Shadowing Practice: OneRepublic - Counting Stars (Lyrics) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Lately, I've been, I've been losing sleep Dreaming about the things that we could be But baby,

I've been, I've been praying hard Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars Yeah,

we'll be counting stars

I see this life like a swinging vine Swing my heart

across the line In my face there's flashing signs Seek it out

and ye shall find old But I'm not that old Young, but I'm not that bold

And I don't think the world is sold I'm just doing what we're told I feel something so right

Doing the wrong thing And I feel something so wrong Doing the right thing I could lie,

could lie, could lie Everything that kills me makes me feel alive Baby,

I've been, I've been losing sleep Dreaming about the things that we could be Baby,

I've been, I've been playing hard Said no more counting dollars, we'll be counting stars Baby,

I've been, I've been physically Dreaming about the things that we could be Baby,

I've been, I've been playing hard Said no more counting dollars,

we'll be, we'll be counting stars Hey I feel your love,

and I feel it burn Down this river every time Hope is hot for letterwork Make that bunny watch it burn Oh, but I'm not that old Young,

but I'm not that And I don't think the world is sold.

I'm just doing what we're told.

And I feel something so wrong.

We're doing the right thing.

I could lie, could lie, could lie.

Everything that drowns me makes me wanna play.

Hey, hey, I've been, I've been losing sleep.

Dreamin' about the things that we could be Baby, I've been, I've been playin' hard Said no more countin' dollars,

we'll be countin' stars Baby,

I've been, I've been goin' sleet Dreamin' about the things that we could be Baby,

I've been, I've been playin' hard Said no more countin' dollars,

we'll be, we'll be countin' stars Oh, take out money and watch it burn,

sink in the river, the lessons I learned Take that money, watch it burn Sink in the river,

the lessons I learned Take that money, watch it burn Sink in the river,

the lessons I learned Everything that kills me Makes me feel alone Baby,

I've been, I've been losing sleep Dreaming about the things that we could be Baby,

I've been, I've been playing hard I'm not counting dollars, we'll be counting stars Lately I've been,

I've been through so sleep Dreaming about the things that we couldn't be Lately I've been,

I've been playing hard I'm not counting dollars, we'll be, we'll be counting stars Take that money,

watch it burn Sing it a little less as I learn Take that money, watch it burn Sing it a little less as I learn

Take that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I've learned Take

that money and watch it burn Sink in the river the lessons I've learned

📺 Same Channel

✨ Recommend Video

45 sentences

OneRepublic - Counting Stars

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

28 sentences

P!nk - Just Give Me a Reason (Lyrics) ft. Nate Ruess

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

119 sentences

Harry Styles – Sign of the Times (Lyrics) | Meaningful & Emotional

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

32 sentences

Justin Bieber - Love Yourself (Lyrics)

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

33 sentences

Plain White T's - Hey There Delilah (Lyrics)

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

22 sentences

Not My Problem // Lyrics

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

21 sentences

twenty one pilots: Stressed Out [OFFICIAL VIDEO]

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

33 sentences

Lukas Graham - 7 Years (Lyrics)

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

29 sentences

Rihanna - Dancing In The Dark (Lyrics) | (From The "HOME" Soundtrack)

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

17 sentences

OneRepublic - I Ain’t Worried (From “Top Gun: Maverick”) [Official Music Video]

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

30 sentences

The Greatest Showman - A Million Dreams (Lyric Video) HD

KidsTeensDaily Conversation

20 sentences

a thousand years (speed up + lyrics)

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

Why Practice Speaking with "Counting Stars" by OneRepublic?

Practicing English speaking with this video is a smart move—its rhythmic flow and relatable lyrics make it perfect for shadow speech, a technique where you mimic the singer’s tone, pace, and pronunciation. The song’s repetition of phrases like "I’ve been losing sleep" and "no more counting dollars" creates a natural practice loop, helping you build fluency without feeling overwhelmed. Plus, its emotional delivery teaches you to convey feeling in English, a key skill for real-world communication. Whether you use a shadowing site, shadowing app, or just repeat aloud, this track turns language practice into an engaging activity.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The song is packed with practical grammar and phrases. Let’s break down three key structures:

Present perfect continuous: "I’ve been losing sleep" shows an action that started in the past and continues now. This tense is vital for describing ongoing experiences—master it, and you’ll sound more natural in daily conversations.
Negative imperatives: "Said no more counting dollars" uses "no more" to reject a habit. This structure is great for setting intentions (e.g., "No more procrastinating!") and is common in casual speech.
Contrast clauses: "I feel something so right doing the wrong thing" pairs opposing ideas to create drama. Learning to balance "right/wrong" or "old/young" like this adds depth to your speaking.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Even advanced learners stumble over some sounds in this song. Watch out for:

"Lately": The "a" sound is short, like "lat-lee"—don’t stretch it to "lay-tlee."
"Counting stars": The "t" in "counting" is soft, almost a "d" sound ("coun-ding"), a common feature of connected speech. Mimic this to avoid sounding too robotic.
"Sink in the river": The "i" in "sink" is short, while "river" has a schwa sound ("riv-uh")—mixing these up can confuse listeners. Use a shadowing app to slow down and match the singer’s articulation.

By focusing on these areas, you’ll turn English speaking practice into a targeted, effective routine. Whether you’re using a shadowing site or just repeating the track, "Counting Stars" is a powerful tool to sharpen your skills—so hit play, start shadowing, and watch your confidence soar.

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	I've been losing · I've been praying · I've been playing
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've been · I've learned
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is sold
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	we'll be

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: OneRepublic - Counting Stars (Lyrics) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Charlie Puth - Left And Right (Lyrics) ft. Jungkook of BTS

TV Girl - Lovers Rock (Lyrics)

Keane - Somewhere Only We Know (Lyrics)

@coldplay - Yellow (Lyrics)

Rosa Linn - SNAP (Lyrics)

Beach Bunny - Prom Queen (Lyrics)

@destinyschild - Lose My Breath (Lyrics)

Eminem - Mockingbird (Lyrics)

Gracie Abrams - That’s So True (Lyrics)

Joy Crookes - Feet Don't Fail Me Now (Lyrics)

@OliviaRodrigo - vampire (Lyrics)

The Neighbourhood - Sweater Weather (Lyrics)

@sabrinacarpenter - Don't Smile (Lyrics)

Aziz Hedra - Somebody's Pleasure (Lyrics)

Passenger - Let Her Go (Lyrics)

Djo - End Of Beginning (Lyrics)

JVKE - golden hour (Lyrics)

Lily Allen - Smile (Lyrics)

dhruv – double take (Lyrics)