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Established since 1993

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SINGLE

sung by Natasha Bedingfield

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

• Exercise 1 : Jigsaw Sequencing (please scroll to next box)
• Exercise 2:  Mixed Tenses :  
  • Imperative
  • Simple Present
  • Present Continuous
  • Simple Future
  • Present Perfect
• Exercise 3: Prepositions & Particles
• Subject for discussion: Being single & independent
• The full lyrics answer key

RELATED PAGES

• Reference page:  verb + particles and verb + preposition

• Tenses Overview

• Irregular Verbs

• More worksheets for songs ESL/EFL

• Index of grammar worksheets for ESL/EFL

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• Title:                  Single sung by Natasha Bedingfield
• Exercise:            1
• Level:                 Intermediate +
• Activity:              Jigsaw Listening/Sequencing
• 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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SINGLE

sung by Natasha Bedingfield

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(Can't romance on demand)   

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('Cos I'm happy where I am) 

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(I like who I am)   

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(Is that so hard to understand?)  

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(No no)  

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Ah yeah! Uh, Huh! That's right.

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(I) Don't need to be on somebody's arm to look good.

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Ah yeah, that's right.  

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All you single people out there,  

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But 'til then I like it this way - it's my way.

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Come, I'm not waiting around for a man to save me.

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Doesn't mean I will, or won't.  

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Doesn't mean I will, or won't.  

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Don't depend on a guy to validate me.  

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Eh, I like it this way. 

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Make your move, if you want,   

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Everything in its right place.   

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Everything in its right time;   

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I don't need to be anyone's baby.  

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I know I'll settle down one day,  

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I'm free to make my mind up;  

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I'm free to make my mind up;   

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I'm going to wait,   

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I'm not going to get hooked up, just 'cos you say I should.   

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I'm not saying I don't want to fall in love, 'cos I would.   

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I'm single; (Right now)   

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I'm single; (Right now).   

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Listen to this song.  

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Make your move, if you want,   

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My declaration of independence.   

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My declaration of independence.   

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No, I don't need another half to make me whole.  

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Right now a star's in the ascendant.  

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Right now a star's in the ascendant. 

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So I'm sorry, if you misunderstood. 

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That's how I want to be 

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That's how I want to be.  

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There's no way I'm trading places;  

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There's no way I'm trading places;   

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This is for you.  

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This is my current single status,  

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This is my current single status,   

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'Til then I'm single.    

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You've either got it, or you don't.  

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You've either got it, or you don't. 

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<>()<>

The full lyrics answer key

• Title:                 Single
• Exercise:           2
• Level:                Intermediate +
• Activity:             Gapped
• Practice:            Mixed Tenses:  

  • Imperative
  • Simple Present
  • Present Continuous
  • Simple Future
  • Present Perfect

INSTRUCTIONS

• Make it easier by:
  • Completing the gaps containing irrelevant language points before photocopying
  • 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.

SINGLE

sung by Natasha Bedingfield

<>()<>

..................(1-Listen) to this song.

Ah yeah, that ..................(2-be) right.

All you single people out there,

This ..................(3-be) for you.

<>()<>

Come, I ..................(4-not wait) around for a man to save me.

['Cos I ..................(5-be) happy where I am]

(I) ..................(6-not depend) on a guy to validate me.

[No no]

I ..................(7-not need) to be anyone's baby.

(..................(8-Be) that so hard to understand?)

No, I ..................(9-not need) another half to make me whole.

<>()<>

..................(10-Make) your move, if you ..................(11-want)

(It) ..................(12-not mean) I will, or won't.

I..................(13-be) free to make my mind up;

You ..................(14-either get) it, or you don't

<>()<>

Chorus

This ..................(15-be) my current single status,

My declaration of independence. 

There ..................(16-be) no way I ..................(17-trade) places;

Right now a star ..................(18-be) in the ascendant.

<>()<>

I ..................(19-be) single; [Right now]. 

That ..................(20-be) how I want to be.

I ..................(21-be) single; [Right now] 

That ..................(22-be) how I ..................(23-want) to be 

<>()<>

Ah yeah! Uh, Huh! That ..................(24-be) right.

