Shadowing Practice: Why a Song Gets Stuck in Your Head - Learn English Speaking with Video
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17 sentences
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1
You hear a song for ten seconds in a supermarket.
2
Three days later, it's still playing in your head!
3
Sound familiar? Scientists call it an earworm.
4
Surprisingly, almost everyone gets them, every single week!
5
And it's usually not the whole song.
6
Ugh, just one tiny bit of the chorus, over and over!
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So why does this happen?
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Your brain hates things that feel unfinished.
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When you only hear part of a song,
10
it keeps looping it, trying to complete it.
11
Oh, and catchy songs make it even worse!
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Simple melodies, lots of repetition, and one surprising little jump.
13
So, how do you make it stop?
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Believe it or not, try chewing gum.
15
Chewing uses the same parts of your brain as silent singing.
16
Or just listen to the whole song, right to the end.
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Then your brain can finally let it go. Ahh, silence!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Why a Song Gets Stuck in Your Head”. This video has 17 sentences and 144 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:59. The speaker talks at a steady 146 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 3 of its 17 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| chew verb | /tʃuː/ | To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed. |
| silence noun | /ˈsaɪ̯ləns/ | The absence of any sound. |
| silent adjective | /ˈsaɪ̯lənt/ | Free from sound or noise; absolutely still; perfectly quiet. |
| loop noun | /luːp/ | A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening. |
| surprisingly adverb | /səˈpɹaɪzɪŋli/ | In a way that causes surprise because it is unexpected, or unusual. |
| chorus verb | /ˈkɔːɹəs/ | To sing (a song), express (a sentiment), or recite or say (words) in chorus. |
| melody noun | /ˈmɛl.ə.di/ | A sequence of notes that makes up a musical phrase. |
| supermarket noun | /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/ | A large self-service store that sells groceries and, usually, medications, household goods, and/or clothing. |
| unfinished adjective | /ʌnˈfɪnɪʃt/ | Not completed; unresolved. |
| catchy adjective | /ˈkæt͡ʃi/ | Instantly appealing and memorable. |
| earworm noun | /ˈɪ(ə)ɹˌwɚm/ | A tune that keeps replaying in one's head or that one keeps thinking about, especially if unwanted. |
| repetition noun | /ˌɹɛp.əˈtɪʃ.ən/ | The act or an instance of repeating or being repeated. |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: unfinished /ʌnˈfɪnɪʃt/, repetition /ˌɹɛp.əˈtɪʃ.ən/
- Long words — get the stress right: surprisingly /səˈpɹaɪzɪŋli/, supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/, repetition /ˌɹɛp.əˈtɪʃ.ən/
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 chew, silence, silent.
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.