Chapter 4: I Wish I Could See You Again
Songs can be an effective way to innovate or reinforce a grammer topic. Click on the topics beneath for companion songs and activities.
(In a blog article posted October. iv, 2016 at AzarGrammar.com, I list some of the benefits of using songs to teach grammar that I've observed in my own classroom.)
Adjectives in the Song "True Colors"
Adverb Clauses in the Song "Baby, I'm Yours"
Comparisons with Similar
Feel Like
Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions
Gerund or Infinitive later on begin, outset, continue, like, dear, hate, tin can't stand
Become to Do Something
Gotta:Informal Spoken English forGot To
Infinitives every bit Adjectives
I've Got It and I've Got 'Em
Must Accept + Past Participle
Noun Clauses
Participial Phrases
Reflexive Pronouns
Should Have + Past Participle
Tertiary Person Singular: Mistakes in the Song "Memories" by Maroon five
Used to + a Verb in the Simple Class
Used to vs. Would
Verbs of Perception
Wanna: Informal Spoken English language for Want To
Wish + Uncomplicated By: Making a Wish About the Present
Verb Tenses:
Future with Gonna: Questions Get-go with Who's gonna…
Time to come with Gonna: Talking About the Atmospheric condition
Futurity with Gonna: Talking Virtually Plans
Future withWill:Offering to Help
Future withVolition:Making Promises
Future with Volition: Contractions I'll and It'll
Nowadays Perfect: It'south Been vs.Information technology Was
Present Perfect Progressive
Present Progressive Verbs in the Song "Tom'south Diner"
Unproblematic Past: Changing Verbs in the Simple Present to the Unproblematic Past
Simple Past Verbs in the Song "And We Sang La Da"
Unproblematic By Verbs in the Song "Considering You Loved Me"
Simple By Verbs in the Vocal "The Castle on the Loma"
Simple Past Verbs in the Vocal "Lost Boy"
Elementary Past Verbs in the Song "This Town"
Uncomplicated Past Verbs in the Vocal "Underdog"
Verbs in the Unproblematic Form in the Song "I Don't Care"
Verb Tense Review with the Vocal "Tucson Train"
- Adjectives in the Song "Truthful Colors"
Level: Offset and Upward
Pair with the Song: "True Colors" (Cyndi Lauper, 1986)
Recommended Videos: the 2019 lyric video; the alive functioning video; the audio-only video; Justin Timberlake and Anna Kendrick'southward 2016 lyric video; a brother-sister duet by Joshua and Erin Evans (My students idea the lyrics in the 2016 Timberlake/Kendrick video were easier to understand than the Lauper version.)
The lyrics cloze exercise below targets the 10 adjectives in the song. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes merely. More than teaching ideas are in the Lesson Plan.
true colors, lyrics cloze.docx true colors, lyrics cloze.pdf
- Adverb Clauses in the Song "Baby, I'1000 Yours"
Level: High Intermediate and Avant-garde
Pair with the Song: "Baby, I'm Yours" (Arctic Monkeys, 2006)
Recommended Video: the official audio-only video
The lyrics cloze exercise below targets the many adverb clauses beginning with the word until in the song. If you lot use the Azar grammar series, you could use this song to accompany Chapter 17 of Understanding and Using English Grammer. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes simply.
Baby I'm Yours, cloze.docx Baby I'1000 Yours, cloze.pdf
- Comparisons with Similar
Level: High Commencement and Up
Pair with the Song: "When We Were Young" (Adele, 2015)
Recommended Video: the alive performance video
In the song "When We Were Young," Adele uses the discussionliketo make a comparison 14 times. (Information technology was just like a moving picture,Information technology was merely like a song, etc.) The interactive worksheet beneath offers practice with this structure. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. If y'all use the Azar grammer series, you could follow upward with the exercises on usinglike andalike inBones English language Grammer, Fourth Edition, pp. 473-474. For more than activities to pair with this song, please run across the Lesson Program.
comparisons with like.docx comparisons with similar.pdf
- Experience Like
Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Song: "In My Blood" (Shawn Mendes, 2018)
Recommended Video: the official music video
The song repeats the phrase "sometimes I feel similar giving up." In the worksheet beneath, students practise using the expression "feel like" to hateful "desire to." Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom use. (1 line in the song–"laying on the bathroom floor"–is grammatically incorrect; information technology should be, of course, be "lying on the bath floor." However, laying is being used instead of lying more and more often in informal chat.)
experience similar.docx feel like.pdf
This vocal is autobiographical. Advanced learners can scout an interview in which Shawn Mendes talks about struggling with anxiety for the starting time time. View until about minute 2.
