Listen to the Mustn'ts by Shel Silverstein (1974): Poems ESL Listening

(TESOL Worksheets--Poems ESL Listening)
Transcript: drive, docs, pub Homework: docs, pub
Video HERE

Listen to the Mustn'ts by Shel Silverstein (1974): poems

Video: https://youtu.be/Wq24YeKkfUI

Quizlet: https://quizlet.com/_6fhk6y

Suggested Use:

Step 1: Look at the vocabulary. Check any words that you don’t know in your dictionary.

Step 2: Listen to the video. (Listen only.  Don’t look at the poem yet).

Step  3: Practice the vocabulary on Quizlet 

Step 4: Watch the video again.  This time look at the poem. Read and listen at the same time.

Step 5: Practice the vocabulary on Quizlet again 

Step 6: Listen one last time.  The last time, don’t look at the poem. 

Vocabulary

don’t, have, impossible, mustn’t, shouldn’t, won’t

Irregular Forms--the following verbs are not normally used in as a plural noun form, but are plural in this poem to indicate that you hear them many times

mustn’ts=all the times you hear the word “mustn’t” don’ts=all the times you hear the word “don’t” shouldn’ts=all the times you hear the word “shouldn’t” impossibles=all the times you hear the word “impossible” won’ts=all the times you hear the word “won’t” never haves=all the times you hear the phrase “never have”

Listen to the Mustn'ts by Shel Silverstein (1974): poems

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

Listen to the DON'TS

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the WON’TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to me

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can be

Match the missing words to the blanks.  Then watch the video to check your answers

Video: https://youtu.be/Wq24YeKkfUI

Word bank

be, don’ts, me, won’ts

Listen to the Mustn'ts by Shel Silverstein

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

Listen to the (1)_____________________

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the (2)_____________________

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to (3)_____________________

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can (4)_____________________

Answers:

Listen to the Mustn'ts by Shel Silverstein

Listen to the MUSTN'TS, child,

Listen to the (1)DON'TS

Listen to the SHOULDN'TS

The IMPOSSIBLES, the (2)WON’TS

Listen to the NEVER HAVES

Then listen close to (3)me

Anything can happen, child,

ANYTHING can (4)be

Vocabulary

don't - short for do not:

Please do not talk during the exam.

have - used with the past participle of another verb to form the present and past perfect tenses:

Have you seen Roz?

impossible - If an action or event is impossible, it cannot happen or be done:

He finds walking almost impossible.

mustn't - short for must not:

You must let her know I'm coming.

shouldn't - short for should not:

I shouldn’t have said that.

won't - short for will not:

I won’t be home before midnight.