Learning English

Swift's war of words

Taylor Swift becomes the first woman to win a second Grammy award for album of the year. But she uses her acceptance speech to hit back at critics, including one very famous singer.

Watch our video to find out who, and learn useful words and phrases you need to talk about this news story.

Slang challenge

Which of these is a slang word for 'award'?

a) Clang

b) Gong

c) Bling

Watch the video and complete the activity

The story

The singer Taylor Swift has won this year's album of the year Grammy for 1989 during the lavish awards ceremony in Los Angeles.

She's the first female artist to win that award twice.

James Cook - BBC News

Taylor Swift opened the show and by the time it ended she had three Grammys, including album of the year, for 1989.

She told young women in the music business to persevere and take credit for their own talents.

Rapper Kendrick Lamar, who blends soul, jazz and hip hop, won five awards. His performance featured black men breaking free from their chains.

Record of the year went to British producer and DJ Mark Ronson for his collaboration with Bruno Mars on Uptown Funk.

Having waited four years to win one Grammy, English singer Ed Sheeran went home with two for performing and songwriting.

Key words and phrases

album
several pieces of music sold together usually in a digital file or CD

lavish
expensive and impressive

artist
(here) musician, actor or performer

sweep
(here) to win a number of things easily

diss
to say something rude or disrespectful about someone

all over the place
badly planned, organised or executed

Slang challenge - answer

b) Gong

More

Learn more about this story with BBC News.

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