Shadowing Practice: Sia - Alive (Official Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
The speaker keeps coming back to these words: alive, breathing, lies. This video has 36 sentences and 409 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:01. The speaker talks slowly, about 102 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, 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. |
| demon noun | /ˈdiː.mən/ | An evil being resident in or working for Hell; a devil. |
| pillow noun | /ˈpɪl.oʊ/ [ˈpʰɪɫ.ö̞] | A soft cushion used to support the head in bed. |
| overnight adverb | /əʊvə(ɹ)ˈnaɪt/ | During or throughout the night, especially during the evening or night just past. |
| vain adjective | /veɪn/ | Overly proud of oneself, especially concerning appearance; having a high opinion of one's own accomplishments with slight reason. |
| thunderstorm noun | /ˈθʌn.dɚˌstɔɹm/ | A storm consisting of thunder and lightning produced by a cumulonimbus, usually accompanied with heavy rain, wind, and sometimes hail; and in rarer cases… |
| survive verb | /sɚˈvaɪv/ | Of a person, to continue to live; to remain alive. |
| teach verb | /ˈtiːt͡ʃ/ | To pass on knowledge to. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| alive adjective | /əˈlaɪv/ | Having life; living; not dead. |
| grow verb | /ˈɡɹəʊ/ | To become larger, to increase in magnitude. |
| lie verb | /laɪ̯/ | To rest in a horizontal position on a surface. |
| wind noun | /ˈwɪnd/ | Real or perceived movement of atmospheric air usually caused by convection or differences in air pressure. |
| notice verb | /ˈnoʊ.tɪs/ | To become aware of; to observe. |
| worry verb | /ˈwʌ.ɹi/ | To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get out verb | To leave or escape. |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was born · be forgotten |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm being · I'm still breathing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll survive |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 44 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, thunderstorm /ˈθʌn.dɚˌstɔɹm/
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, demon, pillow.
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.