We Will Rock You – Queen – Notes

Activity types: Discussion, phonetics, listening for specific words, opposites, gap fill.

Level: Elementary / Pre-Intermediate

Notes: This is one of Queen’s best known songs, taken from their 1977 album News
Of The World. Written by guitarist Brian May, the song is mostly a cappella with only
stomping and clapping for the rhythm – the final 30 seconds is a guitar solo.
There is a video of this activity from the Tune Into English Roadshow on
www.tuneintoenglish.com.
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1. Ask students who their favourite band is. Do they know the name of the members?
What (if any!) instruments do they play?
Give them 30 seconds to write down the names of as many musical instruments as
they can.

2. Feedback. They will almost certainly pronounce the bass incorrectly as /bæs/ - point
out that /bæs/ is in fact a fish! Can they imagine their favourite bassist playing a
spigola?! The instrument is the /beɪs/.
(They may also have problems with the word guitar, note that in English the second
syllable is stressed).

3. Allow them one minute to write as many words as they can that rhyme with the word
bass (/beɪs/).

4. Tell students that they will hear three words pronounced /-eɪs/ in the next song. Play
the first verse of the song, can they identify them?

5. Feedback on the students’ lists and give each student a copy of the folded worksheet.
Point out the final –ce spelling of most words.

6. Play the first verse of the song again, what are the three rhyming words?
Key: face, disgrace, place

7. Feedback, then ask them to unfold the worksheet and complete the gaps.

8. Correct in open class, play the complete song and sing together!

This worksheet is to be used for educational purposes only

Activity © Tune into English 2015 – www.tuneintoenglish.com
 We Will Rock You – Queen
Here is a list of all words in English that are pronounced /-eɪs/ (taken from
www.rhymer.com). Listen to the song – which three words do you hear?

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Buddy you're a boy make a big noise

Playin' in the street gonna be a big man some day
You got mud on yo' ________
You big ________
Kickin' your can all over the ________
Singin'
We will, we will rock you
We will we will rock you
Buddy you're a young man hard man,
Shoutin' in the street gonna take on the world some day
You got blood on yo' ________
You big ________
Wavin' your banner all over the ________
We will, we will rock you
(Sing it!)
We will, we will rock you
Buddy you're an old man poor man
Pleadin' with your eyes gonna make you some peace some day
You got mud on your ________
Big ________
Somebody better put you back into your ________
We will, we will rock you
(Sing it!)
We will, we will rock you
(Everybody)
We will, we will rock you
We will, we will rock you
(Alright)

This worksheet is to be used for educational purposes only

Activity © Tune into English 2015 – www.tuneintoenglish.com