Basic Football English
Basic Football English
In this extra Premier Skills English Podcast, Jack is on his way to meet Rich at a local football match and they take a look at some basic football English. Enjoy!
Transcript
Rich: Hello and welcome to Premier Skills English. This podcast is going to be a bit different because I’m at a local football match and I’m waiting for Jack to arrive. We’re going to look at some simple football English. But first, we need to find out where Jack is. I’ll give him a call.
Jack: Hi Rich
Rich: Hey Jack. What’s keeping you?
Jack: I know. I know. I’m on my way.
Rich: The match kicked off five minutes ago.
Jack: Yeah - I’m running late; er... um... the weather’s terrible.
Rich: That’s weird. It’s warm and sunny here.
Jack: No, sorry. I mean it’s the traffic. The traffic is really awful.
Rich: Really? We didn’t have any problems. Hold on. We’ve got a corner. Unlucky!
Jack: Did we score?
Rich: No. We hit the post. Where are you?
Jack: Not far. I’ll be about five minutes. I’m on the ring road.
Rich: The ring road? That’s the long way round. Wait a sec. Referee!!
Jack: What happened?
Rich: We should have had a penalty. It was an awful tackle. Nothing given. You’re going to miss most of the first half. It’s a good game.
Jack: No, I’m not. I’m nearly there. I’m pulling into the car park now.
Rich: Oh!!! So close. Just over the bar.
Jack: I’m getting out of the car now.
Rich: Car park? We parked on the street. Get in! Goal!!! That was a fantastic free-kick. Right in the top corner.
Jack: I’m coming. I didn’t hear much cheering. I know it’s local football but …
Rich: There’s a couple of hundred of us. We’re behind the goal near the shops.
Jack: There aren’t many people around. Shops? There aren’t any shops. I’m here ‘LUDLOW FOOTBALL STADIUM’. Ther’s only one team in Ludlow, right?
Rich: Yes but we’re not at home Jack! You need to get back in the car. We’re away from home!
Jack: Oh come on!
...
Jack: Ah well! I don’t have enough time to see the second half. I'll try to get to the home match next week. Are you still there, Rich? Oh, he seems to have gone.
Jack: Shall we have a look at some of the words and phrases we used while we were speaking? Let’s look at some words connected to football. It’s the first time I’ve used my car as a classroom so we’re going to keep this simple.
Jack: Let’s look at four common words we use to talk about a football match. The first is to kick off. This means to start a match. Manchester Utd kicked off in the first half, City kicked off in the second half.
Jack: It’s also used as a noun. We often say things like; What time is kick-off? Or like Rich said ‘Hurry up or you’re going to miss the kick-off!’
Jack: It sounded like I missed a good game and our team had a lot of chances to score a goal. One chance hit the post and another chance went over the bar.
Jack: Each goal has two posts and a bar. The posts stand up vertically and the bar or crossbar connects the two posts horizontally. We can say a shot hit the post or hit the bar or maybe it goes over the bar or wide of the post.
Jack: The other word I want to look at is ‘tackle’. Like ‘kick-off ‘tackle’ can be a noun or a verb. A tackle is when one player challenges another player to try to get the ball. A good tackle is when you get the ball from the other player but a bad tackle is when you don’t get the ball or you foul the other player.
Jack: Right, that’s all I’ve got time for now. I need to get home. If there is anything you’d like to know about this video or football vocabulary, write a comment below and take a look at the Premier Skills English website.
Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football!
Language
Basic Football English
In the listening, Rich and Jack used some basic football English. Take a look at these sentences from the podcast. Do you understand the words in bold?
Rich: The match kicked off five minutes ago.
Jack: Did we score?
Rich: No. We hit the post. Where are you?
Jack: What happened?
Rich: We should have had a penalty. It was an awful tackle. Nothing given.
Rich: Oh!!! So close. Just over the bar.
