The Chainsmokers and Coldplay, 2017

This song works great as a vehicle for addressing two grammar / usage topics: the present perfect progressive tense (also called present perfect continuous) and the contraction wanna for the words want to.
Caution: In this song, there is a reference to a romantic kiss, so the song may not be appropriate for all classes; previewing the lyrics (given below) is advised.

Choose from the following activities:

• Listening Listen to the song while reading the punctuated, annotated lyrics below.  Lyrics intended for nonprofit educational purposes only.

something just like this, lyrics.docx          something just like this, lyrics.pdf

• Listening Watch the official lyric video or the live performance video.
• Grammar / Usage Practice using wanna for want to. The song repeats the contraction wanna in the phrase “Where do you wanna go?”—a pronunciation of want to that is often glossed over in grammar lessons but is common in informal spoken English. The interactive exercise below gives students practice using the contraction in short dialogs with a friend. For levels low intermediate and up. (This activity, though simple, is not recommended for beginning levels; students should be rock-solid in the use of want to before trying the informal pronunciation wanna.) Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

wanna for want to.docx          wanna for want to.pdf

wanna for want to (webpage)

• Discussion Talk about places you want to go. The woman in the song asks, “Where d’you wanna go?” In the follow-up exercise below, students talk about a place where they want to go. First, they put an X on the world map to mark the place. Then they answer a few questions about the place in writing. Finally, they share their writing with a partner or in a small group. (During this oral step, they have they option of pronouncing want to as wanna.) Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

where do you want to go.docx          where do you want to go.pdf

where do you want to go (webpage)

Variation: Instead of using the worksheet above, tape a world map on a classroom wall. Students write their names on small sticky notes, walk up to the map, and put their names on the places where they want to go. Then, in a class discussion, they answer these questions: Where do you want to go? What do you want to see there? What do you want to do there?

• Grammar The song’s opening line, “I’ve been reading books of old,” can be used to introduce the topic of the present perfect progressive tense (also called present perfect continuous). This tense is used for an activity that began in the past and continues into the present. (They’ve been fixing that road all summer. The work will be finished by September 1.) It’s also used for an activity that began in the past and was very recently completed. (They’ve been fixing that road all summer. They just finished yesterday.) The worksheet below gives students practice writing sentences with the present perfect continuous for actions that began in the past and continue into the present. For levels intermediate and up. Permission granted to reproduce for classroom use.

pres perfect prog.docx.       pres perfect prog.pdf       pres perfect prog (webpage)