Shadowing Practice: Selena Gomez - Wins Favorite Female Artist - Pop/Rock AMA's 2016 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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And the American Music Award goes to...
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And the American Music Award goes to...
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Selena Gomez!
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This is Selena Gomez's first American Music Award.
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She is also nominated for Artist of the Year.
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I'll stick with the glasses And you should know my heart Thank you guys so much Um
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In 2014, this stage was actually the first time
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that I was authentically 100% honest with all of you I think it's safe to say
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that most of you know a lot of my life whether I liked it or not And I had to stop,
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because I had everything and I was absolutely broken inside
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and I kept it all together enough to where I would never let you down
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but I kept it too much together to where I let
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myself down I don't want to see your bodies on Instagram
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I want to see what's in here I'm not trying to get validation nor do I need it anymore.
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All I can say from the bottom of my heart is I am so grateful
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that I have the opportunity to be able to share what I love every single day with people that I love.
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And I have to say thank you so much to my fans
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because you guys are so damn loyal and I don't know what I did to deserve you.
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But if you are broken, you do not have to stay broken.
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And if that's anything, whether you respect me or not, that's one thing you should know about me is I care about people
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and thank you so much for this this is for you thank you

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Selena Gomez's AMA Speech: A Real-Life English Practice Moment

Imagine watching a heartfelt award acceptance speech—like Selena Gomez's 2016 AMA win—and turning it into a chance to boost your English speaking skills. This video isn't just about celebration; it's a goldmine for learning natural, emotional language. Speeches like these are perfect for english speaking practice because they mix casual phrases with sincere expressions, mirroring how people talk in real life.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize

  • "stick with the glasses" – A casual way to say "I'll keep wearing these glasses," great for everyday decisions.
  • "absolutely broken inside" – A powerful collocation to describe deep emotional struggle, more vivid than "sad."
  • "get validation" – A common phrase for seeking approval, useful in conversations about self-worth.
  • "from the bottom of my heart" – A classic way to emphasize sincerity, perfect for heartfelt moments.
  • "stay broken" – A relatable phrase to talk about not letting hard times define you, easy to adapt to other contexts.

Your Shadowing Challenge: Speak Like Selena (For a Minute!)

Ready to try shadowspeak? Here's how: Pick 30 seconds of the speech (try the part where she says, "I don't want to see your bodies..."). Play the video, pause after each sentence, and repeat it exactly—copy her tone, speed, and pauses. For extra practice, use a shadowing app or shadowing site to record yourself and compare. This isn't just about words; it's about feeling the rhythm of natural English. Want more? Learn english with youtube by finding other speeches—they’re free, fun, and full of real-world language. Remember: The goal is to sound like a real person, not a robot. So hit play, and start shadowing today!

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.