Footy, cricket and sport small talk: English Podcast

Intermediate · B1–B2 Episode 6 · about 2 minutes · Hosts: Mel and Josh

1. Before you listen: key words

Press 🔊 to hear each word or phrase. You'll hear all of them in the conversation.

footy football: AFL or rugby league, depending on the city
Who do you go for? Which team do you support?
follow a sport regularly watch and know about it
keen interested and eager
a Test (match) an international cricket match that can last five days
They were robbed! they deserved to win (said by unhappy fans)
bad luck a kind thing to say when something goes wrong

2. Listen to the episode

Press Play. The line being spoken lights up so you can read along. Start with Slow if you're a beginner, then try Normal. For a challenge, hide the transcript the first time you listen.

3. Check your understanding

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4. Shadow the hosts

Shadowing means repeating a line straight after you hear it, copying the speed, stress and rhythm. Press 🔁 next to any line in the transcript, then press 🎤 and say it. Your browser shows what it heard. Try 3 to 5 lines a day.

5. Talk about it

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Listening Room, episode 6: Footy, cricket and sport small talk

Intermediate (B1–B2) · englishcoaching.co

1. Vocabulary: write the meaning

footy: ________________________
Who do you go for?: ________________________
follow a sport: ________________________
keen: ________________________
a Test (match): ________________________
They were robbed!: ________________________
bad luck: ________________________

2. Questions

What does 'footy' usually mean in Melbourne?
☐ Soccer ☐ AFL ☐ Rugby union
What does 'Who do you go for?' mean?
☐ Where are you going? ☐ Which team do you support? ☐ Who are you going with?
What's a good answer if you didn't watch the game?
☐ I hate sport. ☐ No, I missed it. Was it a good game? ☐ Why?
How long can a cricket Test match last?
☐ One day ☐ Three hours ☐ Five days
What can you say to someone whose team lost?
☐ Bad luck. There's always next season. ☐ Your team is terrible. ☐ What a game!

3. Talk or write about it

A coworker asks, 'Did you watch the footy on the weekend?' Answer, and keep the conversation going with a question.

Transcript

Josh: G'day, welcome to the Listening Room. I'm Josh, and today's topic is close to my heart: sport.

Mel: I'm Mel, and I'm not a big sports fan, so this episode is for people like me!

Josh: Sport is a huge part of Australian small talk. On Monday morning, someone will probably ask, 'Did you watch the footy?'

Mel: And 'footy' can mean different things, right?

Josh: Exactly. In Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth, footy usually means AFL, Australian Rules football. In Sydney and Brisbane, it often means rugby league.

Mel: So what do you say if you didn't watch it?

Josh: Just be honest. 'No, I missed it. Was it a good game?' People love telling you what happened.

Mel: And the classic question: 'Who do you go for?'

Josh: That means which team do you support. If you don't have a team, you can say, 'I don't really follow it, but I'm keen to learn.'

Mel: Ha, maybe someone will invite you to a game!

Josh: In summer, it's cricket. You might hear, 'Did you see the Test?' A Test match can last five days.

Mel: Five days! And it can still be a draw.

Josh: That's cricket. Other useful phrases: 'What a game!', 'They were robbed!' when you think your team should have won, and 'Better luck next week.'

Mel: What if someone is upset because their team lost?

Josh: Just say, 'Oh no, bad luck. There's always next season.' Simple and kind.

Mel: So you don't need to know all the rules.

Josh: Not at all. Asking questions is enough. People enjoy explaining.

Mel: Great. See you next time, sports fans and non-fans!

Answers: 1. AFL · 2. Which team do you support? · 3. No, I missed it. Was it a good game? · 4. Five days · 5. Bad luck. There's always next season.

Frequently asked questions

Is there a transcript for this English listening practice?

Yes. The full transcript is on this page and each line lights up as it's read. You can also print a worksheet with the transcript, questions and answers.

What English level is this episode?

Intermediate (about B1–B2). Beginners can use the Slow speed and read along.

Which words will I learn in this episode?

footy, Who do you go for?, follow a sport, keen, a Test (match), They were robbed!, bad luck. Each one has audio and a simple meaning.