Vocabulary
8 key words for this lesson
SCORE
The number of goals each team has. / To put the ball in the goal.
The score is two-one to the home team.
MINUTE
A unit of time in a match. A match has 90 minutes.
Ronaldo scored in the 89th minute!
HALF
One of the two parts of a match. Each half is 45 minutes.
We were winning at the end of the first half.
JERSEY NUMBER
The number on the back of a player's shirt.
The striker wears jersey number nine.
EXTRA TIME
Additional time played after 90 minutes when the score is level in a cup match.
The match went to extra time — thirty more minutes.
INJURY TIME
Extra minutes added at the end of each half because of stops in play.
The referee added four minutes of injury time.
FULL TIME
The end of the match after 90 minutes.
At full time, the score was one-all.
PENALTY
A free kick from the penalty spot, twelve yards from the goal.
They won the match with a penalty in the last minute.
Phrases
6 phrases and their meanings
ONE-NIL
The score 1–0. "Nil" means zero in football.
We were winning one-nil at half time.
IT'S A DRAW
Both teams have the same score at the end.
It's a draw — both teams scored two goals.
THE FINAL SCORE IS
Used to say what the score was at the end of the match.
The final score is three-two to the home team.
IN THE [NUMBER]TH MINUTE
Used to say exactly when something happened in a match.
Ronaldo scored in the 85th minute to win the game.
AT HALF TIME
The score or situation at the break between the two halves.
At half time, we were losing two-one.
ADDED TIME
The extra minutes the referee adds at the end of each half.
They scored in added time to win the match.
Videos
Watch these terms used in context
Dialogue
Read the dialogue and hover the blue words for definitions
Sofia
RonaldoRonaldo, I'm trying to understand the numbers in football. How long is a match?
A match is ninety minutes. It is split into two halves of forty-five minutes each.
So there is a break in the middle?
Yes! At half time, both teams rest for fifteen minutes.
I heard the match last night went to extra time. What is that?
Extra time is thirty more minutes — two halves of fifteen. It only happens in cup matches when the score is equal.
What about injury time? The match always seems to go past ninety minutes.
That is injury time. The referee adds minutes for substitutions, injuries, and other stops.
And what is the score right now in the match?
It's one-nil to us. If it stays like this at full time, we win!
Wait — what happened? The referee is pointing to the penalty spot!
Oh no — they have a penalty! In the 93rd minute! This is too much stress!
Exercises
Complete all three exercises to see your final score
Complete the Sentence
Choose the correct answer to complete each sentence.
In football, we say scores in a special way. Choose the correct option.
1.The score is 1–0. We say: "The score is ."
2.The match is 0–0. We say: "It's ."
3.Ronaldo scored at 85 minutes. We say: "He scored the 85th minute."
4.The match ended 2–2. We say: "The match ended a draw."
5.The first 45 minutes are finished. We say: "It's ."
6.The referee signals the end of the match. We say: "It's ."
Matching
Click a word, then click its correct definition.
Click a word on the left, then its definition on the right.
Words
Definitions
Fill in the Blank
Drag the correct words from the word bank to complete each sentence.
Sentence 1
The— — —is two-one to the away team.
Sentence 2
Ronaldo scored in the 90th— — —— right at the end!
Sentence 3
At— — —time, the coach told the team to play more carefully.
Sentence 4
The striker wears jersey— — —nine.
Sentence 5
The match went to— — —time — thirty more minutes of football.
Sentence 6
The referee added five minutes of— — —time at the end.
Sentence 7
At— — —time, the score was one-all.
Sentence 8
The foul inside the box gave them a— — —.
Tip: Think about the meaning of each word and what makes sense in the sentence.
Multiple Choice
Choose the best answer for each question about the dialogue.
1.How long is a standard football match?
2.What is half time?
3.When does extra time happen?
4.Why does the referee add injury time?
5.What is the score in the match that Ronaldo and Sofia are watching?
6.What happens at the end of a match?
7.What does a penalty give a team?
8.What does Sofia say surprises her about match time?
Group Activities
Role-play scenarios and discussion questions for group classes
🎯 Choose the Best Response
Work in groups. Read the question, then choose the best answer — A, B, or C.
Customer says
“How do you say the score 3–0 in football English?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“The score is 1–1. What do we call this result?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“Why did the match go past 90 minutes?”
Salesperson responds…
Customer says
“When does extra time happen?”
Salesperson responds…
🔍 Spot the Mistake
There are three mistakes with football numbers in this dialogue. Find them as a group.
Sofia
Ronaldo, what is the score? Is it two-zero?
Ronaldo
We say two-nil in football, not two-zero. It's two-nil to us!
Sofia
Brilliant! When did we score? What hour was it?
Ronaldo
We scored in the 40th minute. Just before extra time.
Sofia
And how long is each half — 30 minutes?
Ronaldo
No — each half is 45 minutes. So full time is at 90 minutes.
✏️ Finish the Salesperson's Line
Complete the second line using football number language from this lesson.
Customer
“Sofia: How do I describe a 2–1 score?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: You say "two-one". …”
Customer
“Sofia: What happens if the score is 1–1 after 90 minutes in a cup match?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: The match goes to extra time. …”
Customer
“Sofia: Why did the referee hold up a board showing "4"?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: That means there are four minutes of injury time. …”
Customer
“Sofia: What does the number on a player's shirt tell you?”
Salesperson
“Ronaldo: That is their jersey number. …”