This is a common IELTS speaking exam question: *Do you play any sports?* How do you answer that if you're a professional swimmer? In my mind 'playing sports' implies team sports (*I play football*, *I play basketball*, etc.), you don't say "I play swimming". So, the point: - Do you play any sports? - I do/I don't... Yes, they do expect you to answer "do you..." questions with "I do, I don't...". ---------- Updated to clarify: - [Merriam-Webster's](https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play) definition of "play" is: *to engage in sport or recreation; to engage or take part in a game* . This is a very generic definition that doesn't particularly help in answering this question. - As I mentioned previously, the verb "play" is not normally associated with swimming (in my mind it is used with team sports). - "Do you play...?" implies a yes/no type of answer – "Yes, I do play..." or "No, I don't play...". So, how should I respond? - Does it limit the question to asking about team sports only, which would exclude swimming? - If it could include swimming, how can an answer of a matching construction be grammatically correct (the "I play swimming" issue)? - What would an appropriate answer for swimming look like?