout : session of exercises in gym. You can do a workout for chest, for legs, for losing weight etc.
| My trainer suggested me a workout for abdominal muscles.
IELTS Speaking sample about Sport
Part 1
What kind of sport do you prefer?
I don’t prefer a specific kind of sport, but I really like working out in the gym… That helps me to keep my body in a good shape… A few years ago I had a sports coach, but now I developed my own fitness program and train alone…
Do you do any kind of sports during weekends?
Yes, sure! I have a lot of spare time during weekends and I do javelin on Saturdays… In summertime I also go cycling with my friends… Generally, I don’t like staying at home all day… I prefer active rest…
Tell me about your hobbies. Is there anything you like to do in your leisure time?
I used to play tennis as a hobby… But a few months ago my family moved to a new place, and there were no tennis courts nearby… That’s why I took up wrestling… But I still play tennis every once in a while.
Part 2
Now, have a look at the card and prepare a monologue.
Describe a place that you visit to keep fit. You should say:
• What is it
• When do you go there
• What do you do there
and say why do you like it
I would like to talk about my local gym that I visit three times a week… It’s a new sports centre with the latest fitness equipment… It has everything you would ever need to keep fit: treadmills, various dumbbells and exercisers for different muscle groups. Moreover, it offers a wide range of different classes for every taste… I developed my own strength-building strategy, so usually I start with a short warmup when I jog on the treadmill for a few minutes to sweat… Then, I go to the weights sections and start doing lifting exercises… Finally, I end my workout with stretching… I try not to miss my trainings, because they help me to relax and forget about the daily routine.
Part 3
Should people go in for sports more?
Yes, definitely… Sport should be an essential part of everyone’s life. Not only is it good for your health, but it also helps you to be in a good mood… So people should certainly train more.
Which sport is the best for people, who aren’t used to work-out?
In my point of view, everybody should start with light trainings, maybe jogging or brisk walk every day… It is better to avoid strenuous exercises for the first couple of months, so powerlifting is definitely out of the question…
Why some people enjoy sports more than others?
It is a tough question… I would say, the main reason is it’s hard to find your perfect kind of sport… if you don’t like football or basketball it doesn’t mean you won’t enjoy cricket, for example… It’s important not to fear trial-and-error method and you’ll inevitably find your ideal sport.
IELTS Sport Vocabulary
Part 1-style questions
Examiner: Do you do any sports?
Loiuse: Not really … no … I always say I’m going to take up exercise and try to get into shape but I never seem to get started … I sometimes wonder whether I should get a personal trainer … someone who will sort out a fitness programme for me and make me train hard ….
Examiner: How do you spend a typical weekend?
Stella: I’m a big football fan and weekends always centre around a football match … I support FC Utrecht and have a season ticket so I go to most of the home games and quite a few of the away games too … I’m really looking forward to the new football season starting soon …
Examiner: Have you got any hobbies or interests?
Theo: Yes … I’m really keen on sports … I do judo once a week and play tennis in the summer … I think it’s really important to keep fit … it makes you feel good and energised for work and your studies ….
Part 2 -style task
Describe a place you like going to in your leisure time. You should say:
– what this place is
– when you go there
– what you do there
and say why you enjoy it there so much.
Maurice: I’d like to talk about my local sports centre … it’s a place I spend a lot of time in … it’s a new building with all the latest sports facilities … I probably go there at least twice a week … sometimes more often … it’s a huge place … there’s an outdoor athletics track and some football pitches … I play football so I’m often out there … there are several indoor squash and tennis courts that I use occasionally … a big swimming pool … although I don’t use that very often … I’m not a very strong swimmer … there’s a gym … lots of things really … why do I enjoy going there … it’s just a really fun place to be … there’s a good social side to it all … you can enter competitions … meet up with other people who want to do the same sports … and because there are so many activities on offer it gets you interested in different things … for example I was listening to some people talking about training to run the marathon and I’ve decided I might even think about that … I go jogging a couple of times a week so it would give me something to aim for … so yes … the sports centre … that’s the place I really like to visit …
Part 3 -style questions
Examiner: Should people be encouraged more to take up sport?
Alejandro: I think young people should be given the chance to discover which sport they might like … watching sport is sometimes a good way to get people started … not on TV but actually getting out … take athletics for example … they could go to an athletics meeting … there are so many different sports on show one might interest them …
Examiner: Why do some people enjoy participating in sport more than others?
Florrie: That’s a good question … I suppose some people are more concerned about their health … they can’t stand the thought of being out of condition … other people might be driven to excel … they want to set records or get personal bests …
Examiner: Which sports do you think are best for people who aren’t used to physical activity?
Julie: Well … I think people like this should avoid strenuous exercise so things like circuit training are definitely out of the question … maybe just doing a brisk walk every day … or swimming is always a good way to get started …
Definitions
an athletics meeting: an event where various athletics sports are held
an athletics track: a running track
an away game: a football match played in the opposing teams stadium
a brisk walk: a fast walk
to do judo: (not go or play)
a football fan: someone who likes football
a fitness programme: a schedule of activities to keep fit
a football match: a game of football
a football pitch: the surface on which you play football (as opposed to a stadium, which is the building)
a football season: a period in the year when football is played
to get into shape: to become fit
to go jogging: to run around the streets
a home game: a football match played in the teams own stadium
to keep fit: to stay in good physically condition
to be out of condition: to not be physically fit
a personal best: to achieve the best personal result so far in a sport
a personal trainer: a sports coach that helps you on a one-to-one basis
to play tennis/football: (not do or go)
to run the marathon: to run a distance of 42.195 Kilometres
a season ticket: a ticket that gives you entry to most of a team’s home games during the sporting year.
to set a record: to achieve the best result in a sport
a sports centre: a public building where people can do various sports
sports facilities: the equipment and services needed to do a sport
a squash/tennis/badminton court: the surface where you play these sports
strenuous exercise: exercise that needs a lot of physical effort
a strong swimmer: a good swimmer
a swimming pool: the place where you swim
to take up exercise: to start doing exercise
to train hard: to train with a lot of effort
