Happy Pharrell Williams

It might seem crazy what I’m about to 1) ______
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a 2)______
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to 3) ______
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the 4) ______
[Chorus:]
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a 5) ______
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the 6)______
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to 7) ______
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna 8) ______
Here come bad news talking this and 9) ______, yeah,
Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold it 10) ______, yeah,
Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just 11) ______, yeah,
No offense to you, don’t waste your 12) ______
Here’s why
[Chorus]
(happy)
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
My level's too high
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
I said (let me tell you now)
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
My level's too high
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
I said
[Chorus 2x]
Hey, come on
(happy)
Bring me down… can’t nothing…
Bring me down… my level's too high…
Bring me down… can’t nothing…
Bring me down, I said (let me tell you now)

  1. Put the following words in the four columns:

/u:/ / /æ/ / /eɪ/ / /aɪ/

that break you fineback truth

spacedosayroofway time

  1. What do you notice about the pronunciation of the following words?

‘about to say’

‘take a break’

  1. Find more examples where words join together. Listen and check.

Answers

Happy Pharrell Williams

It might seem crazy what I’m about to say
Sunshine she’s here, you can take a break
I’m a hot air balloon that could go to space
With the air, like I don’t care baby by the way
[Chorus:]
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like a room without a roof
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like happiness is the truth
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you know what happiness is to you
Because I’m happy
Clap along if you feel like that’s what you wanna do
Here come bad news talking this and that, yeah,
Well, give me all you got, and don’t hold it back, yeah,
Well, I should probably warn you I’ll be just fine, yeah,
No offense to you, don’t waste your time
Here’s why
[Chorus]
Hey, come on
[Bridge:]
(happy)
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
My level's too high
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
I said (let me tell you now)
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
My level's too high
Bring me down
Can't nothing bring me down
I said
[Chorus 2x]
Hey, come on
(happy)
Bring me down… can’t nothing…
Bring me down… my level's too high…
Bring me down… can’t nothing…
Bring me down, I said (let me tell you now)
[Chorus 2x]
Come on

Answers to phonetics

  1. Put the following words in the four columns:

/u:/ / /æ/ / /eɪ/ / /aɪ/
Roof
Truth
You
d / That
back / Say
Break
Space
way / Fine
time
  1. What do you notice about the pronunciation of the following words?

‘about to say’ – the words join with a schwa - /əbaʊtəseɪ/

‘take a break’ – again they join - /teɪkəbreɪk/

  1. Find more examples where words join together. Listen and check.

There are loads, just fish them out with your students.