Idioms related to

sports
 Objective
To identify sport idioms and use them in
context.
 Do you know any idioms or
expressions related to sports?
If you do, share them with the class
Activity # 1
Vocabulary Focus
Guessing activity
Taking into account the images that you’re about to look at, try to come
up with the idiom those images represent

https://padlet.com/amcifuenteso/w9az1eeu36mg2j77
 To drop the ball
When you drop the ball, it means you 
made a stupid mistake or forgot something really
important. In some situations, it also means you have
given up before reaching your goal…which is definitely
a mistake!

Can you think of one or two situations in your life

where you dropped the ball? 

 “You dropped the ball when you rejected that job offer.” 

 To be out of
(someone’s) league
When somebody is out of your league, it means they are much
better or more successful than you are. English speakers use this to
talk about people who don’t belong in the same group because
of how different they are. Maybe you have advised one of your
friends not to date a certain person because you thought they
were not at the same level…well, now you can try this idiom!

“She will never want to date me,

look at her! She’s out of my league.”
 To jump to
conclusions
Humans can be impulsive, emotional and irrational
sometimes. That’s why the idiom “jump to conclusions”
exists. When you believe something is true without enough
proof to support your idea, you are jumping to
conclusions.

Was there a time in your life when you jumped to

conclusions and then discovered you were wrong? 

 “You’re accusing him of stealing your wallet, but you still

don’t have evidence that he did. Don’t jump to conclusions!”
To hit someone below
the belt
You hit someone below the belt when you do or say
something unfair with the intention of hurting
someone.
By not looking the person in the face and fighting
them directly, but rather being sneaky and “fighting
dirty” with actions and words, you cause damage.

“You hit her below the belt when you said she was

ugly. You know she is very insecure!”
To throw in the towel
Have you ever felt like giving up on something that felt very
important to you? Maybe you were tired, exhausted,
frustrated. If your answer is yes, it means you have wanted
to “throw in the towel”. This is another way of saying “to
give up”.

What are some moments in your life in which you have

wanted to throw in the towel? Why? 

 “Are you going to throw in the towel just because your boss fired you?
You can’t! Get up and look for a new job!”
 To set the pace (for
something)
When you set the pace for something, you are an example that
others should follow if they want to be successful: you
represent the best. If they want to be successful (at whatever we
are talking about – sports, music, business), they should do what
you are doing!

“The moment she started working for us, she set

the pace for the rest of the team. They had to sell
as much as her if they wanted to stay in the
company!”
 To have the upper
hand
Some people love competition, some people hate it. But
one thing is true – someone will always have the upper
hand in a competition! So what is the meaning of
“having the upper hand”? When you use this expression,
it means someone has an advantage – they have
something that makes them stand out and more likely
to be successful.

“They have the upper hand in this industry because

they have the latest technology.”
 To take the bull by the
horns
How do you deal with your problems? Are you the type of person
who waits for a solution or do you take the bull by the horns and
try to find a solution yourself? If you confront an unpleasant
situation (or person) with courage rather than having a
passive attitude, that means you have finally decided to take
the bull by the horns!

“It’s about time you stopped hiding. Take the bull by the

horns and tell her how you really feel!”
 To take sides
If you have strong opinions, you are probably a person who takes
sides frequently. When you take sides, you are supporting one
person or idea against another one. This means you are not
unbiased – you are leaning toward one side of a debate or
conflict. 

“My friends are fighting, and I don’t want to take sides.

I love both of them!
 The ball is in your
court
it's your decision or responsibility to do
something now

"Do you think I should accept the job offer?"

"Don't ask me. The ball is in your court now".
 To hold all the
aces
If you say that someone holds all the aces,
you mean that they have all the advantages in
a contest or situation.

Children hold all the aces when it comes to father-son

soccer games.
If you wanna learn more idioms
access this website
https://blog.lingoda.com/en/20-popular-sports-idioms-in-english
 Practice
https://quizizz.com/admin/quiz/5f20f8718b636
4001f6166e0/sport-idioms
 Tell us an
anecdote/experience you had
using some of the idioms that
we learned today
 Remember: Project of the
week:
Activity: "Survivors Tale"
Look up a story of a person who survived after having an
accident/problem while practicing an extreme sport/ sport (it
could also be a personal experience). Use the grammar
structures seen during the week! 
Share it with the class with a presentation!