- Hereafter with Gonna: Questions Beginning with Who's gonna
Level: Low Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Song: "It Own't Me" (Selena Gomez, 2017)
Recommended Videos: sound-only video; video with lyrics
In informal oral communication, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students thatgonna is not used in writing; it is the waygoing to is pronounced. It is besides important to stress thatgonna is substituted forgoing to in futurity-tense sentences simply; they tin't sayI'k gonna the park now. For these reasons, this apparently elementary exercise may not be advisable for lower levels.) The song "It Ain't Me" repeats the phrase who'southward gonna many times. Below are annotated lyrics for the song and an interactive activity in which students practice using gonna when forming questions starting time with Who'due south gonna. Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom use. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes just. (Delight annotation: This song is about a relationship ruined by alcoholism, so there are references to alcohol consumption; previewing the lyrics is advised.)
it ain't me.docx information technology ain't me.pdf
future with gonna.docx future with gonna.pdf
- Future with Gonna: Talking Virtually the Weather condition
Level: High Beginning and Upwardly
Pair with the Song:"I Tin See Clearly At present" (Johnny Nash, 1972; Jimmy Cliff, 1993)
Recommended Video: the official video by Jimmy Cliff
In breezy speech, gonna is often used instead of going to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students thatgonna is non used in writing; it is the waygoing to is pronounced. Information technology is also important to stress thatgonna is substituted forgoing to in hereafter-tense sentences only; they can't sayI'm gonna the park now. For these reasons, this obviously simple practice may not be appropriate for lower levels.) The song "I Tin Run across Conspicuously At present" repeats the refrainIt's gonna exist a bright sunshiny mean solar daymany times. In the activity below, students practice using gonna when talking about the weather forecast. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
gonna activity.docx gonna activity.pdf
- Future with Gonna: Talking Almost Plans
Level: Depression Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Songs: "I'one thousand Gonna Love Yous" (Meghan Trainor, 2015) or "When I'm Gone" (Anna Kendrick, 2012)
Recommended Videos: the official video for "I'k Gonna Dear You lot" (It is suitable for virtually classrooms. It does, however, testify romantic kisses, and so previewing is advised.); the official video for "When I'm Gone" (This is the famous "cups" video. A reference to whiskey in the lyrics may make this vocal inappropriate for some classes; otherwise, both the song and video are classroom-friendly.)
In informal speech,gonna is oftentimes used instead ofgoing to in future-tense sentences. (It is important to tell students that gonna is non used in writing; information technology is the fashion going to is pronounced. It is also important to stress that gonna is substituted for going to in hereafter-tense sentences only; they tin't say I'm gonna the park now. For these reasons, this plain simple practice may non be appropriate for lower levels.) The song "I'm Gonna Love You" repeats the phraseI'yard gonna 21 times; the song "When I'm Gone" repeats the phrase y'all're gonna 20 times. The Moving Line activity below gives students multiple opportunities to practice this construction. Starting time, ask several students, "What are you gonna practise subsequently class?" (or this evening, this weekend, tomorrow, etc.) to model the exercise and make sure students understand how gonna is used. Then follow the steps below. This low-prep activeness facilitates a lot of interaction in a short amount of time and gets students upwardly and out of their seats. Information technology is highly recommended.
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Divide the grade into 2 groups of equal numbers. (If yous have an odd number of students, participate in the activity yourself to make the groups even.) Students form two lines facing one another.
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2. Students ask the student facing them, "What are you gonna practise later on class?" The student answers, "I'm gonna _______. What are you gonna do?" The student answers, "I'm gonna _______." And theni line shifts position then that each student has a new partner. (The person at the end of the moving line moves to the beginning of the line.)
3. Students exchange the aforementioned data with their new partners. (Having students recite the same lines with each partner, like actors in a play, keeps the activity–literally–moving along. The activity doesn't become boring because students hear new information from each partner.) Then they shift positions again.
4. The students in the moving line continue to interact with new partners and so motion on. The activity concludes when the students in the moving line are back in their original positions.
Variation: The Moving Circle. Students form ii concentric circles. The within circumvolve faces out, and the exterior circle faces in. Later each exchange, the outside circle shifts position; the inside circumvolve remains stationary.
