ESLSongs

Practice the modal verbs “must have” covering past deduction, “should have” covering past obligation, and “might have” & “could have” covering past possibility in your ESL class with this song, Loser by Charlie Puth.

This song’s lyrics contain the following 7 different examples of these modal verbs:

• Past possibility: we could have been, I just might have been a little too gone
• Past deduction: I must have been out of my mind (x4),
• Past obligation: I should have seen it all along (x2), I should have never let her slip away
• Present or Future possibility: I just might get a little too drunk, I just can’t win

In addition, these song lyrics also include 12 examples of “will”

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

Lyrics

Oh, I’m such a loser
How’d I ever lose her?
Oh, maybe I must have been out of my mind
Now I’m a loser, why’d I have to lose her?
I’ll never recover, I’ll never be fine, ’cause I

I just might get a little too drunk, so I won’t think about us
I don’t think about what we could have been
And I stay up like three or four nights so I won’t dream about us
Wake up with no luck
I just can’t win

I should have seen it all along
She was one in a million
It hurts whenever someone says her name
When we were going off and on
I guess I really played it wrong
I should have never let her slip away

Oh, I’m such a loser
How’d I ever lose her?
Oh, maybe I must have been out of my mind
Now I’m a loser, why’d I have to lose her?
I’ll never recover, I’ll never be fine, ’cause I

I just might have been a little too gone when she needed somebody
Up against her body at 2 am
Yeah, and now I keep lying to myself when she’s just joking probably
She’ll probably call me and we’ll be us again

I should have seen it all along
She was one in a million
Now she’s in love and I’m in second place

Oh, I’m such a loser
How’d I ever lose her?
Oh, maybe I must have been out of my mind
Now I’m a loser, why’d I have to lose her?
I’ll never recover, I’ll never be fine, ’cause I

Oh my, my, my, my
Oh my, my, my, my
Oh my, my, my, my, I’m a loser
Oh my, my, my, my
Oh my, my, my, my
Oh my, my, my, my, I’m a loser

Tell me, God is real
Do you think about me still
Or am I living for nothing?
Don’t know where it went wrong but I’ll just take the hint
It’s gonna take some adjusting

Oh, I’m such a loser
How’d I ever lose her?
Oh, maybe I must have been out of my mind
Now I’m a loser, why’d I have to lose her?
I’ll never recover, I’ll never be fine, ’cause I
I’m a loser

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song and fill the gaps with the modal verb you hear + the verb. Be careful where you put the adverb of frequency “never” in number 6! might have + participle, could have + participle for past possibility / must have + participle for past deduction / should have + participle for past obligation (advice/suggestion) / can’t for present (in)ability / might for future possibility

Chorus
Oh, I’m such a loser
How’d I ever lose her?
Oh, maybe I ¹________________ (be) out of my mind
Now I’m a loser, why’d I have to lose her?
I’ll never recover, I’ll never be fine, ’cause I

I just ²________________ (get) a little too drunk, so I won’t think about us
I don’t think about what we ³________________ (be)
And I stay up like three or four nights so I won’t dream about us
Wake up with no luck
I just ⁴________________ (win)

I ⁵________________ (see) it all along
She was one in a million
It hurts whenever someone says her name
When we were going off and on
I guess I really played it wrong
I ⁶________________ (never – let) her slip away

I just ⁷________________ (be) a little too gone when she needed somebody
Up against her body at 2 am
Yeah, and now I keep lying to myself when she’s just joking probably
She’ll probably call me and we’ll be us again

I ⁸________________ (see) it all along
She was one in a million
Now she’s in love and I’m in second place

Oh my, my, my, my, I’m a loser

Tell me, God is real
Do you think about me still
Or am I living for nothing?
Don’t know where it went wrong but I’ll just take the hint
It’s gonna take some adjusting

Charlie Puth

Charles Otto Puth Jr. is an American singer-songwriter and record producer. His initial exposure came through the viral success of his song covers uploaded to YouTube. Puth signed with the record label eleveneleven in 2011 after performing on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, while also songwriting and producing material for other artists.