Shadowing Practice: Taylor Swift - Cornelia Street (Lyric Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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26 sentences

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We were in the backseat,

drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar I rent a place on Cornelia Street,

I sit casually in the car We were a fresh page on the desk,

filling in the blanks as we'd go As if the streetlights pointed in an arrowhead leading us home

And I hope I never lose you, hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

That's the kind of heartbreak Time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again And baby,

I get pissed and fired by How this city screams your name And baby,

I'm so terrified now If you ever walk away I'd never walk on New York Street again

I'd never walk on New York Street again Windows come right open,

autumn air Jacket round my shoulders is yours We passed the reins on Cornelia Street Memorized the creaks in the floor

Back when we were card sharks playing games I thought you were leading me on I packed my bags,

left Cornelia Street Before you even knew I was gone But then you called,

showed your hand I turned around before I hit the tunnel Sat on the roof,

you and I I hope I never lose you Hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

That's the kind of heartbreak time could ever mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again And baby,

I get Mr. Firefight Now this city screams your name And baby,

I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away I'd never walk Cornelia Street again

I'd never walk Cornelia Street again You hold my hand on the street,

walk me back to that apartment And years ago,

we were just inside Barefoot in the kitchen Sacred new beginnings That became my religion Listen

I hope I never lose you And never walk on nearly the street again Oh,

never again And baby, I get this and find out how this city screams your name

And baby, I'm so terrified of If you ever walk away

I never want Cornelius to see you I never want Cornelius to see you

I don't wanna lose you I never want Cornelius to see you

I went to a place on Cornelia Street I sit casually in the car

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33 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Taylor Swift - Cornelia Street”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: walk, Cornelia, baby, lose, Cornelius. This video has 26 sentences and 383 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:20. The speaker talks slowly, about 88 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
scream verb	/skɹiːm/	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.
casually adverb	/ˈkæʒuəli/	In a casual manner.
desk noun	/dɛsk/	A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a…
autumn noun	/ˈɔtəm/	Traditionally the third of the four seasons, when deciduous trees lose their leaves, and temperatures and daylight hours decrease; typically regarded as…
tunnel noun	/ˈtʌn(ə)l/	An underground or underwater passage.
blank noun	/ˈblæŋk/	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.
terrify verb	/ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ/	To frighten greatly; to fill with terror.
heartbreak noun	/ˈhɑɹt.bɹeɪk/	Overwhelming mental anguish or grief, especially that caused by loss or disappointment.
mend verb	/mɛnd/	To physically repair (something that is broken, defaced, decayed, torn, or otherwise damaged).
arrowhead noun	/ˈæɹəʊhɛd/	The pointed part of an arrow (the weapon).
creak verb	/kɹiːk/	To make a prolonged sharp grating or squeaking sound, as by the friction of hard substances.
rein noun	/ɹeɪn/	A strap or rope attached to a bridle or bit, used to control a horse, other animal or young child.
streetlight noun	/ˈstɹit.laɪt/	Any large outdoor light used to illuminate a public area, usually urban.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
walk away verb	To withdraw from a problematic situation.
find out verb	To discover, as by asking or investigating.
turn around verb	To physically rotate (usually around a vertical axis) for a half turn (180 degrees), a whole turn (360 degrees), or an indefinite amount.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, I'm, 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 scream, casually, desk.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Taylor Swift - Cornelia Street (Lyric Video) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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