- Futurity withWill: Offer to Help
Level: Beginning and Upward
Pair with the Song: "Ane Call Away" (Charlie Puth, 2016)
Recommended Video: the official video
The future-tense construction I'll + a verb in the simple class is used when offering to assist (usually spontaneously) and making promises. In the vocal "One Telephone call Abroad," this construction is used in the lineI'll be there to save the day (repeated iv times), which is both an offering to assistanceand a promise. The interactive worksheet beneath focuses on making offers to assist. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom utilize. For more than activities to pair with this song, delight run into the Lesson Plan.
will, offering to help.docx will, offer to help.pdf
- Future withWill: Making Promises
Level: Loftier First and Up
Pair with the Songs: "I Will Remember You" (Sarah McLachlan, 1999); "I Phone call Away" (Charlie Puth, 2016); "Can't Buy Me Dear" (Beatles, 1965); "I Volition Always Love Yous" (Whitney Houston, 1992)
Recommended Videos: the official video for "I Will Remember You" (This video ends with a romantic kiss and may not be suitable for your class; previewing is advised.); the official video for "I Telephone call Abroad"; the live operation video for "Can't Buy Me Beloved"; the official video for "I Will E'er Beloved You," with scenes from the moving-picture show The Bodyguard (This video ends with a romantic kiss and may not be suitable for your class; previewing is brash.)
The future-tense construction I'll + a verb in the simple form is used when making promises. The songs "I Will Remember You" and "I Volition Always Love Yous" echo the title phrase, which is a promise, many times, and the song "One Phone call Away" repeats the promiseI'll be there to salvage the day four times. Function 1 of the interactive worksheet below gives students do making promises. Part 2 is slightly more challenging; it asks students to evaluate promises (all beginning withI will) that people make when they get married. Information technology prompted a lot of interaction and laughter in my class of adults in their 20s and 30s. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom apply. For more activities to pair with "I Volition Remember You" and "Ane Phone call Away," please see the Lesson Plans page. For more activities to pair with "I Will E'er Love Yous," delight see True Stories Behind the Songs, Unit of measurement 6.
will, making promises.docx will, making promises.pdf
Another song that uses will + a verb in the simple course to make promises is The Beatles' "Can't Purchase Me Honey" (I'll buy you a diamond ring, I'll give you all I've got to give, etc.). The lyrics cloze practise beneath focuses on this construction. Lyrics are intended for nonprofit educational purposes only.
can't purchase me love, cloze.docx can't buy me love, cloze.pdf
- Time to come withWill: Contractions I'll and Information technology'll
Level: Beginning and Up
Pair with the Song: "Meant to Be" (Bebe Rexha and Florida Georgia Line, 2018)
Recommended Videos: the official lyric video (previewing advised); the official audio-merely video; the official acoustic video (Bebe Rexha sings solo and is accompanied by only a guitar.)
In the song "Meant to Be," a man asks a woman to ride with him in his car—to relax and put her feet up on the "dash" (the dashboard). She is reluctant because she wants to know where they're going—that is, where their relationship is going. In the finish, they both decide to take the ride, singing "If information technology'due south meant to be, information technology'll be."
The song repeats the contraction it'll many times. The worksheet below targets the contractions I'll and it'll. Students apply the two contractions when writing about their dream holiday. For levels beginning and up. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use.
dream vacation.docx dream holiday.pdf
- Gerund or Infinitive after brainstorm, start, continue, like, honey, hate, can't stand
Level: Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Vocal: "seven Years" (Lukas Graham, 2015)
Recommended Video: the official lyric video
In the song "seven Years," the songwriter sings, "I started writing songs. I started writing stories." The verb get-go belongs to a group of verbs that can exist followed with either a gerund (I started writing songs)or an infinitive (I started to write songs). The interactive worksheet beneath gives students practice using this group of verbs. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more than activities to pair with this song, delight come across the Lesson Program.
infinitive or gerund. docx infinitive or gerund. pdf
- Gerunds as Objects of Prepositions
Level: Intermediate and Upward
Pair with the Songs: "Hullo" (Adele, 2015); "Crazy" (Willie Nelson, 1961)
Recommended Videos: Adele's official video for "Hi"; Patsy Cline's audio-only video for "Crazy"; Willie Nelson's sound-only video for "Crazy"; the informal functioning of "Crazy" past Allison Young and Josh Turner
In the song "How-do-you-do," Adele repeats the lineI'm sorry for breaking your heart three times–a perfect instance of using a gerund (breaking) as the object of a preposition (for). The vocal "Crazy" has many gerunds following the preposition for.
