Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time. We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases. Things you use and need to know to play the game.

Summary

Learn more football vocabulary with Premier Skills English. Each lesson in our Premier Vocabulary section looks at one football word or phrase. This lesson looks at the word block.

You can find more lessons on the side of this page.

Transcript

Rich: Hello my name’s Rich and welcome to Premier Skills English - Premier Vocabulary.

Jack: Hi there! I’m Jack. We’re here to help you with your football English. Premier Vocabulary is a mini-podcast for you to learn football English one word at a time.

Rich: We have three different levels for you: easy, medium and hard.

Jack: This episode is easy so we’re looking at common football words and phrases; things you use and need to know to play the game.

Rich: The word we are looking at in this episode is: block.

Jack: Block can be a verb or a noun and it can be used to speak about things on and off the football pitch.

Rich: We’ll start with how block is used away from football and then we’ll look at how we use it to speak about football.

Jack: The most common way block is used as a verb is to speak about something that stops something from moving.

Rich: In my house last week I had a blocked pipe in the bathroom and there was water everywhere. I had to call a plumber. She arrived and sorted it out in two minutes.

Jack: What was the problem?

Rich: One of the kids had put a little toy down the sink and it had totally blocked the pipe. She unblocked it in .just a minute

Jack: Things other than pipes can get blocked or be blocked. Roads can be blocked because of bad weather or a traffic accident.

Rich: A new building might block a lovely view, a security guard or bouncer might block you from entering a venue for example.

Jack: Block usually means the same as stop. Something can be blocked from happening.

Rich: You might be blocked from accessing a specific programme or website on your computer.

Jack: Organisations, businesses and governments can block new laws, rules and proposals.

Rich: On the pitch when we use the word block it usually refers to stopping the ball.

Jack: Defenders block shots and block crosses.

Rich: Defenders block crosses and shots by putting themselves in front of the ball and stopping the ball from entering a dangerous area or going towards goal.

Jack: We can also say make a block. Some defenders make more blocks than others.

Rich: Aston Villa’s Tyrone Mings made the most blocks in the Premier League last season. He blocked the ball 48 times.

Jack: We also talk about goalkeepers blocking the ball. It’s sometimes different to a save and happens when the player who shoots is very close to the keeper.

Rich: The keeper came off his line and blocked the ball with his feet.

Jack: Players also make block tackles.

Rich: A block tackle is when you try to take the ball off an opponent without sliding on the floor.

Jack: There is the final whistle!

Rich: We’ll be back soon with more Premier Vocabulary from Premier Skills English.

Jack: Bye for now and enjoy your football.

Discuss

What qualities does a defender need to make a lot of blocks?