Shadowing Practice: Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend (Official Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Coldplay - Hymn For The Weekend”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: drunk, feeling, shoot, drink, across. This video has 17 sentences and 269 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:12. The speaker talks slowly, about 84 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pour verb | /poɹ/ | To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it. |
| symphony noun | /ˈsɪm.fə.ni/ | An extended piece of music of sophisticated structure, usually for orchestra. |
| angel noun | /ˈeɪ̯n.d͡ʒəl/ | An incorporeal and holy or semidivine messenger from a deity or other divine entity, traditionally depicted as a youthful, winged figure in flowing robes. |
| flood noun | /flʌd/ | An overflow of a large amount of water (usually disastrous) from a lake or other body of water due to excessive rainfall or other input of water. |
| thirsty adjective | /ˈθɝs.ti/ | Needing to drink water or any liquid that can supply water. |
| wing noun | /wɪŋ/ | An appendage of an animal's (bird, bat, insect) body that enables it to fly. |
| lift noun | /lɪft/ | An act of lifting or raising. |
| drink verb | /ˈdɹɪŋk/ | To consume (a liquid) through the mouth. |
| shoot verb | /ʃut/ | To fire (a weapon that releases a bullet or other projectile). |
| heavy adjective | /ˈhɛv.i/ | Having great weight. |
| miles noun | /maɪlz/ | A great distance in space or time. |
| hurt verb | /hɝt/ | To cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury. |
| drug noun | /ˈdɹʌɡ/ | A substance used to treat an illness, relieve a symptom, or modify a chemical process in the body for a specific purpose. |
| dry adjective | /ˈdɹaɪ̯/ | Free from or lacking moisture. |
| rain noun | /ˈɹeɪn/ | Condensed water falling from a cloud. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| dry up verb | To become dry (often of weather); to lose water. | |
| light up verb | To illuminate, to bring light to something, to brighten. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 pour, symphony, angel.
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.