Shadowing Practice: Tom Holland talks 'Spider-Man: Brand New Day' - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
97 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Can I just fix your shirt?
2
Yeah, thank you.
3
There you go.
4
Thank you.
5
Tom Holland, your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man.
6
We ready?
7
He's continuing his stellar run as Peter Parker in Spider-Man Brand New Day.
8
The new movie for me is something that I am incredibly proud of.
9
But then it came with this added layer of pressure of should we do it again?
10
Well, and you were a little hesitant, right?
11
I was hesitant because I would describe myself as a fan first when it comes to the MCU and Spider-Man.
12
And I was really keen to make sure that we made a movie for the right reasons rather than just, these movies are doing really well, let's churn out another one.
13
It wasn't until I really sat down with Destin, our director, and he pitched me ideas of how he wanted to make a more personal story
14
that I really felt like we were investing in the character in a way that the fans would really respond to.
15
And you invested in it as well.
16
You went right into the writer's room.
17
Yeah, they let me into the writer's room, and it was a fascinating experience.
18
And I was so lucky that, you know, I guess I didn't realize the power I have as Spider-Man because I would pitch an idea, go away for a week, come back, and they'd be like, here's your idea.
19
You didn't realize that?
20
You're the star.
21
No, I'm always pinching myself.
22
They're like, I'm lucky that I'm doing this.
23
And there's a large portion of this movie.
24
There's a big kind of moment that is my brother's idea.
25
He came up with this idea that I went into the studio the next day and pitched as his idea.
26
I did not take credit for it.
27
But also I said that because I was worried it was a bad idea.
28
And they were like, oh, yeah.
29
You talk about being a fan first, and you really tuned in to what the fans were looking for in this film, didn't you?
30
It was something that was really important to me was to spend the time online
31
and really understand what it was the fans were kind of looking for in the character.
32
Huh, it's going to be like that.
33
You want to go?
34
And then I could bring some of the Easter eggs and stuff that I had seen online that fans really wanted.
35
Because at the end of the day, they are who we make these movies for.
36
These characters are such a large part of people's lives.
37
They really love these characters.
38
They feel like they're a part of this universe.
39
I didn't know you could get that big.
40
You turned 30 last month.
41
Right.
42
A few years ago you said if you were still doing Spider-Man at the age of 30, you were doing something wrong.
43
I'm sure you've gotten a lot of heat for that, but I think you actually, you beat it.
44
You filmed it before you were 30.
45
That's very true.
46
Do you know what?
47
I think that's probably a statement of a naive young kid who, you know, at the time, the idea of turning 30 felt like a lifetime away.
48
And you know, I've never taken this character for granted.
49
And I think there's a large part of that statement that was, I have this real hunger and desire
50
to kind of shepherd whoever is lucky enough to play this character next through that process.
51
Downey did that for me on set and off set.
52
And I don't want to hold on to this character.
53
I don't want to overstay my welcome.
54
And you said that this summer really feels like you're starting the next chapter of your life
55
and you're really starting it with a bang you've had such a huge year thank you both personally
56
and professionally congratulations on all
57
that what are you hoping for next just more challenges i
58
now feel like i'm starting this chapter where i can't quite get away with being a teenager anymore um
59
and for me what i love about my job is the
60
challenges you know we have fred astaire next is what we're you know planning on doing
61
and as soon as i finish with with these tours, I'm diving back into the dance studio.
62
And I did my first few rehearsals recently
63
and it both filled me with excitement and absolute dread
64
because I've got so much work to do to try and do Fred proud.
65
What does it mean to do Fred proud?
66
I have a desire to use no doubles to do all of the dancing, to shoot those dances in one shot, how he would have done it.
67
Your family always knew you were gonna be a dancer.
68
I guess your father wrote about it in his book.
69
Tell us the Janet Jackson story.
70
Is she really the inspiration?
71
The Janet Jackson story is essentially she had a song that
72
when i was a kid i was just obsessed with it and if
73
that song played i would bounce along to the song in
74
the rhythm of the song wow saturday street dance class you know all throughout our childhood
75
and that led to an audition and that audition led to billy elliott and that led to me getting an agent.
76
So without my mom seeing that rhythm, so I owe it all to Janet and my mom.
77
Janet and Nikki.
78
Holland, once again sharing the screen with Zendaya.
79
You two don't know each other?
80
No, I'm a neighbor.
81
Friendly neighbor?
82
The couple appearing in not one but two summer blockbusters.
83
Do you say she is the best actress out there?
84
I truly believe so.
