Shadowing Practice: Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now (Official Audio) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Johnny Nash - I Can See Clearly Now”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: bright, gone, sunshiny, sunshine. This video has 15 sentences and 162 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:38. The speaker talks slowly, about 62 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
11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sunshine noun | /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/ | The direct rays, light or warmth of the sun. |
| cloud noun | /ˈklaʊ̯d/ | A visible mass of water droplets suspended in the air. |
| obstacle noun | /ˈɑbstəkəl/ | Something that impedes, stands in the way of, or holds up progress, either physically or figuratively |
| pray verb | /pɹeɪ/ | To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc. |
| disappear verb | /dɪsəˈpɪɹ/ | To vanish. |
| sunshiny adjective | /ˈsʌnˌʃaɪ.ni/ | Sunny; having, characterised by, full of, or illuminated by sunshine. |
| bright adjective | /ˈbɹaɪ̯t/ | Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant. |
| blind adjective | /ˈblaɪ̯nd/ | Unable to see, or only partially able to see. |
| clearly adverb | /ˈklɪɚli/ | In a clear manner. |
| rain noun | /ˈɹeɪn/ | Condensed water falling from a cloud. |
| heavy adjective | /ˈhɛv.i/ | Having great weight. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been praying |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have disappeared |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 8 contractions and reduced forms, such as gonna, I've, wanna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sunshine /ˈsʌnʃaɪn/, sunshiny /ˈsʌnˌʃaɪ.ni/
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 sunshine, cloud, obstacle.
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.