Sports Expressions Matching Cards Game
Set 1
What are & it takes.
Anything & feeling/instinct.
They face & in depth.
There are four & against it.
I have & can/could/may/might happen.
They have what & the prospects?
They are in & a massive/tough/huge challenge.
They are up & my doubts.
They have strength & main contenders.
I trust my gut & with a chance/shout.
Set 2
Can they spring & their act together.
Can they pull & them out.
They need to get & the killer instinct.
It s a big & record.
You have to factor & to be reckoned with.
You can never rule & as a team.
They are a force & it off?
Look at their track & in home advantage.
They play & a surprise?
They lack & ask.
Author: Dennis Delany Page 1 of 33
r: Katie Jones.
© Pearson Education 2010 PHOTOCOPIABLE
Sports Expressions Matching Cards Game
Teacher s Notes
This activity can be done individually, in pairs or in groups.
Individually  one copy of each table per student.
For pairs, cut the table in half and give one half to each student.
For groups, cut into individual cards and place face down on a table. Each student picks up two cards at
random and if they match, places them to one side (Pelmanism). If they don t match, the student replaces
them and it is the next student s turn.
There are two sets of cards in case you want to vocabulary intake more manageable.
As a follow-up, students can test each other by reading out the first part of the phrase and asking a
classmate to complete it. You may also want to combine this with the Football Pundits Predictions
Dialogue to consolidate this vocabulary.
SET 1
What are the prospects?
Anything can/could/may/might happen.
They face a massive/tough/huge challenge.
There are four main contenders.
I have my doubts.
They have what it takes.
They are in with a chance/a shout.
They are up against it.
They have strength in depth.
I trust my gut feeling/instinct.
SET 2
Can they spring a surprise?
Can they pull it off?
They need to get their act together.
It s a big ask.
You have to factor in home advantage.
You can never rule them out.
They are a force to be reckoned with.
Look at their track record.
They play as a team.
They lack the killer instinct.
Author: Dennis Delany Page 2 of 33
r: Katie Jones.
© Pearson Education 2010 PHOTOCOPIABLE
Sports Expressions Matching Cards Game
Answer Key
Author: Dennis Delany Page 3 of 33
r: Katie Jones.
© Pearson Education 2010 PHOTOCOPIABLE