Shadowing Practice: Taylor Swift Accepts The 2023 iHeartRadio Innovator Award! - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
And our 2023
2
iHeartRadio Innovator Award goes to Taylor Swift.
3
It's beautiful!
4
I love you, Missy!
5
Thank you!
6
First of all, I love you, Phoebe.
7
I love Phoebe.
8
She's, you know, that's my tour mate.
9
We're going on tour.
10
Thank you for doing that.
11
That was, you're so funny and cool.
12
Wow.
13
Okay, I'm just, I'm really flattered by this award, so thank you so much to iHeart for giving this to me. And...
14
And anyone who was a part of that video, that video really blew my mind.
15
So anyone who said nice stuff on that video, I love you, thank you.
16
With, you know, the Innovator Award, I never a single time woke up in the morning and thought, you know what I'm going to do today?
17
I'm going to go innovate some stuff.
18
Things need to be innovated and I'm going to be the one that does it.
19
But what I did do was try to make the right decision for me.
20
at the time, whether or not it had ever been successfully done before.
21
And I think maybe that might be the key because oftentimes in any industry, people are looking for a precedent or,
22
you know, data that shows this idea is a good one or a feasible one.
23
People want an example of something working before,
24
but I think the coolest ideas or moves or choices are the new ones, the ones that set a new precedent.
25
And I'm very privileged because my fans have backed me up in a lot of the choices I've made.
26
Like switching genres or re-recording all of my old music.
27
But I do want to say that the thing with these exciting
28
nights and moments and specifically this award that I'm so lucky to have gotten,
29
is that, you know, they're shining a light on the choices I made that worked out, right?
30
The ones that turned out to be good ideas, but I really, really want everyone to know,
31
especially young people, that the hundreds or thousands of dumb ideas that I've had are what led me to my good ideas.
32
You have to give yourself permission to fail.
33
I try as hard as I can not to fail, because it's embarrassing, but I do give myself permission to, and you should too.
34
So go easy on yourselves, and just make the right choices that feel right for you, and someday someone might think that you've been innovative.
35
Thank you so much for this.
36
Thank you.

Why practice speaking with this video?

This inspiring speech by Taylor Swift, as she accepts the 2023 iHeartRadio Innovator Award, provides an excellent opportunity for English learners to practice their speaking skills in a real-world context. Swift's articulate delivery and passionate expression allow learners to engage with authentic language usage, enhancing their comprehension and fluency.

By shadowing her speech, you can improve your English pronunciation and intonation. The dynamic nature of her delivery, filled with personal anecdotes and motivational insights, makes this video not only engaging but also highly beneficial for developing your speaking abilities. As you repeat her phrases, you're practicing the shadowing technique, a method that helps reinforce conversational patterns and improves overall linguistic confidence.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In this speech, several key structures are notable:

  • “I never a single time woke up in the morning and thought…” – This phrase illustrates the use of past simple tense combined with a specific emphasis, indicating a realization of purpose over time.
  • “The coolest ideas... are the new ones, the ones that set a new precedent.” – Here, Swift uses a comparative structure to emphasize originality, providing a useful frame for learners interested in articulating opinions.
  • “You have to give yourself permission to fail.” – This imperative form encourages personal agency and can be adapted to various contexts, making it a powerful statement for motivational speaking.
  • “So go easy on yourselves…” – This phrase employs an informal, conversational tone that encourages self-compassion, ideal for learners to practice softer, supportive expressions.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While shadow speaking along with Taylor Swift, be mindful of certain pronunciation challenges:

  • “Innovator” – The stress falls on the second syllable: in-NOV-a-tor. Practice this word to emphasize the correct rhythm.
  • “Choices” – The 'ch' sound can sometimes be tricky; ensure to produce a clear 'ch' as in 'chip' rather than a soft 'sh' sound.
  • “Embarrassing” – Pay attention to the middle syllables; it’s easy to drop sounds. Break it down as em-BAR-ras-sing to maintain clarity.

By focusing on these pronunciation elements and employing the shadow speak or shadowspeaks technique, you're setting yourself up for success in enhancing your English pronunciation. Happy practicing!

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.