This lesson practises 30 C2 collocations on Sport, Exercise & Competition. Collocations are fixed word pairings that native speakers expect — Cambridge examiners test them in Use of English Part 1 and reward precise lexis in Writing. Run through the interactive drills first, then open this glossary to revise every item in the set. For question-by-question feedback, use Review mode after you finish the session.
keep in shape
The swimmer trains every morning to keep in shape.
season ticket
Her season ticket gives her access to every home match.
do extreme sports
They do extreme sports only with qualified instructors.
daunting task
Finishing the mountain stage was a daunting task for the rookie.
city bus
The team travelled to the stadium on a city bus.
go wild
Fans may go wild when the home team equalises.
the latest scores
At a pre-match briefing, the match report featured the latest scores.
score an own goal
Defenders can score an own goal under pressure.
win the battle
The goalkeeper hoped to win the battle against the striker in the final seconds.
improve physical endurance
Interval training can improve physical endurance over time.
put one’s back into something
The runner put his back into the final sprint.
jump at the chance
She was ready to jump at the chance to join the national squad.
pass up a chance
He did not want to pass up a chance to play in the final.
team effort
Winning the relay was a real team effort.
have the chance
Few athletes have the chance to compete at that level.
go to a lot of trouble
The host went to a lot of trouble to make the guests feel welcome.
set to work
After the briefing, the coaches set to work on the training plan.
put the host to any trouble
We hope we did not put the host to any trouble with the booking.
reach fever pitch
The crowd noise can reach fever pitch before the final lap.
miss a penalty
The captain could miss a penalty in the final minute.
secure a place in the final
The athlete trained hard to secure a place in the final.
call off a match
The referee had to call off the match because of heavy rain.
flurry of activity
A flurry of activity followed the final whistle.
break a task down
The coach advised runners to break a task down into shorter intervals.
run up curtains
The volunteers had to run up curtains around the changing area before the event.
run errands
Before training, he had to run errands for the team manager.
free kick
The striker scored from a free kick just outside the box.
slim chance
There is only a slim chance of play if the rain continues.
have an experience
Young players have an experience they remember for years at the tournament.
precious little chance
The visitors had precious little chance of recovering after the red card.