Practise modal verbs of possibility, specifically may, in your ESL class with this classic song, She by Elvis Costello. The lyrics of this song contain 14 examples of the modal verb may, as well as 4 examples of can, can’t, cannot and have to.
There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.
Lyrics
She may be the face I can’t forget
A trace of pleasure or regret
May be my treasure or the price I have to pay
She may be the song that summer sings
May be the chill that autumn brings
May be a hundred different things
Within the measure of a day
She may be the beauty or the beast
May be the famine or the feast
May turn each day into a Heaven or a Hell
She may be the mirror of my dreams
A smile reflected in a stream
She may not be what she may seem
Inside her shell
She, who always seems so happy in a crowd
Whose eyes can be so private and so proud
No one’s allowed to see them when they cry
She may be the love that cannot hope to last
May come to me from shadows of the past
That I remember ’til the day I die
She may be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I’m alive
The one I’ll care for through the rough and ready years
Me, I’ll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I’ve got to be
The meaning of my life is
She, she, oh she
Suggested activity: fill the gaps
Download this exercise (PDF)
Listen to the song and put the modal verbs can, can’t, cannot and have to into the correct gaps.
She/\ be the face I 1__________ forget
a trace of pleasure or regret
be my treasure or the price I 2__________ pay
she be the song that summer sings
be the chill that autumn brings
be a hundred different things
within the measure of a day
She be the beauty or the beast
be the famine or the feast
turn each day into a Heaven or a Hell
she be the mirror of my dreams
a smile reflected in a stream
she be what she seem
inside her shell
She, who always seems so happy in a crowd
whose eyes 3__________ be so private and so proud
no one’s allowed to see them when they cry
she be the love that 4__________ hope to last
come to me from shadows of the past
That I remember ’til the day I die
She be the reason I survive
the why and wherefore I’m alive
the one I’ll care for through the rough and ready years
me, I’ll take her laughter and her tears
and make them all my souvenirs
for where she goes I’ve got to be
the meaning of my life is she, she, oh she
.
While you were listening to the song, maybe you noticed that the lyrics are not complete! There are also 14 examples of the modal verb may in these lyrics. Where do they go?
The first one is done for you in the first line: She/\ be the face…
Then listen to the song to check your answers and fill in the missing words. Which use of the modal verb may is negative? How do you put may into the negative?
.
Elvis CostelloDeclan Patrick MacManus, better known by his stage name Elvis Costello, is an English singer, songwriter, record producer, author and television host. According to Rolling Stone, Costello “reinvigorated the literate, lyrical traditions of Bob Dylan and Van Morrison with the raw energy and sass that were principal ethics of punk”, noting the “construction of his songs, which set densely layered wordplay in an ever-expanding repertoire of styles.” His first album, My Aim Is True (1977), is widely regarded as one of the best debuts in popular music history. It spawned no hit singles, but contains some of Costello’s best-known songs, including the ballad “Alison”. Costello’s next two albums, This Year’s Model (1978) and Armed Forces (1979), recorded with his backing band the Attractions, helped define the new wave genre. From late 1977 until early 1980, each of the eight singles he released reached the UK Top 30. His biggest hit single, “Oliver’s Army” (1979), sold more than 500,000 copies in Britain. He has had more modest commercial success in the US, but has earned much critical praise. From 1977 until the early 2000s, Costello’s albums regularly ranked high on the Village Voice Pazz & Jop critics’ poll, with This Year’s Model and Imperial Bedroom (1982) voted the best album of their respective years. His biggest US hit single, “Veronica” (1989), reached number 19 on the Billboard Hot 100.
Not convinced?
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