There are three verbs you can use to talk about sports in English:

play — do — go

 

1. Use PLAY for team sports or sports played with a ball:

football
baseball
basketball
rugby
tennis
hockey
volleyball
cricket
soccer
badminton
golf

I love to play badminton.

I played basketball when I was in high school.

In my spare time, I play soccer with my friends.

Do you play any sports?

When I was a kid, I loved playing baseball with my family.

 

 

2. Use GO for sports that end in –ing

skiing
swimming
climbing
diving
fishing
running
jogging
skating / figure skating
golfing*

*Yes, you can play golf and go golfing. Golf is also a verb (see below).

I love to go jogging in the morning before I go to work.

My grandfather and I go fishing every time I visit him.

Every winter, my family and I go skiing in the Rockies.

What are you doing this weekend? Let’s go swimming!

 
NOTE: Do not put to between go and the activity. You do NOT go to swimming. You just go swimming.

LEARN MORE: English Vocabulary: How to use the verb go

The sports that end in –ing are all in gerund form. They can also be used in their verb form:
ski
swim
climb
dive / scuba dive
fish
run
jog
skate / figure skate
golf

Do you scuba dive?

Do you golf?

I learned how to ski when I was 9 years old.

She skates at the local community centre.

He runs marathons for fun!

LEARN MORE: English Vocabulary: Gerunds used for sports
 

EXCEPTIONS!
There’s always an exception to the rule in English! These sports are not used with go:

boxing
fencing
weight training

Don’t use a verb with these sports. They don’t fit easily into any of the three categories. Don’t say “I do boxing” or “I go fencing.” You can say,

I like to box.

I like watching fencing at the Olympics.

 
Sometimes we use these sports with do some,

I’m going to the gym to do some weight training.

 

3. Use DO with sports that you don’t need any equipment to do:

aerobics
karate / martial arts
yoga*
gymnastics

She does a lot of yoga. That’s why she looks so great!

My daughter used to take swimming lessons, but now she does gymnastics.

Do you do any sports?

I jog every morning to stay in shape. I play tennis and I also do aerobics.

*People who do yoga seriously often say I practice yoga. That’s fine

 

NOTE:

Don’t use make or practice to talk about sports.

• Make is not used in English to talk about sports.

• Practice is rarely used to talk about sports. It is only used to talk about professional athletes who need to practice their skills before a game or an important event. The average person does not practice a sport.