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Established since 1993

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It's My Life

sung by Bon Jovi

(from the album: Crush)

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

• Exercise 1:  Jigsaw Sequencing (please scroll to next box)

• Exercise 2:  Definite v Indefinite Articles v None

• Discussion Point

• The Full Lyrics Answer Key

Language Notes:

• gonna = going to

• wanna = want to

• gotta = got to (not used in the lyrics)

• I ain't = I am not / I'm not

• it ain't = it is not / it isn't

• 'cause = because

RELATED PAGES

• More song-based lessons

• Overview of language practice on this website

• Title:                  It's My Life sung by Bon Jovi
• Exercise:            1
• Level:                 Pre-Intermediate +
• Activity:              Jigsaw Listening
• Practice:             Contextual order

• Students enjoy the physical involvement of this exercise.  Confident students should either work alone, or be teamed with weaker students.

• Cut the photocopy into strips as indicated.  Instruct students to scatter the pieces in front of them, so they can read them easily.
• Play the song at an appropriate speed to suit students' ability.

TIP:  To make the strips more user-friendly and to preserve them for future use, laminate the photocopied sheets before cutting.  If making more than one set, use different coloured paper for each set.

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It's My Life

sung by Bon Jovi

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Baby, don't back down

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Better stand tall

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'Cause it's my life

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'Cause it's my life!

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Don't bend, don't break, 

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For Tommy and Gina who never backed down

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Got to make your own breaks

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I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd

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I ain't gonna live forever

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I ain't gonna live forever

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I ain't gonna live forever

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I ain't gonna live forever

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I did it my way

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I did it my way

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I did it my way

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I did it my way

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I just wanna live while I'm alive

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I just wanna live while I'm alive

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I just wanna live while I'm alive

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I just want to live while I'm alive

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I just want to live while I'm alive

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I just want to live while I'm alive

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I just want to live while I'm alive

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I just want to live while I'm alive

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(It's my life)

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(It's my life)

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(It's my life)

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(It's my life)

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It's my life

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It's my life

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It's my life

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It's my life

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It's my life

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It's my life

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It's now or never

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It's now or never

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It's now or never

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It's now or never

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Like Frankie said

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Like Frankie said

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Like Frankie said

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Like Frankie said

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Luck ain't even lucky

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My heart is like an open highway

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My heart is like an open highway

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My heart is like an open highway

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My heart is like an open highway

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No silent prayer for the faith-departed

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[Solo]

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This ain't a song for the broken-hearted

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This is for the ones who stood their ground

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Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake

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When I shout it out loud

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When they're calling you out

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You're gonna hear my voice

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<>()<>

• Title:                It's My Life 
• Exercise:          2
• Level:               Intermediate +
• Activity:            Gapped
• Practice:           Definite v Indefinite Articles v None (a/an/the/-)

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make it easier by:
  • Completing any gaps which are irrelevant to the teaching point
  • Playing the song at an appropriate speed, so students might complete the gaps.
• Make it more difficult by:
  • Instructing students to complete the gaps.
  • They can then check their answers by listening to the song

This ain't .............. song for .............. broken-hearted

No .............. silent prayer for .............. faith-departed

I ain't gonna be just .............. face in .............. crowd

You're gonna hear my voice

When I shout .............. it out loud

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my .............. life

It's now or .............. never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my .............. life)

<>()<>

My heart is like .............. open highway

Like .............. Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my .............. life

<>()<>

This is for .............. ones who stood their ground

For..............Tommy and .............. Gina who never backed down

Tomorrow's getting .............. harder make no mistake

.............. Luck ain't even lucky

Got to make your own breaks

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my .............. life

It's now or .............. never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my .............. life)

<>()<>

My heart is like .............. open highway

Like ..............Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

'Cause it's my .............. life

<>()<>

[Solo]

<>()<>

Better stand tall

When they're calling you out

Don't bend, don't break, 

Baby, don't back down

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my .............. life

It's now or .............. never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my .............. life)

<>()<>

My heart is like .............. open highway

Like .............. Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my .............. life

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my .............. life

It's now or .............. never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my .............. life)

<>()<>

My heart is like .............. open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

'Cause it's my .............. life!

<>()<>

The Answer Key

DISCUSSION POINT

MAKING CHANGES

Would you like to change your life, or would you like to improve your lifestyle?

