ESLSongs
A collection of song lyrics to teach English vocabulary and grammar in the ESL classroom
Present simple
Bruno Mars – Just the way you are
To practise: 3rd person singular, Basic level, Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: Bruno Mars
Practise the present simple, and especially the third person singular, in your ESL class with this classic song, Just the way you are by Bruno Mars. The lyrics of this song contain 24 examples of the present simple tense, and it is appropriate for basic level learners. There is a suggestion on how to use…
The Beatles – For No One
Practise the present simple, and especially the third person singular, in your ESL class with this classic song, For No One by The Beatles. The lyrics of this song contain 26 examples of the present simple tense, and it is appropriate for basic level learners. There is a suggestion on how to use this song…
Eric Clapton – Wonderful Tonight
To practise: Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: Eric Clapton
Practice the present simple in your ESL class with this song, Wonderful Tonight by Eric Clapton. There are 20 different examples of the present simple (affirmative, negative and interrogative) in this song: It’s / she puts on / (she) brushes / she asks / do I look…? / I say / you look / we…
Sting – An Englishman in New York
To practise: Customs, Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: Sting
Practice the present simple in your ESL class with this song, An Englishman in New York by Sting, a song about customs and manners. there are over a dozen different examples of the present simple in these song lyrics. There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but…
Suzanne Vega – My name is Luka
To practise: Gender Violence, Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: Suzanne Vega
Practice the present simple in your ESL class with this song, My Name is Luka by Suzanne Vega, a song about domestic violence. This song contains over a dozen different examples of the present simple, as well as a few examples of the present perfect, past simple, will and would. There is a suggestion on…
Shania Twain – She’s not just a pretty face
Practise the present simple (especially the third person singular) and vocabulary related to jobs in your ESL class with this song, She’s Not Just a Pretty Face by Shania Twain. There are 13 examples of the third person singular in this song: She hosts / she rides / She plays / She is / she…
The Beatles – Ob-la-di Ob-la-da
To practise: 3rd person singular, Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: The Beatles
Practice the third person singular of the present simple in your ESL class with this song, Ob-la-di Ob-la-da by The Beatles. There are 11 examples of the third person singular in this song: has / is / says / takes / goes / buys / gives / begins / lets / stays / does There is…
Elton John – Sorry seems to be the hardest word
Practice the interrogative in the present tense in your ESL class with this song, Sorry seems to be the hardest word by Elton John. There are only 3 questions in these lyrics but they are repeated quite a lot, making this song perfect for basic level students; the questions are: “what do I…”, “What have I got…” & “Why can’t…
Gloria Gaynor – I am what I am
To practise: Present simple, Present Tense
Band/singer: Gloria Gaynor
Practice the present simple in your ESL class with this song, I am what I am by Gloria Gaynor. These song lyrics include 14 examples of: “I am”, “it is” (x8), “I want”, “I have to”, “I don’t (want)”, “I bang”, “Some (they) think”, “I think”, “I deal”, “there is” & “you can”. To see suggestions on how…
Madness – Our House
Practice family members and the third person singular in your ESL class with this song, Our House by Madness. The members of the family that appear in these song lyrics are: father, mother, kids, sister, brother & mum. The verbs in the third person singular which appear in these lyrics are: wears, needs, has, is,…
Grammar & Topics
- Beginners' Lyrics (11)
- Basic level (8)
- REALLY basic level (3)
- Conditionals (9)
- 1st conditional (4)
- 2nd conditional (4)
- 3rd conditional (2)
- Defining relative clauses (2)
- Question words (8)
- All the question words (1)
- How (2)
- How many (2)
- What (2)
- Whose (1)
- Question tags (1)
- Subject questions (1)
- Modal verbs of ability (6)
- Modal verbs of deduction (2)
- Modal verbs of obligation (5)
- Modal verbs of possibility (5)
- Past modals (1)
- Adjectives (8)
- Adjectives of personality (1)
- Comparative & Superlative (2)
- Describing people (3)
- Adverbs of frequency (2)
- Adverbs of manner (2)
- Adverbs of place (1)
- Clothes (1)
- Colours (2)
- Days of the week (1)
- Family (1)
- Food (2)
- Jobs (2)
- Months (1)
- Nature (4)
- Another, other(s), the other(s) (1)
- Body movements & actions (1)
- Phrasal verbs (2)
- The verb "TO GET" (1)
- Multiple Tenses (for revision) (8)
- Past Tenses (22)
- All narrative tenses (1)
- Past continuous (2)
- Past perfect (2)
- Past simple (9)
- Present perfect continuous (4)
- Present perfect simple (6)
- Present continuous (2)
- Present simple (10)
- Future continuous (1)
- Future perfect (1)
- Going to (4)
- Will (1)
- Christmas holidays (3)
- New year's resolutions (1)
- Gender Equality (2)
- LGBT issues (1)
- Racism (1)
- Social Equality (1)
Recently added songs
Taylor Swift – So Long, London
Alan Smith Robertson – Drink my tears
Jack Johnson – Broken
Alan Smith Robertson – Lie la lie
Justin Bieber – Love yourself
Alan Smith Robertson – Chica Walkin’ Down the Street
Justin Timberlake – True Blood
Elvis Costello – She
Alan Smith Robertson – Next Monday’s Problems
Brandy – Have you ever?
Copyright 2024, ESLSongs
There are many present simple songs, or songs with present simple in the lyrics, and you will have visited several other TEFL pages that have different songs with present simple lyrics, but this is the best present simple song for your ESL classes. Furthermore the song may include a worksheet so that you can study and practise present simple in songs with your students! So come and check out our collection of hand-picked simple present songs, or songs with simple present in the lyrics, that you can use to spice up your ESL classes today. There are many other TEFL sites that have different songs with simple present lyrics, but from my experience this is the best simple present song for your ESL classes, and remember you can also download the worksheet to make it even easier for you to teach simple present in songs the fun way!
