Shadowing Practice: Alone Again Naturally 1972 Gilbert O´Sullivan - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Recommend Video
B2David Gilmour At Later... with Jools Holland - The Interview (2024)
B1ALONE - Gym Motivation 😔
B2GRIEVING - ALLOWING THE CHUCKLES AS WELL AS THE TEARS WHENEVER APPROPRIATE. PART OF PROCESS.
B2The Last Goodbye | Romantic Acoustic Vibes | Mix Love Songs 2026
B2Billy Idol - Eyes Without A Face
B2Loreen - Crying Out Your Name
B2Henry Moodie - sunday morning (official video)
B280 Year Olds Share Advice for Younger Self
B2relationships are hard.
B1Depeche Mode - Precious (Remastered)
B2James Arthur - Impossible (Official Video)
B2MAMA DON'T CLOSE YOUR EYES. BJORN BONEBREAKER VIDEO KARAOKE LYRICS #VIRAL GHING2X GALVE KARAOKE TV
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Alone Again Naturally 1972 Gilbert O´Sullivan”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: naturally, alone, cried. This video has 26 sentences and 245 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:18. The speaker talks slowly, about 74 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| naturally adverb | /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ | In a natural manner. |
| badly adverb | /ˈbæd.li/ | In a bad manner. |
| whoever | /huˈɛvɚ/ | Who ever: an emphatic form of who. |
| knock verb | /nɑk/ | To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood. |
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
| mercy noun | /ˈmɝsi/ | Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another. |
| mere adjective | /mɪɚ/ | Just, only; no more than, pure and simple, neither more nor better than might be expected. |
| encouragement noun | [ɪnˈkʌɹɪd͡ʒmənt] | The act of encouraging |
| cheerful adjective | /ˈt͡ʃɪɹfl̩/ | Noticeably happy and optimistic. |
| lurch verb | /lɜɹt͡ʃ/ | To make such a sudden, unsteady movement. |
| mend verb | /mɛnd/ | To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged). |
| shatter verb | /ˈʃætɚ/ | To violently break something into pieces. |
| unattended adjective | Not attended; without persons present. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come around verb | /kʌ.məˈɹaʊnd/ | To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. | |
| pass away verb | To die. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, couldn't, wouldn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, encouragement [ɪnˈkʌɹɪd͡ʒmənt]
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like naturally, badly, whoever.
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.