A2 — Lesson 13

Sport & Reflexive Pronouns

Play / Do / Go · Myself / Yourself · One / Ones · By Myself / On My Own · The "SE" Trap
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Vocabulary: Sports

The specific verb rule — PLAY, DO, or GO — is covered in the Grammar Lab. The vocabulary here covers sports terminology and British English sports words. Listen and repeat each word.

Sports Venues — Спортни съоръжения

Pitch/pɪtʃ/Игрище (football, rugby, hockey)
Court/kɔːt/Корт (tennis, basketball, badminton)
Course/kɔːs/Игрище за голф
Slope/sləʊp/Ски писта
Track/træk/Лекоатлетическа писта

Equipment — Екипировка

Kit/kɪt/Екип (clothes + equipment together)
Trainers/ˈtreɪ.nəz/Маратонки — British English, NOT sneakers
Racket/ˈræk.ɪt/Ракета (tennis, badminton, squash)
Bat/bæt/Бухалка (cricket, baseball, table tennis)
Club/klʌb/Стик (golf)

Match Vocabulary — Мач

Match / Fixture/mætʃ/Мач / Планирана спортна среща
Nil/nɪl/Нула — "Two–nil" = 2–0 (in football scores)
To score/skɔːr/Вкарвам гол / Отбелязвам точка
To beat/biːt/Побеждавам (I beat him 3–1)
To train/treɪn/Тренирам
To warm up/wɔːm ʌp/Загрявам се
To injure / to hurt/ˈɪn.dʒər/Нараня се / Контузя се
📝 Exercise A: Choose the correct word for each description.
1. You stand on this at a tennis club to play your match.
2. This is the British English word for "маратонки".
3. This is what you do before a match to prepare your body.
4. In British English, a football score of 3–0 is said as "three ___".
5. This is the word for the field where football is played (British English).
🎯 Exercise B: Write the correct word from the vocabulary list.
1. I ___ (score / вкарах) a goal in the last minute and we won.
2. She ___ (beat / победи) me easily — three sets to nil.
3. He ___ (injure / нарани) his ankle during the warm-up.
4. They ___ (train / тренираха) twice a week before the tournament.
5. My old ___ (kit / екип) was too small, so I bought a new one.

Grammar Lab

Five grammar topics this lesson. Work through each part in order — they build on each other.
1

PLAY · DO · GO — Which verb do I use?

Three different verbs for sport — each follows a clear rule

English uses three different verbs for doing sport. The verb depends on the type of activity — not how hard it is or how often you do it. Learning the rule for each will stop you saying ❌ "I make sport" or ❌ "I do football".

⚽ PLAY ball sports & competitive games
  • Football · Rugby · Cricket
  • Tennis · Badminton · Squash
  • Basketball · Volleyball
  • Golf (conventional exception)
  • Board games · Video games
Use when there is a ball, a team, or a direct opponent.
🏃 GO activities ending in -ING
  • Swimming · Diving
  • Running · Jogging
  • Skiing · Snowboarding
  • Cycling · Hiking
  • Fishing · Riding
The activity name ends in -ING. You "go somewhere to do it".
🥋 DO individual & martial arts
  • Yoga · Pilates · Aerobics
  • Judo · Karate · Kung Fu
  • Gymnastics · Athletics
  • Archery · Boxing
  • Weightlifting
No ball, no opponent, no -ING form. Usually done alone or in a class.
sport (uncountable) vs a sport / sports:
We say "I do sport" (general — no article) to mean physical activity in general.
We say "Football is a sport" or "I play many sports" when referring to a specific activity or a countable number of them.
✅ I play football every Sunday.
✅ She went swimming this morning.
✅ He does karate three times a week.
✅ Do you play any sport?
❌ I do football.
❌ She plays swimming.
❌ He goes karate.
❌ I make sport.
📝 Exercise A — Easy: Choose PLAY, GO, or DO.
1. I ___ football on Sundays.
2. She ___ yoga every morning before work.
3. We ___ swimming in the sea every summer.
4. He ___ karate three times a week.
5. They ___ tennis at the club every Saturday.
🎯 Exercise B — Harder: Fill in the correct form. The hint tells you which verb and tense to use.
1. He ___ (go / ski) in the Alps every February. (Present Simple: GO + -ING)
2. Did you ___ (play / basketball) at school? (Past Simple question: PLAY)
3. She ___ (do / gymnastics) at national level. (Present Simple: DO)
4. Let's ___ (go / run) in the park this afternoon. (infinitive after let's: GO + -ING)
5. My brother ___ (play / cricket) for the local club. (Present Simple: PLAY)
6. We ___ (go / swim) in the lake last summer. (Past Simple: GO + -ING)
7. They ___ (do / judo) for three years before they stopped. (Past Simple: DO)
8. He ___ (play / golf) right now — his phone is off. (Present Continuous: PLAY)
📝 Exercise C — Questions & Negatives: Choose the correct option.
1. ___ she do yoga every morning?
2. I don't ___ any sport — I prefer watching.
3. He didn't ___ swimming yesterday — the pool was closed.
4. ___ they play rugby at your school?
5. She doesn't ___ martial arts — she plays team sports.
2

Reflexive Pronouns: Myself · Yourself · Himself…

Use when the subject and the object are the same person

A reflexive pronoun refers back to the subject. Use it when the person doing the action and the person receiving it are the same. Each subject pronoun has its own reflexive form — match them carefully.

