Partner A
Easier: Do you like to exercise in the morning? Why or why not?
How do you choose between playing sport and watching it?
More challenging: How does the commercialisation of professional sports affect the experience for ordinary fans?
Jamesleads the live roundsSimmonds · live on simmonds.onlineB15 min · English
Playing and watching sports in English: vocabulary, dialogue and conversation questions
Editorially responsible: James Simmondspublished 31 Oct 2026AI-generated text (learn more – how we use AI on these pages)
Live rounds with a trainer and a small group. To warm up: Theo asks, you answer.
Allow the microphone – Theo asks the first question.
AI conversation partner, synthetic voice · your voice is processed live by Google Gemini, we store no audio and no transcript · max. 5 minAbout the AIWith headphones you can interrupt Theo. Without them, the microphone only listens once Theo has finished.
Sports & fitnessB1 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about sports and fitness (level B1)Books and readingB1 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about books and reading (level B1)MusicB1 – Practise speaking English: a conversation about music (level B1)Sorry, could you say that again?Give me a second to think.How do you say … in English?
Question of the day
According to the podcast, what do many fans do every weekend?
Show the answer – Open the answer to the question of the day
Correct answer: Watch football matches
You can find the answer in the English introduction.
Listen to the introduction
Speed
Transcript
Hi, I'm Theo, and this is a two-minute conversation starter. Today: sports. Some people love to stay active – Jump to the vocabulary entry for stay active, while others prefer to watch from the sofa. Going to the gym is very popular these days, as many of us try to keep fit – Jump to the vocabulary entry for keep fit. But team sports – Jump to the vocabulary entry for team sports also have a huge following. Many fans watch football matches – Jump to the vocabulary entry for watch football matches every weekend, cheering for their favourite clubs. Whether you play tennis, go for a run – Jump to the vocabulary entry for go for a run, or simply enjoy watching the Olympics on television, sports bring people together. It is a great way to relieve stress – Jump to the vocabulary entry for relieve stress after a long day at work. But what about your own routine? Do you prefer to work up a sweat – Jump to the vocabulary entry for work up a sweat or watch the professionals?
Vocabulary
- stay active/steɪ ˈæk.tɪv/
- Meaning: To continue doing physical activities and moving around.
- Example: It is important for older adults to stay active.
- keep fit/ˌkiːp ˈfɪt/
- Meaning: To stay healthy and strong by doing physical exercise.
- Example: Many people swim regularly to keep fit.
- team sports/ˈtiːm spɔːts/
- Meaning: Games played between two groups of people, like basketball or rugby.
- Example: Children learn how to work together by playing team sports.
- watch football matches/wɒtʃ ˈfʊt.bɔːl ˈmætʃ.ɪz/
- Meaning: To look at games of football as a spectator.
- Example: We usually go to the pub to watch football matches.
- go for a run/ˌɡəʊ fər ə ˈrʌn/
- Meaning: To exercise by running outside.
- Example: I usually get up early and go for a run.
- relieve stress/rɪˈliːv stres/
- Meaning: To reduce feelings of worry or tension.
- Example: Yoga is an excellent way to relieve stress.
- work up a sweat/ˌwɜːk ʌp ə ˈswet/
- Meaning: To exercise hard enough to start sweating.
- Example: You don't need heavy weights to work up a sweat.
Dialogue
- SarahDid you do anything fun at the weekend?
- TomYes, I managed to go for a run on Saturday morning.
- SarahThat's great! I prefer to stay active by swimming.
- TomSwimming is fantastic to keep fit. Do you follow any team sports?
- SarahNot really. My partner likes to watch football matches, but I find them a bit boring.
- TomI know what you mean. I mostly exercise just to relieve stress nowadays.
- SarahExactly. It's nice to work up a sweat and forget about the office for a while.
Questions for your conversation
Partner B
Easier: Is it easy to find time for exercise during the week? Why or why not?
Which sport do you enjoy watching – and which do you play?
More challenging: If you had to design a new sport that encourages everyone to participate, what rules would it have?
Partner A
Easier: Have you ever tried a new sport on holiday? Why or why not?
Why do you think going to the gym is so popular?
More challenging: What would make a local sports club more welcoming to beginners?
Useful phrases
- I try to work out three times a week.
- Do you do any sports?
- I prefer individual sports to team sports.
- It helps me clear my head.
- I am not very sporty.
- Who is playing this weekend?
Topic quiz
Five quick questions check vocabulary and listening comprehension.
You might also be interested in
All conversations – Back to all English conversations
Books and reading – Practise speaking English: a conversation about books and reading (level B1)
Switching off with a good book. Talk about your reading habits, with a mini-podcast to start.
Practise with Theo →
Music – Practise speaking English: a conversation about music (level B1)
Which song brings back memories for you? Talk about music, with a mini-podcast to start.
Practise with Theo →
Hobbies – Practise speaking English: a conversation about hobbies (level A2)
What do you do in your free time? Talk about your hobbies.
Practise with Theo →Questions
Who is Theo?
Theo is an AI conversation partner for warming up, not a teacher. The voice is synthetic. In the live rounds, a trainer talks with you.
Is my conversation stored?
We store neither audio nor a transcript. During the conversation, your voice is sent to Google (Gemini) for processing. The conversation ends after no more than five minutes.
Newsletter
A new conversation every day
Once a week: all conversations of the week, plus podcast episodes and live-round dates. Unsubscribe any time.