I'm Going Slightly Mad by Queen

THE CONTENTS OF THIS PAGE

• Exercise 1:  Cloze (Pre-intermediate +)

• Exercise 2:  Sequencing (Upper Intermediate +)

• Further practice:  Idioms:  Degrees of Insanity

• Answer Key:  The Full Lyrics

RELATED PAGES

• ESL/EFL ideas for more songs by Queen

  • I'm Going Slightly Mad

  • The Show Must Go On

  • We Are The Champions

  • Radio Ga Ga

• More pedagogic ideas for lyrics, poetry, etc. (listed by language points)

• More pedagogic ideas for lyrics (listed by song & singer)

• Create your own worksheets

• Create a Library of Instant Lessons

• Information is given below on how to make this song suitable for students of varying levels;  however, please click here for additional advice

(Pedagogic ideas & worksheets by Bibi Baxter)

INSTRUCTIONS:  

• Listen to the song at a speed, suitable for you and write the order of the lines in the space provided.

• Check your answers with the full lyrics answer key

INSTRUCTIONS:  

• Listen to the song at a speed, suitable for you and write the order of the lines in the space provided.

• Check your answers with the full lyrics answer key

1. And the meaning is oh so clear.               ..................

2. And there you have it                               .................

3. Are they trying to tell you something?    ..................

4. Begin to dance in front of you – oh dear ..................

5. But my dear, how about you?                  ..................

6.  I think I’m a banana tree                         ..................

7.  I’m driving only three wheels these days..................

8.  I’m going down with a fever                      ..................

9.  I’m going slightly mad                               ..................

10.  I’m knitting with only one needle              ..................

11. I’m not my usual top billing                        ..................

12. I’m not quite the shilling.                            ..................

13. I’m one card short of a full deck                ..................

14. I’m really out to sea                                    ..................

15. I’m slightly mad – just very slightly mad   ..................

16. It finally happened – happened                   ..................

17. It finally happened – I’m slightly mad.  Oh dear!    ..................

18. It finally happened – oh yes!                       ..................

19. It finally happened – ooh oh!                       ..................

20. It finally happened – uh huh!                       ..................

21. It finally happened                                       ..................

22. Oh dear, I’m going slightly mad                  ..................

23. One thousand and one yellow daffodils       ..................

24. One wave short of a shipwreck                    ..................

25. This kettle is boiling over                             ..................

26. To be honest, you haven’t got a clue           ..................

27. Unravelling fast, it’s true                              ..................

28.  When the outside temperature rises            ..................

29. You’re missing that one final screw              ..................

30. You’re simply not in the pink my dear          ..................

<>()<>

RECENT ACTIONS INDICATE A NEWLY ACQUIRED MADNESS

• You’ve gone bananas

• He/She has gone bananas

ALREADY MAD OR ECCENTRIC

• He/She’s completely bananas.

• He’s/She’s got a screw loose

• He’s/She’s got a loose screw in that brain of hers/his.

AFTER INEXPLICABLE DRASTIC BEHAVIOUR OR ACTIONS

• You must have a screw loose

• He/she must have a screw loose

• You are completely bananas

TO IMPLY A LACK OF INTELLIGENCE OR KNOWLEDGE

• You haven’t got a clue, have you?  (talking down to someone)

• He/She hasn’t got a clue.  (talking negatively about someone)

• He/She doesn’t have a clue. (talking negatively about someone)

MILDLY POTTY, BUT PERMANENTLY SO

• He’s/She’s a bit daffy.

• He’s/She’s not quite the shilling

TO BE PERMANENTLY USELESS AT SOMETHING

• He’s/She’s all at sea when it comes to filling in forms

TO BE LACKING IN INTELLIGENCE

• to be one card short of a full deck

• to be a sandwich short of a picnic

• to  be driving 3 wheels (instead of 4)

• to be knitting with only one needle

• to be one wave short of a shipwreck

TEMPORARY INSANITY (MILD)

• You’re not quite your usual self today, are you?

• He’s/She’s not her usual self, poor dear.

• Have you got a bit of a temperature?  Let me feel your head!

