ESLSongs

Revise the multiple tenses in your ESL class with this song, We are never getting back together by Taylor Swift. These song lyrics include 26 different verbs in 9 different tenses:

• used to / would (used to think, used to say, you would hide away)
• past simple (broke, said, needed, lasted, called it off)
• past perfect (we hadn’t seen)
• present perfect (I’ve had…)
• present simple (come, say, miss, swear, hate, break up, call, love, you know, he calls me)
• present continuous (I’m telling you)
• present continuous to talk about the future (we are never getting back together)
• going to (I’m going to change, I’m really going to miss)
• imperative (trust me, you go talk to…)

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

Lyrics

I remember when we broke up, the first time
Saying, “this is it, I’ve had enough”
‘Cause like, we hadn’t seen each other in a month
When you said you needed space (what?)
Then you come around again and say
“Baby, I miss you and I swear I’m gonna change, trust me”
Remember how that lasted for a day?
I say, “I hate you,” we break up, you call me, “I love you”

Ooh, ooh, ooh
We called it off again last night
But ooh, ooh, ooh
This time, I’m telling you, I’m telling you

We are never ever, ever getting back together
We are never ever, ever getting back together
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together
Like, ever

I’m really gonna miss you picking fights
And me falling for it, screaming that I’m right
And you would hide away and find your peace of mind
With some indie record that’s much cooler than mine

Ooh, ooh, ooh
You called me up again tonight
But ooh, ooh, ooh
This time, I’m telling you, I’m telling you

We are never ever, ever getting back together
We are never ever, ever getting back together
You go talk to your friends
Talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)
But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together

Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
Ooh, ooh, ooh, yeah
Oh

I used to think that we were forever ever, ever
And I used to say, “never say never”
Ah, so he calls me up and he’s like, “I still love you”
And I’m like, I’m just, I mean this is exhausting, you know?
Like we are never getting back together, like, ever

We are never ever, ever getting back together
We are never ever, ever getting back together
You go talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never, ever, ever, ever getting back together
(We) ooh, ooh, ooh
Ooh, ooh, ooh (getting back together)
(We) ooh, ooh, ooh
Oh (getting back together)

You go talk to your friends
Talk to my friends, talk to me (talk to me)
But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together

Suggested activity: choose the correct option

Download this exercise (PDF)

I remember when we ¹ were breaking up / broke up, the first time
Saying, “this is it, ² I’ve had / I have enough”
‘Cause like, we ³ haven’t seen / hadn’t seen each other in a month
When you said you needed space (what?)
Then you ⁴ come / came around again and say
“Baby, I miss you and I ⁵ swear / promise I’m gonna change, trust me”
Remember how that lasted for a day?
I say, “I ⁶ hate / love you,” we break up, you call me, “I ⁷ hate / love you”

Ooh, ooh, ooh
We called it off again last night
But ooh, ooh, ooh
This time, ⁸ I’m telling you / I’ll tell you,⁹ I’m telling you / I’ll tell you

We are never ever, ever getting back together
We are never ever, ever getting back together
You go ¹⁰ speak / talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together
Like, ever

I’m really gonna miss you picking fights
And me falling for it, screaming that I’m right
And you ¹¹ used to hide away / would hide away and find your peace of mind
With some indie record that’s much ¹² cooler / better than mine

Ooh, ooh, ooh
You called me up again tonight
But ooh, ooh, ooh
This time, ¹³ I’m telling you / I’ll tell you,¹⁴ I’m telling you / I’ll tell you

We are never ever, ever getting back together
We are never ever, ever getting back together
You go ¹⁵ speak / talk to your friends, talk to my friends, talk to me
But we are never ever, ever, ever getting back together

I used to think that we ¹⁶ would be / were forever ever, ever
And I ¹⁷ used to say / said, “never say never”
Ah, so he calls me up and he’s like, “I still love you”
And I’m like, I’m just, I mean this is exhausting, you ¹⁸ understand / know?

Taylor Swift

Taylor Alison Swift is an American singer-songwriter. Known for her autobiographical songwriting and artistic reinventions, she is one of the world’s best-selling music artists with estimated global sales of 200 million records, the first billionaire with music as the main source of income, and the highest-grossing female touring artist. Swift is an influential figure in popular culture and the subject of widespread public interest.