Shadowing Practice: Barack Obama's final speech as president – video highlights - Learn English Speaking with Video

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48 sentences
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Hello Chicago!
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It's good to be home!
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If I had told you eight years ago that America would reverse a Great Recession,
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reboot our auto industry, and unleash the longest stretch of job creation in our history.
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If I had told you that we would open up a new chapter with the Cuban people.
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shut down Iran's nuclear weapons program without firing a shot, take out the mastermind of 9 /11.
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If I had told you that we would win marriage equality
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and secure the right to health insurance for another 20 million of our fellow citizens.
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Thank you.
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If I told you all that, The President: You might have said, Our sights were set a little too high.
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Oh.
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But that's what we did.
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I can't do that.
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After my election, there was talk of a post -racial America.
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And such a vision -- However well -intended, It was never realistic.
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Race remains a potent and often divisive force in our society.
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If you're tired of arguing with strangers on the Internet, Try talking with one of them in real life.
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If you're disappointed by your elected officials, Grab a clipboard, get some signatures, and run for office yourself.
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Show up!
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Dive in.
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Stay at it.
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Sometimes you'll win.
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Sometimes you'll lose.
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Michelle LaVon Robinson.
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Girl of the South Side.
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We made the White House a place that belongs to everybody.
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And the new generation sets its sights higher because it has you as a role model.
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Malia And Sasha.
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of all that I have done in my life, I am most proud to be your dad.
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for too many of us.
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It's become safer to retreat into our own bubbles, whether in our neighborhoods or on college campuses. or places of worship.
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or especially our social media feeds.
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surrounded by people who look like us and share the same political outlook, and never challenge our assumptions.
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And increasingly, we become so secure in our bubbles that we start accepting only information,
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whether it's true or not, that fits our opinions.
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instead of basing our opinions on the evidence that is out there.
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I am asking you to hold fast to that faith written into our founding documents, That idea whispered.
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by slaves and abolitionists.
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That spirit sung by immigrants and homesteaders and those who march for justice, That creed.
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reaffirmed by those who planted flags from foreign battlefields to the surface of the moon.
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A creed at the core of every American whose story is not yet written.
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Yes, we can.
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Yes, we did.
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Yes, we can.
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Thank you.
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God bless you.
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Thank you.
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you Thank you.

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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

Learning English with YouTube is a fantastic way to master real-world communication, and Barack Obama's final speech is a goldmine for practice. His clear, confident delivery makes it perfect for english speaking practice and shadow speech—a technique where you repeat phrases right after the speaker. This video lets you mimic natural rhythm, intonation, and emphasis, helping you sound more fluent. Plus, the speech covers emotional and persuasive language, so you’ll learn to connect with listeners, not just recite words. It’s like having a virtual tutor guiding you through impactful communication!

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Let’s break down key structures to boost your skills:

  • "If I had told you eight years ago...": This past perfect conditional shows hypothetical situations. Use it to talk about "what ifs" in the past—great for storytelling or reflecting on choices.
  • "Show up! Dive in. Stay at it.": Short, imperative verbs create energy. Practice these to give clear, motivating advice in conversations or presentations.
  • "That idea whispered by slaves... That spirit sung by immigrants...": Past participles ("whispered," "sung") add depth without long clauses. Use them to describe actions indirectly, making your speech more concise.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Watch out for these tricky sounds to nail Obama’s smooth accent:

  • "Divisive": The stress is on the second syllable: di-VI-sive. Many learners stress the first—listen closely to avoid that!
  • "Assumptions": The "mp" sound is soft, not a hard "m-p." Say it like "uh-SUM-shuns" to keep it natural.
  • "Homesteaders": The "ea" is short, like "hem," not "heel." Practice "HOM-sted-ers" to match the video’s flow.

Use the shadowing technique—pause, repeat, and compare your version to the video. Over time, you’ll notice your pronunciation and rhythm improving. Remember: every "yes, we can" you mimic brings you closer to confident English speaking. Let’s get started!

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →