Using Waist Deep In The Big Muddy by Pete Seeger for Verb Complements

(TESOL Worksheets--Word Patterns, Using Songs to Teach Grammar, Transitive and Intransitive)

Google Drive Folder HERE

* Worksheet: docs, pub

* Youtube Video HERE

I used this to supplement the lesson on verb complements for Q Skills 5 Reading and Writing p.146-148.  I'm not entirely happy with this, but like a lot of my worksheets, it was done on a deadline.  (I was rushing to get this done right before class.)  I wanted some sort of context to put the verbs in.  (None was provided by the textbook.)  I thought a short song that told a story might work.  I ended up settling on this song.  

I don't know... I might come back to this someday and see if I can fix it up any.  For the moment, though, here it is.

It was back in nineteen forty-two, I was a member of a good platoon.

We were on maneuvers in Louisiana one night by the light of the moon.

The captain told us to ford a river, That's how it all begun.

We were knee deep in the Big Muddy, the big fool says to push on.

The Sergeant said, "Sir, are you sure this is the best way back to the base?"

"Sergeant, go on! I forded this river about a mile above this place.

It'll be a little soggy but just keep slogging. We'll soon be on dry ground."

We were waist deep in the Big Muddy. The big fool says to push on.

While the Sergeant said, "Sir, with all this equipment, no man will be able to swim."

"Sergeant, don't be a Nervous Nellie," The Captain said to him.

"All we need is a little determination; Men, follow me, I'll lead on."

We were neck deep in the Big Muddy. The big fool says to push on.

All at once, the moon clouded over, We heard a gurgling cry.

A few seconds later, the captain's helmet was all that floated by.

The Sergeant said, "Turn around men! I'm in charge from now on."

And we just made it out of the Big Muddy with the captain dead and gone.

We stripped and dived and found his body stuck in the old quicksand.

I guess he didn't know that the water was deeper than the place he'd once before been.

Another stream had joined the Big Muddy about a half mile from where we'd gone.

We were lucky to escape from the Big Muddy when the big fool said to push on.

Well, I'm not going to point any moral, I'll leave that for yourself

Maybe you're still walking, you're still talking, you'd like to keep your health.

But every time I read the papers them old feeling comes on;

We're waist deep in the Big Muddy, the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy, the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep in the Big Muddy, the big fool says to push on.

Waist deep! Neck deep! Soon even a Tall man will be over his head, 

We're waist deep in the Big Muddy! The big fool says to push on!

Sort these verbs into categories

Verbs followed by an object (transitive)	Verbs followed by 2 objects (ditransitive)	verbs without an object (intransitive)	Verbs followed by a prepositional phrase	Verbs followed by Ving form	other patterns

Sort these verbs into categories

Verbs followed by an object (transitive)	Verbs followed by 2 objects (ditransitive)	verbs without an object (intransitive)	Verbs followed by a prepositional phrase	Verbs followed by Ving form	other patterns