English through Music
Adele: Someone Like You
Moving on without forgetting
Your goal: Follow a reflective song and discuss how people respond to change and endings.
Break-ups, emotional loss and unresolved feelings.
01 · 7 minutes
Watch
Watch the complete video once without pausing. Focus on the overall meaning and mood; you do not need to catch every word.
Listen for what has changed in the other person’s life and how the speaker responds.
If the player cannot load or reports an error, open the video on YouTube.
Choose one word for your first reaction. There is no correct answer.
02 · 5 minutes
Useful English
Four useful items connected with the song. Definitions and examples are original; not every item is claimed to appear in the recording.
British English vocabulary audio
Choose an item to hear its word, meaning and example.
settle down
phrasal verb
To begin a more stable way of life, often with a partner.
After years of travelling, Maya decided to settle down near her family.
turn up
phrasal verb
To arrive or appear, sometimes unexpectedly.
An old friend turned up at the party.
move on
phrasal verb
To begin a new stage instead of remaining focused on the past.
After the project ended, the team was ready to move on.
bittersweet
adjective
Combining happiness with sadness.
Our last day at college was a bittersweet occasion.
03 · 9 minutes
Quick quiz
Choose one answer for each question. Questions 1–2 focus on the song; questions 3–6 practise useful vocabulary.
Open the six-question quiz
1–2 minGrammar in a minuteB1–B2 · An event before another past event
Use the past perfect to put earlier news before a later reaction.
When I phoned Leo, he had already moved to another city.
Original practice model, not a song lyric
Had + past participle places the move before the phone call. The past simple supplies the later reference point. Use the order of events, not simply the oldest date in a story.
04 · 10 minutes
Speaking
Give your opinion and explain it. Different reactions are welcome. You may use invented examples instead of personal experiences.
Open the three speaking questions
1. Can a sad song be enjoyable?
Explain what the listener might gain from it.
A sad song can… even when…
2. What makes an ending bittersweet rather than simply sad?
Use a graduation, a journey or an invented example.
It is bittersweet because…
3. Is moving on the same as forgetting?
Explain one important difference.
Moving on can mean… without…