Shadowing Practice: Shakira - Try Everything (Official Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Shakira - Try Everything”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: fail, till, reach. This video has 17 sentences and 332 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:13. The speaker talks slowly, about 103 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% 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
The 11 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| breathe verb | /bɹiːð/ | To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases. |
| gazelle noun | /ɡəˈzɛl/ | An antelope of either of the genera Gazella (mostly native to Africa), Procapra (native to Asia), Eudorcas, or Nanger, capable of running at high speeds for… |
| fail verb | /feɪl/ | To be unsuccessful. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| fill verb | /fɪl/ | To add contents to (a container, cavity, or the like) so that it is full. |
| bird noun | /ˈbɜːd/ | An animal of the clade (traditionally class) Aves in the phylum Chordata, characterized by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of… |
| mess noun | /mɛs/ | A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation. |
| reach verb | /ɹiːt͡ʃ/ | To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand). |
| till | /tɪl/ | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| nobody noun | /ˈnoʊ.bə.di/ | A person dismissed as unimportant. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). | |
| fall down verb | /fɔl ˈdaʊn/ | To fall to the ground. To collapse. |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. | |
| mess up verb | To make a mess of; to untidy, disorder, soil, or muss. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've come |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | keep falling |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | i'll just start · won't give · won't leave |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 24 contractions and reduced forms, such as won't, I'll, don'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 breathe, gazelle, fail.
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.