Shadowing Practice: Lana Del Rey - Born to Die (Lyrics) - 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 “Lana Del Rey - Born to Die”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: die, born, road, pouring, kiss. This video has 40 sentences and 423 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:30. The speaker talks slowly, about 94 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 90% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| pour verb | /poɹ/ | To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it. |
| meantime noun | /ˈmiːntaɪm/ | The time spent waiting for another event; time in between. |
| insane adjective | /ɪnˈseɪn/ | Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad. |
| confused adjective | /kənˈfjuːzd/ | unable to think clearly or understand |
| gate noun | /ˈɡeɪ̯t/ | A doorlike structure outside a house. |
| cousin noun | /ˈkʌz(ə)n/ | Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a… |
| verse noun | /ˈvɝs/ | A poetic form with regular meter and a fixed rhyme scheme. |
| torch noun | /ˈtɔːtʃ/ | A stick of wood or plant fibres twisted together, with one end soaked in a flammable substance such as resin or tallow and set on fire, which is held in the… |
| laugh verb | /læf/ | To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and… |
| fail verb | /feɪl/ | To be unsuccessful. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| sing verb | /ˈsɪŋ/ | To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice. |
| blind adjective | /ˈblaɪ̯nd/ | Unable to see, or only partially able to see. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| walk through verb | To explain (something) to (someone), step by step. |
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 | were born |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | keep making |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna take · gonna sing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 23 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, gonna. 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 pour, meantime, insane.
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.