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This Week: On Penalties

This Week: On Penalties

Welcome to This Week from Premier Skills English, a weekly review of football action for learners of English from across the globe. This Week, Laura, Rich and Jack talk about the latest action from the Premier League and have lots of football English for you to learn.

Transcript

If the listening is a bit difficult, try listening and reading at the same time.
Read the transcript and listen at the same time.

On Penalties

Laura: Hello my name’s Laura and welcome to our weekly round-up section called ‘This Week’ on Premier Skills English.

Rich: Hi there. I’m Rich. We’ve got lots of interesting words and phrases to help you talk about football in English.

Jack: And I’m Jack and we hope you are all well.

Laura: Football is back. Well, it never really went away, did it?

Rich: No, in the same week Bayern Munich won the Champions League and the day before Lyon won the Women’s Champions League - the English football season kicked off with the Community Shield.

Jack: And Arsenal finished the month of August in exactly the same way they started it - lifting a trophy at Wembley.

Laura: Yes, in our headlines this week we’ll be talking about Arsenal’s win over Liverpool in the Community Shield, some exciting new Premier League signings and the return of fans to Premier League stadiums. 

Rich: But, more importantly, our main aim is to focus on some football English for you to learn.

Jack: We’ll look at three football headlines from the last seven days and focus on some useful bits of vocabulary from each story. 

Laura: And we want you to use and practise these words and phrases by interacting with Premier League fans from around the world in our comments section.

Rich: And a little later we’ll also have a Premier League prediction for you. This week we’re going to take a look at the opening fixtures in the Women’s Super League.

Jack: If you listen to us on Apple Podcasts, you can leave your comments in the review section. We do read all the reviews and would love to hear from you.

Laura: You can find all of our latest content on the Premier Skills English homepage or the Premier Skills-British Council Facebook page. 

Rich: Don’t forget that we also have our weekly Premier Skills English podcast that is released every Friday. Every week we help you with some different vocabulary or an aspect of grammar.

Jack: Our latest podcast is called English at work: Managing Conflict.

Laura: In the roleplay, we go back to the football-themed cafe which Rich owns and he’s having a few problems with his staff.

Rich: Jack works as a waiter and Rowan works in the kitchen and they are arguing over who should get the tips which customers leave.

Jack: We focus on language connected to managing conflict in a business context. You can find the lesson on the homepage on the Premier Skills English website. 

Laura: OK, you’re now going to hear our three headlines. After each headline, we’ll have a little discussion and look at some vocabulary. 

Jack: The words and phrases we are looking at this week are: on penalties, to miss from the spot, a done deal, to snap up, a pre-season friendly and one-all.

Rich: Later on we’ll also have a language challenge for you to have a go at so you need to be ready for that.

Headline 1

Rich: Penalties seal Community Shield for Arsenal

Jack: Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield and clinch their second Wembley win in less than a month. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring with a brilliant curling effort but Takumi Minamino equalised in the second half with his first goal for the club. Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss from the spot and Aubameyang hit the winning spot-kick.

Laura: A tough way to lose - on penalties.

Rich: It’s only a friendly really, isn’t it? The Community Shield.

Jack: That’s what fans always say about it when they lose. It’s another trophy in the cabinet for Arsenal and that’s all I’ve got to say.

Rich: Yeah, but …

Laura: We’re here to talk about the language remember. Let’s talk about penalties. We said Arsenal won on penalties.

Jack: It’s the preposition that is interesting here. When a team wins a penalty shootout we say they won the match on penalties - they won by winning a penalty shootout.

Laura: A penalty shootout often happens after extra-time. Again the preposition is interesting because if a team wins in extra-time we say that they won after extra-time when we talk about the result.

Rich: So, you win after extra-time or win on penalties. I’m sure Liverpool would have beaten Arsenal in extra-time but the match went straight to penalties.

Jack: To go straight to penalties means there is no extra-time after 90 minutes.

Laura: We often use the word spot-kick as a synonym of a penalty. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored the winning spot-kick.

