Y07W38VC Theme Words — Sport & culture

A custom, belief, or way of doing something that has been established over a long period of time and passed down through generations.

Word Breakdown: -tion (suffix forming nouns meaning ‘the act, process, or result of’)

Word family: traditional (adj.), traditionally (adv.)

Example: The annual ceremony is a tradition that has been observed by the community for over one hundred years.

Synonyms: custom, practice, heritage

Collocations: long-standing tradition, cultural tradition, uphold a tradition

To take part in a contest or rivalry, attempting to be more successful than others.

Word family: competition (n.), competitive (adj.), competitor (n.)

Example: Athletes from twenty-three countries gathered to compete for the championship title.

Synonyms: contest, rival, challenge

Collocations: compete against, compete for, compete at the highest level

To act or speak on behalf of a group, or to be a symbol or example of something.

Word family: representative (n., adj.), representation (n.)

Example: Each athlete who competes internationally represents not only themselves but their country and its sporting culture.

Synonyms: stand for, symbolise, depict

Collocations: represent a nation, represent values, represent the group

To examine two or more things in order to find similarities or differences between them.

Word family: comparison (n.), comparable (adj.)

Example: The essay asked students to compare the attitudes towards sport in two different cultural contexts.

Synonyms: contrast, evaluate, assess

Collocations: compare and contrast, compare with, compare to

A clear difference between two or more things, or to set them side by side to highlight their differences.

Word family: contrasting (adj.)

Example: The article drew a sharp contrast between the government’s stated goals and the actual outcomes of the policy.

Synonyms: difference, comparison, distinction

Collocations: in contrast, sharp contrast, contrast with

To recognise and show the differences between two or more things, or to make something stand out.

Word Breakdown: dis- (prefix meaning ‘apart’ or ‘away from’, here indicating separation or difference)

Word family: distinguished (adj.), distinction (n.)

Example: A skilled reader can distinguish between an author’s stated opinion and their implied perspective.

Synonyms: differentiate, tell apart, identify

Collocations: distinguish between, distinguish clearly, fail to distinguish

Used to introduce a contrast between two facts or situations; meaning ‘in comparison to the fact that’.

Example: Some athletes train primarily for competition, whereas others participate in sport mainly for social connection.

Synonyms: while, although, on the other hand

Collocations: whereas this shows, whereas some, whereas others

In a similar way; used to introduce a comparison showing that two things share a quality.

Example: The Australian team adopted a flexible game strategy; similarly, the New Zealand side adjusted their tactics to suit the conditions.

Synonyms: likewise, in the same way, equally

Collocations: similarly structured, similarly argued, and similarly

Used to introduce a statement that compares one thing to another, highlighting a difference or similarity.

Example: The local team had fewer resources; in comparison, the visiting team had trained at a professional facility all season.

Synonyms: by comparison, in contrast, comparatively

Collocations: in comparison with, in comparison to, by comparison