Shadowing Practice: Lukas Graham - 7 Years [Official Music Video] - Learn English Speaking with Video

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18 sentences

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Once I was seven years old my momma told me Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely Once I was seven years old

It was a big big world, but we thought we were bigger Pushing each other to the limits, we were learning quicker By eleven smoking herb and drinking burning liquor

Never rich so we were out to make that steady figure Once I was eleven years old My daddy told me Go get yourself a wife or you'll be lonely

Once I was eleven years old

I always had that dream like my daddy before me So I started writing songs, I started writing stories Something about that glory Just always seemed to bore me

'Cause only those I really love will ever really know me Once I was twenty years old, My story got told Before the morning sun, when life was lonely

Once I was twenty years old

I only see my goals, I don't believe in failure 'Cause, I know the smallest voices, they can make it major I got my boys with me at least those in favor

And if we don't meet before I leave, I hope I'll see you later Once I was twenty years old My story got told I was writing about everything, I saw before me

Once I was twenty years old

Soon we'll be thirty years old, Our songs have been sold We've traveled around the world and we're still roaming Soon we'll be thirty years old

I'm still learning about life My woman brought children for me So I can sing them all my songs And I can tell them stories Most of my boys are with me Some are still out seeking glory

And some I had to leave behind My brother I'm still sorry Soon I'll be sixty years old My daddy got sixty-one Remember life and then your life becomes a better one

I made a man so happy when I wrote a letter once I hope my children come and visit, once or twice a month Soon I'll be sixty years old

Will I think the world is cold Or will I have a lot of children who can warm me Soon I'll be sixty years old

Soon I'll be sixty years old Will I Think the world is cold Or will I Have a lot of children who can warm me Soon I'll be sixty years old

Once I was seven years old My momma told me Go make yourself some friends or you'll be lonely Once I was seven years old

Once I was seven years old

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice English through the lyrics of the song "7 Years" by Lukas Graham. This engaging content offers a unique opportunity to learn English with YouTube, as you delve into themes of growth, friendship, and life transitions. By working with the song's lyrics, you will enhance your listening skills, improve pronunciation, and expand your vocabulary—essential components for effective communication and IELTS speaking practice. The narrative style of the lyrics also provides context for understanding how life experiences shape us.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

make friends – to establish relationships with others
lonely – feeling sad because one has no friends or company
steady figure – a stable income or financial status
writing songs – the act of composing music with lyrics
goals – objectives or targets that one aims to achieve
traveling around the world – exploring different countries and cultures
visit – to go and see someone or something
life becomes a better one – the idea that life improves over time through experiences

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning experience with this song, follow these shadowing tips tailored to the song's speed and tone:

Listen Actively: First, listen to the song without attempting to sing along. Focus on the overall message and tone. Notice how Lukas Graham's voice rises and falls, which reflects emotion and meaning.
Repeat and Shadow: Play the song again and silently read the lyrics while you listen. Start shadowing—imitate the singer’s speech rhythm and intonation. This will help improve your fluency and pronunciation.
Manage Your Pace: Lukas Graham's delivery is conversational and at a moderate pace, which makes it suitable for shadowing practice. If it feels too fast, pause after each line to repeat before moving on.
Record Yourself: Use your phone to record your shadow speech. Listening back can help you identify areas for improvement and track your progress over time.
Understand the Context: Reflect on the lyrics and themes discussed. Making connections between the song's message and your own life experiences can deepen your understanding and vocabulary retention.

By engaging with the song through these techniques, you will not only improve your English speaking skills but also connect personally with the content, making the learning process both effective and enjoyable. Remember, practice makes perfect—so keep revisiting this shadowing site and continue growing your English language skills!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	children who can
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have been sold
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	have been sold
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	were learning · was writing

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Lukas Graham - 7 Years [Official Music Video] - Learn English Speaking with Video

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About This Lesson

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Practice Tips

Grammar in this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?