Shadowing Practice: Phil Collins - Another Day in Paradise (Seriously Live in Berlin 1990) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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The She
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calls out to the man on the street Sir, can you help me?
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It's cold and I've nowhere to see There's somewhere you can tell me He walks on,
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doesn't look back He pretends he can't hear her
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He starts to whistle as he crosses the sky Seems embarrassed to be there Oh,
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think twice Cause it's an idea for you and me in paradise Oh,
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think twice It's just an idea for you and me in paradise Think about it
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She calls out to the man on the street He can see she's been crying
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She's got blisters on the soles of the feet She can't walk but she's trying Oh yes,
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think twice It's just another day for you and me in paradise Oh yes,
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think twice It's just another day for you You mean paradise
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Just think about it Breaking my heart Breaking my body
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Oh Lord There's nothing more anybody can do Oh,
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oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
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oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh, oh,
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oh Oh
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yes, think twice It's just another way for you and me in paradise Oh yes,
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think twice It's just another way for you and me in paradise Just think about it
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It's just another day for you and me and that
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It's just another day for you and me and that It's just another day,
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you and me, in battle It's just another day,
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you and me, in battle It's just another day,
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you and me, it's another day You and me,
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it's a holiday You and me,
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in paradise In paradise, oh
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The End

Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

Practicing with "Another Day in Paradise" is perfect for shadow speak (or "shadowspeaks")—a technique where you mimic the speaker’s rhythm, tone, and pronunciation. The video’s slow, clear delivery makes it ideal for IELTS speaking practice, as it builds fluency in real-world emotional contexts. The dialogue between the homeless woman and the passerby uses everyday language, helping you master conversational flow while connecting with the message—key for engaging speaking tasks.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

  • "She calls out to the man on the street": Uses present simple for repeated actions, common in storytelling. Practice this structure to describe ongoing scenarios in speaking tests.
  • "It's cold and I've nowhere to see": Contractions ("I've") and negative phrases ("nowhere to see") sound natural in speech. Mimic these to avoid formal "I have no place to go" in casual contexts.
  • "He pretends he can't hear her": Complex sentences with "pretends + clause" show advanced structure. Use this to explain actions and motivations, a must for IELTS band 7+.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Improve English pronunciation by focusing on tricky sounds here. "Paradise" often gets mispronounced—stress the second syllable: "PA-ra-dise," not "pa-RA-dise." "Blisters" has a short "i" sound ("blis-ters"), not a long "ee." The phrase "think twice" uses a soft "th" (not "t" or "d")—practice by placing your tongue between your teeth. Shadowing these lines will sharpen your accent and make you sound more natural.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.