Shadowing Practice: Michael Jackson | SMOOTH CRIMINAL 4:3 | 4K - Learn English Speaking with Video

The End

Watch it.

Sugar, sugar, sugar Sugar, sugar As he came into the window Was the sound of a crescendo?

He came into her apartment He left the blood screens on

the carpet She ran underneath the table He could see she was a neighbor

So she ran into the bedroom She was struck down, it was her doom Annie, are you walking?

Annie, are you walking?

Will you tell us that you're walking?

Let a sign at the window That he struck you like a shindo ready

He can finish your party Let the brush taste on the company

And then you ran into the ground room It was struck down, it was shot

through Everything

you're

okay

I'm

not sure what you're doing.

So they came into the outweigh, it was Sunday, what a black day Every time I thought to find him, he's leaving no clues, they're behind him And they have a way of knowing,

other suspect, or what to expect But the memories of the occasion, sounding heartbeats, intimidations Ellie are you walking?

Ellie are you walking?

You've been hit by, you've been hit by a smooth woman So baby, are you okay?

Are you okay, baby?

Baby, are you okay?

With your nervous, that you're okay Then the sign of the window, that he struck you, I guess in your granny He can finish your apartment,

and the flash days on the carpet Then you fell into the bedroom, you were struck down, it was like too many Hey!

Hey!

Oh, my

God.

Thank you.

Ooh.

Ah.

Oh, my

God.

Ooh!

Aah!

Yes!

No!

What?

Ah!

get

him out

I'm

going to

go to the next video.

The End The End The End

The End The End The End The End The End The End

The End The End Woo!

That's cool huh?

I'll tell him everything he knows.

Oh yeah right, you show me.

Okay, sure, hold it!

I don't know

We'll be right back.

I'm caught up, baby You can do your part- Do your heart-

Do your heart- Do your heart- Do your heart- Don't you?

You can do your heart- My heart- I can do your heart,

NOO That's

a woman

✨ Recommend Video

60 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 75 sentences and 391 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:15. The speaker talks slowly, about 35 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

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

bedroom /ˈbɛdˌɹum/ (noun) — A room in a house, apartment, hotel, or other dwelling where a bed is kept for sleeping.
carpet /ˈkɑɹ.pət/ (noun) — A fabric used as a complete floor covering.
flash /flæʃ/ (verb) — To cause to shine briefly or intermittently.
smooth /smuːð/ (adjective) — Having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough.
occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/ (noun) — A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance.
brush /bɹʌʃ/ (noun) — An implement consisting of multiple more or less flexible bristles or other filaments attached to a handle, used for any of various purposes including…
clue /kluː/ (noun) — Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/ (adverb) — Below; in a place beneath.
doom /duːm/ (noun) — Destiny, especially terrible.
neighbour /ˈneɪbɚ/ (noun) — A person living on adjacent or nearby land; a person situated adjacently or nearby; anything (of the same type of thing as the subject) in an adjacent or…
heartbeat /ˈhɑɹtˌbit/ (noun) — One pulsation of the heart; especially an irregular one, hence the emotion which causes it.
granny /ˈɡɹæni/ (noun) — A grandmother.
crescendo /kɹɪˈʃɛn.doʊ/ (noun) — An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ), by musicians called a hairpin.
intimidation /ɪntɪmɪˈdeɪʃən/ (noun) — The act of making timid or fearful or of deterring by threats; the state of being intimidated.
outweigh /ˌaʊtˈweɪ/ (verb) — To exceed in weight or mass.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

come into (verb) — To obtain (usually money or property), especially through inheritance.
strike down (verb) — To kill (someone or something); to cause to die suddenly.
run into (verb) — To enter by running.
caught up (verb) — Involuntarily involved in a situation.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: smooth /smuːð/, underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: flash /flæʃ/, occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/, brush /bɹʌʃ/, crescendo /kɹɪˈʃɛn.doʊ/, intimidation /ɪntɪmɪˈdeɪʃən/

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 bedroom, carpet, flash.

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	was struck · You've been hit · were struck
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	Will you · I'll tell · We'll be
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now	you're walking · you're doing

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: Michael Jackson | SMOOTH CRIMINAL 4:3 | 4K - Learn English Speaking with Video

Michael Jackson - Remember the Time (Official Video - Upscaled)

eleven and max being an iconic duo

Kanye West - Heartless

Chicago- Michael Jackson XSCAPE (Deluxe)

Vance Joy - 'Riptide' Official Video

|| Lyrics + Vietsub || Heal The World - Michael Jackson

Malcolm Todd - Sweet Boy

Michael Jackson - Thriller (Official Video - Shortened Version)

Lady Gaga - Paparazzi (Official Music Video)

Michael Jackson - Don't Stop 'Til You Get Enough (Official Video - Upscaled)

"The Beauty Inside" - Episode 6

Michael Jackson - Bad (lyrics)