Shadowing Practice: The Chainsmokers - Closer (Lyrics) ft. Halsey - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Chainsmokers - Closer (Lyrics) ft. Halsey”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: older, pull, backseat, mattress, gettin. This video has 28 sentences and 362 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:52. The speaker talks slowly, about 94 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 |
|---|---|---|
| sheet noun | /ʃit/ | A thin bed cloth used as a covering for a mattress or as a layer over the sleeper. |
| tattoo noun | /tæˈtuː/ | An image made on a body part, usually the skin with ink and a needle. |
| rover noun | /ˈɹoʊvɚ/ | One who roves: a person or animal that travels around, especially over a wide area, without a fixed destination; a nomad, a roamer, a wanderer. |
| mattress noun | /ˈmætɹɪs/ | A pad on which a person can recline and sleep, usually having an inner section of coiled springs covered with foam or other cushioning material then enclosed… |
| roommate noun | /ˈɹu(m)ˌmeɪt/ | A person with whom one shares a room, as in a dormitory, barracks, rooming house, or apartment. |
| steal verb | /stiːl/ | To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it. |
| insane adjective | /ɪnˈseɪn/ | Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad. |
| bold adjective | /ˈbəʊld/ | Courageous, daring. |
| boulder noun | /ˈboʊl.dɚ/ | A large mass of stone detached from the surrounding land. |
| barin noun | Synonym of boyar. | |
| afford verb | /əˈfoɹd/ | To incur, stand, or bear without serious detriment, as an act which might under other circumstances be injurious; (usually after an expression of ability, as… |
| shoulder noun | /ˈʃoʊldɚ/ | The part of the human torso forming a relatively horizontal surface running away from the neck. |
| tight adjective | /taɪt/ | Firmly held together; compact; not loose or open. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as ain't, can't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sheet /ʃit/, shoulder /ˈʃoʊldɚ/
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 sheet, tattoo, rover.
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.