Shadowing Practice: Westlife - Soledad (Official video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Recommend Video
B1Westlife - Soledad (Official Audio)
B2Backstreet Boys - Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely (Official Video)
B2George Michael - Careless Whisper (Official 4K Video)
B1Westlife - Mandy (Official Video)
B2Alone Again Naturally 1972 Gilbert O´Sullivan
B2Within Temptation - Memories (Music Video)
B1Leaving
B2Taylor Swift - Daylight (Lyric Video)
B23 Doors Down - Here Without You (Official Music Video)
B2This I Love
B2Loreen - Crying Out Your Name
B2The Last Goodbye | Romantic Acoustic Vibes | Mix Love Songs 2026
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Westlife - Soledad”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Soledad, lonely, gone, memory, keeping. This video has 36 sentences and 295 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:32. The speaker talks slowly, about 83 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 92% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 10 of its 36 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
8 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lonely adjective | /ˈloʊnli/ | Unhappy due to feeling isolated from contact with other people. |
| 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. |
| heal verb | /ˈhiːl/ | To make better from a disease, wound, etc.; to revive or cure. |
| empty adjective | /ˈɛm(p).ti/ | Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant. |
| replace verb | /ɹɪˈpleɪs/ | To restore to a former place, position, condition, etc.; to put back. |
| memory noun | /ˈmɛm.ə.ɹi/ | The ability of the brain to record information or impressions with the facility of recalling them later, usually at will. |
| image noun | /ˈɪm.ɪdʒ/ | A visual or other representation of the external form of something in art. |
| 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). |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| call out verb | To specify, especially in detail. |
| leave behind verb | To abandon. |
| walk down verb | To continually advance (on an opponent) and punch (the opponent) in order to control the fight and dominate the opponent, while shrugging off the opponent's… |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Why did you leave me?
- Since the day that you were gone, why don't you leave me?
- Why did you leave me so late now?
- Why did you leave me so legal?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, don't, we're. 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 lonely, tear, heal.
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.