Sports Events

Hi everyone, and welcome back to IELTS TIME! Today, we’re exploring a topic that many IELTS learners find challenging—sports events. I know that talking about sports can feel tricky if you’re not very familiar with them, but don’t worry—this episode is all about giving you practical content ideas and useful vocabulary so you can speak confidently.

We’ve got a fantastic mock interview lined up between Jessica and Joseph, where Joseph tackles some tough Part 3 questions on sports events. After that, I’ll go through his responses question by question and highlight ideas and key phrases that you can use in your own answers.

Alright, let’s listen to Joseph.

Why do people enjoy attending sports events as spectators?

People enjoy attending sports events because the atmosphere creates a sense of shared excitement that you simply can’t get at home. When thousands of people react at the same time, it turns the game into a collective experience rather than an individual one. There’s also something emotionally powerful about feeling connected to others through a common interest. For many spectators, the unpredictability and intensity of live sports feel more real and memorable in person. Ultimately, it’s the combination of social connection and emotional engagement that draws people in.

Do you think watching a sports event live is better than watching it on television? Why?

I do think watching a game live offers a richer emotional experience, mainly because you feel physically part of the action. The noise, the reactions, and even the tension in the stadium make everything more vivid. That said, television has its advantages, especially with slow-motion replays and expert commentary. For highly technical sports, those features can genuinely enhance understanding. So while the live experience is more immersive, each option has its own strengths depending on what someone values.

What kinds of sports events are most popular in your country?

Football definitely dominates in my country, and major matches often feel like national events. The sport has a long history here, so people grow up surrounded by it and naturally develop strong loyalties. Basketball is also extremely popular, especially in urban areas where courts are easily accessible. In recent years, e-sports have gained huge traction among younger audiences. Overall, there’s a mix of traditional team sports and more modern, digital ones.

How do large sports events impact local communities or cities?

Large sports events often bring significant economic benefits, especially for hospitality, transport, and tourism. They can also motivate cities to upgrade infrastructure, which leaves a long-term legacy for residents. However, these benefits come with challenges, such as increased congestion, noise, and sometimes the displacement of local communities to make room for new facilities. The financial burden on taxpayers can also be considerable. So the overall impact depends heavily on how well the event is planned and managed.

Why do some people become very passionate fans of certain teams?

People often develop deep loyalty to a team because it becomes part of their identity. That usually starts early, through family, friends, or the local community. Supporting a team creates shared traditions and emotional memories that are hard to break. Fans also enjoy the emotional journey—the highs of winning and the lows of losing—which gives them a sense of belonging. In many ways, the team’s story becomes intertwined with their own.

How has technology changed the way people follow sports today?

Technology has transformed sports into a much more interactive experience. Fans can stream matches on their phones, follow real-time statistics, and engage in discussions on social media. This constant flow of information keeps people connected to their teams even outside match days. Data analysis and advanced graphics also help viewers understand tactics at a deeper level. Overall, technology has made sports more accessible, personalized, and engaging.

Do you think hosting international sports events benefits a country? In what ways?

Hosting major events can offer substantial benefits if the country manages them responsibly. On an economic level, they draw international visitors and stimulate local businesses. These events also boost the country’s global profile, which can have long-term advantages for tourism and investment. Another positive aspect is the improvement of infrastructure and public facilities. However, the costs are high, so the benefits really depend on careful planning and sustainable use of the new resources afterward.

Do you think sports events will continue to attract large audiences in the future? Why or why not?

I believe sports events will continue to draw large audiences because live competition taps into a fundamental human desire for shared, emotional experiences. Even with advances in virtual reality and high-quality streaming, the atmosphere in a stadium can’t be fully replicated. People enjoy being part of a crowd and reacting collectively to dramatic moments. At the same time, digital platforms will expand the global reach of sports. So both live and online audiences will likely grow, but for slightly different reasons.

Alright, let’s go through Joseph’s answers, question by question.

Why do people enjoy attending sports events as spectators?

That’s where Joseph started, and he immediately hit on the two core ideas: the social connection and the emotional intensity. Listeners, when you talk about the atmosphere, don’t just say it’s exciting. Joseph used much stronger language, explaining that when thousands of people react simultaneously, it transforms the game into a collective experience—a strong phrase that shows your vocabulary goes beyond the basics. He emphasized the unpredictability and intensity of live sports, noting that they feel more real and memorable in person. This is a great model for answering “why” questions: identify the category—social and emotional—and then provide specific, high-level examples. His use of the phrase, “Ultimately, it’s the combination of…” is a fantastic closing sentence to synthesize his whole argument.