First, have students spotter the Talking Heads video at AzarGrammar.com, which explains how gerunds piece of work. Then have them complete the worksheet below. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom employ.
preposition + gerund.docx preposition + gerund.pdf
For more than activities to pair with the vocal "Hello," delight see the Lesson Plan. The lyrics gap-make full exercise below is for the song "Crazy." Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use merely.
Crazy, gerunds.docx Crazy, gerunds.pdf
- Become to Do Something
Level: High Beginning and Upwardly
Pair with the Vocal: "This Town" (Niall Horan, 2016)
Recommended Video: the official lyric video
The song repeats the phrase "the words I never got to say" twice—a perfect example of usinggot to meaninghad the opportunity to. The interactive action below gives students practice usinggo to + a verb in the unproblematic form in conversations about visiting places that accept famous landmarks they hope to go to see. All the tasks in the activity lead up to Task #four, in which students offer information about their dwelling countries and famous landmarks there. On the day I field-tested this activity, all of my students were from Mexico, merely from different parts of United mexican states, and they were eager to describe famous landmarks in their particular region–a museum, pyramids, etc.–and to apply those places and landmarks in the dialog. This action is highly recommended. Permission is granted to reproduce worksheet for classroom use.
get-to-worksheet.docx get-to-worksheet.pdf
- Gotta:Informal Spoken English for Got To
Level: Low Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Songs: "Yous Gotta Be" (Des'ree, 1994)
Recommended Video: the official video for "Yous Gotta Be"
In informal spoken communication,got to is often pronouncedgotta. (It is of import to tell students that gotta is not used in writing.) Also, the 've is oft dropped in I've, you've, they've, and we've, as in the song "You Gotta Be." The interactive practice below appears to be simple, but there are layers of understanding backside it: Students need to know that I've got to means I have to or I need to, and so understand thatgotta is substituted for 've got to simply in breezy spoken English. For this reason, the activeness may not be appropriate for lower levels. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom apply.
gotta.docx gotta.pdf
- Infinitives as Adjectives
Level: Intermediate and Upwardly
Pair with the Songs: "Someone Yous Loved" (Louis Capaldi, 2019); "Easy On Me" (Adele, 2021)
Recommended Videos: for "Someone You Loved": the official video or the sound-simply video; for "Easy On Me": the official video or the audio-but video
The chorus of the song "Easy On Me" includes these lyrics: "the adventure to feel the world around me" and "no time to choose." The vocal "Someone You Loved" also has repeated examples of infinitives and infinitive phrases used as adjectives (somebody to know, somebody to heal, no one to salve me, etc.). In the annotated lyrics for "Someone You lot Loved" beneath, that construction is highlighted. (Previewing the lyrics is recommended; some content may not exist appropriate for your class.) The worksheet below gives students practise using the structure and would work with either vocal. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational apply only. Permission is granted to reproduce the worksheet for classroom utilize.
someone you loved, lyrics.docx someone you loved, lyrics.pdf
infinitives as adjectives.docx infinitives as adjectives.pdf
- I've Got It and I've Got 'Em
Level:Low Intermediate and Upwardly
Pair with the Song:"Can't Stop the Feeling" (Justin Timberlake, 2016); "My Girl" (The Temptations, 1965)
Recommended Video: the official video for "Can't Terminate the Feeling"; the audio-only video for "My Girl"
The song "My Girl" repeats the phrase I've got seven times. The song "Can't Stop the Feeling" repeats the phraseI gotmany times. (In informal spoken English, people sometimes drop the've inI've got–they sayI got.) In the interactive worksheets below, students practice sayingI've got it andI've got 'em when going over a listing of what they'll take to a picnic, when traveling to Wisconsin, or when traveling to Hawaii. (These worksheets are 3 versions of the same action–going over a checklist. I use the worksheet that'southward most appropriate for the flavor and students I'thousand working with.) Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. Accompany the worksheet with this activeness: Distribute mutual items (a comb, a pen, a magazine, etc.) to students, one item to each pupil. Ask students, "Who has the _________?" (For example,Who has the comb?) The student who has the item answers, "I've got information technology" and gives it back. For more than activities to pair with "Tin can't Terminate the Feeling," please meet the Lesson Plan.
picnic.docx picnic.pdf
packing-list-Wisconsin.docx packing-list-Wisconsin.pdf
packing-listing-Hawaii.docx packing-listing-Hawaii.pdf
- Must have + past participle
Level: High Intermediate and Advanced
Pair with the Song: "No Excuses" (Meghan Trainor, 2018)
Recommended Video: breezy performance with three singers and guitarist
The singer says this song is nearly respect: "I don't disrespect you—don't you disrespect me," she sings. The line "You must have confused me with someone else" is repeated many times. The worksheet below targets the construction "must have + by participle" to describe past actions that almost certainly happened. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom apply.
