Do you like music? Who doesn't?!
What if you could put down your grammar book for a while and put on your headphones to bring your English to the next level?
Learning English through music is a great strategy because it's fun and it keeps you motivated. It also lets you apply your skills to language that is real instead of conjugating verbs and doing other grammar exercises that don't reflect language in everyday life.
Want to try it? In today's article, I will tell you how to make music a central part of your English learning strategy.
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1) First Listening: Choose a song you like and listen once
The first time you listen, don't worry about understanding every word. Sit back and enjoy the song.
Try to get a sense of what the song is about if you can.
What is the mood? What emotions is the singer trying to convey?
How does the song make you feel?
Here are a few songs you can try to get started:
- Hotel California by the Eagles
- One by U2
- With a Little Help From My Friends by the Beatles
- I'll Be There For You by the Rembrandts (theme song from Friends)
- This Love by Maroon 5
2) Second Listening: Get the lyrics and listen again
Now it's time to focus on vocabulary!
Go to Lets Sing It and type in almost any song.
You will get the full lyrics. Print them out and put them on your desk in front of you as you listen.
Follow them closely to identify any new words and how they sound in the song.
If you stumble upon a word whose meaning you don't know, avoid looking it up in the dictionary.
Instead, listen to and read the verse and try to get the meaning from the context.
3) Third Listening: Quiz yourself!
This time, ask a friend to hide or cover up certain words throughout the song with a black permanent marker.
Get a copy of the song with 5-10 words crossed out.
Try to fill in the blanks.
You should repeat this exercise 2-3 times until you get all of them.
It's ok if you don't get all of the missing words the first time.
Keep trying and listen to the full song to check your answers.
Try adding music to your English-learning strategy at least once per week! You will have fun, learn new vocabulary, and improve your listening. Good luck!
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