• You sound as if you are a bit feverish

• You must be feverish to say a thing like that.

ILL, CLUMSY, OR WITH WANING SKILLS

• You’re falling apart! (said jokily)  (mentally or physically)

• He/she’s falling apart!  (not joking)   (mentally or physically)

• I seem to be falling apart!  (illness or disability)

• You are simply not in the pink, my dear.  (said jokily)  

• He/she is simply not in the pink anymore.  (not joking, but gentle)

INSTRUCTIONS:   

• Complete the following gaps, with idioms from the above list

• Make this exercise easier by referring to the 'exercise aid' below.

A: John has suggested that we buy an old Russian ‘tank’.

B: Have you checked his (1) .................... to make sure he isn’t a bit ....................?  I know he tends to be one (2).................... short of a ....................   ....................

A:  I couldn’t reason with him at all.  Apparently he has ordered it already.

B:  He must have finally gone (3) ....................  .  I always suspected he had a (4)  ....................     ....................

A: Jane thinks it’s a great idea!

B:  Not surprising!  Look how(5) .................... she is..

A:  I think she’s ok.  Anyway, I don’t think John’s idea is such a bad one.

B:  You must be feeling (6)  .................... to say a thing like that!

<>()<>

THE ANSWER KEY

1. TEMPORARY INSANITY

2.  LACKING IN INTELLIGENCE

3. RECENT ACTIONS INDICATE A NEWLY ACQUIRED MADNESS

4. ALREADY MAD OR ECCENTRIC

5. MLDLY POTTY BUT PERMANENTLY SO

6. TEMPORARY INSANITY

THE FULL LYRICS ANSWER KEY

I’M GOING SLIGHTLY MAD

By Queen

 VERSE-1

When the outside (1) temperature rises And the meaning is oh so clear,

One thousand and one  yellow  (2) daffodils begin to dance in front of you, oh dear!

VERSE-2

Are they trying to tell you something?  You’re (3) missing that one final (4) screw

You’re simply not in the pink, my dear!

To be honest, you haven’t got a clue!

CHORUS-1

I’m going slightly mad (x2)

It’s finally happened – happened;  it finally happened – ooh! ah!

It finally happened:  I’m  slightly mad – oh dear!

VERSE-3

I’m one(5) card short of a full (6) deck:  I’m not quite the (7) shilling.

One wave short of a shipwreck;  I’m not my usual top billing

VERSE-4

I’m going down with a (8) fever;  I’m really  out to (9) sea.

This kettle is boiling over;  I think I’m a  (10) banana tree.

CHORUS-2

Oh, dear, I’m going slightly mad;  I’m going slightly mad.

It’s finally happened – happened;  it finally happened – uh! huh!

It finally happened:  I’m slightly mad – oh dear!

VERSE-5

I’m (11) knitting with only one (12) needle;  unravelling fast, it’s true.

I’m (13) driving only three (14) wheels these days, but my dear how about you?

 CHORUS-3

I’m going slightly mad (x2)

It finally happened;  it finally happened, oh yes!

I’m slightly mad – just very slightly mad And there you have it!

FURTHER PRACTICE ANSWER KEY

A: John has suggested that we buy an old Russian ‘tank’.

B: Have you checked his  (1-TEMPORARY INSANITY) TEMPERATURE to make sure he isn’t a bit FEVERISH?  I know he tends to be one (2-LACKING IN INTELLIGENCE) CARD short of a FULL DECK  A:  I couldn’t reason with him at all.  Apparently he has ordered it already.

B:  He must have finally gone (3-RECENT ACTIONS INDICATE A NEWLY ACQUIRED MADNESS ) BANANAS   .  I always suspected he had a  (4-ALREADY MAD OR ECCENTRIC) SCREW LOOSE

A: Jane thinks it’s a great idea!

B:  Not surprising!  Look how (5-MILDLY POTTY BUT PERMANENTLY SO).

DAFFY she is.

A:  I think she’s ok.  Anyway, I don’t think John’s idea is such a bad one.

B:  You must be feeling (6-TEMPORARY INSANITY) FEVERISH  to say a thing like that!

R-Z

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