Before students heed, y'all might say, "Read the first verse of the song. The grammar is not correct considering the singer leaves out a word. What is the missing word?" (Information technology's "are.")
What _____ you sippin' on that got you talking crazy?
Lookin' at me sideways, ever coming at me
Why _____ you, why _____ yous acting hard when you _____ just a baby?
Boy, I keep it real with you lot, just you _____ trying to play me
must take.docx must have.pdf
- Substantive Clauses
Level:Loftier Get-go and Upwardly
Pair with the Songs:"Equally Long As Yous Dear Me" (Backstreet Boys, 1997) and "Wonderful World" (Sam Cooke, 1960)
Recommended Videos: live 2016 operation of "As Long Equally You Dearest Me"; the official lyric video for "Wonderful World"
The topic of substantive clauses is normally not addressed until the intermediate or avant-garde level. Notwithstanding the reality is that lower-level students encounter noun clauses regularly in everyday speech, in sentences such every bit Exercise you know what time it is? These grammar-based lesson plans for the songs "As Long Every bit Y'all Love Me" and "Wonderful World" give students do using noun clauses without making information technology necessary to go into lengthy explanations or fifty-fifty using the words noun clause. (Click on the links to the lesson plans for reproducible worksheets.)
- Participial Phrases
Level:Low Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Songs:"Don't End Believin'" (Journey, 1981), "She's Leaving Home" (Beatles, 1967), or "True Colors" (Cyndi Lauper, 1986)
Recommended Videos: Journey's live 2016 performance of "Don't Cease Believin' in Manila; the Beatles' live 2008 performance of "She's Leaving Home" in Moscow; Lauper's 2019 lyric video or Timberlake'due south 2016 lyric video of "True Colors"
There are worksheets on participial phrases in the Lesson Plan for "Don't Stop Believin'," the Lesson Programme for "She'due south Leaving Dwelling," and the Lesson Plan for "True Colors."
- Present Perfect: It's Been vs. It Was
Level: High Offset and Up
Pair with these Songs: "Run across You Again" (Charlie Puth and Wiz Khalifa, 2015); "Here Comes the Dominicus" (George Harrison); "A Modify Is Gonna Come" (Sam Cooke, 1963)
Recommended Videos: the official video for "See You Again"; the audio-but video or the official video for "Here Comes the Dominicus"; the 2016 official lyric video for "A Modify Is Gonna Come up"
The vocal "See You Once again" repeats the sentenceInformation technology'south been a long twenty-four hour period without you, my friend, "Here Comes the Dominicus" repeats the phrase it's been a long, cold lone winter, and "A Change Is Gonna Come" repeats the judgement it'due south been a long time comin'. Point out the use of the present perfect tense (information technology'southward been) to describe a situation that began in the past and continues into the nowadays, contrasting it with the use of the uncomplicated past (it was). Because the worksheet below focuses on just the expressions it's been vs. information technology was, information technology tin exist used for levels every bit depression as high get-go. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom apply. For a broader action, go to AzarGrammar.com for the Chapter iv intermediate-level worksheet submitted by the teachers at Edmonds Community Higher titled "By vs. Present Perfect." More activities to go with "See You Again," "A Change Is Gonna Come up," and "Here Comes the Sun" are in their Lesson Plans.
it was vs. it's been.docx it was vs. it's been.pdf
- Present Perfect Progressive Tense (also called present perfect continuous)
Level: Advanced
Pair with the Song: "Counting Stars" (OneRepublic, 2013)
Recommended Video: the lyric video
In the worksheet below, the speakers employ the nowadays perfect progressive tense in an everyday conversation at a bus end to talk nearly activities that began in the by and go along into the nowadays and to emphasize their duration (using words similar for, since, lately, etc.).
pres perfect prog.docx pres perfect prog.pdf
- Present Progressive Tense (also called nowadays continuous)
Level: High Get-go and Up
Pair with the Song: "Tom's Diner" (Suzanne Vega, 1987)
Recommended Videos: Vega's 1987 a cappella audio-just video; Vega's 1990 audio-merely video; the 2015 cover featuring Britney Spears (The Spears music video does non have all the the present-progressive verbs of the Vega version, and it has an added poesy. It works all-time every bit the "grand finale" of the lesson.)
