ESLSongs

Practice connectors in your ESL class with this song, Broken by Jack Johnson. There are 11 different examples of the connectors and, because, but, or & so but the song lyrics also include the connectors at least, until & well for more advanced level students.

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

Lyrics

With everything ahead of us we left everything behind
But nothing that we needed, at least, not at this time
And now the feeling that I’m feeling, well it’s feeling like my life is finally mine
With nothing to go back to we just continue to drive

Without you I was broken
But I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
But I’d rather be broke down with you by my side

I didn’t know what I was looking for so I didn’t know what I’d find
I didn’t know what I was missing, I guess you’ve been just a little too kind
And if I find just what I need, I’ll put a little peace in my mind
Maybe you’ve been looking too or maybe you don’t even need to try

Without you I was broken
And I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
But I’d rather be broke down with you by my side

With everything in the past fading faster and faster until it was gone
I found out I was losing so much more than I knew all along
But everything I’ve been working for was only worth nickels and dimes
But if I had a minute for every hour that I’ve wasted I’d be rich in time, I’d be doing fine

Because without you I was broken
But I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
But I’d rather be broke down with you by my side

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Read the lyrics and try to guess which connectors from the list go in each gap, then listen to the song to check (be careful with #7… you can hardly hear it!): and, because, but, or & so

With everything ahead of us we left everything behind
¹__________ nothing that we needed, at least, not at this time
²__________ now the feeling that I’m feeling, well it’s feeling like my life is finally mine
With nothing to go back to we just continue to drive

Without you I was broken
³__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
⁴__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side

I didn’t know what I was looking for ⁵__________ I didn’t know what I’d find
I didn’t know what I was missing, I guess you’ve been just a little too kind
⁶__________ if I find just what I need, I’ll put a little peace in my mind
Maybe you’ve been looking too ⁷__________ maybe you don’t even need to try

Without you I was broken
⁸__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
⁹__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side

With everything in the past fading faster ¹⁰__________ faster until it was gone
I found out I was losing so much more than I knew all along
¹¹__________ everything I’ve been working for was only worth nickels and dimes
¹²__________ if I had a minute for every hour that I’ve wasted I’d be rich in time, I’d be doing fine

¹³__________ without you I was broken
¹⁴__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side
I said without you I was broken
¹⁵__________ I’d rather be broke down with you by my side