Shadowing Practice: Olivia Rodrigo – traitor (live from SOUR prom) - Learn English Speaking with Video
B2Olivia Rodrigo - u + me = 🩷 (Lyric Video)
B1Olivia Rodrigo - vampire (Official Lyric Video)
B2Olivia Rodrigo - honeybee (Lyric Video)
B2Olivia Rodrigo - less (Lyric Video)
B1Olivia Rodrigo - happier (Lyric Video)
B1Olivia Rodrigo - stupid song (Official Music Video)
B1Olivia Rodrigo - deja vu (Official Video)
B1Slander- I'm sorry مترجمة
B1Kanye West - Heartless
B1Earrings - Malcolm Todd (Lyrics) | Charlie Puth, sombr, Gigi Perez,...
B1Video
B1Westlife - Fool Again (Official Video)
B1I Was A Bad Girl | Official music video
B1Dua Lipa - Training Season (Live From Mexico)
B1Vietsub | i hate u, i love u - Gnash ft. Olivia O'brien | Lyrics Video
B1Taylor Swift - right where you left me (Lyrics)
B1Alessia Cara - Here (Lucian Remix)
B1【2016经典歌曲】 Olly Murs(奥利·莫尔斯)～《That Girl》 Live 现场版
B1Olivia Rodrigo – drivers license (Lyrics)
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Olivia Rodrigo – traitor”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: traitor, hurt, funny, betrayed, cheat. This video has 29 sentences and 359 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:28. The speaker talks slowly, about 104 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 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| traitor noun | /ˈtɹeɪtɚ/ | Someone who violates an allegiance and betrays their country; someone guilty of treason; one who, in breach of trust, delivers their country to an enemy, or… |
| cheat verb | /ˈt͡ʃiːt/ | To violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation. |
| dare verb | /dɛ(ə)ɹ/ | To have enough courage (to do something). |
| twist verb | /twɪst/ | To turn the ends of something, usually thread, rope etc., in opposite directions, often using force. |
| trophy noun | /ˈtɹoʊfi/ | An object, usually in the form of a statuette, cup, or shield, awarded for success in a competition or to mark a special achievement. |
| paranoid adjective | /ˈpæɹ.əˌnɔɪd/ | Of, related to, or suffering from clinical paranoia. |
| betray verb | /bɪˈtɹeɪ/ | To deliver into the hands of an enemy by treachery or fraud, in violation of trust; to give up treacherously or faithlessly. |
| quiet adjective | /ˈkwaɪ̯.ət/ | With little or no sound; free of disturbing noise. |
| guilty adjective | /ˈɡɪl.ti/ | Responsible for a dishonest act. |
| dumb verb | /dʌm/ | To make stupid. |
| quit verb | /kwɪt/ | To leave (a place). |
| hurt verb | /hɝt/ | To cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury. |
| ill adjective | /ɪl/ | Indicative of unkind or malevolent intentions; harsh, cruel. |
| quickly adverb | /ˈkwɪk.li/ | Rapidly; with speed; fast; with expedition. |
| avoid verb | /əˈvɔɪd/ | To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go off verb | To explode. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, you're, 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 traitor, cheat, dare.
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.