The song "Tom's Diner" is loaded with verbs in the present progressive tense, and the lyrics are easy to understand. If you're looking for a song to supplement a lesson on this tense, "Tom's Diner" is a great choice. The grammar-based Lesson Plan includes a worksheet, a chant, and a suggestion for a writing exercise.
- Reflexive Pronouns
Level:Low Intermediate and Up
Pair with the Song:"Love Yourself" (Justin Bieber, 2015)
Recommended Video: the official video (Previewing is advised.)
The vocal "Dear Yourself" repeats the reflexive pronoun yourself eight times. First, have students watch the "Talking Heads" video at AzarGrammar.com, which explains how reflexive pronouns work. Then have students complete the worksheet beneath. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Plan.
reflexive pronouns.docx reflexive pronouns.pdf
- Should Have + Past Participle
Level: Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Song: "E'er on My Listen" (performer: Willie Nelson)
Recommended Video: the live performance video
The phrase "should have" + past participle is used to limited regret for past mistakes. Peradventure no song expresses that sentiment better than "Always on My Heed," which repeats the phrase several times. The interactive worksheet below gives students practice using the structure.
should have worksheet.docx should have worksheet.pdf
- Simple Past: Changing Verbs from Simple Present to Simple Past
Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Vocal:"I Will Remember You" (Sarah McLachlan, 1999)
Recommended Video: the official video (The video ends with a romantic kiss; previewing is advised.)
The song "I Will Retrieve Y'all" invites lessons on both the the simple future and the simple past tenses. (For an practice using this song to teach the simple future, please see Future with Will: Making Promises.) The worksheet beneath, "Remembering You," focuses on the simple by. Get-go, students describe themselves in present-tense sentences. So their partners change those sentences into the past tense, forming descriptions descendants might utilise to describe their great-grandparents. Permission is granted to reproduce for classroom use. For more activities to pair with this song, please run across the Lesson Plan.
remembering you.docx remembering y'all.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Vocal "And We Sang La Da"
Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Song:"And We Sang La Da" (Cynthia Chitko, 1996)
Recommended Video: the official audio-only video
This vocal'southward articulate, straightforward lyrics and dull tempo make it ideal for language learning. But the big bonus is that the song tells a story using 16 verbs in the uncomplicated past tense—six regular and x irregular. (The irregular by-tense verbs are: were, couldn't, caught, drove, fell, heard, said, saw, sang, and stood.) Beneath is a chart of the verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze do targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. You can listen to the song at Reverbnation (click on "all songs") and purchase information technology from iTunes.
And We Sang La Da, cloze.docx And Nosotros Sang La Da, cloze.pdf
Yous could follow up by handing out paper and markers and asking 12 student volunteers to illustrate these lines in the song:
- I drove up to your business firm.
- I saw the lights were on,
- So I parked my automobile
- And walked upwardly to your door.
- As I stood exterior,
- I heard your phonation.
- And we sang La Da.
- Y'all looked out your window, your face full of surprise.
- Yous opened the door
- And pulled me in.
- Every bit I caught the look inside your eyes, you defenseless the wait in mine,
- And we roughshod into a dance across the floor.
As you play the song, the student artists come forward when they hear the line they illustrated. Holding their drawings in front of them, they line up in the correct guild.
If you take the ability to project documents in your classroom, you could play the song once again while projecting the students' drawings on a screen one by one, creating an impromptu musical slide show. This created a lot of involvement and chuckling in my class, as the drawings were brusque on finesse (but large on inventiveness!).
- Simple By Verbs in the Vocal "Because You Loved Me"
Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Vocal:"Because You Loved Me" (Celine Dion, 1996)
Recommended Video: the live 2011 live performance video
If you're looking for a song with lots of verbs in the unproblematic past, it doesn't go much improve than this one. It has 19 past-tense verbs, 5 regular and fourteen irregular. (The irregular verbs are: was, were, brought, could, found, gave, had, held, let, lost, made, said, saw, and stood.) Below is a chart of the verb forms and a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. The verbs are repeated throughout the song, so students will write the by-tense forms a total of 66 times. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational utilise only.
because-y'all-loved-me-cloze.docx because-yous-loved-me-cloze.pdf
- Uncomplicated Past Verbs in the Song "The Castle on the Colina"
Level: Loftier Beginning and Upwardly
Pair with the Song:"The Castle on the Hill" (Ed Sheerhan, 2017) - Recommended Video: the official lyric video (There are references to alcohol and smoking in this song; previewing is advised.)
