...Ready For It? – English Lyrics

• By: Taylor Swift

Lyrics & Translation

[English]

Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him

Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted

But if he's a ghost, then I can be a phantom

Holdin' him for ransom

Some, some boys are tryin' too hard

He don't try at all, though

Younger than my exes but he act like such a man, so

I see nothing better, I keep him forever

Like a vendetta-ta

I-I-I see how this is gon' go

Touch me and you'll never be alone

I-Island breeze and lights down low

No one has to know

In the middle of the night, in my dreams

You should see the things we do, baby (mmm)

In the middle of the night, in my dreams

I know I'm gonna be with you

So I'll take my time

Are you ready for it?

...

Knew I was a robber first time that he saw me

Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry

But if I'm a thief, then he can join the heist

And we'll move to an island, and

And he can be my jailer, Burton to this Taylor

Every lover known in comparison is a failure

I forget their names now, I'm so very tame now

Never be the same now, now

I-I-I see how this is gon' go (go)

Touch me and you'll never be alone

I-Island breeze and lights down low (low)

No one has to know

(No one has to know)

In the middle of the night, in my dreams (eh)

You should see the things we do (we do), baby

In the middle of the night, in my dreams (my dreams)

I know I'm gonna be with you

So I'll take my time

Are you ready for it?

Oh, are you ready for it?

Baby, let the games begin

Let the games begin

Let the games begin (now)

Baby, let the games begin

Let the games begin

Let the games begin

I-I-I see how this is gon' go

Touch me and you'll never be alone

I-Island breeze and lights down low

No one has to know

In the middle of the night, in my dreams (my dreams)

You should see the things we do (we do), baby (baby, mmm, eh)

In the middle of the night, in my dreams (my dreams)

I know I'm gonna be with you

So I take my time (eh)

In the middle of the night

Baby, let the games begin

Let the games begin

Let the games begin

Are you ready for it?

Baby, let the games begin

Let the games begin

Let the games begin

Are you ready for it?

...

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
killer /ˈkɪlər/ B2	noun - a person or thing that kills
ghost /ɡoʊst/ B1	noun - the spirit of a dead person
phantom /ˈfæntəm/ B2	noun - a ghost or an illusion
ransom /ˈrænsəm/ B2	noun - money demanded for the release of a person or property
heist /haɪst/ B2	noun - a robbery or theft
dream /driːm/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep
games /ɡeɪmz/ A1	noun - activities that people do for enjoyment
time /taɪm/ A1	noun - the indefinite continued progress of existence and events
alone /əˈloʊn/ B1	adjective - having no one else present
forever /fərˈɛvər/ B2	adverb - for all future time; for always
ready /ˈrɛdi/ A2	adjective - prepared for what is going to happen
light /laɪt/ A2	noun - the natural agent that stimulates sight and makes things visible
breeze /briːz/ B1	noun - a gentle wind
tame /teɪm/ B2	adjective - not wild; domesticated

Key Grammar Structures

• Knew he was a killer first time that I saw him

  ➔ Past Simple Tense and Time Clause

  ➔ Uses the past simple "knew" and "saw" to describe a past event. The clause "first time that I saw him" acts as a time marker indicating when she knew he was a killer. The word "that" can also be omitted.

• Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted

  ➔ Reported Speech/Embedded Question with Past Perfect

  ➔ "Wonder how many girls he had loved and left haunted" is an example of an embedded question functioning as the object of the verb "wonder". The use of the past perfect "had loved" emphasizes that the loving and leaving happened before the speaker wondered about it.

• But if he's a ghost, then I can be a phantom

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1 - Possible/Likely)

  ➔ This is a Type 1 conditional sentence. "If he's a ghost" presents a possible condition, and "then I can be a phantom" presents the likely result. It suggests a real possibility in the present or future.

• Younger than my exes but he act like such a man, so

  ➔ Comparative Adjective and 'Act like'

  ➔ "Younger than my exes" uses the comparative adjective "younger" to compare the current partner to her previous partners. "Act like" is an idiom meaning to behave in a certain way; it suggests that the person behaves in a manner that is characteristic of a man (mature, responsible, etc.).

• I see nothing better, I keep him forever

  ➔ Simple Present Tense with Emphasis

  ➔ The simple present tense is used to express a general truth or a habit. In this case, it expresses a strong conviction or decision. The lack of a helping verb before "keep" is stylistic and emphasizes the certainty of the action.

• Touch me and you'll never be alone

  ➔ Conditional Sentence (Type 1 - Implied 'If')

  ➔ This is a type 1 conditional sentence, but the 'if' is implied. 'Touch me' functions as the 'if' clause, meaning 'if you touch me'. The result clause is 'you'll never be alone', indicating a likely outcome if the condition is met.

• Stealing hearts and running off and never saying sorry

  ➔ Present Participles as Adjectives/Gerunds

  ➔ "Stealing", "running", and "saying" are present participles acting as gerunds in this context, describing actions. They contribute to a vivid description of the subject's behavior.

• Every lover known in comparison is a failure

  ➔ Past Participle as an Adjective

  ➔ The word "known" is a past participle being used as an adjective to modify "lover". It's equivalent to "Every lover that is known..." It adds a layer of detail, specifying which lovers are being discussed.