ESL Vocabulary: Musical Genres

This PPT looks at the different musical genres and helps you learn how to talk about types of music when learning English. Check out www.ted-ielts.com for free IELTS practice.

1. Types of Music

2. Discuss What types (genres) of music do you know? Work with a small group and make a list.

3. What’s Popular In America, people like these kinds of music:

4. Rock Music Musically, rock has centered on the  electric guitar , usually as part of a rock group with  electric bass  and  drums  and one or more  singers .

5. Hip Hop Hip hop music is often known as rap . It grew out of the African-American community of the 1970s and ‘80s.

6. Alternative Alternative rock is different from mainstream rock. Many bands fall into this category. It is simply constructed music, usually involving guitars , drums , and bass .

7. Pop Pop is short for popular. It is commercial and carefully produced to suit current trends.

8. Jazz Jazz is a highly creative and diverse type of music involving many possible instruments such as horns.

9. Classical Classical usually refers to a period of time when people like Bach and Beethoven played. That style of music continues until today.

10. There are many kinds of music…. Let’s see some more types, arranged by their influences.

11. Listen You will now listen to a short video that gives examples of types of music.

12. How to Describe Music Adjectives for music ____ music is… Soft Heavy Romantic Resonant Relaxing Lively

13. How to Describe Music Effects of music It makes me feel… Happy Relaxed Refreshed Upbeat Excited

14. Discuss Do you often listen to music? What kind of music do you listen to? Why?

15. Finally In a small group, list some of the benefits of listening to music.

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