Shadowing Practice: Sabrina Carpenter - Thumbs (Lyrics Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Somewhere in the world there is a father and a mother

And the father is a son who has a mother The

mother has a daughter who gets married to the brother of a mother

And they're all just trying to multiply with one another

way of the world it never ends till the end then

you start again that's just the way of the world that's

just the way of the world someone in the world they

think they're working for themselves they get up every day to

go to work for someone else somebody works for them and

so they think they got it made

but they're all just working to get paid the very same and so they keep on

They're gonna keep on twiddlin' them thumbs, little lady, that dumb dumb.

And so they keep on twiddlin' them thumbs, little lady, that dumb dumb.

They're gonna keep on twiddlin' them thumbs, little lady, that dumb dumb.

So the people robbed the bank and the police came to get him

but they let him get away Cause they aren't just working

to get paid the very same Cause that's just the way of the world It never ends till the end

and you start again That's just the way of the world That's just the way of the world

And so they keep on twiddlin' them thumbs, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum,

skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum,

skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum, skittledy -dead -dum,

skittledy -dead -dum, Don't believe everything that you hear Let it go through your left

and right ear Don't just march to the beat of

that drum Don't be one of them people just twiddling their

thumbs Cause that's just the way of the world It never ends till the end

and then you start again That's just the way of the world That's just the way of the world

And so they keep on twiddling their thumbs and

so they keep on twiddling their thumbs and

so they keep on twiddling their thumbs and so they keep on twiddling their thumbs and so they keep on tw

We're gonna keep on, twiddling them thumbs, skiddle -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led

-led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led

-led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led -led - No, no, no. We're gonna keep on twiddlin' them thumbs,

kiddle -dee -dee -dust, dum -dum.

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About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice English speaking and comprehension through the lyrics of Sabrina Carpenter's song "Thumbs." The song explores various aspects of human relationships and societal norms, making it an engaging piece for language learners. By shadowing the lyrics alongside the video, you will enhance your pronunciation, rhythm, and fluency. This exercise is perfect for those looking to learn English with YouTube, as it integrates music with practical language practice, helping you to understand context and emotion in spoken English.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Twiddlin' thumbs: A phrase that means to do nothing or be idle.
Way of the world: Refers to the natural course of events or societal norms.
Get paid: To receive money as compensation for work.
Let it go through your left and right ear: An idiom meaning to ignore or not pay attention to something.
Working for themselves: An expression that indicates personal efforts towards individual success.
March to the beat of a drum: To follow others without questioning or thinking independently.
Robbed the bank: A phrase referring to the act of stealing money from a bank.

Practice Tips

When engaging in shadowing practice with this song, it is essential to pay attention to the rhythm and intonation of Sabrina Carpenter’s delivery. Follow these tips to maximize your learning experience:

Use a shadowing app: To repeat after each line or phrase, find a suitable shadowing app that allows you to control the video playback speed. Slowing it down can help you catch the nuances in pronunciation.
Break it down: Start by focusing on small sections of the lyrics. Repeat these multiple times until you feel comfortable before moving on to the next part.
Emphasize emotion: Understand the emotions conveyed in the song. Try to mimic not just the words but also the feelings behind them to enhance your speaking skills.
Practice regularly: Make it a habit to shadow speak daily with English songs or videos. Consistency is key to mastering pronunciation and fluency.
Record yourself: By recording your shadowing sessions, you can listen back to identify areas of improvement in your pronunciation and fluency.

Engaging with songs like "Thumbs" not only makes learning enjoyable but also boosts your proficiency in English. Dive into this practice and watch your skills flourish!

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming	gonna keep
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now	they're working · aren't just working

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 →

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