ESLSongs

Practise past modals in the ESL classroom with this epic, energetic, uplifting song, Next Monday’s Problems by Alan Smith Robertson.

The lyrics of this song contain FIVE past modal verbs as well as THREE examples of modal verbs in the present:

• I must have cried
• I should have told him
• He might have come
• Could it all have been…
• He can’t have known
• I need to leave
• I just might see
• we can outrun them

This song comes with a PDF worksheet and is also available on Spotify as well as on Youtube. If you do not have access to either of these streaming services you can also download the song in mp3 format. To see other suggestions on how to use this song in class, click here.

Lyrics

VERSE 1
Since he left I must have cried a thousand tears
And now I wonder if his love was sincere

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I need to leave my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I just might see the light

VERSE 2
I should have told him about you, to make him see
He might have come to love me more and stayed with me

But these are all next Monday’s problems
And if we dance we can outrun them

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I need to leave my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I just might see the light

VERSE 3
Could it all have been my fault that our love died?
He can’t have known about the pain I felt inside

But these are all next Monday’s problems
And if we dance we can outrun them

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I need to leave my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I’ll finally see the light

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Put the modal verbs from the list below into each of the gaps in the lyrics and put the verb (in brackets) into the correct form. Then listen to the song to check.

can, can’t have, could have, might, might have, must have, need, should have

Since he left I ¹_______________ (cry) a thousand tears
And now I wonder if his love was sincere

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I ²_______________ (leave) my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I just ³_______________ (see) the light

I ⁴_______________ (tell) him about you, to make him see
He ⁵_______________ (come) to love me more and stayed with me
But these are all next Monday’s problems
And if we dance we ⁶_______________ (outrun) them

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I ⁷_______________ (leave) my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I just ⁸_______________ (see) the light

⁹_______________ it all _______________ (be) my fault that our love died?
He ¹⁰_______________ (know) about the pain I felt inside
But these are all next Monday’s problems
And if we dance we ¹¹_______________ (outrun) them

CHORUS
So come with me, we’ll dance the night away
An anaesthetic just to numb the pain
‘Cause I ¹²_______________ (leave) my problems all behind
When the sun comes up I’ll finally see the light

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If you enjoyed the song or if you think it will be useful for your students at least, remember this song comes with a PDF worksheet and is also available on Spotify as well as on Youtube. If you do not have access to either of these streaming services, you can also download the song in mp3 format.

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