Vocabulary - Verbs Used To Talk About Sports

1) Use PLAY for team sports or sports where there is a winner and a loser:

football 
baseball 
basketball 
rugby 
tennis 
hockey 
volleyball 
cricket 
soccer 
badminton
golf

I love to play badminton.

I played basketball when I was in high school.

In my spare time, I play soccer with my friends.

When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball with my family.

 
2) Use GO for sports that end in –ing:

skiing 
swimming
climbing
diving 
fishing
running 
jogging
skating / figure skating

I love to go jogging in the morning before I go to work.

My grandfather and I go fishing every time I visit him.

Every winter, my family & I go skiing in the Rockies.

What are you doing this weekend? Let’s go swimming!

*NOTE: There is NO to between go and the activity. You do NOT “go to swimming.” You just “go swimming.”

The sports that end in –ing are all in gerund form. They can also be used in their verb form:

to ski 
to swim
to climb
to dive / to scuba dive
to fish
to run
to jog
to skate / figure skate

Do you scuba dive? Yes! I love scuba diving. 

I learned how to ski when I was 9 years old.

She skates at the local community centre.

He runs marathons for fun!


3) Use DO with sports that you don’t need any equipment to do:

aerobics
karate / martial arts
yoga
gymnastics

She does a lot of yoga – that’s why she looks so great!

My daughter used to take swimming lessons, but now she does gymnastics.

To stay in shape, I jog every morning, I play tennis and I also do aerobics.