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
Jack Johnson (musician)Jack Hody Johnson is an American singer-songwriter, primarily in the soft rock and acoustic pop genres. Johnson has reached number one on the Billboard 200 chart with his albums Sing-A-Longs and Lullabies for the Film Curious George in 2006, Sleep Through the Static in 2008, To the Sea in 2010 and From Here to Now to You in 2013. His album In Between Dreams peaked at number two on the chart in 2005 and again in 2013.
