Shadowing Practice: Eric Martin Interview about the song "Amazing Grace" - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Eric Martin Interview about the song "Amazing Grace"”. This video has 19 sentences and 187 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:47. The speaker talks slowly, about 105 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 82% 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
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| belief noun | /bɪˈliːf/ | Mental acceptance of a claim as true. |
| spin verb | /spɪn/ | To rotate, revolve, gyrate (usually quickly); to partially or completely rotate to face another direction. |
| glory noun | /ˈɡlɔːɹi/ | Great beauty and splendor. |
| lyrics noun | /ˈlɪɹ.ɪks/ | The words to a song (or other vocal music). |
| organ noun | /ˈɔːɡən/ | The larger part of an organism, composed of tissues that perform similar functions. |
| perfection noun | /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/ | The quality or state of being perfect or complete, so that nothing substandard remains; the highest attainable state or degree of excellence. |
| spark noun | /ˈspɑɹk/ | A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction. |
| amen | /(ˌ)ɑːˈmɛn/ | At the end of a religious prayer: so be it. |
| anthem noun | /ˈæn.θəm/ [ˈæn̪.θəm] | A choral or vocal composition, often with a religious or political lyric. |
| choir noun | /kwaɪɚ/ | A group of people who sing together; a company of people who are trained to sing together. |
| grandiose adjective | /ɡɹæn.diˈəʊs/ | Large and impressive in size, scope or extent. |
| scat | /skæt/ | An imperative demand to leave, often understood by speaker and listener as impertinent. |
| synonymous adjective | /sɪˈnɑnɪməs/ | Having a similar (sometimes identical) meaning. (See Usage notes below) |
| vocalist noun | /ˈvoʊkəlɪst/ | A singer; a person who likes to sing. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've heard |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, couldn't, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: anthem /ˈæn.θəm/ [ˈæn̪.θəm], synonymous /sɪˈnɑnɪməs/
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 belief, spin, glory.
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.