hockey

Everyday

1. Hockey is a team game played with curved sticks and a ball or puck, where players try to hit it into the other team's goal. tree →
2. Field hockey is played on grass with a ball. tree →
3. Ice hockey is played on ice with skates and a flat rubber disc called a puck. tree →

In the lessons

In PE lessons in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand «hockey» usually means field hockey. In Canada and the USA «hockey» means ice hockey, a hugely popular sport in Canada. Safety: wear shin pads, gum shields and helmets; keep sticks low. Phrases: play hockey, hockey stick, ice hockey, field hockey, hockey pitch, hockey rink.

Examples

• We play hockey on Wednesdays. tree →
• She scored a goal in the hockey match. tree →
• Ice hockey is Canada's favourite winter sport. tree →
• Keep your hockey stick below your waist. tree →
• The puck slid across the ice. tree →
• He wears a helmet to play hockey. tree →
• Our hockey team won the cup. tree →

Note

Uncountable noun: «play hockey» (no «the» or «a»). The meaning depends on the country: in Canada and the USA hockey = ice hockey; in Britain, Ireland, Australia and NZ hockey = field hockey. Ice hockey has six players per side on the ice; field hockey has eleven.