The Irregular Verbs Song

Gabriela Mihaescu, Romania

Gabriela Mihaescu is an English Teacher at “Al.I.Cuza” National College in Romania. She has been teaching English for nine years. She graduated from University in 2004 and she took her Master’s Degree in 2006. She works with secondary school students.
E-mail: gabymihaescu@gmail.com

Irregular verbs have always been a problem for students all over the world. When it comes to learning them by heart they start protesting and saying that we ask for something which is simply impossible. This is why, I have tried, over the years, to help my students in this regard. I went in front of them with interesting and attractive exercises and I encouraged them to help each other.

Last year, when Christmas time came and we had to break up for the winter holiday, I reminded my students about the famous irregular verbs telling them that I wanted the list to be known when we again met. They laughed and told me that Christmas in not about learning but about singing carols like Jingle Bells. “Nice kids, isn’t it?” I said to myself and left.

But, when I got home I thought it over and over about what they said: “Christmas is about singing carols”. “Ok, then kids, you want carols, I’ll bring you carols” was my thought. So, I sat down at my office and composed an irregular verbs song based on the melody of Jingle Bells:

Be, was, been,
Be, was, been,
Be, was, been again
Oh what fun it is to learn in the Winter Holiday!

The fire burnt, burnt, burnt,
During the Christmas time
We bought, made, ate, and drank
Laughing all the time
Bells on house doors ring
Making spirits bright
What fun it is to learn and sing an irregular song tonight!

When I went to my students and showed them the song they started laughing and said it was great. They even learnt and sang it all day long and the next time we met they came with their own composition:
Make, made, made
Make, made, made
Make, made, made all day
Oh what fun it is to work during the Winter Holiday

My mother baked, baked, baked
For the Christmas Eve
A sang, sold, told and fought
Irregular cake that night

Bells on house-doors ring
Making people laugh
What fun it is to eat and sing
An irregular cake tonight!

Students love challenges and my learners really enjoyed my idea of changing and playing with the Jingle Bells song.

Please check the Creative Methodology for the Classroom course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the CLIL: Content and Methodology for Primary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.
Please check the CLIL: Content and Methodology for Secondary Teachers course at Pilgrims website.