SubjectReflexiveExample sentence
ImyselfI cut myself making dinner.
YouyourselfBe careful — you'll hurt yourself.
HehimselfHe looked at himself in the mirror.
SheherselfShe enjoyed herself at the match.
ItitselfThe machine cleans itself.
WeourselvesWe really enjoyed ourselves.
TheythemselvesThey paid for themselves.
✅ Correct use
  • "She hurt herself during training." (she = the one hurt)
  • "He taught himself to swim." (he = teacher and learner)
  • "We enjoyed ourselves." (we had fun)
❌ Common mistakes
  • "She hurt her." → her = another person
  • "I feel myself good." → feel needs no reflexive
  • "Relax yourself." → just say "Relax!"
📝 Exercise A — Easy: Choose the correct reflexive pronoun.
1. I dropped the ball and hurt ___.
2. She trained hard and really enjoyed ___.
3. He pushed ___ too hard and pulled a muscle.
4. We really enjoyed ___ at the sports day.
5. They organised ___ very well for the tournament.
🎯 Exercise B — Harder: Type the correct reflexive pronoun.
1. Be careful with that racket — you'll hit ___! (you → ?)
2. The team organised ___ into two groups for practice. (they → ?)
3. She taught ___ to play the guitar after football training. (she → ?)
4. The machine switches ___ off after the game ends. (it → ?)
5. We pushed ___ to finish the race even though we were tired. (we → ?)
3

"By Myself" vs "On My Own" — Both Mean ALONE

Two different phrases, one meaning — you can use either

When you want to say you did something without other people, English gives you two equivalent options. Both are equally correct — just change the pronoun or possessive to match the subject.

BY + reflexive pronoun
  • I went by myself.
  • She lives by herself.
  • He trained by himself.
  • They did it by themselves.
ON + possessive + OWN
  • I went on my own.
  • She lives on her own.
  • He trained on his own.
  • They did it on their own.
Important: Both forms mean exactly the same thing — without other people. Choose either one freely.
📝 Exercise A — Easy: Choose the correct form.
1. I went to the match ___.
2. She practises tennis ___ every evening.
3. He trained for the marathon ___.
4. We decided ___ — no coach told us what to do.
5. The children organised the race ___.
4

Substitution: ONE and ONES

Avoid repeating a noun — replace it with ONE (singular) or ONES (plural)

When a noun has already been mentioned, replace it with ONE (singular) or ONES (plural) to avoid repetition. Almost always put an adjective before ONE/ONES.

TypeFormulaExampleWhat it replaces
ONE — singularadjective + one"I want the blue one."the blue shirt
ONES — pluraladjective + ones"I need new ones."new trainers
WHICH ONE?Which one / ones?"Which one do you want?"which item?
✅ "I have two rackets — the light one and the heavy one."
✅ "These shoes are ugly. I prefer the red ones."
❌ "I want the ones blue." → adjective comes BEFORE
❌ "I need new trainers trainers." → use ONES instead
📝 Exercise A — Easy: Choose ONE or ONES.
1. I don't like this kit — I want the red ___.
2. These trainers are worn out — I need new ___.
3. I have two rackets. The light ___ is better for beginners.
4. I like sweet apples, not the sour ___.
5. Which ___ is yours? The blue bag or the black one?
🎯 Exercise B — Harder: Fill in ONE or ONES.
1. I have three footballs — I need a new ___. (one ball)
2. Do you prefer these boots or those ___? (those = plural)
3. This problem is a difficult ___. (one problem)
4. There are two courts — I prefer the outdoor ___. (one court)
5. The old goalposts were replaced with new ___. (plural)
5

⚠️ The Bulgarian "SE" Trap

Verbs that use "се" in Bulgarian often do NOT need a reflexive in English

In Bulgarian, "се" is used with many common verbs (чувствам се, концентрирам се, отпускам се). In English, these verbs do not use a reflexive pronoun.

❌ Wrong — reflexive not needed
  • I feel myself good.
  • I concentrate myself on the game.
  • Relax yourself!
  • I washed myself. (unless injured)
✅ Correct — no reflexive
  • I feel good. (чувствам се добре)
  • I concentrate on the game.
  • Just relax! (отпускай се)
  • I feel tired after training.
Rule of thumb: If the sentence sounds complete without any object — skip the reflexive. "I feel good." ✅   "I relax." ✅
📝 Exercise A: Choose the correct option — some need a reflexive, some do not.
1. After the match, we sat down and ___.
2. He fell on the track and hurt ___.
3. I feel ___ after a long training session.
4. Try to concentrate ___ on your footwork, not on the crowd.
5. She pushed ___ beyond her limits and won the race.