Task
Football English
Did you understand the dialogue? Choose some of the vocabulary and write a mini-dialogue or football commentary.
- Kick off
- Hit the post
- Tackle
- Penalty
- Over the bar
Write your answers in the comments section at the bottom of the page!
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Comments
18/05/2024
points
In a thrilling match, the game kicked off with both teams showing their attacking intent. The first half saw several close chances, with one shot hitting the post and bouncing back into play. The defenders were kept busy with strong tackles flying in from both sides.
As the game progressed, a controversial decision led to a penalty being awarded to the home team. The striker stepped up to take the penalty kick, but his powerful shot sailed over the bar, much to the dismay of the fans.
Despite the missed opportunity, both teams continued to push for a breakthrough, creating an intense and competitive atmosphere on the field. Ultimately, the match ended in a draw, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next encounter between these two talented teams.
18/05/2024 09:46
Manchester United
5
In a thrilling match, the game kicked off with both teams showing their attacking intent. The first half saw several close chances, with one shot hitting the post and bouncing back into play. The defenders were kept busy with strong tackles flying in from both sides.
As the game progressed, a controversial decision led to a penalty being awarded to the home team. The striker stepped up to take the penalty kick, but his powerful shot sailed over the bar, much to the dismay of the fans.
Despite the missed opportunity, both teams continued to push for a breakthrough, creating an intense and competitive atmosphere on the field. Ultimately, the match ended in a draw, leaving fans eagerly anticipating the next encounter between these two talented teams.
05/10/2023
points
The kick off was at 5 pm. During the early stages of the match, M. city was doing several offensive actions and infact they hit the post twice in a row.
After they kicked the corner an opposite's defender did a bad tackle and the referee gives them a penalty. Unfortunately the player's shot goes over the crossbar, wide of the post.
05/10/2023 14:59
Arsenal
101
The kick off was at 5 pm. During the early stages of the match, M. city was doing several offensive actions and infact they hit the post twice in a row.
After they kicked the corner an opposite's defender did a bad tackle and the referee gives them a penalty. Unfortunately the player's shot goes over the crossbar, wide of the post.
19/08/2023
points
just after a kick off ,five minutes into the game and man united were awarded a penalty because player tried to tackle the player to avoid almost goal which ended up in penalty....oh god what a horrible penalty by player it goes so wide off post
19/08/2023 19:28
Manchester City
5
just after a kick off ,five minutes into the game and man united were awarded a penalty because player tried to tackle the player to avoid almost goal which ended up in penalty....oh god what a horrible penalty by player it goes so wide off post
21/06/2023
points
It was so great for start
21/06/2023 18:38
Manchester City
2
It was so great for start
21/06/2023
points
Nice! It was so amazing for start
21/06/2023 18:32
Manchester City
2
Nice! It was so amazing for start
08/02/2023
points
I understood the podcast. Thanks
08/02/2023 10:03
Liverpool
759
I understood the podcast. Thanks
09/08/2021
points
Nice!
09/08/2021 13:49
Liverpool
7
Nice!
08/06/2020
points
Thanks for your efforts Rich and Jack :)
A classroom in Jack's car LOL :)
08/06/2020 10:09
Manchester United
6510
Thanks for your efforts Rich and Jack :)
A classroom in Jack's car LOL :)
08/06/2020
points
Angleina : Hurry up , David ! The match is about to kick-off
David : Ok , Angelina. I have finished preparing the coffee
Angelina : What a strong tackle from our defender. Well done !
David : Did they get a penalty ?
Angelina : No way , it was a fair tackle. Don't worry
David : Here I am. Wow! what a stunning shot
Angelina : Unfortunately over the bar
David : No worries honey. We're gonna score soon.
Here's your coffee
08/06/2020 10:08
Manchester United
6510
Angleina : Hurry up , David ! The match is about to kick-off
David : Ok , Angelina. I have finished preparing the coffee
Angelina : What a strong tackle from our defender. Well done !
