Momma's Prayers

• By: JP Cooper, Stormzy

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
prayers /preərz/ A2	noun - earnest requests, supplications, or thanks given to a deity
fall /fɔːl/ A1	verb - to drop or come down freely under the influence of gravity noun - an act or instance of falling
hands /hændz/ A1	noun - the terminal part of the human arm beyond the wrist
brothers /ˈbrʌðərz/ A1	noun - a male sibling
spray /spreɪ/ B1	verb - to apply (liquid) as a spray noun - a liquid that is sprayed
demons /ˈdiːmənz/ B2	noun - an evil spirit or devil, especially one thought to possess a person or act as a tormentor in hell.
night /naɪt/ A1	noun - the period from sunset to sunrise in each twenty-four hours
slay /sleɪ/ B2	verb - to kill (a person or animal) in a violent way.
mommy /ˈmɒmi/ A1	noun - mother
charts /tʃɑːrts/ B2	noun - a sheet giving information in tabular form
chaos /ˈkeɪɒs/ C1	noun - complete disorder and confusion
life /laɪf/ A1	noun - the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
darkness /ˈdɑːknəs/ B1	noun - the state of being dark
shadows /ˈʃædəʊz/ B1	noun - a dark area or shape produced by a body coming between rays of light and a surface.
tears /tɪərz/ A2	noun - drops of clear salty liquid secreted from glands in the eye
power /ˈpaʊər/ A2	noun - the ability to do something or act in a particular way
guide /ɡaɪd/ B1	verb - show or direct the way

Grammar:

• Many things you pulled me through and I wouldn't even know

  ➔ Past Perfect Simple/Continuous Implied; Conditional Perfect (wouldn't know)

  ➔ The use of "pulled me through" implies a completed action in the past that had an effect on the present. "Wouldn't even know" uses the conditional perfect to express a hypothetical situation in the past.

• There's an army that walks with me when I step out on that road

  ➔ Relative Clause (that walks with me)

  ➔ "that walks with me" is a relative clause modifying "an army". It specifies which army is being referred to.

• You ask them every day to accompany me on my way

  ➔ Infinitive of Purpose (to accompany)

  ➔ The infinitive "to accompany" explains the purpose of asking 'them' every day. It answers the question: Why does she ask them?

• And if I fall, what if I fall?

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1 - Implied); Ellipsis

  ➔ This is an implied Type 1 conditional. The full sentence would be 'And if I fall, what will happen if I fall?'. The second part is repeated for emphasis, with the result clause being omitted.

• I think I owe it all to mommy's prayers

  ➔ Idiomatic Expression ('owe it to'); Possessive ('mommy's prayers')

  ➔ "Owe it to" means to attribute something positive to something else. "Mommy's prayers" shows possession – the prayers belonging to mommy.

• I charted, that was 'cause of mommy's prayers, yeah

  ➔ Informal Contraction ('cause); Ellipsis (because)

  ➔ "'Cause" is a shortened, informal version of 'because'. The full sentence might be 'I charted, that was because of mommy's prayers'.

• Shadows may chase me down but your words keep them behind

  ➔ Modal Verb (may); 'Keep + Object + Adverb'

  ➔ "May" indicates possibility. "Keep them behind" uses the structure 'keep + object + adverb' to mean to prevent something from advancing.

• I'ma warn 'em about the power of their grandmother's prayers, yo

  ➔ Informal Contraction (I'ma); Indirect Object Pronoun ('em); Possessive ('grandmother's')

  ➔ "I'ma" is an informal contraction of "I'm going to". "'Em" is an informal way to say "them". "Grandmother's prayers" shows possession.