Shadowing Practice: Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun (Audio) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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34 sentences
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1
Goodbye When all the birds are singing in the sky
2
Now that the spring is in the air
3
Pretty girls are everywhere
4
Think of me and I'll be there
5
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
6
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time
7
Goodbye Papa, please pray for me I was the black sheep of the family
8
You tried to teach me right from wrong
9
Too much wine and too much song, wonder how I got along
10
Goodbye Papa, it's hard to die
11
When all the birds are singing in the sky
12
Now that the spring is in the air
13
Little children everywhere
14
When you see them I'll be there
15
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
16
But the wine and the song, like the seasons have all gone
17
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
18
But the wine and the song, like the seasons have all gone
19
Goodbye Michelle, my little one
20
You gave me love and helped me find the sun
21
Every time that I was down
22
You would always come around and get my feet back on the ground
23
Goodbye Michelle, it's hard to die
24
When all the birds are singing in the sky
25
Now that the spring is in the air
26
With the flowers everywhere I wish that we could both be there
27
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
28
But the stars we could reach put with starfish on the beach
29
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
30
But the stars we could reach were just starfish on the beach
31
We had joy, we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
32
But the wine and the song, like the seasons kept all gone
33
All our lives we had fun, we had seasons in the sun
34
But the hills that we climbed were just seasons out of time Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Terry Jacks - Seasons In The Sun”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: seasons, sun, joy, goodbye, wine. This video has 34 sentences and 335 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:58. The speaker talks at a steady 113 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 93% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| goodbye | /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/ | Farewell; a formula used to another person or persons when the speaker, writer, or person addressed is departing. |
| climb verb | /ˈklaɪ̯m/ | To traverse a slope or contour, either upwards (ascending) or downwards (descending). |
| flower noun | /ˈfloʊɚ/ | A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens… |
| pray verb | /pɹeɪ/ | To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc. |
| sheep noun | /ˈʃiːp/ | A woolly ruminant of the genus Ovis. |
| starfish noun | /ˈstɑː(ɹ)fɪʃ/ | Any of various echinoderms (not in fact fish) with usually five arms, many of which eat bivalves or corals by everting their stomach. |
| everywhere adverb | /ˈɛv.ɹi.(h)wɛɹ/ | In or to all locations under discussion. |
| bird noun | /ˈbɜːd/ | An animal of the clade (traditionally class) Aves in the phylum Chordata, characterized by being warm-blooded, having feathers and wings usually capable of… |
| sing verb | /ˈsɪŋ/ | To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice. |
| teach verb | /ˈtiːt͡ʃ/ | To pass on knowledge to. |
| wine noun | /ˈwaɪ̯n/ | An alcoholic beverage made by fermenting grape juice, with an ABV ranging from 5.5–16%. |
| spring noun | /ˈspɹɪŋ/ | An act of springing: a leap, a jump. |
| reach verb | /ɹiːt͡ʃ/ | To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand). |
| beach noun | /ˈbiːt͡ʃ/ | The shore of a body of water, especially when sandy or pebbly. |
| hill noun | /hɪl/ | An elevated landmass smaller than a mountain. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come around verb | /kʌ.məˈɹaʊnd/ | To change one's mind, especially to begin to agree or appreciate what one was reluctant to accept at first. |
| get along verb | To interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are singing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll be |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sheep /ˈʃiːp/, starfish /ˈstɑː(ɹ)fɪʃ/
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 goodbye, climb, flower.
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.