Shadowing Practice: Taylor Swift - Cornelia Street (Official Audio) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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We were in the backseat,
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drunk on something stronger than the drinks in the bar I rent a place on Cornelia Street,
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I sit casually in the car We were a fresh page on the desk,
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filling in the blanks as we go As if the streetlights pointed in,
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an arrowhead leading us home And I hope I never lose you,
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hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
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That's the kind of heartbreak Time could never mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again And baby,
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I get mystified by How this city screams your name And baby, I'm so terrified of how this city screams your name And baby,
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I'm so terrified of if you ever walk away I'd never walk on New York Street again
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I'd never walk on New York Street again Windows from right open,
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autumn air Jacket round my shoulders is yours We bless the rains on Cornelia Street Memorize the creaks in the floor
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Back when we were card sharks Playing games,
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I thought you were leading me on I packed my bags,
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touched Cornelia Street Before you even knew I was gone But then you called,
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showed your hand I turned around before I hit the tunnel Sat on the roof,
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you and I I hope I never lose you Hope it never ends I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
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That's the kind of heartbreak time could ever mend I'd never walk Cornelia Street again And baby,
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perfect Mr. Firefly Now this city screams your name And baby,
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I'm so terrified of if you ever walked away I'd never walk Cornelia Street again I'd never walk Cornelia Street again
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You hold my hand on the street, walk me back to that apartment And years ago we were just inside
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Barefoot in the kitchen Sacred new beginnings that became my religion Listen I hope I never lose you
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And never walk on near the street again Oh,
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never again And baby, I'll get this invite out How this city screams your name
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And baby, I'm so terrified If you ever walk away,
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I'd never walk Cornelia Street again I'd never walk Cornelia Street again I don't wanna lose you,
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I don't wanna lose you I went to a place on Cornelia Street I sit casually in the car
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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, screams. This video has 26 sentences and 386 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:20. The speaker talks slowly, about 89 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| terrify verb | /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ/ | To frighten greatly; to fill with terror. |
| 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. |
| 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). |
| casually adverb | /ˈkæʒuəli/ | In a casual manner. |
| arrowhead noun | /ˈæɹəʊhɛd/ | The pointed part of an arrow (the weapon). |
| barefoot adjective | /ˈbɛɹfʊt/ | Wearing nothing on the feet. |
| mystify verb | /ˈmɪstɪfaɪ/ | To thoroughly confuse, befuddle, or bewilder. |
| streetlight noun | /ˈstɹit.laɪt/ | Any large outdoor light used to illuminate a public area, usually urban. |
| 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. |
| bless verb | /blɛs/ | To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify. |
| tunnel noun | /ˈtʌn(ə)l/ | An underground or underwater passage. |
| 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… |
| invite verb | /ɪnˈvaɪt/ | To ask for the presence or participation of someone or something. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| walk away verb | To withdraw from a problematic situation. |
| 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 19 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 terrify, scream, heartbreak.
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.