ESLSongs

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 this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

Oh, her eyes, her eyes make the stars look like they’re not shinin’
Her hair, her hair falls perfectly without her tryin’
She’s so beautiful and I tell her everyday
Yeah, I know, I know
When I compliment her, she won’t believe me
And it’s so, it’s so sad to think that she don’t see what I see
But every time she asks me, “Do I look okay?”
I say

When I see your face there’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing just the way you are
And when you smile the whole world stops and stares for a while
‘Cause girl, you’re amazing just the way you are
Yeah

Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she’d let me
Her laugh, her laugh, she hates, but I think it’s so sexy
She’s so beautiful and I tell her everyday
Oh, you know, you know, you know I’d never ask you to change
If perfect’s what you’re searching for, then just stay the same
So don’t even bother asking if you look okay
You know I’ll say

When I see your face there’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing just the way you are
And when you smile the whole world stops and stares for a while
‘Cause girl, you’re amazing just the way you are

The way you are
The way you are
Girl, you’re amazing
Just the way you are

When I see your face
There’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing
Just the way you are
And when you smile
The whole world stops and stares for a while
‘Cause girl, you’re amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah

Suggested activity: choose the correct option

Download this exercise (PDF)

Which of the verbs in the lyrics below are in the third person singular? Choose the option that you think is correct, then listen to check.

Oh, her eyes, her eyes ¹ make / makes the stars ² look / looks like they’re not shinin’
Her hair, her hair ³ fall / falls perfectly without her trying
She’s so beautiful and I ⁴ tell / tells her every day
Yeah, I know, I know when I ⁵ compliment / compliments her she won’t believe me
And it’s so, it’s so sad to think that she don’t see what I ⁶ see / sees
But every time she ⁷ ask / asks me “⁸ Do / Does I look okay?”
I ⁹ say / says

When I ¹⁰ see / sees your face there’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing just the way you are
And when you ¹¹ smile / smiles

the whole world ¹² stop / stops and ¹³ stare / stares for a while
‘Cause girl you’re amazing just the way you are
Yeah

Her lips, her lips, I could kiss them all day if she’d let me
Her laugh, her laugh she ¹⁴ hate / hates but I think it’s so sexy
She’s so beautiful, and I ¹⁵ tell / tells her every day
Oh you know, you know, you know I’d never ask you to change
If perfect’s what you’re searching for then just stay the same
So don’t even bother asking if you ¹⁶ look / looks okay, you know I’ll say

When I ¹⁷ see / sees your face there’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing just the way you are
And when you ¹⁸ smile / smiles

the whole world ¹⁹ stop / stops and ²⁰ stare / stares for a while
‘Cause, girl, you’re amazing just the way you are
The way you are
The way you are
Girl, you’re amazing
Just the way you are

When I ²¹ see / sees your face there’s not a thing that I would change
‘Cause you’re amazing just the way you are
And when you ²² smile / smiles

the whole world ²³ stop / stops and ²⁴ stare / stares for a while
‘Cause, girl, you’re amazing
Just the way you are
Yeah