Shadowing Practice: Kanye West - Runaway (Video Version) ft. Pusha T - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Kanye West - Runaway (Video Version) ft. Pusha T”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: toast, baby, Runaway, fast. This video has 43 sentences and 421 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:33. The speaker talks slowly, about 93 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| toast noun | /toʊst/ | Bread that has been toasted (cooked lightly by browning). |
| alright | /ɔlˈɹaɪt/ | Used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance; OK. |
| knock verb | /nɑk/ | To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood. |
| matrix noun | /ˈmeɪ.tɹɪks/ | The cavity or mold in which anything is formed. |
| sofa noun | /ˈsoʊ̯fə/ | An upholstered seat with a raised back and one or two raised ends, long enough to comfortably accommodate two or more people. |
| bracelet noun | /ˈbɹeɪslət/ | A band or chain worn around the wrist as jewelry/jewellery or an ornament. |
| addict noun | /ˈæd.ɪkt/ | A person who is addicted, especially to a harmful drug. |
| waitress noun | /ˈweɪ.tɹɪs/ | A female attendant who serves customers in a restaurant, café, or similar. |
| baller noun | /ˈbɔːlɚ/ | A kitchenware utensil for cutting ball-shaped pieces of foods. |
| blouse noun | /ˈblaʊ̯s/ | A shirt for women or girls, particularly a shirt with buttons and often a collar; a dress shirt tailored for women. |
| faceless adjective | Having no face. | |
| knockoff noun | An imitation of something, particularly a well-known product, usually of lower quality and price than the original. | |
| tasteless adjective | /ˈteɪstləs/ | Having no flavour; bland; insipid. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| run away verb | To flee by running. |
| run away from verb | To avoid or shirk a problem or consequences; to rush to back away from or disclaim responsibility for something. |
| put up with verb | To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying. |
| work off verb | To lose (weight) by doing physical work; to burn off the calories gained from eating something. |
| talk over verb | To discuss; to converse about a matter or issue. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 16 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, 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 toast, alright, knock.
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.