Do you think watching a sports event live is better than watching it on television? Why?

This is a classic Part 3 question that requires a balanced view, and Joseph executed it perfectly using a technique called qualification. He began by acknowledging the emotional advantage of being live—it offers a richer emotional experience and makes everything more vivid. But he didn’t stop there. He used the excellent transition phrase “That said,” to pivot to the advantages of television. He highlighted the technical benefits, mentioning slow-motion replays and expert commentary that can genuinely enhance understanding for technical sports. His conclusion was mature and thoughtful, summing up that while the live experience is more immersive, each option has its own strengths depending on what the individual values. That kind of balanced perspective is exactly what examiners are looking for.

What kinds of sports events are most popular in your country?

Joseph provided depth here by mentioning not just one sport, but a spectrum. Naturally, he mentioned the leader, Football, using the strong verb “dominates” and noting that major matches “often feel like national events” due to their long history and the strong loyalties people develop. But he was specific about other categories too, mentioning Basketball’s popularity in urban areas where courts are easily accessible, and crucially, he included the modern phenomenon of e-sports, noting they have gained huge traction among younger audiences. This shows you are aware of both traditional and modern trends, and his final summary, mentioning the mix of “traditional team sports and more modern, digital ones,” ties the whole answer together nicely.

How do large sports events impact local communities or cities?

This answer was a masterclass in presenting both sides of an argument. Joseph started with the positives, focusing on the significant economic benefits for sectors like hospitality, transport, and tourism. He also introduced the concept of a long-term legacy created when cities are motivated to upgrade infrastructure. However, he immediately balanced this by addressing the challenges: issues like increased congestion and noise, and the sensitive issue of the displacement of local communities. Finally, he brought up the financial realities, mentioning the considerable financial burden on taxpayers. His ultimate concluding statement was perfect for an examiner: he qualified his answer by saying that the overall success depends heavily on how well the event is planned and managed.

Why do some people become very passionate fans of certain teams?

Here, Joseph delved into the psychology of fandom, explaining that loyalty goes deeper than just the game. It’s about identity. He stated that supporting a team becomes part of their identity, often starting through family or community. He touched on the creation of shared traditions and emotional memories, and how fans enjoy the emotional journey—the highs and the lows—which ultimately gives them a powerful sense of belonging. He used a highly fluent phrase at the end, saying the team’s story becomes intertwined with their own, which is a sophisticated way of describing deep personal connection.

How has technology changed the way people follow sports today?

Joseph framed his answer around the idea that technology has transformed sports into a much more interactive experience. He gave concrete examples, like the ability to stream matches on their phones, follow real-time statistics, and engage in discussions on social media. This constant connectivity means the flow of information keeps people connected even outside match days. He also highlighted the analytical side, mentioning how data analysis and advanced graphics help viewers understand tactics at a deeper level. He concluded by summarizing technology’s impact using three strong adjectives: it has made sports more accessible, personalized, and engaging.

Do you think hosting international sports events benefits a country? In what ways?

Similar to his answer on city impact, Joseph started with a qualification, stating that events offer substantial benefits if the country manages them responsibly. He then listed the major pros: drawing international visitors, stimulating local businesses, and boosting the country’s global profile for tourism and investment. He also repeated the benefit of improvement of infrastructure. By reminding the examiner that the costs are high and the benefits require careful planning and sustainable use of the new resources, he presented a mature, rounded, and highly developed argument.

Do you think sports events will continue to attract large audiences in the future? Why or why not?

Joseph gave a strong affirmation, predicting continued growth. He didn’t just guess; he provided a philosophical reason: that live competition taps into a fundamental human desire for shared, emotional experiences. He strongly argued that the atmosphere in a stadium can’t be fully replicated by streaming, because people enjoy reacting collectively to dramatic moments. However, he didn’t ignore technology; he predicted that digital platforms will expand the global reach of sports. His final, clever conclusion was that both live and online audiences will likely grow, but for slightly different reasons, providing a neat summary of the future landscape.

This concludes our deep dive into Joseph’s answers. Remember, consistently using those specific, high-level phrases we highlighted today is how you demonstrate advanced language skills and earn those top band scores in Part 3. Thank you for tuning into IELTS TIME. Keep practicing, and I’ll talk to you in the next episode!