This song has 13 verbs in the uncomplicated past tense, v regular and 8 irregular (was, broke, found, got, had, left, lost, and made). Below is a chart of the verb forms and a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational employ only. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Program.
castle-cloze-past.docx castle-cloze-by.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song "Lost Boy"
Level: Loftier Beginning and Up
Pair with the Vocal:"Lost Boy" (Ruth B., 2016)
Recommended Video: the official video
This song has 14 verbs in the simple past tense–seven regular and 7 irregular. (Irregular past-tense verbs are: was, came, had, hit, said, saw, told.) Beneath is a nautical chart of those verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use only. For more activities to pair with this song, please see the Lesson Programme.
Lost Boy, cloze.docx Lost Boy, cloze.pdf
- Simple Past Verbs in the Song "This Town"
Level: High Beginning and Upward
Pair with the Song:"This Town" (Niall Horan, 2016)
Recommended Video: the official lyric video
This song has 6 verbs in the simple by tense–1 regular and 5 irregular. (Irregular past-tense verbs are:were, got, met, saw, and idea.) Below is a nautical chart of the verb forms followed by a lyrics cloze exercise targeting the verbs. Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational apply only. This song can besides be used as a springboard to exercise the construction "to get to do something." (It repeats the phrase the words I never got to say twice.) An interactive worksheet is on this page under "Get to Do Something."
this-town-cloze.docx this-boondocks-cloze.pd
- Uncomplicated Past Verbs in the Song "Underdog"
Level: Loftier Beginning and Upwardly
Pair with the Vocal:"Underdog" (Alicia Keys, 2020)
Recommended Video: the official lyric video (This video is in English, but it is subtitled in many other languages as well. Search "Alicia Keys Underdog lyric video" + the linguistic communication you're looking for.)
The gap-fill up exercise beneath targets the by-tense forms in the vocal. (Most are in the first verse.) Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational use simply. You lot'll observe more ideas for using this song in the Lesson Program.
Underdog, elementary past.docx Underdog, elementary by.pdf
- Third Person Singular: Mistakes in the Song "Memories" by Maroon v
Level: Loftier Offset and Up
Pair with the Vocal: "Memories" (Maroon five, 2019)
Recommended Videos: the official sound-only video; the official video
Based on the tune of Pachelbel'due south Canon in D, this song was written in memory of the ring's managing director and close friend, who died in 2017. The song has a few grammatical mistakes (mainly dropping the final due south in third person singular) that can be exploited for a grammar lesson. In the worksheet below, students find the mistakes and correct them. The song as well works well as a springboard for a discussion near people that were of import parts of our lives. Some ideas for structuring the word are in the Lesson Plan for the song.
Note: The lyrics mention "drinks," but not specifically alcoholic drinks. Teachers who avoid songs that refer to alcoholic beverages may find this reference vague plenty to be acceptable, but only individual teachers can brand this judgment.
memories, lyrics with mistakes.docx memories, lyrics with mistakes.pdf
- Used to + a Verb in the Simple Class
Level: High Beginning and Up
Pair with the Song: "Somebody That I Used to Know" (Gotye, 2011)
Recommended Videos: the official audio-only video or the cover by Pentatnix for "Somebody That I Used to Know"; the official lyric video for "Invisible String"The song "Somebody That I Used to Know" repeats the title phrase nine times, and Swift's vocal repeats the phrase "used to" three times in the outset poesy. You could follow up with a Draw-Write-Share Activity. (Please see Activeness #iii: Grade Word on a Song's Theme for more on the Draw-Write-Share concept.) Ask students to draw a pic of what they used to do or how they used to exist. Nether their drawing, they complete the sentence "I used to _____________________, but at present I _____________________." Then they share their drawing and their writing with a partner. Or students could practice "used to" with the worksheet below.
changes.docx changes.pdf
- Used to vs. Would
Level: Intermediate and Upwardly
Pair with the Vocal: "Another Day of Sun" (from the motion-picture show La La State, 2016)
Recommended Videos: Delight come across the Lesson Plan for suggested videos; in that location are many excellent performances from all over the earth. To preview the song, you can listen to an an sound-only version on YouTube.
In this song, the vocalizer imagines that she becomes a famous Hollywood actress and that her boyfriend from her hometown volition see her face in a moving-picture show and "think of how he used to know me." Earlier in the song, she says that on summer nights, she and her boyfriend would get to a movie theater and "Nosotros'd sink into our seats." Explain that nosotros'd is a contraction for we would. Would is used to describe actions done repeatedly and regularly in the past. What is the difference between used to and would?Used to + the elementary form of a verb is used to emphasize that the action was done in the by but is non done anymore.Would + the simple course of a verb is used to emphasize that the activeness was done repeatedly and often. Hither are three possibilities for practicing the difference between these two constructions:
- On the website of the British Council, at that place is an explanation that contrasts used to, would, and the simple past. It is followed by a brusque (5-detail) quiz. (To fill up in the quiz, students need to click twice for each answer–first on the answer, and so on the blank space the answer goes in.)
