Smooth Criminal – English Lyrics

• By: Michael Jackson
• Album: Bad

Lyrics & Translation

Key Vocabulary

Vocabulary	Meanings
criminal /ˈkrɪmɪnəl/ B1	noun - a person who has committed a crime adjective - relating to crime
smooth /smuːð/ A2	adjective - having an even, regular surface; free from bumps or lumps adjective - (of a movement or action) performed with no sudden stops, changes, or difficulties
hit /hɪt/ A1	verb - to strike or collide with
strike /straɪk/ B1	verb - to hit something or someone forcefully verb - (of a disaster, disease, or other unwelcome phenomenon) occur suddenly and cause damage or suffering to (someone or something)
run /rʌn/ A1	verb - to move quickly on foot verb - to manage or operate (a business, system, etc.)
doom /duːm/ B2	noun - an unpleasant or disastrous destiny; a terrible future verb - to condemn (someone or something) to a specified fate, especially a bad one
okay /ˌoʊˈkeɪ/ A1	adjective - satisfactory; acceptable adjective - in good health; well
apartment /əˈpɑːrtmənt/ A2	noun - a set of rooms for living in, especially on one floor of a building
carpet /ˈkɑːrpɪt/ A2	noun - a floor covering made from thick woven fabric
bloodstains /ˈblʌdsteɪnz/ B2	noun - a mark left by blood
bedroom /ˈbɛdruːm/ A1	noun - a room used for sleeping
window /ˈwɪndoʊ/ A1	noun - an opening in the wall or roof of a building that is fitted with a frame containing glass or other transparent material
sound /saʊnd/ A1	noun - vibrations that travel through the air or another medium and can be heard when they reach a person's or animal's ear verb - to make a sound
crescendo /krəˈʃɛndoʊ/ B2	noun - a gradual increase in loudness or intensity (especially in music)
unable /ʌnˈeɪbəl/ A2	adjective - lacking the ability, means, or opportunity to do something
clue /kluː/ B1	noun - a piece of evidence or information used in the detection of a crime or solving of a mystery
suspect /ˈsʌspɛkt/ (noun) /səˈspɛkt/ (verb) B1	noun - a person thought to be guilty of a crime or offense verb - to have an idea or impression of the existence, presence, or truth of (something) without certain proof
resuscitation /rɪˌsʌsɪˈteɪʃən/ C1	noun - the action of reviving someone from unconsciousness or apparent death

Key Grammar Structures

• As he came into the window was a sound of a crescendo

  ➔ Adverbial Clause of Time (using 'As')

  ➔ The word "As" introduces an adverbial clause of time, indicating two actions happening simultaneously in the past. Here, the arrival and the sound.

• He left the bloodstains on the carpet

  ➔ Past Simple (Affirmative)

  ➔ The verb "left" is in the simple past tense, used to describe a completed action that happened at a specific time in the past.

• She could see she was unable

  ➔ Modal Verb 'could' (Past Ability)

  ➔ "could" is the past form of "can", expressing 'ability' in the past. Here, it refers to what "she was able to see".

• She was struck down it was her doom

  ➔ Passive Voice (Past Simple Passive)

  ➔ "was struck down" is in the passive voice (Past Simple Passive), indicating that the subject "She" received the action, rather than performed it.

• Annie, are you okay

  ➔ Yes/No Question (Present Simple of 'to be')

  ➔ This is a direct yes/no question using the verb "to be" in the present simple tense. The inversion of "are" and "you" forms the question.

• You've been hit by

  ➔ Present Perfect Passive

  ➔ "You've been hit" is in the Present Perfect Passive, formed with "have/has + been + past participle". It describes an action that happened in the past but has a result or relevance in the present.

• There were no clues, they're behind him

  ➔ 'There + to be' construction (Existence)

  ➔ "There were" is used to state the existence or non-existence of something in the past. The "There + be" structure introduces the subject after the verb.

• Every time I tried to find him

  ➔ Adverbial Phrase of Frequency ('Every time')

  ➔ "Every time" is an adverbial phrase of frequency, meaning 'each instance' or 'whenever', indicating repeated actions.

• Will you tell us that you're okay

  ➔ Future Simple (Question) + Noun Clause

  ➔ "Will you tell us" forms a question in the future simple, asking about a future action. "that you're okay" is a noun clause acting as the direct object of "tell".

• I taught him everything he knows.

  ➔ Relative Clause (with implied 'that'/'which')

  ➔ "he knows" is a relative clause (specifically, an adjective clause) modifying "everything". The relative pronoun "that" or "which" is omitted but implied after "everything".