Shadowing Practice: The Crush | Oscar® Nominated Short Film - Learn English Speaking with Video

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230 sentences

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I want you to look for the words reveal,

pretend, and love in your readers tonight.

I want you to be able to spell them on Monday.

Oh, so grumpy.

I'll tell you what, if everyone does well in their spellings, we might have a DVD next week.

Yes!

You okay, Ardell?

Oh, Arnold, that's lovely.

I used to eat pocket money.

Oh, wow, that's far too much.

You didn't have to.

I did.

It's important that you know how I feel about you.

Well, this is very special, and I'll treasure it always.

Does this mean we're engaged?

Uh, well, I hadn't thought about it.

If you want to, I suppose.

Well, that's very sweet, and I'll certainly give it some thought.

You have a good weekend, OK?

Yes, miss, I definitely will.

So, how was everyone's day?

Your horse.

Screaming at some kid with a crossbow?

No. Yeah.

We shot his office head and glue and trying to rob a newsagents.

Had to go ahead to shoot and everything.

Oh, cool.

Did you waste him?

It's not cool, Erdle.

No more cowboy films.

No. He backed down in the end, thank God.

Otherwise, I'd be sitting here with an arrow to me head.

Where are these kids' parents?

Mom, what age kind of person to get married at?

Um, I think it's 16.

Why?

Have you got something to use for us?

No, well, not yet.

I'll keep you posted.

Come on, Argo.

Hello, Ardell.

Bought anything nice?

Boots.

Oh, lovely.

They make you look very smart.

They're a cowboy boot.

Wow, very cool.

I got something special myself.

Hello, Miss Purdy.

Oh, my goodness.

Someone's a lucky girl.

That's gorgeous.

Thanks, Mrs. Travis.

This is my...

Oh, my fiancé, Pierce.

This is Ardell, one of my second-classers, and his mum.

Congratulations.

Yeah, cheers.

Cata, we don't hear you at the match starting in ten minutes.

Well, I thought we'd get a celebratory lunch.

I think you fleeced me enough today as it is.

Come on, I don't want to miss kick-off.

Okay, bye, Ardell.

Bye, Mrs. Travis.

Bye.

I'm sorry.

Now remember your settings, please.

Bye.

Hi, Ardle.

Ardle Travis, come here, please.

What's up, Ardle?

I see you wearing his ring and not mine.

Oh.

It's complicated, Ardle.

Someday you'll...

How is it complicated?

He's no go-free in this.

I'm sorry, pet.

Go on.

It's all right.

You'll see anyway.

What do you mean?

Nothing.

You'll just see that I'm the one that loves you.

Oh, Ardell, I know you do, and you're very special to me too.

Sometimes grown-ups, we have to...

I have to go home, miss.

Bye.

I would have taken you for lunch.

What?

I would have missed a football and taken you for lunch.

Come on, woman.

Always the friggin' last.

Well, hello there.

What can I do for you?

Don't marry Miss Freddie.

Come again?

100

I'm telling you, you're not to marry Miss Freddie. And why's that then?

101

Because she's mine.

102

Oh, well, that is a dilemma.

103

Don't laugh at me.

104

I'm sorry, pal, but you know, all's fair in love and warm.

105

She, uh, she told me you were just too short.

106

She never said that.

107

Yeah.

108

And that you weren't financially stable enough to cater for her needs.

109

She's a high maintenance lady, you know.

110

I don't know what that means.

111

You will, mate, you will.

112

You talk, stupid.

113

I don't know, don't be good now.

114

Meet me in a duel.

115

A what?

116

A duel, just you and me.

117

We're in the handball court.

118

Tomorrow, after school. To the death.

119

Okay.

120

So, what are we fighting with?

121

Swords, pistols, conkers?

122

Pistols. By Jove.

123

It's a date, sir.

124

See you there.

125

May the best man or boy win.

126

What's tickled you?

127

Oh, you gotta hear this.

128

Come on!

129

Oh, wait.

130

You gotta see this.

131

What?

132

I have an appointment with death, remember?

133

Oh, Lee, but don't be mean to him.

134

Come on, I just want to see.

135

You can stay here if you like.

136

I was beginning to think you wouldn't show.

137

Where's your gun?

138

Ah, I think I've forgotten it.

139

Silly me, huh?

140

That's not my problem.

141

I suppose not.

142

So then, where's your gun?

143

Gun.

144

That's not real.

145

Yes, it is.

146

What's going?

147

Arnold, what are you doing?

148

That's not...

149

Now, don't point.

150

It's not real, it's a toy, isn't it, son?

151

It's not a toy.

152

I'll put that down now.