85
I've seen her work for the last 10 years, and she is absolutely fearless with the way that she takes on characters.
86
She has this unique ability to completely go the distance without characters becoming caricatures, and there are only few actors that can really do that.
87
And I love her work ethic.
88
I love her passion.
89
She's really showing everyone up in the business.
90
As are you.
91
Congratulations on an amazing year.
92
Thanks for coming.
93
Nice to see you, George.
94
It looked like they had a lot of fun.
95
I love seeing that.
96
All right, Spider-Man, brand new day.
97
It hits theaters everywhere on July 31st.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
📺 Same Channel
B21
Miley Cyrus shares reason behind her ‘unique’ voice
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
US launches new retaliatory strikes on Iran after attack on US forces
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
GMA First Look Full Broadcast - Sept. 9, 2026
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B23
Conan O'Brien talks 'Toy Story 5'
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C147
'Never be ashamed of trying': Taylor Swift tells Class of 2022 in commencement speech l GMA
University Students
B2Men of 'Game of Thrones' EXCLUSIVE Interview
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B2Mille Bobby Brown and Henry Cavill talk 'Enola Holmes 2' l GMA
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B1Tom Holland rewatches 'Billy Elliot' and 'Spider-Man'
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
✨ Recommend Video
B13
1011 sentences
Tom Holland on SPIDER-MAN: BRAND NEW DAY, THE ODYSSEY, plus Kevin Feige & Amy Pascal!
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
70 sentences
Listen and Repeat With Tom Holland "Spider Man" | Learn British Accent through Shadowing English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2431 sentences
Tom Holland and Gordon Ramsay Bond Over A Spicy Fried Chicken Sandwich
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
248 sentences
Friend of the Show: Tom Holland Meets Tom Holland to Chat All Things The Odyssey
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
100 sentences
Spider-Man: Brand New Day - Movie Review
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B27
375 sentences
Tom Holland Reveals The Real Reason He Was Drinking
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
65 sentences
ORIGINAL TOM HOLLAND SPIDER-MAN AUDITION TAPE | No Way Home Avengers Civil War Screen Test
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B27
321 sentences
Learn English with SPIDER-MAN — No Way Home
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B23
174 sentences
Zendaya & Tom Holland On Each Other's Personalities, Happy Memories Together & Fan Edits
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B28
69 sentences
What if it actually works out?
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
5 sentences
MANIFEST - TOM HOLLAND on Getting his Role as Spider-Man
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B259 sentences
Chris Evans AOU Red Carpet Interview
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 97 sentences and 1072 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:36. The speaker talks fast, about 192 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| pitch noun | /pɪt͡ʃ/ | A throw; a toss; a cast, as of something from the hand. |
| congratulations | /kənˌɡɹæt͡ʃəˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/ | Expressing praise and approval, expressing approbation. |
| invest verb | /ɪnˈvɛst/ | To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in. |
| rhythm noun | /ˈɹɪð.əm/ | The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter. |
| audition noun | /ɑˈdɪʃən/ | A performance, by an aspiring performer, to demonstrate suitability or talent. |
| neighbour noun | /ˈneɪbɚ/ | A person living on adjacent or nearby land; a person situated adjacently or nearby; anything (of the same type of thing as the subject) in an adjacent or… |
| egg noun | /ɛɡ/ | An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body produced by birds, insects, reptiles, and other animals, often housing an embryo within a membrane or shell… |
| actress noun | /ˈæk.tɹɪs/ | A female who performs on the stage or in films. |
| passion noun | /ˈpæʃən/ | A true desire sustained or prolonged. |
| essentially adverb | /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/ | In essence: by nature. |
| whoever | /huˈɛvɚ/ | Who ever: an emphatic form of who. |
| inspiration noun | /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing. |
| layer noun | /ˈleɪ̯ɚ/ | A single thickness of some material covering a surface. |
| lifetime noun | /ˈlaɪf.taɪm/ | The duration of the life of someone or something. |
| incredibly adverb | /ɪŋˈkɹɛdɪbli/ | In an incredible manner; not to be believed. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. |
| get away with verb | To get away, or escape, taking (something) with one. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 29 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/, theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, ethic /ˈɛθ.ɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: congratulations /kənˌɡɹæt͡ʃəˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/, audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/, passion /ˈpæʃən/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: congratulations /kənˌɡɹæt͡ʃəˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, incredibly /ɪŋˈkɹɛdɪbli/, caricature /ˈkɛɹɪkət͡ʃʊɚ/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like pitch, congratulations, invest.
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.