(I) ..................(25-not need) to be on somebody's arm to look good. 

I ..................(26-like) who I ..................(27-be)] 

I ..................(28-not say) I ..................(29-not want) to fall in love, 'cos I would. 

I ..................(30-not go) to get hooked up, just 'cos you ..................(31-say) I should. 

(I) [Can't romance on demand]

<>()<>

I ..................(32-go) to wait, 

So I ..................(33-be) sorry, if you ..................(34-misunderstand). 

[Chorus] 

This ..................(35-be) my current single status, 

My declaration of independence. 

There ..................(36-be) no way I ..................(37-trade) places; 

Right now a star ..................(38-be) in the ascendant. 

<>()<>

Everything in its right time; 

Everything in its right place. 

I ..................(39-know) I (40-settle) down one day,

But 'til then I ..................(41-like) it this way - it ..................(42-be) my way. 

<>()<>

Eh, I ..................(43-like) it this way. 

..................(44-Make) your move, if you ..................(45-want), 

(It) ..................(46-not mean) I will, or won't.

I ..................(47-be) free to make my mind up; 

You ..................(48-either get) it, or you don't. 

'Til then I ..................(49-be) single.  

<>()<>

The full lyrics answer key

• Title:                Single 
• Exercise:          3
• Level:               Intermediate +
• Activity:            Gapped
• Practice:          Prepositions

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.
  • Dictating the missing words in a list, if students are struggling.
• Make it more difficult by:
  • Instructing students to complete the gaps.
  • They can then check their answers by listening to the song

THE MISSING PREPOSITIONS & PARTICLES

around, down, for, in, of, on, out, to, up

• The full lyrics answer key

• Reference page:  verb + particles and verb + preposition

Subject For Discussion

THE BENEFITS OF BEING SINGLE

CLASSROOM MANAGEMENT

• Introduce new vocabulary as necessary, eg. spinster, bachelor, old maid, married, single, separated, divorced, widowed

• Divide the class into two groups A & B

• Instruct group A to draw up a list of the benefits of being single

• Instruct group B to draw up a list of the benefits of being married

• Next, instruct the class to regroup into pairs, containing one A student and one B student.

• Encourage students to share the information from their lists and to think of more to add to the lists. 

FURTHER PRACTICE

• Encourage students to create mini dialogues in which one proposes marriage and the other rejects the proposal and explains why, or similar.

• Divide the class into two groups to debate the subject

• Set the subject as an essay for homework

<>()<>

The full lyrics answer key

The Full Lyrics Answer Key 

SINGLE

sung by Natasha Bedingfield

• RED:      Key to exercise 2 (mixed tenses)

• BLUE:    Key to exercise 3 (prepositions & particles)

(No no)

I don't need to be anyone's baby.

(Is that so hard to understand?)

No, I don't need another half to make me whole.

<>()<>

Make your move, if you want, 

(It) Doesn't mean I will, or won't. (accept)

I'm free to make my mind up;

You've either got it, or you don't (have it)

<>()<>

[Chorus:]

This is my current single status,

My declaration of independence. 

There's no way I'm trading places;

Right now a star's in the ascendant.

<>()<>

I'm single; (Right now). 

That's how I want to be.

I'm single; (Right now) 

That's how I want to be 

<>()<>

Ah yeah! Uh, Huh! That's right.

(I) Don't need to be on somebody's arm to look good. 

(I like who I am) 

I'm not saying I don't want to fall in love, 'cos I would. 

I'm not going to get hooked up, just 'cos you say I should. 

(I) (Can't romance on demand) 

<>()<>

I'm going to wait, 

So I'm sorry, if you misunderstood. 

[Chorus] 

This is my current single status, 

My declaration of independence. 

There's no way I'm trading places; 

Right now a star's in the ascendant. 

<>()<>

Everything in its right time; 

Everything in its right place. 

I know I'll settle down one day,

But 'til then I like it this way - it's my way. 

<>()<>

Eh, I like it this way. 

Make your move, if you want, 

(It) Doesn't mean I will, or won't.

I'm free to make my mind up; 

You've either got it, or you don't. 

'Til then I'm single.  

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