Entertainment

Lyrics: I Want To Know What Love Is

Listening 5 min Lyrics Intermediate

Vocabulary - 14 contextual words

Grammar - Contractions

Pronunciation - British-American

Improve your listening and writing skills by filling in the blanks in the song lyrics. These activities are designed for Beginners and Intermediates to learn new vocabulary related to a specific topic in a quick and fun way.

Today’s song, I Want To Know What Love Is, is a power ballad song by the British-American rock band Foreigner that was released in 1984. This song remains one of the band’s best songs and it’s also included in the list of Rolling Stone Magazine’s greatest songs of all time. It’s 2021 and this song still sounds fresh, a timeless hit indeed. Enjoy it!

Exercise

Fill in the missing words: – just – take – inside – between – feel – mountain – change – keeps – pain – In – found – wanna – show – around. ⇩

This activity is case sensitive so make sure to use capital letters when needed.

Grammar

Contractions (I’d like)

Contractions allow us to give more information in less time. They make speech smoother, and are less formal.

We use apostrophes ( ‘ ) to make them: I’m, you’re, he/she/it’s, they’re, we’re, -‘ve, -‘s, ‘d, and -n’t.

We often use contractions with auxiliary verbs (to be/to do/to have):
Good afternoon, I am Sam Wainwright (formal). Hi, I‘m Sam Wainwright (informal).
Please excuse me, I have a meeting at six o’clock (formal). Sorry, I‘ve got a a meeting at six (informal).
She is Elizabeth, the Queen of England (formal). She‘s Liz, my friend from college (informal).

We also use contractions with not. Remember, we don’t normally use two contractions together (not I’ven’t!, I’ve not or haven’t):
I‘m not excited about this.
He‘s not Ishmael, he‘s Abraham or He isn’t Ishmael, he‘s Abraham.
I don’t eat meat.
She doesn’t like exercising.
We don’t play tennis.
She‘s not got an extra pen or She hasn’t got an extra pen.
Haven’t you got a minute?
I haven’t got time to help you.

The contraction ‘d is used for would, could, should.
We often use the polite form I’d like ______ (I would like) to say I want ______ in a more polite way or to talk about our desires.

The structure is subject + -‘d + like/prefer + verb/object:
I‘d like some ice cream.
I‘d like to rest for a few minutes.
He‘d like a normal suit, nothing fancy.
She’d like a more relaxing job.
We‘d like a room with a good view of the city.
They’d like to run in the morning, but they don’t have time.