Photocopiable materials for educational purposes only © Vicki Bos Teaching in Harmony 2020

Song

Count on Me

Artist

Bruno Mars

Level

Pre-Intermediate

Aims

For students to explore the meaning of making a promise

To introduce, review or highlight the first conditional

Timing

15 minutes

For more great teaching materials, visit

www.teachinginharmony.com

First Conditional

Part of the lesson

Exploring the lyrics

Language Focus

1st conditional

Materials

Photocopy one Worksheet and one Lyrics sheet per student.

For a FULL 1-hour Lesson exploring this song, go to www.teachinginharmony. com/lessonpacks

Photocopiable materials for educational purposes only © Vicki Bos Teaching in Harmony 2020

If you are trapped in the centre of the ocean, he'll sail the world to find you.

If you can't remember how he feels about you, he'll remind you every day.

If you're lying awake in bed, rolling over and then back over again, he'll sing a song

beside you.

If there's no light and you can't find where to go, he'll be a light to guide you.

When you cry, he'll give you his shoulder to cry on (or you'll always have his shoulder).

Left side is cause, right side is near future effect.

Reasons: 'cause that's what friends are supposed to do/'cause I can count on you

Give out the Lyrics sheet. Learners find examples of promises the singer makes in the

song. These are paraphrased to double check that learners have understood the

meaning.

Encourage them to write the answers beginning with "He'll..." (even the last one). If your

class is up for the challenge, encourage them to write the answers in their own words.

When they are finished, discuss the questions below, and elicit from the class what the

grammatical structure being used here is (1st conditional).

Answers:

Get students up and mingling, making 1st conditional promises to each other in a semi-

free speaking practice.

Play the song again and encourage the class to sing along.

Count on Me

Instructions

In pairs, learners choose which picture best represents a "promise", and give their own

definition of the word.

Answers: C; A promise is ... e.g. a commitment by someone to do or not do something.

Play the song. Students listen and write down one promise they hear the singer make.

(There are plenty to choose from. This is just a focus listening task.)

Give out one Worksheet per student.

Photocopiable materials for educational purposes only © Vicki Bos Teaching in Harmony 2020

For more great teaching materials, visit

www.teachinginharmony.com

Worksheet

Look at the pictures below.

Decide which picture best represents the idea of a "promise".

Look at the Lyrics sheet.

With a partner, find the answers in the song lyrics.

Complete the sentence in your own words: A promise is___________________________________

… if you are trapped inthe centre of the ocean?

… if you can’t rememberhow he feels about you?

… if you’re lying awake inbed, rolling over, andthen back over again?

… if there’s no light andyou can’t find where to go?

What does the singer promise to do ...

A. B. C.

Which side is the cause, and which is the near future effect?

What reasons does the singer give in the song for promising to do these things?

He'll ...

… when you cry?

Listen to the song.

Write down one promise you hear the singer make:

________________________________________________________________________________

Photocopiable materials for educational purposes only © Vicki Bos Teaching in Harmony 2020Count on Me

Lyrics

Source: Musixmatch

Songwriters: Peter Gene Hernandez / Ari Levine / Philip Martin Ii Lawrence

Count on Me lyrics © Wb Music Corp., Universal Music Corp., Bughouse, Round

Hill Songs, Thou Art The Hunger, Roc Nation Music, Music Famamanem Lp, Mars

Force Music, Music Famamanem, Art For Art's Sake Music, Toy Plane Music,

Northside Independent Music Publishing, Llc

Performed by: Bruno Mars

Count On Me Bruno Mars

If you ever find yourself stuck in the middle of the seaI'll sail the world... to find youIf you ever find yourself lost in the dark and you can't seeI'll be the light... to guide you

We find out what we're made ofWhen we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, threeI'll be thereAnd I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, twoAnd you'll be there'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeahOoh-ooh-ooh-oohOoh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah

If you're tossin' and you're turnin' and you just can't fall asleepI'll sing a song... beside youAnd if you ever forget how much you really mean to meEvery day I will... remind you

We find out what we're made ofWhen we are called to help our friends in need

You can count on me like one, two, threeI'll be thereAnd I know when I need it, I can count on you like four, three, twoAnd you'll be there'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeahOoh-ooh-ooh-oohOoh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh, yeah, yeah

You'll always have my shoulder when you cryI'll never let go, never say goodbye

You... know...you... can...

Count on me like one, two, threeI'll be thereAnd I know when I need it I can count on you like four, three, twoAnd you'll be there'Cause that's what friends are supposed to do, oh, yeahOoh-ooh-ooh-oohOoh-ooh-ooh-ooh, ooh

You can count on me 'cause I can count on you

Chorus:

Verse 1:

Verse 2:

Chorus:

Pre-chorus:

Pre-chorus:

Bridge:

Chorus: