Jealous Guy - ESL Music Ideas

Jealous Guy was a song by John Lennon, which he sung after his time in The Beatles. The value of this song is that it can be used to show students the past continuous.

Throughout the lyrics there are several examples of the past continuous. It is also nice because most students know who John Lennon is, and will enjoy listening to his music.

Here are the lyrics:

I was dreaming of the past.
And my heart was beating fast,
I began to lose control,
I began to lose control,

I didn't mean to hurt you,
I'm sorry that I mad you cry,
I didn't want to hurt you,
I'm just a jealous guy,

I was feeling insecure,
You night not love me any more,

I was shivering inside,
I was shivering inside,

I was trying to catch your eyes,
Thought that you were trying to hide,
I was swallowing my pain,
I was swallowing my pain.


For more practice with the past continuous, try these links:

Past Continuous Lesson

Past Continuous Test

Present Continuous Songs - Lemon Tree

Lemon Tree by Fool's Garden is an excellent song to practice the present continuous. 

The singer uses the verb tense throughout the song to explain what he is doing "right now".

This is a good song to use after teaching the present continuous, and the students may know the tune already. Either way, they will benefit from seeing the present continuous in action.

Here is the music video and a cloze exercise.

Enjoy!

I'm __________________ here in the boring room
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon
I'm wasting my time
I got nothing to do
I'm hanging around
I'm __________________ for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I'm __________________ around in my car
I'm driving too fast
I'm driving too far
I'd like to change my point of view
I feel so lonely
I'm waiting for you
But nothing ever happens and I wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
__________________ you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree

I'm sitting here
I miss the __________________
I'd like to go out taking a shower
But there's a heavy cloud inside my head
I feel so tired
Put myself into __________________
Well, nothing ever happens, and I wonder ...
Isolation is not good for me
Isolation I don't want to sit on the lemon-tree

I'm __________________ around in the desert of joy
Baby anyhow I'll get another toy
And everything will happen and you wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see is just another lemon-tree
I'm turning my head up and down
I'm turning, turning, turning, turning, turning around
And all that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
And I wonder, wonder

I wonder how
I wonder why
Yesterday you told me 'bout the blue, blue sky
And all that I can see, and all that I can see, and all that I can see
Is just a yellow lemon-tree

Guest Post - Betsy Jones - Wordspark

Hi everyone,

Today I have a guest post from Betsy Jones, of the site WordSpark. Her site teaches English in an authentic context through the use of popular culture. It features authentic readings, worksheets and activities.

I like her site for both teachers and students. Teachers will enjoy the printable worksheets for their class. Students will enjoy the videos, lessons, and activities.

Here is one of her lessons that I think would work real well in class.

Snack Time Adjectives

Do you like snacks? A snack is a small amount of food that stops you from being hungry between meals. Snacks are also eaten just because they taste good. A “midnight snack” is one that is eaten shortly before going to bed or during the night.

No matter what your preference, there is a snack food for you. There are healthy snacks, such as crunchy pretzels and juicy grapes, and there are snacks that are not as healthy, such as salty potato chips and chewy candy bars. Some people like spicy wasabi peas or a savory piece of cheese. My favorite snack is a bowl of cold ice cream. My husband doesn’t eat snacks very often, but he does like to eat a piece of dark chocolate occasionally. Our cat’s favorite snacks are white bread and bagels. Don’t you think those are funny foods for a cat to like?

You can download a printable version of this activity with visual vocabulary here:
http://zachary-jones.com/english/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/Snack-Time-Adjectives.pdf

Visual Vocabulary:

Questions for Discussion:
1. An adjective is a word that describes something in a sentence. (For example, a hot coffee.) Find all the adjectives in the above paragraph.
2. Think of 5 more types of snacks. What adjectives would you use to describe them?
3. What is your favorite midnight snack?

Oscar Songs - ESL Music Ideas

The Oscars are this weekend, and students will be interested in the song that they play during the ceremony. A great activity Monday morning is to do some listening activities with the nominated songs.

Here are the lyrics for the four English songs with cloze activities.


Ryan Bingham
“The Weary Kind”
Crazyheart

Your heart’s on the loose
You ¬¬¬¬¬¬rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind

You called all your ___________________
Shooting 8 ball at the corner truck stop
Somehow this don’t feel like home ___________________

And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
And this ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

Your body aches…
Playing your ___________________ and sweating out the hate
The days and the nights all feel the same

The whiskey has been a thorn in your side
and it doesn’t ___________________
the highway that calls for your heart inside

And this ain’t no place for the weary kind
And this ain’t no place to lose your mind
And this ain’t no place to fall behind
Pick up your crazy heart and give it one more try

Your lovers won’t kiss
It’s too damn far from your ___________________
You are the man that ruined her world

Your heart’s on the loose
You rolled them sevens with nothing to lose
And this ain’t no place for the weary kind


Anika Noni Rose
“Almost There”
The Princess and the Frog

Mama... I don't have time for dancing !

That's just gonna have to wait a while
Ain't got time for messing ___________________
And it's not my style
This whole town can slow you down
People taking the easy ___________________
But I know exactly where I'm going
And getting closer, closer, every day

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People down here think I'm ___________________, but I don't care
Trials and tribulations, I have had my share
There ain't nothing gonna stop me now cause I'm almost there

I remember Daddy told me : "Fairytales can come true.
You gotta make 'em happen, it all ___________________on you"
So I work real hard each and every day
Now things for sure are going my way
Just doing what I do
Look out boys I'm coming ___________________

And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
People gonna come here from everywhere
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there

There's been trials and tribulations
You know I've had my share
But I've climbed the ___________________, I've crossed the river
And I'm almost there, I'm almost there
I'm almost there !



Anika Noni Rose
“Down in New Orleans”
The Princess and the Frog

In the South Land there's a city
Way down on the ___________________
Where the women are very pretty
And all the men deliver

They got music
It's always playin'
Start in the day time, go all through the ___________________

When you ___________________ that music playin'
Hear what I'm saying and make it feel alright

Grab somebody, come on down
Bring your paintbrush, we're painting the ___________________
There's some sweetness going around
Catch it down in New Orleans

We got ___________________ good and mase
Make it happen, make it real, say
If anything you want is lose what you have
Down here in New Orleans

Hey partner, don't be ___________________
Come on down here and give us a try
You wanna do some livin' before you die
Do it down in New Orleans

Stalee homes and mansions
Of the sugar darns and cotton ___________________
Rich people, old people, all got dreams
Dreams do come true in New Orleans



Marion Cotillard
“Take it All”
Nine

You want my love
Take it all
You want to _______________ it all come off
Take it all
Come on now
Show me how you take it all

You want my glove, are you enthralled?
You want to see it _______________ away and watch it fall
Oh we know it’s your show, so take it all

You want the movement to see what the ___________________can do
Come watch the slinky girl
See how the pasties twirl
To make your bells all ring
Fulfilling everything you ever wanted
So go ahead and take it all

You want my _______________
Take it all
It’s time to leave if I’m to live
Because I have no more
There’s nothing left to give

I watch you rise
I watch you fall
I am standing with my back against the _______________
Now it’s your turn to finally learn
You had the world, You had your fling
You wanted more than everything
You got your wish, you got your _______________
Now take it right between your thighs
You grabbed for everything my friend
But don’t you see that in the end
There will be nothing left of me