The Data Behind the Beautiful Game
Grammar: Present perfect — full treatment
A Level 3 English lesson exploring sport.
What's in this lesson
A Level 3 (intermediate) ESL lesson on sport, practising present perfect — full treatment. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Data Behind the Beautiful Game
In 2011, Liverpool FC hired Ian Graham, a physicist who had never played professional football. At the time, most clubs made decisions based on instinct — a scout watched a player and said yes or no. Graham thought there was a better way. He started building statistical models to find players that other clubs had missed. His work helped Liverpool sign Mohamed Salah in 2017 for just £36 million. Salah has since become one of the most productive attackers in Premier League history, scoring over 200 goals for the club.
Vocabulary
- collect information
- make a decision
- score a goal
- win the ball
Grammar: Present Perfect
- Present perfect — form
- Liverpool has signed three new players this summer. — have/has + past participle
- Already / yet / just
- He has just scored his 200th goal. — use for recent or expected events
Discussion questions
- Do you think sport is more about talent or hard work?
- Can numbers ever capture everything about a game?
- Which sport do you think has changed the most in the last twenty years?
The Data Behind the Beautiful Game
Grammar: Present perfect — full treatment
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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