Songs to Learn English – The Second Conditional
How can songs help you learn English? Read this blog post!
Click on the title of each song below to view the video.
Released in 2008 by the American R&B pop singer.
Theme: Difference between the sexes
Expressions: ‘To Take someone for granted’
Released in 1971 by the British pop singer-songwriter
Theme: Love
Expressions: ‘a bit funny’ (meaning ‘strange’)
Would You Be Happier by The Corrs
Released in 2002 by the Irish pop band
Theme: Happiness
Note: This song uses a lot of comparatives too.
In These Arms Tonight by Bon Jovi
Released in 1992 by the American rock band
Theme: Love
Released in 1976 by the Swedish pop group
Theme: Money
If I Were A Carpenter by Johnny Cash and June Carter
Theme: Work, Love
Expressions: Miller, Tinker
Tears In Heaven by Eric Clapton
Released in 1992 by the British rock singer
Theme: Death
Expressions: ‘To bend your knees’
Released in 2004 by the American pop singer
Theme: Money
Note: Non-Standard ‘Don’t need no other’ and ‘We ain’t getting nothing but love’ the ‘double negative’ is used like this in some dialects. In standard English we’d say ‘I don’t need any other’ and ‘We aren’t getting anything but love.’
Released in 2006 by the American rock band
Theme: Happiness / Self pity
Expressions: ‘To rain on someone’s parade’, ‘In the blink of an eye’.
Released in 1995 by the American pop singer.
Theme: Christianity
Expressions: ‘A slob’ ‘A rolling stone’.
If You Were a Sailboat by Kate Melua
Released in 2007 by the Georgian-British singer-songwriter
Theme: Love, metaphors
If I Had Money by Blues Delight
Released in 2009 by the Canadian blues band
Theme: Money
If I Had A Hammer by Trini Lopez
Released in 1963 by the American singer
Theme: Peace
If I Were A Rich Man by Zero Mostel
Released in 1964 in the musical The Fiddler on the Roof
Theme: Money
