Describe a sports team you admire

Suggested ideas for each part

  • What team it is: ⚽ Vietnam National Football Team / 🏀 Saigon Heat (Vietnam’s top basketball team) / 🏐 Vietnam Women’s Volleyball Team
  • How you learned about this team: 📺 Watched them on TV / 🎟️ Saw a live match / 📰 Read about them online
  • Why you admire this team: 🏆 Hard work and determination / 🇻🇳 Pride for Vietnam / 💪 Overcoming challenges
  • How this team has influenced you: ⚡ Inspires perseverance / 🏃 Motivates me to play sports / ❤️ Teaches teamwork and unity

Useful grammar structures

  1. Present perfect: I have been following this team for years.
  2. Past simple: I first watched them play in 2018.
  3. Comparisons: They are one of the most hardworking teams in Asia.
  4. Conditional sentence (Type 2): If I had the chance, I would love to meet them in person.
  5. Relative clauses: They are a team that has inspired millions with their dedication.

Collocations

  1. Incredible teamwork 🤝 (sự phối hợp đồng đội tuyệt vời)
  2. Fighting spirit 🔥 (tinh thần chiến đấu mãnh liệt)
  3. Unwavering determination 💪 (quyết tâm không lay chuyển)
  4. Historic victory 🏆 (chiến thắng lịch sử)
  5. National pride 🇻🇳 (niềm tự hào dân tộc)
  6. Inspirational journey 🌟 (hành trình đầy cảm hứng)
  7. Overcome challenges 🎯 (vượt qua thử thách)

Full spoken sample (about 2 minutes)

One sports team that I truly admire is the Vietnam National Football Team ⚽🇻🇳. They have gained a lot of recognition in recent years for their incredible teamwork 🤝 and fighting spirit 🔥. Despite not being a top team in the world, they have shown unwavering determination 💪 and continuously improved their performance.

I first learned about this team back in 2018, during the AFC U-23 Championship. That year, they made history by reaching the final for the first time ever! The final match against Uzbekistan was unforgettable—it was played under heavy snow ❄️, something totally unfamiliar to Vietnamese players. Even though they lost in the last minutes, their historic victory 🏆 in reaching the final brought so much national pride 🇻🇳. I remember watching the game with my friends and feeling incredibly emotional.

What I admire most about this team is their ability to overcome challenges 🎯. For many years, Vietnamese football struggled on the international stage, but thanks to talented young players and dedicated coaching, they have transformed into a competitive team. Their passion and discipline inspire millions of fans, including me.

Personally, this team has had a huge impact on me. Watching their inspirational journey 🌟 has taught me that hard work and perseverance always pay off. I used to give up easily whenever I faced difficulties, but now I remind myself that if they can train for years and never give up, I should do the same in my life. If I had the chance, I would love to watch them play live in a stadium someday!

Part 3: Discussion Questions

1. Why do people like to support sports teams?

Ideas

  • Brings excitement and entertainment
  • 🤝 Creates a sense of community and belonging
  • 🇻🇳 Boosts national pride

Collocations

  1. Passionate fanbase 🎉 (lượng người hâm mộ cuồng nhiệt)
  2. Emotional rollercoaster 🎢 (sự thăng trầm cảm xúc)
  3. Sense of belonging 🤝 (cảm giác gắn kết)

Sample answer

People support sports teams for many reasons. First, it brings excitement—watching a match is like going on an emotional rollercoaster 🎢, with moments of joy, tension, and even disappointment. Also, supporting a team creates a sense of belonging 🤝. Fans feel like they are part of a family, sharing the same passion and cheering together. Finally, when it comes to national teams, sports can boost national pride 🇻🇳. For example, when Vietnam won the AFF Cup, millions of people celebrated in the streets, showing how much sports can unite a country.

2. Do you think team sports are better than individual sports?

Ideas

  • 🤝 Team sports teach cooperation and communication
  • 🏃‍♂️ Individual sports build discipline and self-reliance
  • ⚖️ Both have different benefits

Collocations

  1. Develop teamwork skills 🤝 (phát triển kỹ năng làm việc nhóm)
  2. Boost self-confidence 💪 (tăng sự tự tin)
  3. Improve strategic thinking 🧠 (cải thiện tư duy chiến lược)

Sample answer

I think both team and individual sports have their own benefits. Team sports, like football and basketball, help players develop teamwork skills 🤝 and learn to cooperate with others. On the other hand, individual sports, such as tennis or swimming, boost self-confidence 💪 and teach people to rely on themselves. Personally, I prefer team sports because they allow players to improve strategic thinking 🧠 and create strong friendships. However, it really depends on a person’s preference and personality.

3. How can playing sports benefit young people?

Ideas

  • 🏃 Improves physical health
  • 🧠 Develops mental strength and discipline
  • 🤝 Teaches teamwork and leadership skills

Collocations

  1. Promote a healthy lifestyle 🍎 (thúc đẩy lối sống lành mạnh)
  2. Enhance social skills 🗣️ (nâng cao kỹ năng xã hội)
  3. Build resilience 🏋️ (xây dựng khả năng chịu đựng)

Sample answer

Playing sports provides many benefits for young people. First, it helps promote a healthy lifestyle 🍎 by keeping them active and preventing health issues like obesity. Second, sports can enhance social skills 🗣️, as young players learn to communicate and cooperate with teammates. Lastly, sports help build resilience 🏋️—when young athletes lose a game, they learn to handle failure and keep trying. Overall, playing sports shapes young people into stronger, healthier, and more confident individuals.

By admin

Thầy Nguyễn Thanh Bình là 1 giáo viên Tiếng Anh, là đối tác đăng ký thi IELTS chính thức của IDP từ 2017 và PTE của Pearson từ 2025 tại Tiền Giang. Thầy Bình vận hành hệ thống mô phỏng bài thi IELTS tại https://EnglishUps.com