Shadowing Practice: "Robbie, Come Back To Me " | Atonement (2007) | Screen Bites - Learn English Speaking with Video

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64 sentences
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1
Come on in.
2
Act I'm a toff like you, talks French and everything, ends up a private.
3
Not eligible for officer training if you join direct from prison.
4
You're pulling my teeth.
5
No, I'm not.
6
They gave me a choice.
7
Stay in prison or join the army.
8
For the record, the last thing I am is a toff.
9
I'm sorry.
10
I'm sorry I'm late I got lost hello.
11
hello.
12
shall we sit down? yes of course.
13
I'm sorry, I can't remember.
14
Two.
15
Thank you.
16
I'm sorry. Where are you living?
17
Tiny flat in Baleam.
18
It's ghastly.
19
The Lerner ladies are all and horribly nosy.
20
You look the same.
21
Apart from the uniform, of course.
22
I'm sorry.
23
I've got to go back to the hospital in half an hour. Of course.
24
I'm sorry.
25
I'm sorry.
26
I'm sorry.
27
I'm sorry.
28
I'm sorry.
29
I'm sorry.
30
I'm sorry.
31
I'm sorry.
32
I've got to go back to the hospital in half an hour.
33
I'm sorry.
34
No. Have you been in touch with your family?
35
No, I told you I wouldn't.
36
I'm sorry.
37
Leon waited outside the hospital last week.
38
I just pushed past him.
39
See, you don't owe me anything.
40
Robbie, didn't you read my letters?
41
Had I been allowed to visit you, I would have been there every day.
42
Yes, but...
43
If all we have rests on a few moments in a library three and a half years ago, then I'm not sure.
44
I don't know if...
45
Look at me.
46
Look at me.
47
Come back.
48
Come back to me.
49
Dearest Cecilia.
50
Dearest Cecilia.
51
Cecilia.
52
Where's he is?
53
You have absolutely no chance of getting out of time.
54
A friend of mine has caught you to buy the coast.
55
He said we can borrow it when you're next on leave.
56
White platform and blue painted window flames.
57
I hope this bus never comes.
58
I hope this bus never comes.
59
I hope this bus never comes.
60
I hope this bus never comes.
61
Yeah.
62
Something to think of while you're away.
63
I'm sorry.
64
I'm sorry.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “"Robbie, Come Back To Me "”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: bus, Cecilia, hospital. This video has 64 sentences and 338 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:26. The speaker talks slowly, about 62 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 79% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
uniform noun/ˈjunɪˌfɔɹm/A distinctive outfit that serves to identify members of a group, company, prison inmates, etc.
eligible adjective/ˈɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒɪ.bəl/Allowed to and meeting the necessary conditions required to participate in or be chosen for something.
flame noun/fleɪm/The visible part of fire; a stream of burning vapour or gas, emitting light and heat.
borrow verb/ˈbɑɹ.oʊ/To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it.
ghastly adjective/ˈɡæs(t).li/Like a ghost in appearance; death-like; pale; pallid; dismal.
horribly adverb/ˈhɔɹəbli/In a horrible way; very badly.
nosy adjective/ˈnoʊzi/Prying, inquisitive or curious in other’s affairs; tending to snoop or meddle.
platform noun/ˈplætfɔɹm/A raised stage from which speeches are made and on which musical and other performances are made.
tiny adjective/ˈtaɪni/Very small.
paint verb/peɪnt/To apply paint to.
join verb/ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/To connect or combine into one; to put together.
prison noun/ˈpɹɪzn̩/A place or institution where people are held against their will, in the US especially for long-term confinement, as of those convicted of serious crimes or…
dear adjective/dɪɹ/High in price; expensive.
hello/hɛˈloʊ/A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence.
absolutely adverb/ˌæb.səˈlut.li/In an absolute or unconditional manner; utterly, positively, wholly.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordMeaning
go back to verbTo stem from; to originate in.
come back verbTo return to a place.
come on in verbSynonym of come in (“to enter”).
end up verbTo bring to a conclusion.
get out of verbTo leave, exit or escape from; to become free of.
push past verbTo rudely force one's way in front of another.
sit down verbTo assume a sitting position from a standing position.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

  • I'm sorry, I can't remember.
  • Where are you living?
  • Have you been in touch with your family?
  • No, I told you I wouldn't.
  • Robbie, didn't you read my letters?

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 31 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • Long words — get the stress right: eligible /ˈɛl.ɪ.d͡ʒɪ.bəl/, absolutely /ˌæb.səˈlut.li/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like uniform, eligible, flame.

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 →