Table of Contents
Listening Activity
This listening activity is based on the song “If You Were A Sailboat by Katie Melua“. The song lyrics are beautiful and ideal for English learners and include many interesting language topics, such as conditional sentences.
Let’s start with some information about the song!
If You Were A Sailboat by Katie Melua
If You Were a Sailboat is a song by British singer Katie Melua. This page provides information about the song and links to the lyrics and the official video.
If You Were A Sailboat by Katie Melua
Level
Beginner and intermediate students.
Facts about the Song
- Song: If You Were A Sailboat
- Album: We Can”t Dance
- Date of release: 24 September 2007
- Genre: Acoustic/Blues
- Length of the song: 4 minutes and 01 seconds.
- Produced by: Mike Batt
Interesting Information about the Song
“If You Were a Sailboat” is a song by British singer Katie Melua, written and produced by Mike Batt. Released as Melua’s ninth single, it was the first from her third album, Pictures (2007).
Melua has expressed her admiration for the song, noting its unique take on love. Unlike many love songs that focus on the softer, more romantic side of love, this song delves into the intense and sometimes selfish emotions that come with being in love.
Melua appreciates how Batt’s lyrics convey these feelings through unusual metaphors, like “if you were a piece of wood I’d nail you to the floor,” which contrasts with the song’s smooth and seemingly gentle melody. This blend of a soothing musical style with a darker, more intense message is what makes the song stand out.
The Video
The Lyrics
Language Points
The song includes many interesting language points:
“If you were a cowboy I would trail you..” = conditional sentence type two. Its form is as follows:
If + simple past + would +verb
Expressions that may be useful to students:
- If you were a cowboy I would trail you,
if you were a piece of wood I’d nail you to the floor,
if you were a sailboat I would sail you to the shore,
if you were a river I would swim you,
if you were a house I would live in you all my days,
if you were a preacher I’d begin to change my ways
Listening Comprehension
Sentence Completion Exercise
Complete these sentences while listening to the song:
- “If you were a piece of wood, I’d ________ you to the floor.”
- “If you were a sailboat, I would ________ you.”
- “If you were a river, I’d ________ you dry.”
- “If you were a house, I would ________ you.”
- “If you were a drink, I’d ________ you dry.”
Gap-Fill Exercise
These words are used in the lyrics of the song:
- Trail: To follow or pursue someone or something.
- Nail: To fasten or secure something with nails.
- Sail: To navigate or travel on water using a boat.
- Soothing: Having a calming or comforting effect.
- Fate: The development of events beyond a person’s control, regarded as predetermined.
- Spring: To move or jump suddenly or rapidly upwards or forwards.
- Lead: To guide or direct someone to a destination.
Complete these sentences with the words provided above:
- If you were lost in the dark, I would ________ you to safety.
- Sometimes I believe in ________, but I also trust in the choices we make.
- If you were a sailboat, I would ________ you to the shore.
- The singer said that if she was in pain, you would sing her ________ songs.
- If I was in trouble, I know you’d ________ me out of it.
- If you were a cowboy, I would ________ you across the plains.
- The carpenter would ________ the wood to the floor to make it secure.
Source: Wikipedia
