Verbs Followed By Infinitives

Age: Adults
Focus: Verbs followed by infinitives

"HARD TO SAY I'M SORRY" is an old ballad by Chicago. Students must have learned and practice verbs followed by infinitives , gerunds, and base forms, although the song has only infinitives and base forms. The activity presented here is simple and short. First, students guess the name of the band. Then, they listen to the song, read the lyrics and find one example of each of the following:

1) Adjective + Object + Infinitive

2) Verb + Infinitive

3) Verb + Object + Infinitive

4) Verb + Object + Base Form

    

After that, they write sentences about themselves using the structures found in the song and share them with a peer. 

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The Third Person

The song "EVERY BREATH YOU TAKE" by the Police is a good song to practice the third person of verbs in the present. By the way, you can use other songs as well. 

Super simple task: First students guess who the band is based on clues provided by the teacher. Then, they listen to the song and underline the verbs. Finally they change the verbs into the third person and sing along.

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When is lying better than telling the truth?

Age: Older Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection & Discussion

The song "DO YOU REMEMBER" by Phil Collins is a romantic song but it's about a relationship that ended. The focus is engage students into a group discussion. Simple task, actually: First, students  choose from a number of options provided and explain their choices.  Then, they listen to the song/ read the lyrics and guess why the author ended his relationship (After listening to the song, students will realize that lying was not the only reason). Finally, they reflect and have a group discussion about lying. 

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Dancing Queen

Age: Teens & Adults

Focus: Relative Clauses

The purpose of the activity below is to practice relative clauses, although there aren't any in the lyrics. Simple task: First, students play a guessing game. Then, they listen to the song and find "hidden" relative clauses. Finally, they google the band and write down three pieces of information about them using relative clauses as well. 

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Past Modals

Age: Adults
Focus: Past Modals


The song "I COULD HAVE DANCED ALL NIGHT" by Frank Sinatra offers students a good opportunity to practice past modals. First, students play a guessing game to guess who the author of the song is and then they listen to the song as the read the lyrics. After that, students work on a short written  task, in which they individually write sentences about themselves and finally share them with a peer.

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Talking about places

Age: Older Teens & Adults
Focus: Describing Places

The following activity is about the song "A FOGGY DAY" performed here by Michael Bubblé. First, students try to guess what place the song is about by reading some clues on slide 2. In the song, the author says what he doesn't like about the city. After listening to the song, students have to share what they don't like about a city they know, which could be their hometown or any other place. This could be done in the form of a piece of writing as well.

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Superstitions

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Vocabulary


The activity below has even designed for the song "GOOD LUCK CHARM" by ELVIS PRESLEY. After having learned and practiced the vocabulary (four-leaf clover, fig, lucky penny, etc…) students guess which of the lucky charms they have learned are actually in the song. They listen to it, check and underline the words. After that, they engage in a discussion saying whether they believe in superstitions or not.

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Hazard - Rhyming

HAZARD   (OPTION 4)

Another possible activity for the song "HAZARD" by Richard Marx is Rhyming. First of all, students will have some minutes to guess what the song is about by choosing from 3 options in 5 different items.  Then, they listen to the song and fill in the blanks with words that rhyme other words in the song. After that, they discuss what they think happened.

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Living in the Ghetto

Age: Teens & Adults

Focus: If Clauses

The activity below has been designed for the song "IN THE GHETTO" by Elvis Presley. First, students guess what the song is about based on five words given. Then, they listen to the song and identify the difficulties of living in the ghetto. After that, they put some sentences in a chronological order. Finally, a quick review on Conditional Sentences is provided, so students practice it by writing a few sentences based on the song.

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Hazard - Find 10 Mistakes

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Synonyms & Opposites


HAZARD  (OPTION 2)

The activity below has been designed for the song "HAZARD" by Richard Marx. First, students guess what the song is about by reading a quote taken from the song. Then, they listen to the song and find ten mistakes. After that, they discuss whether they were right or wrong about their guessing.

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Hazard - Bingo

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Vocabulary


HAZARD ( OPTION 1)

The activity below has been designed for the song "HAZARD" by Richard Marx. First, students guess what the song is about based on a list of words given. Then, they choose 9 words from the list and write them on a BINGO grid. After that, they listen to the song and check the words they hear. Finally, they read the lyrics and check whether their guessing was right or not. (Only then will the video be used.)

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The Third Person

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Simple Present

The activity below has been designed for the song "LIVING ON A PRAYER" by Bon Jovi. First, students engage into a discussion about their musical preferences. Then, they play a quick guessing game, in which they are supposed to guess the name of the band. After that, they are introduced to the vocabulary presented in the song. Then, they listen to the song and underline the Simple Present forms in the lyrics. Finally, they play the CANDY GAME.

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Prejudice

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection & Discussion


The song below has been designed for the song "YOU'LL BE IN MY HEART" by Phil Collins. First students have a little discussion about cartoons and whether it is possible to learn a lesson from them. Then, they listen to the song and guess what the song is about. Finally, they engage into a discussion on prejudice. 

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Talk to the President

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Reflection and Discussion / Modals of Possibility

The activity below has been designed for the song "DEAR MR. PRESIDENT" by Pink. First, students guess who the singer is and what the song is about based on clues provided by the teacher. After that, they listen to the song and identify the issues the author would like the president to address. Finally, they arrange themselves in groups and discuss what issues need to be addressed in their country and finally write the president a letter using modals of possibility.  

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Guess who?

Age: Teens & Adults
Focus: Simple Past


The activity below has been designed for the song "SOMEONE LIKE YOU" by Adele. First, students   talk about the author based on biographical information provided. Then, they write the past of some verbs given. After that, they listen to the song and fill in the blanks using the same verbs. Finally, they rank the new words in order of difficulty. 

  

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