Sports

Sports give people something to talk about, whether they play, watch, or just have strong opinions about their favorite teams. These questions work well because everyone has some connection to sports, even if it’s just memories from school.

Questions are organized by level from beginner to advanced. A printable PDF of all the questions is available at the bottom of the page.

Beginner (A1-A2)

1. Do you play any sports? If so, which ones?
2. Would you like to learn a new sport? Which one and why?
3. Do you know of any interesting or strange sports or activities?
4. What’s the hardest sport you’ve ever tried?
5. What’s the worst sports injury you’ve ever had?
6. Do you like watching the Olympics? What sports do you watch?
7. What sports are popular in your country?
8. Did you play sports when you were a child? Which ones?
9. How many hours a week do you exercise? What do you usually do?
10. Do you like to swim? Where do you usually go swimming? (Pool, beach, lake, etc.)

Elementary (A2)

1. What are some sports you like watching? Why?
2. What are some sports you dislike watching? Why?
3. What two sports would you like to mix? What would the rules be?
4. Do you prefer to watch sports or play them? Why?
5. Who is a famous athlete you know? Why are they famous?
6. What sport would you never try? Why not?
7. Have you ever been to a live sports game? Tell me about it. If not, why not?
8. What sport looks easy but is actually hard?
9. Do you like playing video games about sports? (Soccer, basketball, racing, etc.) Which ones?
10. Do you have a favorite sports team? How long have you followed them?
11. What sport do you think is the easiest to learn? Why?

Intermediate (B1)

1. Why are sports so popular?
2. What do you think is the most dangerous sport? Why do people still do it?
3. What do you think of athletes making so much money? Is it a good thing or a bad thing?
4. Do you like team sports or individual sports better? Why?
5. Do you prefer playing sports inside or outside? Why?
6. What’s more important in sports: talent or hard work?
7. What’s the best way to stay in shape? Do you think playing a sport is better than going to the gym?
8. Would you rather play a sport badly or not play at all? Why?
9. Should kids be allowed to play tackle football? Why or why not?
10. Do you think e-sports should be considered real sports? Why or why not?
11. Should college athletes be paid? Why or why not?
12. What sport is popular in your country but not well known in other places? Tell me about it.
13. What sport do you think requires the most skill? What makes it so difficult?
14. Some people say sports bring countries together. Others say they create more rivalry. What have you seen in your experience?

Upper-Intermediate (B2)

1. Is it better to win and play dirty, or lose and play fair? What would most athletes choose?
2. Do women’s sports get as much attention as men’s sports in your country? If no, what would help them get more attention?
3. How have extreme sports changed over the years? Are they getting too dangerous?
4. Do you think sports are too focused on winning? What’s the impact of that?
5. Do athletes make good role models for children? What qualities should a role model have?
6. What happens when athletes retire? How well do you think sports prepare people for life after competition?
7. How do major sporting events like the World Cup or Olympics affect the cities that host them? What do you think about those changes?
8. Should there be separate sports leagues for men and women, or should all sports be co-ed? What’s good about each approach?
9. Do you think performance-enhancing drugs should be allowed in professional sports if everyone had access to them? How would that change the games?
10. How has social media changed sports culture? Do athletes benefit from having such public lives?
11. How has technology changed the way we watch and play sports? What do you think about those changes?
12. Youth sports have become very competitive and expensive in many countries. How does this affect which children get to participate?
13. Some traditional sports are dying out as younger generations prefer modern ones. Is that a problem, or is it just natural change?
14. How do sports reflect the values of a society? Have you noticed this in your own country?
15. Professional athletes often face intense public scrutiny and mental health challenges. How well do sports organizations handle this, and what should they do differently?
16. How does money from TV deals and sponsors change the way sports are played and organized? Give me some examples.
17. Should athletes be allowed to make political statements during competitions? Where should the line be drawn between sports and activism?
18. How do sports leagues balance competitive integrity with the need for entertaining, unpredictable outcomes? Do rule changes undermine the sport?
19. To what extent should we prioritize athlete safety over entertainment value in contact sports? Who should make these decisions?
20. How do sports rivalries between countries reflect deeper political or historical tensions? What’s a rivalry you find interesting?

Advanced (C1)

1. To what extent do sports serve as a form of social control or distraction from political issues? Can you think of historical examples?
2. E-sports are now worth billions of dollars and fill stadiums. What does their rise tell us about how entertainment and competition are changing?
3. How does the way a country treats its female athletes reflect its broader attitudes toward gender equality? Can you think of any examples?
4. Match-fixing and corruption keep appearing in sports all over the world, from FIFA scandals to cricket spot-fixing. Why does organized sport seem so vulnerable to corruption, and what does that tell us about how money, power, and culture interact in global institutions?
5. Paralympic athletes often say they want to be seen as elite competitors, not as inspirational stories about overcoming disability. How does the way media covers disability sports shape public attitudes toward disability in general? Give me some examples.
6. Countries like the U.S., China, and many European nations develop young athletes in very different ways — through schools, government academies, or private clubs. How do these different systems reflect each country’s values about education, class, and the role of the state?
7. Throughout history, sports have been used as diplomatic tools — ping-pong diplomacy between the U.S. and China, boycotted Olympics during the Cold War, and countries bidding to host World Cups to boost their image. How effective is sports diplomacy compared to traditional diplomacy, and who really benefits from it?
8. College athletes in the U.S. have only recently been allowed to earn money from their name and image, and in many countries young athletes train full-time with very little pay or education. Where is the line between developing talent and exploiting young people, and whose responsibility is it to protect them?
9. Sports gambling has exploded since many countries legalized online betting, and now gambling ads are everywhere during games. How does the normalization of gambling change the relationship between fans and sports, and what are the broader consequences for society?
10. Why do you think that sports or competitions been so common through all cultures and throughout human history? How has competition within social groups helped humanity?

PDF: Download a PDF of all the questions