60 Sports Collocations in English (with Meanings & Examples) / B2-C1
Collocations related to sports
❌ make sport
✔ play sport
- FCE Speaking Part 1 (free time & hobbies)
- Articles about sport and fitness
- Reviews of sporting events
- Essays about teamwork and competition
General Sports Collocations
Play a match – take part in a game
We’re playing a match against our biggest rivals this weekend.
Win a game / match – be victorious
They won the game thanks to a last-minute goal.
Lose a match – be defeated
Despite strong defence, they lost the match 2–1.
Draw a game – finish with equal scores
The teams drew the game after extra time.
Score a goal – put the ball in the net
She scored the winning goal in the final minute.
Concede a goal – allow the opponent to score
They conceded a goal early in the first half.
Keep a clean sheet – finish without conceding
The goalkeeper kept a clean sheet.
Compete in a tournament – participate in a series of matches
He’s competing in an international tournament next month.
Win a championship – become overall winner
They won the championship after an outstanding season.
Qualify for the next round – advance
She qualified for the semi-finals.
Be knocked out of a competition – be eliminated
The team was knocked out in the quarter-finals.
Secure a place in the final – successfully reach the final
They secured a place in the final after a dramatic win.
Training & Fitness Collocations
Train hard – practise intensely
Professional athletes train hard every day.
Stick to a training schedule – follow a plan
If you stick to your training schedule, you’ll see improvement.
Build endurance – increase stamina
Long-distance running helps build endurance.
Improve performance – perform better
He’s working to improve his performance before the final.
Increase flexibility – become more flexible
Stretching regularly increases flexibility.
Follow a strict diet – control food intake carefully
Many athletes follow a strict diet before competitions.
Do strength training – train muscles
She does strength training twice a week.
Warm up properly – prepare before exercise
Always warm up properly before training.
Cool down after exercise – gradually reduce intensity
Don’t forget to cool down after exercise.
Maintain peak condition – stay in top physical shape
He works hard to maintain peak condition all season.
Competition & Strategy
Set a record – achieve the best result
She set a new national record.
Break a record – surpass a previous record
He broke the world record in swimming.
Take the lead – move ahead
She took the lead in the final lap.
Extend the lead – increase the advantage
They extended their lead in the second half.
Make a comeback – recover from behind
The team made a dramatic comeback.
Turn the game around – completely change the result
They turned the game around in the final minutes.
Defend a title – attempt to win again
He’s defending his title this year.
Dominate the game – control the match
The home team dominated the game from start to finish.
Make a crucial save – prevent a decisive goal
The goalkeeper made a crucial save in the final seconds.
Miss a penalty – fail to score
He missed a penalty under pressure.
Face tough opposition – compete against strong rivals
They faced tough opposition in the final.
Play under pressure – perform in stressful conditions
She plays well under pressure.
Team & Player Collocations
Join a team – become a member
She joined the university volleyball team.
Be a team player – cooperate well
In business and sport, being a team player is essential.
Be the star player – best performer
He’s the star player this season.
Be in top form – perform at your best
The striker is in top form right now.
Have a bad game – perform poorly
He had a bad game and missed several chances.
Show great sportsmanship – behave fairly
Both teams showed great sportsmanship after the match.
Lead the team to victory – guide to success
The captain led the team to victory.
Sign a contract – officially join a club
She signed a contract with a professional team.
Transfer to another club – move to a different team
He transferred to another club last season.
Be a rising star – show strong potential
She’s a rising star in athletics.
Equipment & Facilities
Wear protective gear – use safety equipment
Always wear protective gear when cycling.
Use professional equipment – use high-quality tools
Athletes train using professional equipment.
Play on a home ground – compete in your own stadium
They play better on their home ground.
Play away from home – compete in another team’s stadium
It’s always harder to play away from home.
Compete in a packed stadium – play in front of a full crowd
They competed in a packed stadium.
Run on a track – compete on a race track
Athletes run on a professional track.
Injuries & Recovery
Suffer an injury – get hurt
He suffered an injury during training.
Sustain an injury – receive an injury (formal)
She sustained an ankle injury in the match.
Pull a muscle – strain a muscle
He pulled a muscle while sprinting.
Sprain an ankle – twist the ankle painfully
She sprained her ankle in the second half.
Undergo surgery – have an operation
He underwent surgery after the accident.
Recover from an injury – heal
She’s recovering from a knee injury.
Make a full recovery – heal completely
Thankfully, she made a full recovery.
Be sidelined due to injury – be unable to play
He was sidelined due to injury for three months.
Events & Spectators
Attend a live match – watch in person
We attended a live match last weekend.
Cheer for your team – support enthusiastically
Fans cheered for their team passionately.
Celebrate a victory – enjoy winning
The players celebrated their victory with supporters.
Experience the thrill of competition – feel excitement
Athletes experience the thrill of competition at every event.
Exam Tip (B2–C1)
Sports vocabulary often appears in B2 First Speaking (Part 1 & 3), reviews about sporting events, articles about fitness and essays about teamwork and discipline. Using natural collocations instantly raises your lexical score.
Instead of writing:
❌ The team did a big effort.
Write:
✔ The team made a huge effort.
✔ They turned the game around despite tough opposition.
That’s the difference between intermediate and advanced.
FAQ
What are sports collocations?
Sports collocations are common word combinations used when talking about matches, training, competition, and injuries.
Why are collocations important for B2 and C1 exams?
Using natural collocations improves your lexical range score in Cambridge exams.
How can I learn collocations effectively?
Learn them in groups, practise using them in sentences, and notice them in sports articles or match reports.
Related posts:
Vocabulary related to the gym and fitness
General questions for the B2 First speaking test
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