Shadowing Practice: The Weeknd - Save Your Tears (Lyrics) - 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 Weeknd - Save Your Tears”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: tears, save, cry. This video has 20 sentences and 256 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:26. The speaker talks slowly, about 74 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 11 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
| pretend verb | /pɹəˈtɛnd/ | To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance. |
| teardrop noun | /ˈtɪədɹɒp/ | a single tear (clear, salty liquid secreted by the eye). |
| deserve verb | /dɪˈzɝv/ | To be entitled to, as a result of past actions; to be worthy to have. |
| dance noun | /dæns/ | A sequence of rhythmic steps or movements usually performed to music, for pleasure or as a form of social interaction. |
| glad adjective | /ɡlæd/ | Pleased; happy; gratified. |
| realize verb | /ˈɹi(.ə)ˌlaɪz/ | To become aware of, understand, or appreciate (a fact or situation, especially something which has been true for some time). |
| apart | /əˈpɑɹt/ | Excluded from consideration. |
| surprise noun | /sə(ː)ˈpɹaɪ̯z/ | Something unexpected. |
| guard noun | /ɡɑɹd/ | A person who, or thing that, protects or watches over something. |
| crowd noun | /ˈkɹaʊ̯d/ | A group of people congregated or collected into a close body without order. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| run away verb | To flee by running. |
| fall apart verb | To disintegrate, to break into pieces. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 18 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 tear, pretend, teardrop.
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.