The Kids Aren't Alright

• By: The Offspring

Lyrics:

Vocabulary in this song:

Vocabulary	Meanings
young /jʌŋ/ A1	adjective - having lived or existed for only a short time
bright /braɪt/ B1	adjective - giving out or reflecting a lot of light
alive /əˈlaɪv/ B1	adjective - living, not dead
kid /kɪd/ A1	noun - a child or young person
make /meɪk/ A1	verb - to create or construct
beat /biːt/ B1	verb - to defeat someone in a game or competition
cracked /krækt/ B2	adjective - damaged with lines on the surface
torn /tɔːrn/ B2	adjective - damaged by being pulled apart
grown /ɡroʊn/ A2	verb - past participle of grow: to increase in size or develop
lives /laɪvz/ A1	noun - plural of life: the condition that distinguishes organisms from inorganic matter
worn /wɔːrn/ B2	adjective - damaged or thin as a result of much use
swallow /ˈswɒləʊ/ B2	verb - to cause to pass down the throat
thrown /θroʊn/ B1	verb - past participle of throw: propel with force
hard /hɑːrd/ A2	adjective - not easy; requiring effort
fragile /ˈfrædʒaɪl/ B2	adjective - easily broken or damaged; delicate
shattered /ˈʃætərd/ C1	adjective - completely broken or destroyed
dreams /driːmz/ A2	noun - a series of thoughts, images, or emotions occurring during sleep
dropped /drɑːpt/ B1	verb - to let or make something fall vertically.
job /dʒɑːb/ A1	noun - a paid position of regular employment
committed /kəˈmɪtɪd/ B2	verb - carry out or perpetrate (a mistake, crime, or immoral act).

Grammar:

• WHEN WE WERE YOUNG THE FUTURE WAS SO BRIGHT

  ➔ Past Simple Tense (were, was)

  ➔ Describes a state or condition in the past. "Were" is used with the plural subject "we", and "was" is used with the singular subject "future".

• WAS GONNA MAKE IT BIG AND NOT BE BEAT

  ➔ "Gonna" (going to) + Infinitive; Passive Voice (be beat)

  ➔ "Gonna" is a colloquial abbreviation for "going to", indicating future intention. "Be beat" is a passive construction, meaning 'defeated' or 'overcome'.

• THE KIDS ARE GROWN UP BUT THEIR LIVES ARE WORN

  ➔ Present Simple Tense (are), Conjunction (but)

  ➔ Use of the present simple tense "are" to describe the current state of the kids and their lives. "But" is a conjunction indicating a contrast between their initial potential and current situation.

• HOW CAN ONE LITTLE STREET SWALLOW SO MANY LIVES

  ➔ Modal Verb (can), Question Formation

  ➔ "Can" expresses possibility or ability. The word order is inverted to form a question: "How can [street] swallow...?"

• LONGING FOR WHAT USED TO BE

  ➔ Gerund (Longing), "Used to"

  ➔ "Longing" is a gerund (verb acting as a noun) describing the act of yearning. "Used to" indicates a past habit or state that is no longer true.

• JAMIE HAD A CHANCE, WELL SHE REALLY DID

  ➔ Past Simple (had), Auxiliary Verb (did) for emphasis

  ➔ "Had" is the past simple of "have", indicating a past event. "Did" is used as an auxiliary verb to emphasize the statement that she really did have a chance.

• CAUSE HE'S GOT NO JOB

  ➔ Informal Contraction "Cause" (Because), Present Perfect Short Form "He's got"

  ➔ "Cause" is an informal contraction of "because". "He's got" is a shortened form of "He has got", which is equivalent to "He has" in American English, indicating possession or a state.

• WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON

  ➔ Present Continuous (is going on), Interrogative Structure

  ➔ The present continuous "is going on" describes an action that is happening now or around now. The interrogative structure is used to ask a question about the situation.