Shadowing Practice: Fall Out Boy - Centuries (Official Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Fall Out Boy - Centuries”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: centuries, legends, dust, mistake, gold. This video has 24 sentences and 345 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:24. The speaker talks slowly, about 79 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| legend noun | /ˈlɛd͡ʒ.ənd/ | The life story of a saint (such stories are often embellished, but any kind is called a legend). |
| dust noun | /dʌst/ | Fine, dry particles of matter found in the air and covering the surface of objects, typically consisting of soil lifted up by the wind, pollen, hair, fiber… |
| darkness noun | /ˈdɑɹk.nɪs/ | The state of being dark; lack of light; the absolute or comparative absence of light. |
| mama noun | /ˈmɑmə/ | Synonym of mother (“a female parent”). |
| cherry noun | /ˈt͡ʃɛɹi/ | A small fruit, usually red, black or yellow, with a smooth hard seed and a short hard stem. |
| scream verb | /skɹiːm/ | To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek. |
| teenage adjective | /ˈtiːneɪd͡ʒ/ | Of or relating to an age between thirteen and nineteen years old. |
| freeze verb | /ˈfɹiːz/ | Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature. |
| poison noun | /ˈpɔɪ.zən/ | A substance that is harmful or lethal to a living organism when ingested. |
| bloom noun | /blum/ | A blossom; the flower of a plant; an expanded bud. |
| thigh noun | /θaɪ/ | The upper leg of a human, between the hip and the knee. |
| blossom verb | /ˈblɑ.səm/ | To have, or open into, blossoms; to bloom. |
| fingerprint noun | /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌpɹɪnt/ | The natural pattern of ridges on the tips of human fingers, unique to each individual. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are told · was only born |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will remember · will take |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as we'll, you're, 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 legend, dust, darkness.
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.