Shadowing Practice: katy perry - wide awake (slowed + reverb) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “katy perry - wide awake”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: awake, wide, falling, cloud, nine. This video has 32 sentences and 288 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:03. The speaker talks slowly, about 71 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 69% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| awake verb | /əˈweɪk/ | To become conscious after having slept. |
| cloud noun | /ˈklaʊ̯d/ | A visible mass of water droplets suspended in the air. |
| concrete adjective | /ˌkɑnˈkɹit/ | Real, actual, tangible. |
| gravity noun | /ˈɡɹævɪti/ | Of an activity such as a ceremony, a person's conduct, etc.: the quality of being deeply serious and solemn, especially in a dignified manner; seriousness… |
| dive verb | /daɪv/ | To swim under water. |
| pretend verb | /pɹəˈtɛnd/ | To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance. |
| thunder noun | /ˈθʌndɚ/ | The loud rumbling, cracking, or crashing sound caused by expansion of rapidly heated air around a lightning bolt. |
| grumble verb | /ˈɡɹʌmbl̩/ | To make a low, growling or rumbling noise, like a hungry stomach or certain animals. |
| rumble noun | /ˈɹʌmb(ə)l/ | A low, heavy, continuous sound, such as that of thunder or a hungry stomach. |
| bright adjective | /ˈbɹaɪ̯t/ | Emitting much light; visually dazzling; luminous, lucent, radiant. |
| crash noun | /ˈkɹæʃ/ | A sudden, intense, loud sound, as made for example by cymbals. |
| blind adjective | /ˈblaɪ̯nd/ | Unable to see, or only partially able to see. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was falling · was dreaming |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm letting · I'm falling · I'm diving |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, wouldn't, ain'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 awake, cloud, concrete.
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.