Sports Idioms in the
Business World
This lesson includes:
Detailed lesson plan
Worksheet
Activity cards
Answers
Category: Idioms/ Conversation
Level: Upper-Intermediate
Duration: 50 minutes
Prep: A ball (or something that can be thrown and caught easily)
A timer (phone/online countdown)
Guess the idiom worksheet
A teacher’s guide to… Wall idiom sheets
Idiom activity cards
Sports Idioms in the Objective: Students will be able to use a selection of sports idioms in the business
context of a job interview.
Business World Can Statement: I can select from a readily available range of expressions to preface my
remarks appropriately and to follow up what other people say.
Stage/Aim Procedure
The warmer is called boom! Stand students in a circle. Elicit a topic, for example capital cities. Explain that they have
Warmer 30 seconds until the ‘bomb’ (the ball) goes off. After catching the bomb, students must give an answer for the given
Learner- Learner topic, for example Delhi. Once that student has given their answer, they can randomly throw the bomb (nicely) to
To establish a fun, comfortable someone else in the circle. The person who has the bomb at the end of the 30 seconds, is the loser. As the teacher, you
English environment. should set the topic of sport (or something sports related) as the topic for the final round of the warmer. This will lead
nicely into the class.
Lead in
Segue into the lead in by asking what the last round’s topic was (Sports). Ask who likes sports? Find out why. Board the
Teacher-Learner
question How are sports and business the same? How are they different? In small groups, allow your students to discuss
To elicit similarities/differences
their ideas. Monitor to make sure everybody is on track.
between sport and business.
Segue After some time, stop your students discussing the question and elicit any interesting ideas that you heard while
Teacher-Learner monitoring. Move from these ideas and connect them to the idea that idioms often originate in sports but find their
To set the concept that sport way into the business world. Ask if they can think of any examples. If not, it’s no problem because today we are going
idioms are used in business to learn ten new sports idioms used in the business world!
Stage/Aim Procedure
Group the students into pairs or threes. Give them one worksheet to share. This should encourage communication and
Presentation
group interaction. The answer sheet will be provided at the end of this activity so everyone will have all of the
Learner-Learner
information. Students need to guess the meaning of the idiom and the sport from which it came from. They can use
To introduce the idioms and their
the Idioms in use column to help them derive meaning. It might be good to reassure your students not to be scared of
possible meanings.
making mistakes. It’s an important part of the learning process.
Learner- Learner/
Teacher- Learner Give each student an answer sheet and have them work together to check their answers. Alternatively, you could check
To check answers and discuss the together as a class and field any questions as they arise.
meaning of the idioms.
Controlled Practice Now that the students have been introduced to the idioms, we need to cement their understanding and confidence to
Learner- Learner use them. In their pair/three, allow students to walk around and write an example sentence of their own on the idiom
sheets that you placed on the walls around the classroom before class. As students walk around, have them read what
To give students time to formulate other partners have written on the sheets too. As the teacher, monitor and encourage creativity, as well as offering
sample sentences using each correction. At the end of the activity, offer feedback.
idiom.
At this point, your students should be quite familiar with the idioms. This next task is aimed at spoken production of
the idioms. Group your students in threes. For variety, you might want to mix up the groups for previous activities. Give
Freer-Practice the groups two minutes to brainstorm some funny or unusual jobs. After which, board the class’ ideas. Next, give the
Learner-Learner idiom activity cards to the students. Students should lay the cards face up so the group can see them. One person in
the group is a boss looking to hire. Choose one of the funny/unusual jobs boarded a moment ago. The students must
For students to confidently use the convince the boss that they are the right candidate for the job at the same time as using the idioms. If an idiom is used
idiom in an interview scenario. by any member of the group, they can collect the card. Once all of the cards have gone, the boss makes a choice on
who they want to hire. The person with the most idiom activity cards is the winner. Alternate boss role, choose another
job and go again.
Feedback
While the students were in their interview, you should have monitored. Board any common errors, or misuses of the
Teacher-Learner
idioms. Of course, there might be other common problems with grammar, pronunciation, or word choice. Allow
To provide positive praise and
students time to correct the mistakes. Also provide praise for any positive language use/ideas expressed too.
delayed error correction.
Sports Idioms in the Business World
Sport
Idiom What does it mean? (your guess) (your guess)
Idioms in use
The company’s new fish flavoured toothpaste is a
A long shot
long shot. Who’s going to buy that?!?
The ball is in your I sent the latest offer in the negotiations to the client.
court The ball is in their court now.
While the boss is on vacation, Robert will call the
Call the shots
shots.
Sarah hit the target for April and won salesperson of
Hit the target
the month.
Get into the full It can take months to get into the swing of things in a
swing (of things) new job.
I made the cut! They called me for a second
Make the cut
interview.
It’s par for the course for English to be used in
Par for the course
international business deals.
Get the ball
Everybody is here. Let’s get the ball rolling.
rolling
The boss took sides with Tim in the discussion
Take sides
because he has more experience than Ross.
Throw in the I’ve had enough of this job. I’m throwing in the
towel towel.
Answers
Idiom Meaning Sport Idioms in use
An attempt at something that has only The company’s new fish flavoured toothpaste is a
A long shot Hunting
the slightest chance of succeeding. long shot. Who’s going to buy that?!?
The ball is in your I sent the latest offer in the negotiations to the client.
It is up to you to make the next move. Tennis
court The ball is in their court now.
To be in charge and make the While the boss is on vacation, Robert will call the
Call the shots Billiards
decisions. shots.
Sarah hit the target for April and won salesperson of
Hit the target To achieve a goal. Archery
the month.
Get into the full To become used to doing an activity or It can take months to get into the swing of things in a
Tennis
swing (of things) routine. new job.
To be able to pass from one round of I made the cut! They called me for a second
Make the cut All sports
competition to the next. interview.
What should be expected or normal It’s par for the course for English to be used in
Par for the course Golf
based on past experience. international business deals.
Get the ball
To begin something. Ball sports Everybody is here. Let’s get the ball rolling.
rolling
To support one person, group, or Team The boss took sides with Tim in the discussion
Take sides
opinion over another. sports because he has more experience than Ross.
Throw in the I’ve had enough of this job. I’m throwing in the
To give up. Boxing
towel towel.
Wall idiom sheets
a long shot
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
the ball is in your court
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
call the shots
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
hit the target
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
get into the swing of things
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
make the cut
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
par for the course
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
get the ball rolling
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
take sides
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Wall idiom sheets
throw in the towel
Write one sample sentence using the idiom above
Activity cards
a long shot make the cut
the ball is in your court par for the course
call the shots get the ball rolling
hit the target take sides
get into the swing of things throw in the towel
