Shadowing Practice: Oh yes, the past can hurt. - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Looks like the winds are changing.
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Ah, change is good.
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Yeah, but it's not easy.
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I know what I have to do, but...
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Going back means I'll have to face my past.
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I've been running from it for so long.
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Ow!
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Jeez, what was that for?
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It doesn't matter!
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It's in the past!
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Yeah, but it still hurts.
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Oh, yes, the past can't hurt.
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But the way I see it, you can either run from it... Or...
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Learn from it.
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Ah!
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You see?
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So what are you going to do?
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First...
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I'm gonna take your stick.
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No, no, no, no, no!
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Not a stick!
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Hey!
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Where are you going?
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I'm going back!
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Come on!
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Come on!
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Get out of here!

Real-Life Scenarios: Facing Change and the Past

The dialogue in the video captures a universal moment—grappling with the fear of confronting the past while embracing change. This is the kind of authentic, emotional exchange you might encounter in daily conversations, making it perfect for IELTS speaking practice or general english speaking practice. It reflects how people discuss challenges, hesitation, and resolve, mirroring the topics often tested in speaking exams or real-world interactions.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize

  • "The winds are changing": A vivid way to say "circumstances are shifting." Great for describing transitions in learn english with videos activities.
  • "Run from [something]": Natural phrasing for avoiding a problem (e.g., "I’ve been running from my fears"). Essential for expressing hesitation.
  • "Face my past": Common collocation for confronting past experiences. Useful in personal stories or opinion-based questions.
  • "It still hurts": Simple but powerful for conveying lingering emotion. Perfect for adding depth to responses.
  • "Learn from it": A positive reframe of a difficult situation. Ideal for concluding arguments or sharing growth.

Your Shadowing Challenge: Practice Like a Pro

Shadowing is one of the best ways to improve pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. Here’s your task: Watch the video once to understand the context, then play short 2-3 second clips. Pause, repeat the line immediately, mimicking the speaker’s tone and rhythm. Focus on phrases like "Oh yes, the past can hurt"—notice how the speaker stresses "hurt" for emphasis. For extra support, use a shadowing app or shadowing site to record yourself and compare. Do this for 5-10 minutes daily, and you’ll soon notice your speaking sounds more natural. This exercise isn’t just for english speaking practice—it’s a shortcut to sounding like a confident, native-like speaker.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around noware changing · I'm going
Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessaryhave to do · have to face

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 →