How to talk about SPORTS with PLAY, GO and DO.

How to talk about SPORTS with PLAY, GO and DO.

Explanation + Extra Activities

How to talk about SPORTS with PLAY, GO and DO.

When talking about sports in English, we use “play,” “go,” and “do” to describe different activities. The choice depends on the type of sport or activity.

1. Sports with “Play”

We use “play” for sports that usually involve a team or a game with rules, and often a ball.

  • Play is followed by the name of the sport.

Examples:

  • I play soccer every weekend.
  • She plays tennis with her friends.
  • We play basketball at school.

Common sports with “play”:

  • Play soccer
  • Play tennis
  • Play basketball
  • Play baseball
  • Play volleyball

2. Sports with “Go”

We use “go” for activities that end in “-ing” and are often individual, outdoor, or adventure sports.

  • Go is followed by the -ing form of the sport.

Examples:

  • I go swimming in the summer.
  • They go skiing every winter.
  • We go cycling on weekends.

Common activities with “go”:

  • Go swimming
  • Go skiing
  • Go cycling
  • Go running
  • Go hiking
  • Go fishing

3. Sports with “Do”

We use “do” for individual sports, exercises, or activities that don’t involve a ball or specific game rules. These are often more general or related to fitness.

  • Do is followed by the name of the sport or activity.

Examples:

  • I do yoga to relax.
  • He does karate after school.
  • We do gymnastics at the gym.

Common activities with “do”:

  • Do yoga
  • Do karate
  • Do gymnastics
  • Do aerobics
  • Do judo
  • Do Pilates

Summary:

  • Use “play” for team sports or games with rules (usually with a ball).
    • Example: Play soccer, play tennis
  • Use “go” for sports or activities ending in -ing.
    • Example: Go swimming, go hiking
  • Use “do” for individual exercises, martial arts, or fitness-related activities.
    • Example: Do yoga, do karate

By remembering this pattern, it becomes easier to talk about sports and physical activities in English!

Extra Practice

Quiz: Play, Go, or Do?

Instructions: Choose the correct verb (play, go, or do) to complete each sentence.

  1. Every Saturday, I __________ basketball with my friends.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  2. She __________ swimming every morning before school.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  3. They __________ gymnastics at the local gym.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  4. My brother and I __________ tennis on the weekends.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  5. We __________ hiking in the mountains every summer.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  6. He __________ yoga to relax after work.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  7. The kids __________ soccer at the park every afternoon.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  8. She loves to __________ skiing in the winter.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  9. I __________ karate twice a week for self-defense.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  10. They __________ volleyball on the beach during vacation.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  11. He usually __________ cycling after work.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  12. We __________ Pilates at home for exercise.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  13. On rainy days, we __________ board games indoors.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  14. My family likes to __________ fishing on the weekends.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  15. She __________ judo every Wednesday evening.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  16. He __________ golf with his colleagues on Sundays.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  17. My friends and I __________ running at the park to stay fit.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  18. They __________ aerobics as part of their fitness routine.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do
  19. He __________ baseball for his college team.
    a) plays
    b) goes
    c) does
  20. I like to __________ running in the mornings before work.
    a) play
    b) go
    c) do

Answers:

  1. I play basketball with my friends every Saturday.
  2. She goes swimming every morning before school.
  3. They do gymnastics at the local gym.
  4. My brother and I play tennis on the weekends.
  5. We go hiking in the mountains every summer.
  6. He does yoga to relax after work.
  7. The kids play soccer at the park every afternoon.
  8. She loves to go skiing in the winter.
  9. I do karate twice a week for self-defense.
  10. They play volleyball on the beach during vacation.
  11. He goes cycling after work.
  12. We do Pilates at home for exercise.
  13. We play board games indoors on rainy days.
  14. My family likes to go fishing on the weekends.
  15. She does judo every Wednesday evening.
  16. He plays golf with his colleagues on Sundays.
  17. My friends and I go running at the park to stay fit.
  18. They do aerobics as part of their fitness routine.
  19. He plays baseball for his college team.
  20. I like to go running in the mornings before work.
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