CHANGING YOUR LIFE COMPLETELY

(Questions to ask yourself)

• Do you want to change everything about your life, or do you only want to change a few things?
• Do you want to move to a different area?
• Do you require a different circle of friends?
• Do you feel your life is being wasted?
• Do you feel capable of achieving something beneficial to yourself?
• Do you feel capable of achieving something beneficial to others?

A TASK WHICH MIGHT INFLUENCE YOUR DECISION

• Draw up a list of advantages and disadvantages to starting a new life.

• It's not always possible to predict achievements, unless one is extremely ambitious with a definite plan.  Achievements often happen once one is living a freer life without too many commitments, so it is possible to develop skills and avenues which have hitherto been denied.

• What skills do you want to develop? (You may not even know at this stage.)

• What direction would you like your life to take? (You may not know yet.)  It is often best to have no preconceived ideas, but to allow things to develop naturally.  Nevertheless, you will still need a vague contingency plan in case the situation goes awry, e.g.

  • If you need to avoid people, you will need to have an escape route - possibly to another country.

  • If you wish to have the option of returning to your former life, don't burn your bridges.  The easiest thing to do is to return, but if you saw it as a trap before, it will become a trap again.

  • If you wish to have the best of both worlds, then leave on good terms;  however, this is not always possible. Forceful people cannot accept this civilised form of action.

• Develop a plan to suit you.

• Remember it is always possible to start a new life, even if you cannot envisage it happening without your current circle of friends. Working in another area, or a different country, will confirm this.

IMPROVING YOUR LIFESTYLE

(Questions to ask yourself)

• How much control do you have over your life? (percentage?)

  Who else might have control over your life? (wife, husband, parents, boyfriend, girlfriend, demanding relatives, unpleasant neighbours, etc)

• What responsibilities govern your life? (dependents, property ownership, work, etc.)

• How much control does your work have over your home life?  Do you take work home?  Do you have to prepare anything in your free time for work? (lessons, reports, etc.)

• How much control does the government, or an organisation, have over your life, or working life? (living in an institution? working for a political football? (eg NHS, ) etc. 

• Is is possible to live life exactly as you would like?

• Would you recognise freedom and happiness when you have it, or is the grass always greener elsewhere?

• Work out your routine timetable.

• Decide which people have an influence on your life.  Do they also dominate your time, or is your time your own?  Decide whether the time dominated is justified, or not.  If not, how can you change it?

• What percentages of your average day is spent on sleeping and working?

• Decide how you might find extra time to fit in a new hobby (i.e. less time spent on doing makeup, watching television, etc.)

• Decide which daily tasks could be done every other day instead. This might mean cooking two days food at a time, etc.

• Decide which weekly tasks could be done fortnightly instead.  This might mean purchasing additional clothes, so washing tasks can be delayed, etc.

• Do you ever feel bored?  If so, you have spare time which is not being adequately utilised.

• Draw up a list of things which you do, but do not enjoy.  Work out a way to omit these tasks from your routine as much as possible, if not completely.  Then make sure, you do the unenjoyable tasks first.

• Draw up a second list of things which you would like to do, but can't.  Work out a way in which you can slot in the activities which you would like to do.  If you cannot afford them, choose cheaper alternatives, e.g. a working holiday to a special area, a second-hand car rather than a new one, etc.

• Extend this list of ideas further.

<>()<>

The Full Lyrics Answer Key

It's My Life

sung by Bon Jovi

This ain't a song for the broken-hearted

No silent prayer for the faith-departed

I ain't gonna be just a face in the crowd

You're gonna hear my voice

When I shout it out loud

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my life

It's now or never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life)

<>()<>

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my life

<>()<>

This is for the ones who stood their ground

For Tommy and Gina who never backed down

Tomorrow's getting harder make no mistake

Luck ain't even lucky

Got to make your own breaks

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my life

It's now or never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life)

<>()<>

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just want to live while I'm alive

'Cause it's my life

<>()<>

Solo

<>()<>

Better stand tall

When they're calling you out

Don't bend, don't break, 

Baby, don't back down

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my life

It's now or never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life)

<>()<>

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

It's my life

<>()<>

Chorus

It's my life

It's now or never

I ain't gonna live forever

I just want to live while I'm alive

(It's my life)

<>()<>

My heart is like an open highway

Like Frankie said

I did it my way

I just wanna live while I'm alive

'Cause it's my life!

Dedicated to everyone who would like to change their life.

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