Song Lessons

Fundamentals of English Grammar, 3rd Edition

BLOWIN IN THE WIN by Bob Dylan
Performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary
! lesson a"out #uestions $ith how many % &ount noun '(ha)ters **+ and
time &lauses '(ha)ter ,+
Notes to the Tea&her
*- The Song
Do a search on the Internet to find the song Blowin in the Wind by Bob Dylan. When
you search, be sure to include the title and the name of the artist.
,- Song "a&.ground
Bob Dylan is a ery famous !merican songwriter who has won many awards for his
music. "e is most famous for music that he wrote in the #$%&s, but he still writes songs
now.
Bob Dylan is famous for writing songs of social commentary. In other words, his songs
tal' about things that are good and bad in the (nited )tates. *his song, Blowin in the
Wind, tal's about the +ietnam War, a war that the (nited )tates was fighting at the
time. Many ,eo,le, li'e Bob Dylan, thought that the war was unnecessary and wrong.

3- Grammar "a&.ground
*his song as's a lot of -uestions with how many. )how students how -uestions with
how many are formed.
How many / ,lural noun / hel,ing erb / sub0ect / erb1
How many words do you see?
*his song also uses a lot of modal erbs. *he form for these -uestions is the same.
How many / ,lural noun / modal erb / sub0ect / erb1
How many classes must a student take?
Point out that only ,lural count nouns are used with how many 2"ow many words1 "ow
many classes13 4ou can find more information on how many -uestions with count
nouns on ,age 566 in 7ha,ter ## of Fundamentals of English Grammar.
*his song also uses time clauses. ! time clause begins with before, after, until, while,
when, or as soon as. "ere is an e8am,le.
I brushed my teeth before I went to bed.
!s' olunteers to gie a few more e8am,les.
Page 1 of 5

7o,yright 9 6&&: Pearson ;ducation, Inc. !ll rights resered. Permission granted to re,roduce for classroom use.

Song Lessons
Fundamentals of English Grammar, 3rd Edition
BLOWIN IN THE WIN by Bob Dylan
Performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary
4ou can find more information on time clauses on ,age <= in 7ha,ter 6 of
Fundamentals of English Grammar.
/- 0o&a"ular1
*his is a list of some of the words you may want to discuss during your lesson.
do2e3 a 'ind of bird
sail3 trael oer water in a boat or shi,
&annon"all3 a heay ball that is used in war
"an3 ma'e something illegal
ho$ man1 times3 how often
)retend. to act li'e something is true when you 'now it is not true
Page 2 of 5

7o,yright 9 6&&: Pearson ;ducation, Inc. !ll rights resered. Permission granted to re,roduce for classroom use.

Song Lessons
Fundamentals of English Grammar, 3rd Edition
BLOWIN IN THE WIN by Bob Dylan
Performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary
Student Wor.sheet
While 1ou listen
*- >isten to the song once. While you listen, try to hear ,hrases with how many. When
you hear how many, write it down, and include the noun that follows it. 4our list will
loo' li'e this.
how many cats
how many dogs
,- >isten one more time. >isten for time clauses. In this song, before and till 2short for
until3 are used. When you hear a clauses using before or till, write it down as best
you can.

B;?@A; *I>>BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB

3- Cow listen one more time and follow along with the te8t.
?ind all of the -uestions with how many and underline them. *here are a lotD
7ircle all the time clauses.
!fter 1ou listen
*- Things to thin. a"out
Is there an answer to the -uestions in this song1
What do you thin' the title Blowin in the Wind means1
What do you thin' the meaning of this song is1 What does the writer want to
say1 Aemember that the song was written during a war, but it may hae other
meanings, too.
Page 3 of 5

7o,yright 9 6&&: Pearson ;ducation, Inc. !ll rights resered. Permission granted to re,roduce for classroom use.

Song Lessons
Fundamentals of English Grammar, 3rd Edition
BLOWIN IN THE WIN by Bob Dylan
Performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary
Page 4 of 5

7o,yright 9 6&&: Pearson ;ducation, Inc. !ll rights resered. Permission granted to re,roduce for classroom use.

Song Lessons
Fundamentals of English Grammar, 3rd Edition
BLOWIN IN THE WIN by Bob Dylan
Performed by Peter, Paul, and Mary
Student Wor.sheet )age ,
,- Grammar
Death is usually used as a noncount noun li'e love or eace. What does it mean
here, when it is used as a count noun1
3- Writing
*hin' of some ,roblems in your life or in the world. Write three -uestions about the
,roblems. (se the same style as the song. 4ou can be serious or funny.
?or e8am,le, you could write.
How many times will my cat scratch my sofa
before she uses her scratching ost?
2! scratching ,ost is a small car,et for cats to scratch.3
Page 5 of 5

7o,yright 9 6&&: Pearson ;ducation, Inc. !ll rights resered. Permission granted to re,roduce for classroom use.