Rich: To miss from the spot means to miss a penalty or penalty kick. The spot is the penalty spot.

Jack: We said Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss from the spot.

Laura: Let’s move on to our second headline.

Headline 2

Jack: Transfer market hotting up.

Laura: There have already been some big moves this summer. Chelsea have done a lot of business and some of their done deals include the signings of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell. One player moving the other way is Willian - Arsenal have snapped him up on a free transfer. 

Rich: Lots of business being done in the transfer market already.

Jack: The transfer window is open until October the fifth so there will be many more transfers yet.

Laura: Chelsea have done a lot of business. Timo Werner is a great player and I think could become a real Premier League star.

Rich: Let’s look at some language. We spoke about done deals. A done deal is an agreement or plan that has been finalised.

Jack: When we speak about done deals in the transfer market we are talking about transfers that have taken place.

Laura: We said that Arsenal have snapped Willian up on a free transfer. To snap up is a phrasal verb and it means to buy something quickly because it’s cheap or you want it very much.

Rich: Arsenal wanted Willian very much and he was free. They snapped him up. Let’s move on to our final headline.

Headline 3

Laura: Fans return to Premier League stadiums.

Rich: Last Saturday saw fans at a Premier League stadium for the first time since March when 2500 Brighton supporters were allowed to attend the pre-season friendly between the Seagulls and Chelsea. Fans were required to follow social distancing rules and had to wear face coverings inside and outside the stadium but could remove them once in their seats. The match finished one all.

Jack: Good to see fans back in the stadiums but we might have to wait a while until we see fans back for Premier League matches and even longer until we see stadiums at full capacity.

Laura: Yes, this was one of a number of trial events that are being conducted around the country. Let’s hope the results are positive and fans are back sooner rather than later.

Rich: We’ll look at a couple of easier phrases from the headline. We said that Brighton and Chelsea played a pre-season friendly.

Jack: A friendly or friendly match is not competitive - it’s not a league or cup match. They are usually played to help players get back to full fitness after a break.

Laura: A pre-season friendly is a friendly match that is played before the season kicks off.

Rich: The Brighton - Chelsea match finished one all. We use all for matches that finish level and have goals in them. 

Jack: We can say one all, two all, three all, four all …

Laura: But we don’t say nil-all or zero all. We say nil-nil or a goalless draw.

Rich: OK. We’ve looked at three stories and six bits of vocabulary in our headlines. The words and phrases we’ve looked at are: on penalties, to miss from the spot, a done deal, to snap up, a pre-season friendly and one-all.

Prediction

Laura: You didn’t do very well with your predictions last week. You went for Manchester City and Liverpool to win the Community Shield but it was Chelsea and Arsenal who lifted the trophy.

Rich: Yes, very poor from me but it’s the beginning of the season - anything can happen.

Jack: This week sees the Women’s Super League kick-off their season so that’s where we’re going with this week’s prediction.

Rich: Yes and it’s a big match. Manchester United play their first-ever match in the Women’s Super League against last season’s winners and last week’s community shield winners - Chelsea. It’s a baptism of fire for the Manchester club and will be a tough challenge. I think United will do well this season but will need time to settle into the league. Final score: Manchester United 1-3 Chelsea.

Laura: If you’re interested in the Women’s Super League head to the FA Player website where you’ll find highlights, goals and even live matches.

Jack: So, that’s our prediction. What’s yours? Do you agree? Let us know if you watch a match this weekend on the Premier Skills English website

Language Challenge

Laura: To finish up the show we’ve got a quick language challenge connected to this week’s vocabulary.

Jack: Earlier we spoke about spot-kicks and missing from the spot. Here are three other sentences that use phrases with spot. Do you know the missing word?

Rich: He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ______ its spots.

Laura: I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real ____ spot for them. I always want them to do well.

Jack: So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ______. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

Rich: We want you to write the correct answers on the Premier Skills English website where we have some more questions and activities connected to this week’s show.

Laura: Or write your answer on Apple Podcasts if that’s where you listen to us. Just write the answers in the review section and say hi.

