Shadowing Practice: Taylor Swift - Blank Space (Taylor's Version) (Lyric Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 37 sentences and 493 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:45. The speaker talks at a steady 132 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• insane /ɪnˈseɪn/ (adjective) — Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad.
• lover /ˈlʌvɚ/ (noun) — One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse.
• reckless /ˈɹɛkləs/ (adjective) — Careless or heedless; headstrong or rash.
• nasty /ˈnæs.ti/ (adjective) — Dirty, filthy.
• blank /ˈblæŋk/ (noun) — The white spot in the centre of a target; hence (figuratively) the object to which anything is directed or aimed, the range of such aim.
• flame /fleɪm/ (noun) — The visible part of fire; a stream of burning vapour or gas, emitting light and heat.
• scar /skɑɹ/ (noun) — A permanent mark on the skin, sometimes caused by the healing of a wound.
• torture /ˈtoɹt͡ʃɚ/ (noun) — The infliction of severe pain or anguish, especially as an interrogation technique or punishment; (usually in the plural) a technique, method, or device which…
• warn /woɹn/ (verb) — To make (someone) aware of impending danger, evil, etc.
• crystal /ˈkɹɪstəl/ (noun) — A solid composed of an array of atoms or molecules possessing long-range order and arranged in a pattern which is periodic in three dimensions.
• nightmare /ˈnaɪt.mɛɚ/ (noun) — A very unpleasant or frightening dream.
• scream /skɹiːm/ (verb) — To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek.
• lip /lɪp/ (noun) — Either of the two fleshy protrusions around the opening of the mouth.
• darling /ˈdɑɹlɪŋ/ (noun) — Often used as an affectionate term of address: a person who is very dear to one.
• passport /ˈpæspɔɹt/ (noun) — An official document normally used for international journeys, which proves the identity and nationality of the person for whom it was issued.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• come back (verb) — To return to a place.
• find out (verb) — To discover, as by asking or investigating.
• get along (verb) — To interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble.
• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 46 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, gonna, they'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like insane, lover, reckless.

Grammar in this video

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