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 rule out.

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 rule out.

Jack: This phrasal verb can be used in a couple of different ways to talk about football and can be used in more general contexts.

Rich: Let’s start by looking at a couple of examples of how it is used in football.

Jack: One meaning of to rule out is to stop someone from doing something.

Rich: We often use rule out when a player is stopped or prevented from playing. Listen to these examples:

Jack: Aguero has been ruled out for the rest of the season.

Rich: Rashford has been ruled out of tonight’s game.

Jack: In both these examples, rule out tells us that the players have been prevented from playing. The most common reason that stops someone playing is injury.

Rich: Aguero’s knee injury has ruled him out for the rest of the season.

Jack: But it might also be a suspension following a red card or too many yellow cards.

Rich: Rashford has been ruled out of tonight’s game through suspension.

Jack: To rule out can be used to describe someone being stopped from doing something but it can also describe stopping something from happening.

Rich: Referees or, these days, VAR rule out goals that have been scored.

Jack: A goal will be ruled out for a number of reasons. The most common reason for a goal to be ruled out are fouls and offside.

Rich: To rule out in this situation means the same as not given and disallow.

Jack: We can also rule out in more general English. It can be used to say that something is not possible or that something or someone is not suitable.

Rich: The police might rule out a suspect from their enquiries because he or she has got an alibi.

Jack: Yes, if a suspect has proof they were not near a crime when it happened they will be ruled out of the investigation.

Rich: When governments or businesses discuss new projects they might decide what things to spend money on and what to rule out.

Jack: They may rule projects out because they are too difficult or expensive.

Rich: When businesses interview people they may decide to recruit or rule people out based on experience and qualifications.

Jack: People should never be ruled out based on their age, gender or race but unfortunately this still happens sometimes.

Rich: Football managers recruit new players and decide who to buy and who to rule out.

Jack: A manager might rule out buying a new attacker if he or she feels they have enough strikers in the squad already or the club hasn’t enough money to buy one.

Rich: There is the final whistle!

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

Rich: Bye for now and enjoy your football. 

Discuss

• Can you remember a goal that was incorrectly ruled out?
• Which player should your club rule out buying?

Write your answers in the comments section below.