A short song exercise for elementary to pre-intermediate learners to practise basic Past simple forms.
Michelle Shocked is an American singer-songwriter, who was born in Dallas, Texas in 1962. Her first US success came with her 1988 debut album Short Sharp Shocked, which this song comes from.
The song's theme is about a young woman who has given up her life as a punk in New York City in exchange for a life in geographically remote Alaska. (Adapted from Wikipedia)
Anchorage - Michelle Shocked
| Exercise | Choose suitable verbs from the boxes, and use them in the Past simple to fill the gaps. |
be ·
come ·
mail ·
take ·
walk ·
write
| I time out to write to my old friend | ||
| I across that burning bridge | ||
| my letter off to Dallas | ||
| But her reply from Anchorage, Alaska | ||
| She said: | ||
| Hey girl, it's about time you | ||
| It's been over two years you know, my old friend | ||
| Take me back to the days of the foreign telegrams | ||
| And the all-night rock and rollin'... hey Shell | ||
| We wild then |
be ·
get ·
lose ·
move ·
play ·
see ·
seem
| Chorus | |||
| Hey Shell, you know it's kind of funny | |||
| Texas always so big | |||
| But you know you're in the largest state in the union | |||
| When you're anchored down in Anchorage | |||
| Hey Girl, I think the last time I you | |||
| on me and Leroy's wedding day | |||
| What the name of that love song they ? | |||
| I forgot how it goes | |||
| I don't recall how it goes | |||
| Anchorage | |||
| Anchored down in Anchorage | |||
| Leroy a better job so we | |||
| Kevin a tooth now he's started school | |||
| I got a brand new eight month old baby girl | |||
| I sound like a housewife | |||
| Hey Shell, I think I'm a housewife | |||
| Hey Girl, what's it like to be in New York? | |
| New York City - imagine that! | |
| Tell me, what's it like to be a skateboard punk rocker? | |
| Leroy says "Send a picture" | |
| Leroy says "Hello" | |
| Leroy says "Oh, keep on rocking, girl" | |
| "yeah, keep on rocking" | |
| Chorus | |
| Oh, Anchorage | |
| Anchored down in Anchorage | |
| Oh, Anchorage |
Random Idea English
http://random-idea-english.blogspot.com
http://random-idea-english.blogspot.com
Now check with the song to see if you were right. You can listen to it Michelle Shocked's page at MySpace. There doesn't seem to a version by Michelle Shocked available on YouTube, but there's quite a good cover version, uploaded by sdatgoldegg.
Click on one of the the links and it will open in a new tab, start the song and come back here to check.
Note that one of the verbs will be different from what you've written, as she sings it in a non-standard form, which happens quite often in songs.