ESLSongs

Practice the modal verbs “can”, “could”, “might”, “could have” & “might have” covering possibility and ability in your ESL class with this song, Everything I wanted by Billie Eilish.

This song’s lyrics contain the following 8 examples of these modal verbs:

• Possibility: It might’ve been a nightmare, to anyone who might care, they might care, It could’ve been a nightmare
• Ability: I could fly, no one can hurt you, you can learn, I could change

In addition, these song lyrics also include 10 examples of “would”

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
Not what you’d think
And if I’m being honest
It might’ve been a nightmare
To anyone who might care

(I) thought I could fly
So I stepped off the Golden, mm
Nobody cried
Nobody even noticed
I saw them standing right there
(I) kind of thought they might care

I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
But when I wake up, I see
You with me

And you say
“As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you
Don’t wanna lie here, but you can learn to
If I could change the way that you see yourself
You wouldn’t wonder why you hear
‘They don’t deserve you'”

I tried to scream
But my head was underwater
They called me weak
Like I’m not just somebody’s daughter
It could’ve been a nightmare
But it felt like they were right there

And it feels like yesterday was a year ago
But I don’t wanna let anybody know
‘Cause everybody wants something from me now
And I don’t wanna let ’em down

I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
But when I wake up, I see
You with me

And you say
“As long as I’m here, no one can hurt you
Don’t wanna lie here, but you can learn to
If I could change the way that you see yourself
You wouldn’t wonder why you hear
‘They don’t deserve you'”

If I knew it all then, would I do it again?
Would I do it again?
If they knew what they said would go straight to my head
What would they say instead?
If I knew it all then, would I do it again?
Would I do it again?
If they knew what they said would go straight to my head
What would they say instead?

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song, and fill the gaps with can, could or might + one of the verbs below, or could have or might have + the participle of one of the verbs below

be   care (x2)   fly   learn   change   hurt

I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
Not what you’d think
And if I’m being honest
It ¹_____________ a nightmare
To anyone who ²_____________

(I) thought I ³_____________
So I stepped off the Golden, mm
Nobody cried
Nobody even noticed
I saw them standing right there
(I) kind of thought they ⁴_____________

I had a dream
I got everything I wanted
But when I wake up, I see
You with me

And you say
“As long as I’m here, no one ⁵_____________ you
Don’t want to lie here, but you ⁶_____________ to
If I ⁷_____________ the way that you see yourself
You wouldn’t wonder why you hear
‘They don’t deserve you’”

I tried to scream
But my head was underwater
They called me weak
Like I’m not just somebody’s daughter
It ⁸_____________ a nightmare
But it felt like they were right there

And it feels like yesterday was a year ago
But I don’t want to let anybody know
‘Cause everybody wants something from me now
And I don’t want to let them down

If I knew it all then, would I do it again?
Would I do it again?
If they knew what they said would go straight to my head
What would they say instead?

Billie Eilish

Billie Eilish Pirate Baird O’Connell is an American singer and songwriter. She first gained public attention in 2015 with her debut single “Ocean Eyes”, written and produced by her brother Finneas O’Connell, with whom she collaborates on music and live shows. In 2017, she released her debut extended play (EP), Don’t Smile at Me. Commercially successful, it reached the top 15 of record charts in numerous countries, including the US, UK, Canada, and Australia.