ESL and EFL teachers looking for inspiration for lesson planning will find this list of songs to teach English grammar we’ve compiled a useful resource.
Highlighted are songs available as complete ESL song lesson plans here on tefltunes.com.
Songs for teaching present simple
Eric Clapton / Wonderful Tonight (lyrics)
The Beatles / She Loves You (lyrics)
Bette Middler / From A Distance (lyrics)
Songs for teaching present continuous
Rod Stewart / Sailing (lyrics)
Fool’s Garden / Lemon Tree (lyrics)
Suzanne Vega / Tom’s Diner (lyrics)
Songs for teaching past simple
The Beatles / Yellow Submarine (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
Celine Dion / Because You Loved Me (lyrics)
Songs for teaching past continuous
John Lennon / Jealous Guy (lyrics)
Oasis / Champagne Supernova (lyrics)
Aerosmith / Cryin’ (lyrics)
Songs for teaching present perfect
Michael Buble / Haven’t Met You Yet (lyrics)
U2 / Still Haven’t Found What I’m Looking For (lyrics)
Chris de Burgh / Lady In Red (lyrics)
Sinead O’Connor / Nothing Compares To You (lyrics)
Queen / We Are The Champions (lyrics)
Songs for teaching present perfect continuous
Anastacia / Left Outside Alone (lyrics)
Led Zeppelin / Since I’ve Been Loving You (lyrics)
Foreigner / Waiting For A Girl Like You (lyrics)
Songs for teaching past perfect
James Blunt / Goodbye My Lover (lyrics)
Maddness / My Girl (lyrics)
Simon & Garfunkel / I Had The Strangest Dream (lyrics)
Songs for teaching used to
Erik Hassle / Hurtful (lyrics)
Madonna / This Used To Be My Playground (lyrics)
Dandy Warhols / We Used To Be Friends (lyrics)
Bruce Springsteen / The River (lyrics)
Pet Shop Boys / The Way It Used To Be (lyrics)
Songs for teaching going to future
Jamie Cullum / Next Year Baby (lyrics)
Jack Johnson / We’re Going To Be Friends (lyrics)
Songs for teaching will future
Savage Garden / Truly Madly Deeply (lyrics)
James Blunt / You’re Beautiful (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
The Rembrandts / I’ll Be There For You (lyrics)
Whitney Houston / I’ll Always Love You (lyrics)
Songs for teaching future continuous
The Police / Every Breath You Take (lyrics)
Ottis Redding / Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay (lyrics)
Songs for teaching future perfect
Faith Hill / You Will Be Mine (lyrics)
Sheryl Crowe / It’s Only Love (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 1st conditional
Red Hot Chili Peppers / If (lyrics)
Eric Clapton / Tears In Heaven (lyrics)
Enrique Iglesias / Hero (lyrics)
The Beatles / If I fell (lyrics)
The Beatles / With A Little Help From My Friends (lyrics)
Beyonce Knowles / If I Were A Boy (lyrics)
Gwen Stefani / Rich Girl (lyrics)
Barenaked Ladies / If I Had $1,000,000 (lyrics)
Hoobastank / If I Were You (lyrics)
Joan Osborne / One Of Us (lyrics)
Norah Jones / Painter Song
ABBA / Money Money Money (lyrics)
Johnny Cash / If I Were A Carpenter (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 2nd conditional
Red Hot Chili Peppers / If (lyrics)
Eric Clapton / Tears In Heaven (lyrics)
Enrique Iglesias / Hero (lyrics)
The Beatles / If I fell (lyrics)
The Beatles / With A Little Help From My Friends (lyrics)
Beyonce Knowles / If I Were A Boy (lyrics)
Gwen Stefani / Rich Girl (lyrics)
Barenaked Ladies / If I Had $1,000,000 (lyrics)
Hoobastank / If I Were You (lyrics)
Joan Osborne / One Of Us (lyrics)
Norah Jones / Painter Song
ABBA / Money Money Money (lyrics)
Johnny Cash / If I Were A Carpenter (lyrics)
Songs for teaching 3rd conditional
Lisa Stansfield / Change (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / I Will Survive (lyrics)
Songs for teaching wish
Pearl Jam / Wishlist (lyrics)
Songs for teaching passive
Westlife / Written In The Stars (lyrics)
Offspring / Kirsty Are You Doing Okay? (lyrics)
Gloria Gaynor / Let’s Mend What’s Been Broken (lyrics)
Songs for teaching reported speech
The Beatles / Norwegian Wood (lyrics)
Stereophonics / Mama Told Me Not To Come (lyrics)
The Killers / Somebody Told Me (lyrics)
Why not contact us with your own suggestions.
Also see our table of songs for discussion topics.
If you think our table of songs to teach grammar is useful, why not link to this page?
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