Teaching English: Collocations with "Do," "Go," and "Play" in Sports

Understanding Collocations in English: Sports and Activities

Collocations are combinations of words that naturally go together in a language. Native English speakers often use these word combinations because they sound "right" or natural. For example, we say "do yoga" instead of "make yoga," and this is because "do" and "yoga" form a common combination in English.

Why is learning collocations important?

Learning collocations is essential because it makes your language sound more natural and helps others understand you more easily. By using common word combinations, you can express yourself in more varied and interesting ways. Additionally, our brains tend to remember and use language in chunks, which makes it easier to speak and write in English.

In this section, we will focus on how to use the verbs "do," "go," and "play" with sports and activities. Each verb works with different types of sports or physical activities, and using them correctly is important for sounding fluent and accurate in English.

1. Using "Do" with Sports

The verb "do" is used with activities that are typically individual or non-team sports. These are often sports that don’t involve a ball or a similar object. "Do" is also used with exercises or activities aimed at improving physical fitness. Here are some examples:

• Do aerobics
• Do yoga
• Do karate
• Do gymnastics
• Do judo
• Do weightlifting

"Do" is generally used for individual sports and activities that focus on personal fitness or combat skills. For example, when you say "I do yoga," it implies you are practicing yoga on your own, rather than competing with others.

2. Using "Go" with Sports

The verb "go" is often used with sports and activities that end in -ing. It implies that you are going somewhere to engage in the activity, either alone or with others. "Go" is commonly used with activities where you need to travel to a specific location, like a mountain or a pool. Here are some examples of common collocations with "go":

• Go swimming
• Go skiing
• Go hiking
• Go surfing
• Go jogging
• Go bowling

These are activities that typically require some kind of location or special setting, such as swimming in a pool, skiing on a mountain, or hiking in the woods.

3. Using "Play" with Sports

The verb "play" is typically used with team sports or activities that involve a ball or similar object (like a puck or a shuttlecock). "Play" suggests a competition, either between individuals or teams. Here are some examples of "play" collocations:

• Play football
• Play basketball
• Play tennis
• Play volleyball
• Play baseball
• Play chess (although this is not a sport, it is commonly used with "play")

These activities are often played with a ball, and they usually involve teams or pairs competing against each other.

Key Differences Between "Do," "Go," and "Play"

• Do is used with individual or combat sports (e.g., do yoga, do karate).
• Go is used with activities that end in -ing (e.g., go skiing, go swimming).
• Play is used for team sports or activities involving a ball (e.g., play football, play tennis).

Additional Notes

• You can say "play golf" when you are playing competitively, and "go golfing" when you're doing it for leisure.
• For activities like aerobics, karate, or judo, you would say "go to aerobics" or "go to karate" when referring to attending a class.

Example Exercise

Look at the following email, which contains some verb + noun errors. Try to find and correct the mistakes:

Original Email:

Hi, Jose,

Do you fancy coming on a sporting weekend with me next month? It sounds great – would make a change from playing computer games. You can make lots of different activities. You could even do fishing, I think. You can’t go skiing at this time of year but you can make water skiing, if you like. Everyone has to make general exercises first thing in the morning and then you can make whatever sport you like, more or less. I’ve never practised badminton so I think I’m going to do that. Then in the afternoon I’m looking forward to the chance to practise my tennis serve with their professional coach. Please try to come!

Giorgio

Corrected Email:

Hi, Jose,

Do you fancy coming on a sporting weekend with me next month? It sounds great – would make a change from playing computer games. You can do lots of different activities. You could even go fishing, I think. You can’t go skiing at this time of year but you can go water skiing, if you like. Everyone has to do general exercises first thing in the morning and then you can do whatever sport you like, more or less. I’ve never played badminton so I think I’m going to do that. Then in the afternoon I’m looking forward to the chance to practise my tennis serve with their professional coach. Please try to come!

Giorgio

Conclusion

Using the correct verb in combination with sports and activities makes your English sound more natural and helps you communicate clearly. By practicing common collocations, you will improve your ability to speak and write in everyday situations.