Reading: The Sports Diary (5 Entries)

Read Mark's week of sport. Look out for ONE / ONES and reflexive pronouns as you read — they appear in every entry.
⚽

1. Monday: The New Kit

I decided to join a local football team. I really needed a new kit because my old one was too small and full of holes. I went to the sports shop by myself to buy it. There were red kits and blue ones on the shelf. I bought the blue one because it matches my eyes. I felt confident — not "myself confident" — about the first game.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did he need a new kit?

2. Which kit did he buy?

3. Who went to the shop with him?

4. What grammar mistake does the text correct?

🏃

2. Tuesday: Running Solo

I decided to go running in the park to get fit. I went on my own because my friends were busy. I put on my new trainers — the expensive ones I bought last week. While running, I didn't concentrate on the path. I fell over a rock and hurt myself quite badly. It was very embarrassing.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did he go running alone?

2. Which trainers did he wear?

3. What happened during the run?

4. What did he fail to do while running?

🧘

3. Wednesday: Yoga Class

After hurting my leg running, I wanted something safe. I went to do yoga at the gym. The teacher told us to relax and breathe deeply — not "relax ourselves". We had to stretch ourselves into incredibly difficult positions. I saw a man trying to kick himself in the head! I couldn't do the hard poses, so I did the easy ones.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Why did he choose yoga?

2. What did the teacher tell them to do?

3. Which poses did he do?

4. What did the text say is grammatically wrong?

🎾

4. Thursday: Broken Racket

I went to play tennis with my brother. I have two rackets: a heavy one and a light one. I used the light one, but suddenly it broke! I was angry at myself for hitting the ball too hard. My brother laughed and said, "You beat yourself, not me!" Next time, I will use the heavy one.

Comprehension Questions:

1. Which racket did he use?

2. What happened to the racket?

3. Why was he angry at himself?

4. What does "You beat yourself" mean in this context?

🏊

5. Friday: The Pool

Finally, I went swimming with my family. The water was freezing cold, but we enjoyed ourselves. My sister swam by herself in the deep end. I forgot my goggles, so I had to borrow some old ones from reception. Swimming is the best sport because you cannot fall over and injure yourself!

Comprehension Questions:

1. Did the family enjoy themselves?

2. Where did his sister swim?

3. What did he borrow from reception?

4. Why does he think swimming is the safest sport?

Text 1 / 5

Cloze Text

Choose the correct word or phrase from each drop-down menu. Think about reflexive pronouns, ONE/ONES, Play/Do/Go, and vocabulary from this lesson.

Tom goes to the gym every morning. He (1) yoga to warm up, then (2) swimming in the pool upstairs. He always trains (3) because his training partner moved abroad.

Last Tuesday, Tom was lifting weights when he hurt (4). He had two choices: the heavy weights and the light (5). He should have used the light (6), but he chose the heavy ones instead.

The coach told him to (7) and said "I feel (8) about you, Tom." Tom said he felt (9), but the coach made him rest. They enjoyed (10) talking about the match instead — Tom's team won three (11).

Exercises

15 exercise sets covering reflexives, ONE/ONES, Play/Do/Go, By Myself/On My Own, each other, and mixed grammar.

Tense Writing Practice

Five exercises, 10 sentences each — all mixed tenses in every exercise. Tenses: Present Simple · Present Continuous · Past Simple · Present Perfect · Will · Be Going To
Read each sentence carefully and put the verb in brackets into the correct tense.

Gerund or Infinitive?

Five mixed exercises. Some verbs are followed by the gerund (verb + -ing), others by the infinitive (to + verb). In each exercise the sentences are mixed — read carefully and choose.
Key verbs with gerund: enjoy · finish · like · love · hate · avoid · mind · stop · practise · keep · suggest · consider · start · begin
Key verbs with infinitive: want · need · decide · hope · plan · try · forget · remember · learn · manage · would like · would love · help · agree · refuse · promise · expect · offer

📌 The Key Principle: The verb BEFORE the gap decides the form

The choice between gerund and infinitive is not about meaning — it is about which verb comes before the gap. Each verb has its own fixed rule. You must learn the verb, not guess from the sentence.

Verb before gapForm neededExample
enjoy, avoid, mind, keep, finish, suggest, practise, considerGERUND (-ing)I enjoy playing tennis.
want, need, decide, hope, plan, manage, promise, agree, refuse, expect, offer, learn, forget*, remember*INFINITIVE (to + verb)She decided to train harder.
like, love, hate, start, beginBOTH — same meaningHe loves playing / to play rugby.
stop + gerundGERUND = no longer does itShe stopped training. (= quit)
stop + infinitiveINFINITIVE = paused in order toShe stopped to drink water. (= paused)

* forget/remember + infinitive = refers to a task (She forgot to warm up = she didn't do it).   forget/remember + gerund = refers to a memory (I remember scoring that goal = I have the memory).