By the end of this exercise, you can use gerunds to talk about standing up against discrimination in sport — as the subject of a sentence, after prepositions, and after verbs like avoid, suggest and enjoy.
Free Year 10 English practice: an original reading text about reporting racism in football, plus drills on gerunds as subject, after prepositions and after key verbs. Gymnasium B2/C1.
Read the text carefully, then answer the questions below.
I still remember the whistle blowing for half-time, and the chanting that followed me off the pitch. A group of opposing fans had been shouting racist insults every time I touched the ball, and by half-time my hands were shaking. Reporting racist incidents matters more than people often realise, but in that moment I wasn’t thinking about campaigns or committees — I just wanted the noise to stop.
My coach noticed something was wrong and asked what had happened. Instead of staying silent, I told her everything. She informed the referee straight away, and within minutes the match was paused while officials spoke to stewards about identifying the fans responsible. I was nervous about causing a scene, but avoiding the problem would only have let it happen again to someone else.
After the game, our club got in touch with a local anti-discrimination charity that visits schools and clubs, teaching young players how to challenge prejudice both on and off the pitch. They suggested organising a workshop for our whole team, and even our rivals from that day agreed to take part. Six months later, two of the fans involved had been banned from the stadium, and our league had introduced a new reporting system for supporters and players alike.
I can’t stand seeing talent overlooked because of someone’s skin colour or background. Standing up against discrimination isn’t always comfortable, but staying quiet never fixed anything.
1 What was the narrator's first reaction to the racist chanting during the match?
2 Who did the narrator tell first about what had happened?
3 What did the club do after the game?
4 What had changed six months after the incident, according to the text?
5 In the sentence “Reporting racist incidents matters more than people often realise”, what job does the word Reporting do?
6 (Review from an earlier unit) This account of the incident is written from which point of view?
Choose the correct -ing form to complete each sentence. A gerund can start a sentence as its subject, or follow a preposition (to, for, of, without, after, instead of…).
1 ___ discrimination in sport should be everyone's responsibility, not just the referee's.
2 The whole team is committed to ___ against racism at every match.
3 Instead of ___ silent, Amara told her coach exactly what had happened.
4 The charity is responsible for ___ workshops in local schools and clubs.
5 ___ up against injustice takes real courage, especially in front of a crowd.
6 After ___ the incident, the referee spoke to both team captains.
7 The club is proud of ___ a zero-tolerance policy this season.
8 Without ___ their voices, fans and players cannot help change the culture of the game.
Some verbs are followed by a gerund (-ing), others by a to-infinitive. Choose the correct form for each verb.
1 The coach suggested ___ (organise) a diversity workshop for the whole team.
2 Amara promised ___ (speak) to the team about what had happened.
3 Many fans can’t stand ___ (see) racist abuse go unpunished.
4 The club decided ___ (introduce) a stronger reporting system after the incident.
5 We should avoid ___ (ignore) small incidents, because they can grow into bigger problems.
6 The rival team agreed ___ (support) Amara publicly after the match.
7 I really enjoy ___ (help) younger players feel safe and included at training.
8 The league plans ___ (launch) a new anti-discrimination campaign next season.
Your school newsletter is running a feature on fair play, and the editor has asked you to contribute a short paragraph.
Write a short paragraph for your school newsletter explaining why standing up against discrimination matters — in sport or anywhere else. Use at least three gerunds (for example: reporting, staying, avoiding, standing up, speaking out, supporting). Aim for 60–100 words.
Review your answers below, then send them to your teacher.
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