Shadowing Practice: Dua Lipa - Training Season (Lyrics) مترجمة - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 25 sentences and 341 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:27. The speaker talks slowly, about 99 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% 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
14 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- drain /dɹiːn/ (noun) — A conduit allowing liquid to flow out of an otherwise contained volume; a plughole (UK)
- horrible /ˈhɔɹ.ɪ.bəl/ (adjective) — Causing horror; terrible; shocking.
- lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (noun) — A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
- compete /kəmˈpiːt/ (verb) — To be in battle or in a rivalry with another for the same thing, position, or reward; to contend.
- daddy /ˈdædi/ (noun) — Also used as a term of address: a father; one's father.
- lover /ˈlʌvɚ/ (noun) — One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse.
- vulnerable /ˈvʌln(ə)ɹəbl̩/ (adjective) — More or most likely to be exposed to the chance of being attacked or harmed, either physically or emotionally.
- vertical /ˈvɝ.tɪ.kəl/ (adjective) — Standing, pointing, or moving straight up or down; parallel to the local direction of gravity; along the direction of a plumb line; perpendicular to something…
- poison /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ (noun) — A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested.
- tricky /ˈtɹɪk.i/ (adjective) — Hard to deal with, complicated.
- compass /ˈkʌmpəs/ (noun) — A magnetic or electronic device used to determine the cardinal directions (usually magnetic or true north).
- overload /ˌəʊvəˈləʊd/ (verb) — To load excessively.
- rodeo /ˈɹoʊ.di.oʊ/ (noun) — A gathering of cattle to be branded.
- sideline /ˈsaɪdlaɪn/ (noun) — A line at the side of something.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- go with (verb) — To choose or accept (a suggestion).
- ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
- go for (verb) — To try for, to attempt to reach.
- stuck on (adjective) — Fascinated by; enchanted by.
- wait for (verb) — To wait until the specified event occurs.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 18 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, wanna, I'm. 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 drain, horrible, lesson.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | somebody who can |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should know |
| Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two things | Deeper than |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | need to learn · have to show · have to teach |
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.