- If you lot utilize the Azar Grammar serial, there is an practise contrasting would and used to on p. 200 of the Quaternary Edition.
- The straightforward exercise below gives students practice withused to andwould. Permission granted to duplicate for classroom employ.
used to vs. would.docx used to vs. would.pdf
You'll find annotated lyrics and more activities in the Lesson Programme for this song.
- Verbs in the Simple Form in the Song "I Don't Care"
Level: Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Song: "I Don't Care" (Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber, 2019)
Recommended Videos: the official lyric video; the audio-only video; Sheeran'south audio-only video
You'll detect annotated lyrics and more activities in the Lesson Plan for this song.
I don't care.docx I don't care.pdf
- Verb Tense Review with the Song "Tucson Train"
Level: Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Song: "Tucson Train" (Bruce Springsteen, 2019)
Recommended Video: the official video
The gap-fill lyrics worksheet below targets these verb tenses in the vocal: simple nowadays, nowadays continuous, elementary past, present perfect, and future with will.
Tucson Train, verb tenses.docx Tucson Train, verb tenses.pdf
- Wanna:Informal Spoken English language forDesire To
Level: Low Intermediate and Upwards
Pair with the Songs: "Something Just Like This" (The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, 2017); "I Want to Concord Your Paw" (The Beatles, 1963); "Brave" (Sara Bareilles, 2013)
Recommended Videos: the official lyric video for "Something Like This"; the official video for "I Want to Concur Your Hand" (a Telly performance); the Beatles' audio-only video; Himesh Patel'due south operation from the 2019 movie Yesterday; the official video for "Dauntless"
These songs echo the contraction wanna—a pronunciation of want to that is rarely included in grammar books or practiced in the classroom but is mutual in informal spoken English. The interactive practice below gives students exercise using the contraction in short dialogs with a friend. Permission is granted to reproduce the activity for classroom use. (This activity, though simple, is not recommended for beginning levels; students should be rock-solid in the use of want to before trying this pronunciation.) You'll discover more than lesson plan ideas for the song "Something Similar This" in the Lesson Program.
wanna for want to.docx wanna for desire to.pdf
- Wish + Simple Past: Making a Wish Virtually the Present
Level: Intermediate and Upwardly
Pair with the Songs: "I Wish I Knew How It Would Experience to Be Free" (Nina Simone); "Stressed Out" (Twenty-One Pilots, 2016)
Recommended Videos: the official video for "Stressed Out"; the audio-only video for "I Wish I Knew How Information technology Would Feel to Be Gratis"
The constructionwish + unproblematic past is used to make a wish about the nowadays; that is, to express the thought that nosotros want a nowadays state of affairs to be different. (On the VOA website, there is a articulate explanation of the uses of the verb wish.) The song "Stressed Out" repeats the construction 10 times (I wish I had a ameliorate voice,Wish we could turn back time, etc.), and Nina Simone's "I Wish I Knew How Information technology Would Experience to Exist Free" uses it ix times. The worksheet below gives students practice with this construction.
wish worksheet.docx wish worksheet.pdf
Follow upwards with the Retentiveness Circumvolve game. Get-go, choose one of the sentences beneath and accept students complete information technology in writing.
I wish I had _______________________________.
I wish I could _______________________________.
I wish I didn't have to _______________________________.
Students form a circle and follow the steps below. (A circle should not contain more than than 12 students, then they may need to course several circles.)
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- Student 1 says the sentence he/she wrote. (For example,I wish I had more than time to study.)
- Student ii repeats what Pupil i said. (For example,Maria wishes she had more than time to study.)
- Educatee 2 then adds his/her own sentence. (For example, I wish I had a new car.)
- Student 3 repeats what Students 1 and ii said. (For example,Maria wishes she had more time to study . Yoshi wishes he had a new machine.)
- Student 3 adds his/her own sentence.
- Students continue going around the circumvolve, repeating what the other students said, in order, and then adding his/her own sentence.
- After the terminal student says all the sentences, inquire students to give him/her a circular of adulation. (It's not easy to be the last student!)
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For more activities to pair with these songs, please see the Lesson Plans page.
Source: https://sandraheyersongs.com/grammar-songs/