Jack: Before we finish we just wanted to say that we hope you found this lesson useful and we hope that all of you stay fit and healthy.

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Headlines

Penalties seal Community Shield for Arsenal

Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scores the winning spot-kick.

Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties to win the Community Shield and clinch their second Wembley win in less than a month. Pierre Emerick Aubameyang opened the scoring with a brilliant curling effort but Takumi Minamino equalised in the second half with his first goal for the club. Liverpool youngster Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss from the spot and Aubameyang hit the winning spot-kick.

Headlines

Transfer market hotting up

Timo Werner is one of Chelsea's big summer signings.

There have already been some big moves this summer. Chelsea have done a lot of business and some of their done deals include the signings of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell. One player moving the other way is Willian - Arsenal have snapped him up on a free transfer. 

Headlines

Fans return to Premier League stadiums

Fans were allowed back in a Premier League stadium for the first time in six months.

Last Saturday saw fans at a Premier League stadium for the first time since March when 2500 Brighton supporters were allowed to attend the pre-season friendly between the Seagulls and Chelsea. Fans were required to follow social distancing rules and had to wear face coverings inside and outside the stadium but could remove them once in their seats. The match finished one-all.

Vocabulary Alert

Language in the headlines

Both the women's and men's Community Shield's were played at Wembley at the weekend.

We looked at six words and phrases in our headlines that you can learn to improve your English. Take a look at the phrases in bold. Do you understand what they mean?

Arsenal beat Liverpool on penalties.

Rhian Brewster was the only player to miss from the spot.

Chelsea's done deals include the signings of Timo Werner, Hakim Ziyech, Thiago Silva and Ben Chilwell.

Arsenal have snapped Willian up on a free transfer. 

2500 Brighton supporters were allowed to attend the pre-season friendly between the Seagulls and Chelsea.

The match finished one-all.

Prediction

Women's Super League Predictions

Chelsea beat Manchester City to win the Community Shield on Saturday.

Rich has our prediction this week. The Women's Super League kicks off this weekend.

Sunday sees last season's Champions, Chelsea, take on newly-promoted Manchester United.

Vocabulary

Language Challenge

Jack, Rich and Laura set you a language challenge. We used the phrase to miss from the spot earlier in the podcast and we’ve thought of three other phrases which use the word spot. Can you complete the phrases using the correct word?

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ______ its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real ____ spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ______. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

Write the correct answer in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Discuss

Talk about the headlines

How will Arsenal get on this season?

Jack, Laura and Rich looked at three stories in the news and some vocabulary that might be new to you. Now it's your turn! Have a look at the questions and write your answers in the comments section below.

  1. When did your team last lose on penalties
  2. Have you ever missed from the spot?
  3. Which players have your team snapped up this season?
  4. Rich looks at the opening day in the Women's Super League and the big match: Manchester United v Chelsea. What's your prediction?
  5. Can you do our language challenge?

Write your comments and answers in the section below.

Leave a comment

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Comments

hsn's picture
hsn
03/03/2021
TR
5551
points

LANGUAGE CHALLENGE

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t CHANGE its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real SOFT spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ON. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

PHRASES;

• No teams won after extra times so they set about penalty shotout. Finally ElevenFire F.C won on penalties. Two players of other team missed from the spot.

• Company signed many contracts related to export of agricultural products. Some of done deals are signs with Australian buyers.

• She snapped up many clothes on discount sales days from store.

• Pre-season friendly matches give opinion about new transferred players' performance.

• Matches of this season were full of goals. Rarely goalless matches taken place. Only two matches finished one all.

• The match is hotting up now there are many counter-attacks and goal positions.


hsn's picture
hsn
03/03/2021 18:36
Turkey
Tottenham Hotspur
5551

LANGUAGE CHALLENGE

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t CHANGE its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real SOFT spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ON. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

PHRASES;

• No teams won after extra times so they set about penalty shotout. Finally ElevenFire F.C won on penalties. Two players of other team missed from the spot.

• Company signed many contracts related to export of agricultural products. Some of done deals are signs with Australian buyers.

