ESLSongs

Practice the present perfect continuous in your ESL class with this song, All My Life by Mariah Carey.

These song lyrics include 6 examples of the present perfect continuous: “I’ve been waiting/wishing/praying/taking”, & “[it]’s been waiting…” and 2 examples of the present perfect simple: “I have taken” & “I’ve got”.

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

Lyrics

I’ve been waiting for someone to come into my life
Who would bring me joy and give me pleasure
I have taken chances on romances once or twice
And I found that in my heart it’s you I treasure

You and only you can make me feel the way I do
You and only you can make it better
You and only you can do the freaky things you do
And I’m so into you and that’s forever and ever

All my life
My love’s been waiting for you
All my life
My heart’s been waiting too

All my life…

I’ve been wishing on a star
I’ve been praying on my knees
I’ve got some sly and sexy tricks to show you
Most of all I’ll give you anything boy that you need
To keep you right here by my side
I know you
I’ll show you

You and only you can make me feel the way I do
You and only you can make it better
You and only you can do the freaky things you do
And I’m so into you and that’s forever and ever

All my life
My love’s been waiting for you
All my life
My heart’s been waiting too
Don’t you know I need you
and adore you?
All my life I’ll give to only you

All my life…

I’ve been taking chances on romances once or twice…

Suggested activity: fill the gaps

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song and fill the gaps with the verbs in brackets in the present perfect simple or the present perfect continuous

I¹_______________ (wait) for someone to come into my life
Who would bring me joy and give me pleasure
I ²_______________ (take) chances on romances once or twice
And I found that in my heart it’s you I treasure

You and only you can make me feel the way I do
You and only you can make it better
You and only you can do the freaky things you do
And I’m so into you and that’s forever and ever

All my life
My love³_______________ (wait) for you
All my life
My heart⁴_______________ (wait) too

All my life…

I⁵_______________ (wish) on a star
I⁶_______________ (pray) on my knees
I’ve got some sly and sexy tricks to show you
Most of all I’ll give you anything boy that you need
To keep you right here by my side, I know you, I’ll show you

You and only you can make me feel the way I do
You and only you can make it better
You and only you can do the freaky things you do
And I’m so into you and that’s forever and ever

All my life
My love⁷_______________ (wait) for you
All my life
My heart⁸_______________ (wait) too
Don’t you know I need you and adore you?
All my life I’ll give to only you

All my life…

I⁹_______________ (take) chances on romances once or twice…

Mariah Carey

Mariah Carey is an American singer-songwriter, record producer, and actress. An influential figure in music, she is known for her five-octave vocal range, melismatic singing style, and signature use of the whistle register. Carey is also credited with influencing vocal styles, merging hip-hop with pop through her collaborations, popularizing remixes, and helping break down racial barriers for multiracial Americans in popular culture. Referred to as the “Songbird Supreme” by Guinness World Records, she was ranked as the fifth greatest singer of all time by Rolling Stone in 2023, and has been dubbed the “Queen of Christmas” for the enduring popularity of her Christmas music, particularly the 1994 song “All I Want for Christmas Is You”, which is the best-selling holiday song by a female artist.