David : Did they get a penalty ?
Angelina : No way , it was a fair tackle. Don't worry
David : Here I am. Wow! what a stunning shot
Angelina : Unfortunately over the bar
David : No worries honey. We're gonna score soon.
Here's your coffee
23/09/2019
points
Yes, I can see them.
23/09/2019 11:24
Liverpool
159
Yes, I can see them.
19/09/2019
points
i don't get the point !
19/09/2019 14:08
Manchester United
196
i don't get the point !
14/09/2019
points
yes
14/09/2019 21:44
Manchester City
1734
yes
14/09/2019
points
The Premier League weekend kick-off times are fantastic. Saturday is often a busy day with three kickoffs: early, mid and late. I usually watch the mid-afternoon fixture as most teams play, and Goal Rush helps me to see the other matches while I am glued to my favourite team. Big fixtures like derbies and top six or bottom four encounters draw large crowds and are not to be missed.
While we enjoy breathing taking pictures on the screen, brilliant goals and saves, woodworks and nutmegs or criticizes officials and VAR for disallowing goals and making other 'silly' decisions, there is another side of football that make us sick: unfair play. Some players still tackle others violently injuring them on the way. Serious injuries threaten player's carrier, result in loss of game time and in rare cases deformity. Think of the individual who goes through excruciating pain, the fans who have to go without their star, and the disadvantage teams experience. Cards and financial penalties may not be enough to erase bad challenges in our memories.
Sometimes we struggle with coaches who can't see eye to eye on the touchline. What about managers who make big scenes who invades others' territories. Isn't that declaration of 'football war'? This intense atmosphere that we endure for 90 minutes may have far reaching effects to die hard football fans who may end up re-creating the scenes.
Lastly, there are players who shove and push others off the ball. Set pieces at times brings out this drama. There is really no ball. Why touching? Why rubbing shoulders? Why head-butting?
Football is a story.
14/09/2019 14:48
Chelsea
1745
The Premier League weekend kick-off times are fantastic. Saturday is often a busy day with three kickoffs: early, mid and late. I usually watch the mid-afternoon fixture as most teams play, and Goal Rush helps me to see the other matches while I am glued to my favourite team. Big fixtures like derbies and top six or bottom four encounters draw large crowds and are not to be missed.
While we enjoy breathing taking pictures on the screen, brilliant goals and saves, woodworks and nutmegs or criticizes officials and VAR for disallowing goals and making other 'silly' decisions, there is another side of football that make us sick: unfair play. Some players still tackle others violently injuring them on the way. Serious injuries threaten player's carrier, result in loss of game time and in rare cases deformity. Think of the individual who goes through excruciating pain, the fans who have to go without their star, and the disadvantage teams experience. Cards and financial penalties may not be enough to erase bad challenges in our memories.
Sometimes we struggle with coaches who can't see eye to eye on the touchline. What about managers who make big scenes who invades others' territories. Isn't that declaration of 'football war'? This intense atmosphere that we endure for 90 minutes may have far reaching effects to die hard football fans who may end up re-creating the scenes.
Lastly, there are players who shove and push others off the ball. Set pieces at times brings out this drama. There is really no ball. Why touching? Why rubbing shoulders? Why head-butting?
Football is a story.
13/09/2019
points
I needed to read part of the transcript for understanding some aspect of the dialogue.
Five minutes after the kick-off the stricker got the ball just outside the ball. He managed to control it but a defender tackled the ball from the back that why the referee whistled for a free-kick. With his right the forwarder put it through the bar freeing the fan's cheers.
13/09/2019 16:20
Manchester City
3988
I needed to read part of the transcript for understanding some aspect of the dialogue.
Five minutes after the kick-off the stricker got the ball just outside the ball. He managed to control it but a defender tackled the ball from the back that why the referee whistled for a free-kick. With his right the forwarder put it through the bar freeing the fan's cheers.