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 medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There are lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.

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 phrase on aggregate.

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 medium so we’re looking at football words and phrases you need to describe what’s happening on the pitch or words and phrases fans and commentators on TV might use. There will be lots of phrasal verbs to learn at this level.

Rich: The phrase we are looking at in this episode is on aggregate.

Jack: The word aggregate is used to describe a total number that is made up of smaller numbers which have been added together.

Rich: For example, the aggregate attendance at Premier League matches in 2018/19 was 14.62 million.

Jack: This total figure comes from all the matches that were played in the Premier League last season.

Rich: So, there are twenty clubs in the Premier League and they each play 19 home matches so that’s 380 matches in total.

Jack: Good maths, Rich. Anyway, 14.62 million was the aggregate attendance last season all the attendances at all the matches added together.

Rich: The word aggregate is used most commonly in matches and economics but also in sport as we will see now.

Rich: We want to look at how the word aggregate is most commonly used in football and that’s when we use the phrase on aggregate.

Jack: On aggregate is the phrase we use when the scores from two matches are added together.

Rich: The phrase is used in cup competitions when teams play two matches against each other.

Jack: Normally, one match is played at each other’s stadium and the winner is the team that scores more goals over the two matches.

Rich: At the end of the second match there would be the aggregate score.

Jack: Last week Manchester City beat Real Madrid 4-2 on aggregate. They won the first match 2-1 and the second match 2-1.

Rich: If you add the two scores together you get the aggregate score - 4-2. City won 4-2 on aggregate.

Jack: But what happens if the scores are level on aggregate?

Rich: If the scores are level on aggregate then the team who scored more goals away from home wins, or then there is extra time or penalties.

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

• If the home team wins both matches 3-0 who wins on aggregate?
• If the home team wins the first match 2-1 and the second match 1-0 who wins on aggregate?

Write your answers in the comments section below.