ESLSongs

Practise adjectives, specifically adjectives that describe people with this song, Hand in my pocket, by Alanis Morissette

The lyrics of this song contain the following 28 adjectives that can describe people: broke, happy, poor, kind, short, healthy, high, grounded, sane, overwhelmed, lost, hopeful, drunk, sober, young, underpaid, tired, restless, free, focused, green, wise, hard, friendly, sad, brave, sick, & pretty

The song also includes the following more generic adjectives: fine, high, gone, wrong & alright

There is a suggestion on how to use this song in your ESL classes below, but for more ideas, click here.

Lyrics

I’m broke, but I’m happy
I’m poor, but I’m kind
I’m short, but I’m healthy, yeah
I’m high, but I’m grounded
I’m sane, but I’m overwhelmed
I’m lost, but I’m hopeful, baby

And what it all comes down to
Is that everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five

I feel drunk, but I’m sober
I’m young and I’m underpaid
I’m tired, but I’m working, yeah
I care, but I’m restless
I’m here, but I’m really gone
I’m wrong and I’m sorry, baby

And what it all comes down to
Is that everything’s gonna be quite alright
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other is flicking a cigarette

And what is all comes down to
Is that I haven’t got it all figured out just yet
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving the peace sign

I’m free, but I’m focused
I’m green, but I’m wise
I’m hard, but I’m friendly, baby
I’m sad, but I’m laughing
I’m brave, but I’m chicken shit
I’m sick, but I’m pretty, baby

And what it all boils down to
Is that no one’s really got it figured out just yet
Well, I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing a piano

What it all comes down to, my friends, yeah
Is that everything’s just fine, fine, fine
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is hailing a taxi cab

Suggested activity: find the mistakes

Download this exercise (PDF)

Listen to the song, and find the 10 mistakes!

Then listen again, can you identify the actual adjective used?
Sometimes the actual adjective is a synonym, sometimes it’s an antonym (like in the example)

I’m broke, but I’m happy
I’m  rich , but I’m kind POOR
I’m tall, but I’m healthy, yeah
I’m high, but I’m grounded
I’m sane, but I’m overwhelmed
I’m lost, but I’m optimistic, baby

And what it all comes down to is that everything’s gonna be fine, fine, fine
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket and the other one is giving a high five

I feel drunk, but I’m serious
I’m old and I’m underpaid
I’m fresh, but I’m working, yeah
I care, but I’m restless
I’m here, but I’m really gone
I’m wrong and I’m sorry, baby

And what it all comes down to is that everything’s gonna be quite alright
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket and the other is flicking a cigarette

And what is all comes down to is that I haven’t got it all figured out just yet
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket and the other one is giving the peace sign

I’m occupied, but I’m focused
I’m green, but I’m smart
I’m hard, but I’m friendly, baby
I’m happy, but I’m laughing
I’m courageous, but I’m chicken shit
I’m sick, but I’m ugly, baby

And what it all boils down to is that no one’s really got it figured out just yet
Well, I’ve got one hand in my pocket and the other one is playing a piano

What it all comes down to, my friends, yeah is that everything’s just fine, fine, fine
‘Cause I’ve got one hand in my pocket and the other one is hailing a taxi cab

Alanis Morissette

Alanis Nadine Morissette is a Canadian and American singer, songwriter and musician known for her emotive mezzo-soprano voice and confessional songwriting. She began her music career in Canada in the early 1990s with two dance-pop albums. In 1995, she released the alternative rock album Jagged Little Pill, which sold more than 33 million copies globally and propelled her to become a cultural phenomenon. Morissette won the 1996 Grammy Award for Album of the Year among other accolades, and the album was adapted into a 2018 rock musical. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame has Jagged Little Pill on their 200 Definitive Albums list, and it appeared on various editions of Rolling Stone‘s “500 Greatest Albums of All Time” guide. Its lead single, “You Oughta Know”, was also included on Rolling Stone‘s “500 Greatest Songs of All Time” list.