Language functions: listening comprehension; discussing issues; telling stories

Grammar focus: as if / as though

Lesson based on: song by Mika – Happy Ending

for this lesson, you will need a recording of Mika’s song – “Happy Endng”

HAPPY ENDING
TEACH ER WO RKSH EET - LEVEL: INT ERM EDIA TE

focus on talki ng
ACTIVITY 1 PAIRS
In pairs, ask and answer the questions below.

• What is a good story for you? What kind of stories do you like reading?

• Do you prefer sad or happy stories?

• Can you give an example of a sad story with a happy ending?

• Did your parents use to read you stories at bedtime? If yes, what kind of stories were
they?

• Do you know a good storyteller? Why do you think he/she is good at telling stories?

focus on talki ng: narration

ACTIVITY 2 PAIRS
Look at some typical phrases people use when they tell a story. In pairs, tell each
other one story from your life using as many phrases as you can.

One day … / The other day … / When I was …

A bit later, … / After that, … / Then, …
In the end, … / Eventually …

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focus on listening
ACTIVITY 3 WHOLE GROUP – PLAY THE SONG FOR THE FIRST TIME (ask students additional questions e.g Why they
think the song is happy or sad, etc.)
Listen do Mika’s song – Happy Ending for the first time. Is it a happy or a sad song?

focus on vocabula ry
ACTIVITY 4 INDIVIDUALLY
Match the words with their meanings.

A. giving up something that is important or valuable

1. Glory is
in order to achieve something.
B. fame or honour that is won by great
2. If you are pretending,
achievements.
C. you try to trick others by appearing to do
3. Sacrifice is an act of
something or be someone you are not.
D. you are very drunk or intoxicated from the use of
4. If you stumbled on something,
drugs
E. it means you hit your foot against something
5. If you are wasted, when you were walking or running and almost fell
over.
1-B 2-C 3-A 4-E 5-D
ACTIVITY 5 INDIVIDUALLY - PLAY THE SONG THE SECOND TIME
Now fill in the gaps in the lyrics with these words. Then listen to check if you were
right.

Glory (X2) pretend pretending sacrifice stumble wasted (X2)

MIKA: Happy Ending lyrics

This is the way you left me.

I'm not pretending . This is the way ….
No hope, no love, no glory,
No happy ending. Two o'clock in the morning,
This is the way that we love, Something's on my mind.
Like it’s forever. Can't get no rest,
Then live the rest of our life, Keep walking around.
But not together. If I pretend that nothing ever went wrong
I can get to my sleep
Wake up in the morning, I can think that we just carried on.
Stumble on my life.
Can't get no love without sacrifice. This is the hardest story …
If anything should happen,
I guess I wish you well.
A little bit of heaven, This is the way you left me …
With a little bit of hell.
Little bit of love
This is the hardest story that I've ever told.
No hope, no love, no glory . Little bit of love (25 times)
A happy ending gone forever more.
I feel as if I'm wasted ,
And I'm wasted everyday. This is the way you left me … (3 times)

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focus on gra mma r

I feel as if I’m wasted.

We often use as if or as though to say how someone or something looks, sounds, feels, etc.

It looks as if/as though it is going to rain.

She sounds as if/as though she is French.
I feel as if/as though I haven’t slept for a week.

We can also use as if or as though with other verbs to say how people do things.

He ran as if/as though he was chased by a bull.

She speaks to me as if/as though she was/were my boss.
(note: we use past tense after as if/ as though even if we talk about a present situation, to say that the
idea is not real – in this case she is not my boss.)

ACTIVITY 6 INDIVIDUALLY or PAIRS

What would you say in this situations. Use “as if” or “as though” and the phrase
given.

1. Alex looks really scared.

(see a ghost) You look as if/though you have seen a ghost .
2. You can see a building that is very old and in a very bad state.
(fall down) It looks as if/though it is going to fall down.
3. You can hear music coming from your neighbours’ house.
(have a party) It sounds as if/though they are having a party.
4. You feel very tired because you have just run a couple of kilometres.
(run a marathon) I feel as if I have run a marathon.

ACTIVITY 7 INDIVIDUALLY or PAIRS

Complete each sentence using “as if”.

1. I know this car is not his, but he talks about it as if he was/were its owner.
2. He has never met Paris Hilton, but he acts was/were going out with her.
3. She is not interested in science, but she sounds as if she knew everything about Physics.
4. He has to write an essay for tomorrow, but he behaves as if he had a lot of time.

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