Shadowing Practice: The Thing About Harry (2020) 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Can I tell you something just between you and me?
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When I hear your voice,
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I know I'm finally free Every single word is perfect as it can be And I need you here with me
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This is nice So nice Sam?
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Mm -hmm Do you have a...
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Ew, no. Then what's poking my back?
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It's my phone.
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Relax.
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I was like, oh my god, I hope he's not trying to get up on this.
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Gross.
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Okay, you don't have to say it like that, homo.
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It doesn't bite.
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Hey, we talked about this.
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You can't use that word.
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You say it.
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I'm allowed.
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You don't gotta be mean about it.
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Okay, swap.
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I wanna be a little spook.
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so what are you doing this weekend for valentine's day nothing
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you're not going out with gary oh my god no something
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a boyfriend girlfriend would do you know it's not my jam
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you guys have been dating for like three years i think you can call him your boyfriend everybody else does
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are you trying to start a fight
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what about you sandwich you okay you mean because this is my first valentine's day without malcolm
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it's been a couple months you ready to get back on the horse there will be no horses
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of any kind in my immediate future which is why i'm
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so glad to be getting out of here for a few
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days don't have to go to any of those awful singles parties
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and have people give me those horrible looks and try to set me up with guys named Troy and Devin.
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I am just so not ready for that right now.
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What do you mean you're getting out of here?
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Where are you going?
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My friends, Kelly and Chris.
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For my school, our engagement party, we talked about this.
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Must have blocked it out.
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Oh my god.
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I'm going all the way home for an engagement party.
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You are a good friend.
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Yes, I am.

Who Should Use This Video to Learn English?

This video is perfect for intermediate learners aiming to boost conversational fluency, especially for IELTS speaking practice or daily interaction. The casual dialogue mirrors real-life chats, making it ideal for those wanting to sound natural. If you’re working on shadowing technique (repeating speech immediately after a speaker), the relaxed pace and clear pronunciation make it a great tool—no fast-talking jargon here.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

  • "Get up on this": Slang for making a romantic or sexual advance. Example: "He tried to get up on her at the party, but she said no."
  • "Not my jam": Something you don’t enjoy. Example: "Clubbing is not my jam—I’d rather stay home."
  • "Get back on the horse": To try something again after a setback. Example: "After failing the test, she got back on the horse and studied harder."
  • "Blocked it out": To forget something intentionally. Example: "I blocked out the argument—it was too stressful."

How to Get the Accent Right

Focus on the speaker’s casual intonation—notice how questions rise at the end ("Where are you going?") and statements drop. For shadow speak practice, mimic the relaxed vowel sounds: "Ew" (short, sharp) and "Mm -hmm" (soft, nasal). Pause the video, repeat lines immediately, and match the rhythm—this shadowspeak method trains your mouth to move like a native. Pay attention to reduced words: "gonna" (instead of "going to") and "wanna" (instead of "want to")—these are key for sounding natural in everyday English. Use this video to master conversational flow, and you’ll nail both shadowing technique and real-world communication.

Learning English with videos like this bridges the gap between textbook and real life—start practicing today, and you’ll see progress in no time!

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around nowyou're not going · you're getting · I'm going
Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessaryhave to say · have to go

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 →