Alianza Cultural
Uruguay – Estados Unidos
The Sounds of Grammar
María Eugenia Silva
Florencia Bassahún, Mariel Doyenart and
This is a set of photocopiable song tasks created by
us that we would like to share with you. You can use
them in your classes to work with different grammar
points. We hope you find them useful!
What you can find here:
I still haven’t found what I’m
looking for, by U2 (Present
Perfect)
American Pie, by Madonna
(Simple Past)
Lemon Tree, by Foolsgarden
(Present Continuous)
You’ll see, by Madonna (Simple
Future)
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
I STILL HAVEN’T FOUND WHAT I’M LOOKING FOR
By U2
Task 1 – Fill in the blanks with the past participle of the verbs in the box. Then, listen and check.
Run Crawl Climb Scale Find
I have ___________ the highest mountain
I have __________through the fields
Only to be with you
Only to be with you
I have ___________
I have ___________
I have ___________ these city walls
These city walls
Only to be with you
But I still haven't _________ what I'm looking for
But I still haven't _________ what I'm looking for
Task 2 – Fill in the blanks with the past tense or past participle of the following verbs. Then
listen and check.
Kiss Speak Find Burn To be Hold Feel
I have _________ honey lips
_________ the healing in her fingertips
It _________ like fire
This burning desire
I have __________ with the tongue of angels
I have __________ the hand of a devil
It _______ warm in the night
I _______ cold as a stone
But I still haven't _________ what I'm looking for
But I still haven't __________ what I'm looking for
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
AMERICAN PIE
By Madonna
Task 1 - Fill in the blanks with the following words. Then listen and check.
Used to Could Had Time ago Knew
A long long ____________ I can still remember
How that music ____________ make me smile
And I ___________ that if I ________ my chance
I _________ make those people dance
And maybe they'd be happy for a while
Do Did
_______ you write the book of love
And _______ you have faith in God above
If the Bible tells you so
Now ________ you believe in rock 'n roll
And can music save your mortal soul
And can you teach me how to dance real slow
Task 2 – Complete with the present or past tense of the verbs in the box.
Well, I ________ that you'____ in love with him
‘Cause I _____ you dancin' in the gym
You both _______ off your shoes KNOW
Man, I ______ those rhythm and blues KICK
DIE
I ______ a lonely teenage broncin' buck BE
With a pink carnation and a pickup truck DIG
But I ______ that I _____ out of luck START SEE
The day the music _______
I _______ singing
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
Task 3 – Complete with the missing verbs in the Simple Past as you listen.
Bye bye Miss American Pie
__________ my chevy to the levee
But the levee _________ dry
And good old boys ________ drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin' this will be the day that I die
This will be the day that I die
Task 4 - Underline all the verbs in the simple past you can find. Then, get together with a
partner and write one sentence using each of the verbs you found.
I met a girl who sang the blues
And I asked her for some happy news
But she just smiled and turned away
Well, I went down to the sacred store
Where I'd heard the music years before
But the man there said the music wouldn't play
Well now in the streets the children screamed
The lovers cried and the poets dreamed
But not a word was spoken
The church bells all were broken
And the three men I admire the most
The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost
They caught the last train for the coast
The day the music died
They started singing
CHORUS (X2)
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
LEMON TREE
By Foolsgarden
TASK 1 - Listen to the song and complete the sentences with the Present Participle to form the
Present Continuous tense.
I'm ______________ here in a boring room I’m __________ here I miss the power
It's just another rainy Sunday afternoon I'd like to go out, take a shower
I'm ____________my time I got nothing to do but there's a heavy cloud inside my head
I'm________ around I'm__________ for you I feel so tired put myself into bed
but nothing ever happens - and I wonder where nothing ever happens - and I wonder
I’m _____________around in my car Isolation - is not good for me
I’m ___________ too fast I'm _________ too far Isolation - I don't want to sit on a lemon-tree
I'd like to change my point of view I’m ________around in a desert of joy
I feel so lonely I’m __________ for you Baby, anyhow I'll get another toy
but nothing ever happens - and I wonder and every thing will happen -and you'll wonder
I wonder how I wonder why
yesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky I wonder how I wonder why
and all tall that I can see is just a yellow lemon-treeyesterday you told me 'bout the blue blue sky
and all tall that I can see is just a yellow lemon-tree
I’m ________ my head up and down I’m ________ my head up and down
I'm turning turning turning turning turning around I'm ______ turning turning turning turning around
and all that I can see is just another lemon-tree and all that I can see is just another lemon-tree
TASK 2 - Choose the right form of the verb keeping in mind the special cases of using the
Present Simple or Present Continuous tense.
1. She must be a happy person; she ___________________.
2. Good jobs ______________much harder to find these days.
3. I _________________you are very intelligent.
4. This year he ________________logistics, last year he studied marketing.
5. This fire alarm always ________________at the wrong moment.
6. I __________________ John tonight.
7. I have noticed that digital cameras ________________cheaper in the shops.
8. We ___________________ to solve this argument right now.
9. The weather is beautiful and they __________________of going to the beach.
10. Everyone knows that the earth ________________ round the sun.
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
TASK 3 - Choose the verb from the list and use it in the correct form to complete the sentences
in the Present Continuous tense. (There is one extra verb which you do not need!)
drive become drink always/clean
stay not/stop live take have
1. Granny _______________a nap, so be quiet!
2. They _________________in the hotel near the stadium, it is not far.
3. Ian __________________a shower, could you call back in five minutes?
4. Mike has already left, at this moment he _________________to work.
5. Today taxi drivers _________________at the opera house because of the roadworks.
6. Actually, I _________________a cup of tea now but I will be ready in a moment.
7. Holidays abroad _______________increasingly popular.
8. Dad ___________the car whenever I want to borrow it.
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
YOU’LL SEE
By Madonna
Before listening
Choose the correct answer:
To form the Simple Future I need…
1. WILL+ to + verb
2. WILL+ verb
Which sentences are grammatically correct?
1. I will visit my aunt next weekend.
2. On my next vacation I will to go to Rocha.
3. I traveled to Paris next month.
4. She will cooked dinner for her husband tonight.
5. We will learn a lot this year.
Match the columns
You think that I can't see,
You'll go on another day.
You think I can't live without your love
You think I by my side,
Without you 'll see
You some way
Somehow, have nothing
Put the lines in the correct order
You'll see
You think that I can never laugh again
You'll see,
I'll never find my way back home,
Somehow, someday
You think that you destroyed my faith in love.
You think after all you've done
Fill in the blanks
(chorus)
All by myself
I don't need anyone at all
I know I'll _________
I know I'll ______ alive,
All on my own
I __________ need anyone this time
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
The Sounds of Grammar
F. Bassahún, M. Doyenart & M. Silva
It __________ be mine
No one can take it from me
You_________ see
You ___________ that you are strong, but you are weak
You'll see,
It _____________ more strength to cry, admit defeat.
I have truth on my side,
You only ___________ deceit
You'll ____________, somehow, someday
CHORUS: sing it!!!
After listening
Imagine that you broke up with your couple. Think about three things that you WILL/ WILL NOT
do without this person in your life.
1. __________________________________________________________________________
2. __________________________________________________________________________
3. __________________________________________________________________________
PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE PHOTOCOPIABLE
