Shadowing Practice: The Fray - How to Save a Life (Lyrics) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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44 sentences
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1
Step One And you stayed right between the lines of fear and blame
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You began to wonder why you came
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Where did I go wrong?
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I lost a friend somewhere along in a bit of less
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And I thought I stayed up with you all night
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Yet I'd known how to save a life
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Let him know that you know best
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Cause after all you do know best
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Try to slip past his defense
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Without granting any sense
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Lay down a list of what is wrong
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The things you told him all along
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And pray to God he hears you
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And pray to God he hears you
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And where did I go wrong?
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I lost a friend somewhere along in the bed I'm dancing I would have stayed up with you all night
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And I don't know how to say a lie
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As he begins to raise his voice, he'll lower yours, grant him one last choice
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Drive until you lose the road, a break with the ones you follow
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He will do one of two things, he will admit to everything
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Or he'll say he's just not the same
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And you'll begin to wonder why you came
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Where did I go wrong?
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I lost a friend
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Somewhere along in the bitterness
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And I would have stayed up with you all night
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And I'd known how to save a life
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Where did I go wrong?
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I lost a friend
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Somewhere along in the bitterness
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And I put our fate up to you all night
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And I know how to save a life
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How to save a life
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How to save a life
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Where did I go wrong?
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I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness
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And I put out, stayed up with you all night
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And I know how to save a life
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Where did I go, no?
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I lost a friend, somewhere along in the bitterness
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And I put out, stayed up with you all night
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And I know how to save a life
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How to save a life
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How to save a life Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “The Fray - How to Save a Life”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: save, stayed, somewhere, bitterness. This video has 44 sentences and 348 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:48. The speaker talks slowly, about 92 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| 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. |
| fate noun | /feɪt/ | The presumed cause, force, principle, or divine will that predetermines events. |
| slip verb | /ˈslɪp/ | To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction. |
| bitterness noun | /ˈbɪtənəs/ | The quality of having a bitter taste. |
| grant verb | /ɡɹɑːnt/ | To give (permission or wish). |
| blame verb | /bleɪm/ | To assert or consider that someone is the cause of something negative; to place blame; to attribute responsibility (for something negative or for doing… |
| admit verb | /ədˈmɪt/ | To allow to enter; to grant entrance (to), whether into a place, into the mind, or into consideration. |
| somewhere adverb | /ˈsʌm.wɛɹ/ | In an uncertain or unspecified location. |
| wonder noun | /ˈwʌndɚ/ | A sense of awe, astonishment and curiosity, inspired by unexpected events, novel experiences and inexplicable circumstances, sometimes accompanied by surprise… |
| begin verb | /bɪˈɡɪn/ | To start, to initiate or take the first step into something. |
| fear verb | /fɪə/ | To be afraid of (something or someone); to consider or expect (something or someone) with alarm. |
| dance noun | /dæns/ | A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction. |
| defense noun | /ˈdiːˌfɛns/ | The action of defending or protecting from attack, danger, or injury. |
| raise verb | /ɹeɪz/ | To cause to rise; to lift or elevate. |
| yours | /jɔɹz/ | That or those belonging to you; the possessive second-person singular pronoun used without a following noun. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| put out verb | To blind (eyes). |
| lie down verb | To assume a horizontal position. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as he'll, I'd, 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 pray, fate, slip.
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.