Music: Ed Kliman (www.texasmusicforge.com)
Lyrics: Kevin
Sung by Christy McWilson and Kevin

Below you’ll find a worksheet for a class activity (two PDF versions, one in US letter size, one in A4). The activity concentrates on useful concrete verbs, and can even be done without the music.

The music was originally downloaded from Freesound. By TexasMusicForge (http://freesound.iua.upf.edu/usersViewSingle.php?id=5150)
Morenita.mp3

25 Years from this Sunday, worksheet, US Letter size

25 Years from this Sunday, worksheet, A4 paper size

 

 25 Years from the Sunday [2:12m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (264)

If someone is trying to brush you off, they’re probably trying to avoid doing something. They don’t take you serious. They want to get rid of you. In making an excuse, they are going to use a modal verb.

Why? Because modals are used to express the attitude of the speaker at that particular moment. Think of it. “I might.” “I can’t.” “I would if I could.” Modals are key to mastering the nuances of English. (Actually, in the first example from the song, the singer is going to use modal verbs to make an excuse to do something–rather than avoid something.)

These songs help you analyze modality further.

brush someone off = to disregard someone as insignificant, to ignore someone’s requests
lame excuse = a bad excuse, or one that’s difficult to believe

Modal/auxiliary verbs in English often work in pairs. Think of…

I can but I won’t | I should but I can’t.

I shouldn’t but I will | I would but I can’t.

I can and I will.

In this song, we get lame excuses using multiple modal verbs.

Provide students with the fill-in-the-blank activity first (below). See if they can find pairs of modal verbs that will work. Give them these to choose from:

can, could, will, should, had better (or just “better),

would rather, supposed to

Note: negative forms are needed sometimes.

1.  “These cookies are wonderful, Bill.   I __________ have another but I __________.”

2.  “It __________ be better if we __________ take things slow.  So call me in September. Listen, I gotta go!”

3.  I know I __________ visit I really want to.  But I __________ go to the library, I’ve got a book overdue

4.  I __________ if I __________ , but I __________ I’ll be busy all day. I’m __________ visit my aunt.

 vocalists:  Steve, Kristin, and Phil Venuti
After the listening task, ask students to imagine the scene or scenario in which the speakers might say these things. Perhaps they can write a paragraph leading up to each of these excuses.

Complete Lyric
1.  “These cookies are wonderful, Bill. I shouldn’t have another but I will.”

2. “It might be better if we could take things slow So call me in September. Listen, I gotta go!”

3. “I know I should visit I really want to. But I better go to the library, I’ve got a book overdue.”

4.  “I would if I could, but I can’t.  I’m busy all day—I’m supposed to help my aunt.”

 

 The Lame-excuse Brush-off Song [0:42m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (553)

 

 Standard Podcast [0:10m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (553)

Here is a brief little song–only one sentence–featuring the words of the American poet John Greenleaf Whittier (1807-1892).

Step 1: Play the song and ask learners to write down the 17 words that make up the lyric.

For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It might have been’…

Step 2: Nice use of a modal verb in the past, John. But really, are these the saddest words?

Let’s compare… modally. Put students in pairs or groups and ask them to try out the following words as a replacement for “might.” Offer students these other verbal possibilities:

could, couldn’t, shouldn’t, was supposed to, was not supposed to

“For of all sad words of tongue or pen, the saddest are these: ‘It ________ have been …”

Each has a different meaning. The differences are often just nuances. But that’s how you understand the way these modal verbs work.

Finally, re-evaluate. Which of the modal verbs in that sentence is really the saddest in your opinion?

 

 It Might Have Been - the Possibility Songs [0:37m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (230)

In this 40-second song you’ll hear a list of chores. Most of these are fairly strong collocations–words that go together. For example, what word is likely to go with “sweep”? Right, “the floor.” That’s not the only possible combination, but it is a probable one. And it is useful in learning a language to hear and repeat these high frequency combinations.

That’s why this song goes into the Grammar category. It uses collocations.

You will hear 11 commands to do certain chores. They will repeat two times. That makes this a great dictation activity. Simply tell students to number from 1 to 11 and to try to write down all the chores by the time the song ends. You can play it a couple of times if needed.

It’s also called “The Nagging Song” because when someone is always telling you what to do, well, that’s nagging.

Answers: Take out the trash, feed the cats, mow the lawn, clean up that mess, make your bed, wash your hands, pick up your toys, iron your shirt, sweep the floor, brush your teeth, walk the dog.

 

 The Chores Song (The Nagging Song) [0:40m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (478)

 

 The Chores Song, slower [0:48m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download

A cat is softer than a rock. Well, it’s true. In this song, you’ll find lots of comparisons. If you want, you can choose from the list of adjectives below. But it’s much better if you choose your own adjectives. It’s not important whether or not you find the same comparison as the singer.

*WARNING: this song is silly*

Some adjectives you might choose from… bony, bubbly, calm, cuddly, floral, fresh, heavy, hot, lazy, round, solid, sticky, straight, wet, wise

Extremely True Facts About Cats

A cat is ____softer_______ than a rock. And
A cat is ________________ than your sock. And
A cat is ________________ than air. And
A cat is ________________ than a square. And

A cat is ________________ than ice.
A cat is ________________ than a poltergeist.
A cat is ________________ than some rotten old thing.
A cat is ________________ than a spring.

A cat recognizes
Only one single fact, and that,
And that
Is that he’s a cat.

A cat is ________________ than a tornado. And
A cat is ________________ than a potato. And
A cat is ________________ than a sparrow. And
A cat is ________________ than an arrow. And

A cat is not as ________________ as the rain.
A cat is not as ________________ as champagne.
A cat is not as ________________ as a chrysanthemum. And
A cat is not as ________________ as a wad of gum.

A cat’s heart beats true
For only one thing, and that,
And that, and that
Is to be a cat.

Well, I hope you all agree
With my catty comparisons.
And I hope when it comes to truths
You’ll find there’re some.
But there’s one last thing—
it’s the hardest to get at—
And that is that a cat
Is somehow much more than a cat.

See, a cat imposes his will
Influencing the world
From the windowsill.

A cat is _______________ than a shadow.

 

 Extremely True Facts About Cats [4:27m]: Play Now | Play in Popup | Download (494)