ESL and EFL teachers thinking about using songs and lyrics to teach English grammar will find this table we've compiled a useful resource.
Highlighted songs are those available as complete lesson plans here on tefltunes.com...
| Songs for teaching present simple | Eric Clapton / Wonderful Tonight
(lyrics)
The Beatles / She Loves You (lyrics) Bette Middler / From A Distance (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching present continuous | Fool's Garden / Lemon Tree (lyrics)
Rod Stewart / Sailing (lyrics) Suzanne Vega / Tom's Diner (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching past simple | The Beatles / Yellow Submarine
(lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics) Celine Dion / Because You Loved Me (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching past continuous | John Lennon / Jealous Guy
(lyrics)
Oasis / Champagne Supernova (lyrics) Aerosmith / Cryin' |
| Songs for teaching present perfect | Michael Buble / Haven't Met You Yet (lyrics)
U2 / Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For (lyrics) Chris de Burgh / Lady In Red (lyrics) Sinead O'Connor / Nothing Compares To You (lyrics) Queen / We Are The Champions |
| Songs for teaching present perfect continuous | Anastacia / Left Outside Alone (lyrics)
Led Zeppelin / Since I've Been Loving You (lyrics) Foreigner / Waiting For A Girl Like You (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching past perfect | James Blunt / Goodbye My Lover (lyrics)
Maddness / My Girl (lyrics) Simon & Garfunkel / I Had The Strangest Dream (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching used to | Erik Hassle / Hurtful
(lyrics)
Madonna / This Used To Be My Playground (lyrics) Dandy Warhols / We Used To Be Friends (lyrics) Bruce Springsteen / The River (lyrics) Pet Shop Boys / The Way It Used To Be (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching going to future | Jamie Cullum / Next Year Baby
(lyrics)
Jack Johnson / We're Going To Be Friends (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching will future | Savage Garden / Truly Madly Deeply
(lyrics)
James Blunt / You're Beautiful (lyrics) Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics) The Rembrandts / I'll Be There For You (lyrics) Whitney Houston / I'll Always Love You (lyrics) |
| Songs for teaching future continuous | The Police / Every Breath You Take (lyrics)
Ottis Redding / Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay |
Songs for teaching future perfect
Faith Hill / You Will Be Mine
(lyrics)
Sheryl Crowe / It's Only Love (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 1st conditional
Frank Sinatra / If You Go Away (lyrics)
Simply Red / If You Don't Know Me By Now (lyrics)
Cyndi Lauper / Time After Time (lyrics)
Beautiful South / I'll Sail This Ship Alone (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 2nd conditional
Red Hot Chili Peppers / If (lyrics)
Eric Clapton / Tears In Heaven (lyrics)
Enrique Iglesias / Hero (lyrics)
The Beatles / If I fell (lyrics)
The Beatles / With A Little Help From My Friends (lyrics)
Beyonce Knowles / If I Were A Boy (lyrics)
Gwen Stefani / Rich Girl (lyrics)
Barenaked Ladies / If I Had $1,000,000 (lyrics)
Hoobastank / If I Were You (lyrics)
Joan Osborne / One Of Us (lyrics)
Norah Jones / Painter Song
ABBA / Money Money Money (lyrics)
Johnny Cash / If I Were A Carpenter (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 3rd conditional
Lisa Stansfield / Change (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
Songs for teaching "wish"
Pearl Jam / Wishlist (lyrics)
Songs for teaching passive voice
Westlife / Written In The Stars (lyrics)
Offspring / Kirsty Are You Doing Okay? (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / Let's Mend What's Been Broken (lyrics)
Songs for teaching reported speech
The Beatles / Norwegian Wood (lyrics)
Stereophonics / Mama Told Me Not To Come (lyrics)
The Killers / Somebody Told Me (lyrics)
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