Shadowing Practice: Justin Bieber - Company - 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 “Justin Bieber - Company”. This video has 20 sentences and 239 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:24. The speaker talks slowly, about 70 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 86% 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 11 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lover noun | /ˈlʌvɚ/ | One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse. |
| lonely adjective | /ˈloʊnli/ | Unhappy due to feeling isolated from contact with other people. |
| paradise noun | /ˈpæɹədaɪs/ | The place where sanctified souls are believed to live after death. |
| obligation noun | /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ | The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone. |
| reign noun | /ɹeɪ̯n/ | The exercise of sovereign power. |
| elevation noun | /ˌɛlɪˈveɪʃn̩/ | The act of raising from a lower place, condition, or quality to a higher; said of material things, persons, the mind, the voice, etc. |
| complication noun | /ˌkɑm.pləˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | The act or process of complicating. |
| frame noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯m/ | The structural elements of a building or other constructed object. |
| touch verb | /tʌt͡ʃ/ | To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with. |
| drink verb | /ˈdɹɪŋk/ | To consume (a liquid) through the mouth. |
| conversation noun | /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/ | Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as ain't, don't, gotta. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: obligation /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/, elevation /ˌɛlɪˈveɪʃn̩/, complication /ˌkɑm.pləˈkeɪ.ʃən/, conversation /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: complication /ˌkɑm.pləˈkeɪ.ʃən/, conversation /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/
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 lover, lonely, paradise.
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.