• She snapped up many clothes on discount sales days from store.

• Pre-season friendly matches give opinion about new transferred players' performance.

• Matches of this season were full of goals. Rarely goalless matches taken place. Only two matches finished one all.

• The match is hotting up now there are many counter-attacks and goal positions.

elghoul's picture
elghoul
07/09/2020
DZ
3988
points

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t __change____ its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real ___soft_ spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ___on___. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.


elghoul's picture
elghoul
07/09/2020 15:36
Algeria
Manchester City
3988

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t __change____ its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real ___soft_ spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot ___on___. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
04/09/2020
ZW
1749
points

Spelling

When writing about a draw with goals, do we write number + hyphen + all or we omit the hyphen and write the two words separately. I have noted--the transcript and some websites-- the two spelling variants are used , one-all and one all.


ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
04/09/2020 01:43
Zimbabwe
Chelsea
1749

Spelling

When writing about a draw with goals, do we write number + hyphen + all or we omit the hyphen and write the two words separately. I have noted--the transcript and some websites-- the two spelling variants are used , one-all and one all.

ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
04/09/2020
ZW
1749
points

Language Challenge

******
****
**


ldzingirai's picture
ldzingirai
04/09/2020 01:28
Zimbabwe
Chelsea
1749

Language Challenge

******
****
**

Jeffrey
03/09/2020
TW
7
points

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ****** its spots.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot **. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

I can only did two.


Jeffrey
03/09/2020 07:31
Taiwan
Arsenal
7

He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ****** its spots.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot **. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

I can only did two.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
02/09/2020
TR
6524
points

Language Challenge :
He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ****** its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real **** spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot **. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
02/09/2020 07:38
Turkey
Manchester United
6524

Language Challenge :
He’s so lazy. He never tracks back. Just because he’s moved clubs doesn’t mean he will change. A leopard doesn’t ****** its spots.

I know I don’t support Leeds United but I’ve got a real **** spot for them. I always want them to do well.

So many of our listeners get our football phrases spot **. Sometimes I’m really surprised because the phrases are really difficult.

mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
02/09/2020
TR
6524
points

1. I think the last time we lost on penalties was back in 2009-10 season in the Community Shield when we lost 3-6 to Chelsea.

2. As far as I remember I missed once or twice from the spot during my entire career as a semi-professional footballer.

3. Until that moment is only Donny Van De Beek but hopefully we still hunt for Messi or at least Sancho and a defender.

4. I think Manchester United can do it and I will cheer for our ladies to win their opening game.


mobeckham's picture
mobeckham
02/09/2020 07:36
Turkey
Manchester United
6524

1. I think the last time we lost on penalties was back in 2009-10 season in the Community Shield when we lost 3-6 to Chelsea.

2. As far as I remember I missed once or twice from the spot during my entire career as a semi-professional footballer.

3. Until that moment is only Donny Van De Beek but hopefully we still hunt for Messi or at least Sancho and a defender.

4. I think Manchester United can do it and I will cheer for our ladies to win their opening game.

Leaderboard

Top Scorers
RankNameScore
1Alex_from_Ukraine6559
2mobeckham6524
3hsn5551
4wsanta5086
5kwesimanifest4779
6Liubomyr4417
7elghoul3988
8assemjuve3705
9aragorn19863557
10Gergő Nagy3396
Country ranking
RankNameScore
1Colombia71666
2Ukraine33797
3Spain29271
4Serbia27426
5Brazil23321
6Albania20578
7Vietnam20405
8Turkey20001
9Macedonia19074
10Bosnia and Herzegovina16333
Club ranking
RankNameScore
1Manchester United143452
2Liverpool111000
3Chelsea89957
4Arsenal86174
5Manchester City58584
6Tottenham Hotspur19326
7Newcastle United10545
8West Ham United7637
9AFC Bournemouth4870
10Crystal Palace4491

Level

3
Average: 3 (1 vote)

Goals

Improve your vocabulary.

Practise your listening skills.

Complete our language challenge and make a Premier League prediction.