Livin' On A Prayer

• By: Bon Jovi
• Album: 2020

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
work /wɜːrk/ A1	verb - to perform an activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result. noun - activity involving mental or physical effort done in order to achieve a purpose or result.
strike /straɪk/ B2	noun - a refusal to work organized by a body of employees as a form of protest, typically in order to gain a concession or concessions from their employer. verb - to hit or attack someone or something forcefully.
luck /lʌk/ A2	noun - success or failure apparently brought by chance rather than through one's own actions.
tough /tʌf/ B1	adjective - difficult; needing effort and determination.
diner /ˈdaɪnər/ B1	noun - a small, usually inexpensive restaurant.
home /hoʊm/ A1	noun - the place where one lives permanently, especially as a member of a family or household.
love /lʌv/ A1	noun - an intense feeling of affection.
hold /hoʊld/ A2	verb - grasp, carry, or support (something) with one's hands.
shot /ʃɑːt/ B1	noun - an attempt to do or achieve something.
hand /hænd/ A1	noun - the end part of a person's arm beyond the wrist, including the fingers and thumb.
swear /swer/ B1	verb - make a solemn statement or promise undertaking to do something or affirming that something is the case.
string /strɪŋ/ B1	noun - material consisting of threads of cotton, hemp, or other material twisted together to form a thin length.
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, and sensations occurring in a person's mind during sleep. verb - to contemplate the possibility of doing something or that something might be the case
whispers /ˈwɪspər/ B2	verb - speak very softly using one's breath rather than one's throat, especially for secrecy. noun - a soft, muffled sound, especially one made by someone speaking quietly.
fight /faɪt/ A2	verb - take part in a violent struggle involving the exchange of physical blows or the use of weapons. noun - a violent confrontation or struggle.

Grammar:

• ONCE UPON A TIME, NOT SO LONG AGO

  ➔ Idiomatic Expression: "Once upon a time"

  ➔ "Once upon a time" is a common phrase used to begin fairy tales or stories set in the distant past. "Not so long ago" creates a slight contradiction, suggesting the events are somewhat recent but still framed as a story.

• UNION'S BEEN ON STRIKE

  ➔ Present Perfect Continuous (shortened form)

  ➔ "Union's been" is a shortened form of "The union has been". The Present Perfect Continuous tense ("has been on strike") emphasizes the duration of the strike, that it started in the past and is still ongoing.

• SHE BRINGS HOME HER PAY FOR LOVE

  ➔ Prepositional phrase "for love" as an adverbial of reason/purpose

  ➔ The phrase "for love" explains the reason why she brings home her pay. It is not a literal exchange; it means she does it because of her love for Tommy.

• WE'VE GOTTA HOLD ON TO WHAT WE'VE GOT

  ➔ "Gotta" (short for "got to"), relative clause "what we've got"

  ➔ "Gotta" is a colloquial shortening of "got to," meaning "have to" or "must." The relative clause "what we've got" refers to everything they currently possess (possessions, relationship, etc.).

• IT DOESN'T MAKE A DIFFERENCE IF WE MAKE IT OR NOT

  ➔ Conditional clause with "if", impersonal pronoun "it"

  ➔ "It" refers to the situation, the success or failure. The "if" clause presents a condition: regardless of whether they succeed ("make it") or not, what matters is they have each other.

• OH, WE'RE HALF-WAY THERE

  ➔ Present Simple (shortened form): "We are"

  ➔ "We're" is a contraction of "we are". This simple statement suggests progress and hope, even in difficult circumstances.

• TOMMY'S GOT HIS SIX STRING IN HOCK

  ➔ Present Perfect (colloquial): 'got' instead of 'has gotten', idiom "in hock"

  ➔ "Tommy's got" is a colloquial way of saying "Tommy has gotten." "In hock" is an idiom meaning something has been pawned or given as security for a loan.

• NOW HE'S HOLDING IN WHAT HE USED TO MAKE IT TALK SO TOUGH

  ➔ Phrasal verb "holding in", relative pronoun "what", used to + infinitive

  ➔ "Holding in" means suppressing his emotions or feelings. "What he used to make it talk so tough" means the sounds/music he used to create with the guitar. "Used to + infinitive" signifies a past habit or state.

• GINA DREAMS OF RUNNING AWAY

  ➔ Verb + preposition + gerund: "dreams of running"

  ➔ The verb "dreams" is followed by the preposition "of", which is then followed by the gerund "running". Gerunds function as nouns.