Dancing In The Dark

• By: Rihanna
• Album: Home

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
dance /dæns/ A1	verb - to move rhythmically to music noun - a set of movements or steps performed to music
dark /dɑːrk/ A2	adjective - with little or no light noun - absence of light
light /laɪt/ A1	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible. verb - to ignite; to illuminate
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise
underdog /ˈʌndərdɔːɡ/ B2	noun - a person or group thought to have little chance of winning
middle /ˈmɪdl/ A2	noun - the point or position at an equal distance from the sides or extremes of something.
skies /skaɪz/ A2	noun - the region of the atmosphere and outer space seen from the earth.
mirror /ˈmɪrər/ B1	noun - a reflective surface, now typically of glass coated with a metallic backing.
eyes /aɪz/ A1	noun - the organ of sight in humans and animals.
rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/ B1	noun - a strong, regular repeated pattern of movement or sound.
heartbeat /ˈhɑːrtbiːt/ B2	noun - a single pulsation of the heart.
wild /waɪld/ B1	adjective - living or growing in the natural environment; not domesticated or cultivated.
moon /muːn/ A1	noun - the natural satellite of the earth, visible by reflection of sunlight.
bodies /ˈbɑːdiz/ A1	noun - the physical structure of a person or animal
glowing /ˈɡloʊɪŋ/ B2	adjective - emitting light; radiant
stars /stɑːrz/ A1	noun - a fixed luminous point in the night sky that is a large, remote incandescent body like the sun.
sound /saʊnd/ A2	noun - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear.
creatures /ˈkriːtʃərz/ B1	noun - an animal, especially a nonhuman one.
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events in the past, present, and future regarded as a whole.

Grammar:

• I wanna dance in the dark

  ➔ Contraction "wanna"

  ➔ "Wanna" is a colloquial contraction of "want to." It's informal and common in songs and casual speech. At a B2-C1 level, you should be familiar with this contraction but understand when its use is appropriate (avoiding it in formal writing).

• We're gonna light up the night

  ➔ Contraction "gonna" and Phrasal verb "light up"

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial contraction of "going to." "Light up" is a phrasal verb meaning to illuminate or make brighter. At B2-C1, you should use these sparingly in writing, but should understand them in spoken English.

• Underdogs, dance in the middle of the night

  ➔ Imperative and Prepositional phrase

  ➔ "Dance" is used in the imperative mood, giving a command or instruction. "In the middle of the night" is a prepositional phrase indicating location. Understanding how to use and identify these structures is important at this level.

• Can see the night skies in the mirror of your eyes

  ➔ Modal verb "can" and Prepositional Phrases

  ➔ "Can" expresses ability or possibility. "In the mirror of your eyes" is a sequence of prepositional phrases building a vivid image. Understanding the function of modal verbs and how to use prepositional phrases to add detail is crucial.

• If you don't dance, make sure you got the rhythm

  ➔ Conditional sentence (type 1), imperative, and colloquial past tense "got"

  ➔ This is a type 1 conditional sentence (If + present simple, will/imperative). "Make sure" is an imperative. "Got" is a colloquial replacement for "have" or "have got." This sentence combines several grammatical elements common at a B2-C1 level.

• Make sure that your heartbeat beats with the rhythm

  ➔ Imperative with "make sure that" and verb agreement

  ➔ "Make sure that" introduces a clause expressing a requirement. The subject "your heartbeat" is singular, hence the verb "beats" is in the third-person singular form. Correct verb agreement is expected at B2 and above.

• Nothing in between our skins but the rhythm

  ➔ Ellipsis and Prepositional Phrase

  ➔ This sentence uses ellipsis; the implied verb is likely "is." The full sentence would be "Nothing is in between our skins but the rhythm." "In between our skins" is a prepositional phrase indicating location. Ellipsis is common in informal language and poetry.

• Whenever you hear the sound, Don't be alarmed

  ➔ Adverbial clause of time and imperative in negative form

  ➔ "Whenever you hear the sound" is an adverbial clause of time, telling *when* something should happen. "Don't be alarmed" is an imperative in the negative form, giving an instruction not to do something. Knowing how to construct and use these complex sentences is vital at a higher level.