Listen to the song, “American Pie” by Don Mclean American Pie by

Don Mclean and fill in the missing words. (most are past tense

forms and there are a few adjectives and nouns). Notice the

grammar that shows habits being expressed in Past Time with

‘used to’ and ‘would’.

Part 1:

Fill in the blanks with some of the following verbs: (most are past

tense forms and there are a few adjectives and nouns).

‘D (would) be - remind - remember - knew - used to - change -

people

A long long time ago

I can still remember

how that music used to make me smile.

And I knew that if I had my chance

that I could make those people dance.

And maybe they’d be happy for a while.

Next verse see if you can do it on your own!

But February made me shiver
With every paper I’d deliver.
Bad news on the doorstep
I couldn’t take one more step
I can't remember if I cried
when I read about his widowed bride.
Something touched me deep inside
the day the music died.
So, bye-bye, Miss American Pie
Drove my Chevy to the levee, but the levee was dry
And them good ol' boys were drinkin' whiskey and rye
Singin', "This'll be the day that I die.
This'll be the day that I die".

did (x2)-write- faith-rock n’ roll- mortal- real- slow- saw- dancin’-

kicked- rhythm- blues- was- knew- died- started- singin’-

Did you write the book of love

And do you have faith in God above?

If the Bible tells you so

Now do you believe in rock ‘n’ roll?

And can music save your mortal soul?

And can it teach me how to dance real slow?

Well I know that you're in love with him

Cause I saw you dancin’ in the gym.

You both kicked off your shoes.

And I dig those rhythm and blues.

I was a lonely teenage broncin’ buck.

With a great carnation and a pickup truck.

But I knew I was out of luck

the day the music died

I started singin’_______ ___________ …..

Part 2:

Chorus. Find the words that don't appear in the lyrics and replace

them with one of the following:

levee(x2) - will be (x2) - die(x2) - pie - dry - chevy - rye -

whiskey - Bye (x2)

Bye,Bye miss American pie

Drove my chevy to the levee

But the levee was dry

And them good old boys were drinking

Whiskey and rye singing

This will be the day that I die

This will be the day that I die

Part 3:

As in the first section some verbs do not appear, try to replace

them with one of these: (see how many come to you

automatically now after having listened to the song several

times).

Asked - turned - cried - screamed - dreamed - died - wouldn't -

went - sang - heard - singing - caught - admire - spoken - broken

I met a girl who sang the blues

and I asked her for some happy news,

but she just smiled and turned away.

Well I went down to the sacred store

where I ’d heard the music years before,

but the man there said the music wouldn’t play.

Well now in the streets the children screamed.

The lovers cried and the poets dreamed,

but not a word was spoken

The church bells were all broken.

And the three men I admire the most

the Father, Son, and the Holy Ghost,

they caught the last train for the coast

the day the music died.

I started singing

(Chorus x2)