practice sports vs play sports

Both 'practice sports' and 'play sports' are commonly used phrases in English. 'Play sports' is more frequently used to refer to engaging in sports activities, while 'practice sports' is often used to emphasize the training or skill development aspect of sports. The choice between the two depends on the context and the specific emphasis the speaker wants to convey.

Last updated: March 24, 2024 • 1376 views

practice sports

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially when emphasizing the training or skill development aspect of sports.

This phrase is used to highlight the act of training or honing skills in a particular sport. It is often used in the context of improving one's abilities in sports.

Examples:

I like to practice sports every day to improve my skills.
She spends hours practicing sports to get better at basketball.
Practicing sports regularly is essential for becoming a better athlete.

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And today, thanks to the good luck that I had, and with an artificial limb, my life is pretty much the same, but I can't practice sports anymore.
The organisations that campaign, for instance, to practice sports in good-quality water have rallied themselves by gathering in excess of 10000 signatures, precisely to persuade us to integrate recreational sports.
Of course young people who practice sports are just as valuable as those who draw or play music, for example, or do they have to pretend to be students or recorder players in order to get on to national programmes promoting freedom of movement?
Finally, Paz in Spain stresses the relaxing aspects of sport: "when we practice sports, we release endorphins, which produce a pleasant sensation, and it is easier for us to relax and rest".
In practice sport plays an important part in promoting human rights.
Calls on education authorities to encourage children not only to practice sport, but to appreciate the societal and cultural dimension of sport in all its diversity.
Approximately 60 % of Europeans practice sport regularly and there are almost 700000 sports clubs in the EU.
In those countries, children begin to practice sport in elementary schools, and they continue in an even more serious way at the universities...
For these reasons we have to promote sports practice and a sports social organisation.
I practice all sports but I'm a champion in diving.
Services connected with the practice of sport or physical education
But information will have to be available on the quality of stretches of water where the public practices these sports.
The Commission is aware of the fact that some practices in sports, including but not limited to doping, may prejudice the health of athletes.
My shrink asked me to practice some sports!
As demonstrated in practice, sport accompanied by other social or cultural action can unite people, just as we are doing today in the European Parliament.
The Rapporteur recognises that the practice of sport among women is not sufficiently valued and that women are underrepresented in decision-making bodies of sports organisations.
whereas the practice of sport has very positive implications for the development of European health policy,
The current practice, whereby sports-related projects get hidden away under other articles in the budget, is ridiculous.
The Year should leave behind it a permanent resource for those seeking examples of good practice in using sport to promote education.
He's got a sports medicine practice.

Alternatives:

train in sports
work on sports skills
develop sports abilities
hone sports techniques
improve in sports

play sports

This phrase is correct and commonly used in English, especially when referring to engaging in sports activities.

This phrase is used to describe the act of participating in sports activities or games. It is commonly used to talk about enjoying and engaging in various sports.