153

And where would you get a real...

154

My dad's a guarder.

155

Hang on, guards aren't armed.

156

The Emergency Response Unit are.

157

You couldn't have told me about this.

158

Jesus, now...

159

Now be careful, wee man.

160

Don't marry teacher.

161

Just put that thing down and we can talk about it.

162

Say you won't marry Miss Purdy.

163

You don't deserve her.

164

Why...

165

You don't even know me.

166

I know you're not good enough for her.

167

Why?

168

Because you're a dickhead.

169

Martel Travis!

170

Sorry, miss.

171

Miss?

172

Are you just gonna stand there and watch one of your second classes blow my head off?

173

He won't.

174

Have you not seen City Head?

175

God, get a fucking cop or something!

176

Stay there, miss.

177

Ardell, please, put it down.

178

I'm going to have to put it on your report.

179

What will your mum and dad say?

180

I told you it'd show you, miss.

181

Now listen to your teacher, son.

182

Tell her you won't marry her.

183

I'm not gonna tell her that.

184

Tell her!

185

Oh, fuck.

186

Just.. just.. just hold on there.

187

Don't...

188

Okay, okay, I can have her!

189

I never wanted to marry her anyway.

190

Excuse me?

191

She moaned constantly about it.

192

She did my head in.

193

I thought putting a ring in her finger would shut her up for a while.

194

I don't want to be married.

195

Please, please.

196

Ardl, Ardl, please don't shoot me.

197

Please.

198

Get someone, you stupid bitch!

199

Thank you.

200

I'm not sure you're in trouble.

201

See you, Miss.

202

You dickhead.

203

You little bastard!

204

You come anywhere near him and I'll tell everyone that you're a kitty fiddler.

205

Come on, Ardle.

206

Will this go on my report, miss?

207

Maybe we'll keep this between ourselves, but maybe you should give me that for safekeeping.

208

Oh, God, that's very realistic.

209

Where did you get it?

210

My dad is hiding it in his wardrobe for my birthday.

211

Nice, isn't it?

212

It's certainly very pretty.

213

I'll just pop it in here for safekeeping.

214

Oh.

215

Oh.

216

What's this?

217

It's all right, miss.

218

I've decided not to marry you after all.

219

Oh, why's that?

220

I'm not financially stable enough to cater for all your needs.

221

And someone as nice as you should have everything she wants.

222

Someday, some girl's going to be very lucky.

223

Nah.

224

Girls are stupid.

225

Those are stupid.

226

Well, we certainly can be.

227

Come on, Romeo, I'll get you home.

228

I'll still wait there, that's what I'll do And keep a spare sheet for you I follow in vain around

229

Your crumbling beauty Has the bridge been burned That draws the way home for me I love you.

230

Thank you.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

The speaker keeps coming back to these words: miss, marry, Ardell, Ardle. This video has 230 sentences and 1186 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:43. The speaker talks slowly, about 75 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 41 of its 230 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
safekeeping noun		the act of keeping something safe; protection from harm, damage, loss, or theft
cater verb	/ˈkeɪɾɚ/	To provide, particularly
duel noun	/ˈdul/	Arranged, regular combat between two private persons, often over a matter of honor.
cowboy noun	/ˈkaʊˌbɔɪ/	A man who tends free-range cattle, especially in the American West.
pistol noun	/ˈpɪstəl/	A handgun
financially adverb		In terms of finance or money.
someday adverb		Sometime; at some unspecified time in the future.
boot noun	/but/	A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg.
celebratory adjective	/ˈsɛləbɹəˌtɔːɹi/	Having the manner of, or forming part of, a celebration.
classer noun		One who classes or classifies
conker noun	/ˈkɒŋkə/	A horse chestnut, used in the game of conkers.
crossbow noun	/ˈkɹɒsbəʊ/	A mechanised weapon, based on the bow and arrow, that shoots bolts.
crumble verb	/ˈkɹʌmbəl/	To fall apart; to disintegrate.
fiddler noun	/ˈfɪdələ(ɹ)/	One who plays the fiddle.
fleece noun	/fliːs/	Hair or wool of a sheep or similar animal.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
head off verb	To begin moving away.
kick off verb	To make the first kick in a game or part of a game.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Does this mean we're engaged?
Have you got something to use for us?
What can I do for you?
I have an appointment with death, remember?
Arnold, what are you doing?

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've forgotten · Have you not seen · I've decided
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	aren't armed · been burned
Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea	should give · should have
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	I'll tell · I'll treasure · I'll certainly give

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 68 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'll, I'm. 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 safekeeping, cater, duel.

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: The Crush | Oscar® Nominated Short Film - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?