English through Music
Taylor Swift: Shake It Off
Choosing which opinions matter
Your goal: Follow colloquial language about criticism and discuss a balanced response to other people’s opinions.
Adults: body-focused dance sequences and a mild insult in the spoken section.
01 · 7 minutes
Watch
Watch the complete video once without pausing. Focus on the overall meaning and mood; you do not need to catch every word.
Listen for the contrast between what other people say and what the speaker chooses to do.
If the player cannot load or reports an error, open the video on YouTube.
Choose one word for your first reaction. There is no correct answer.
02 · 5 minutes
Useful English
Four useful items connected with the song. Definitions and examples are original; not every item is claimed to appear in the recording.
British English vocabulary audio
Choose an item to hear its word, meaning and example.
shake off
phrasal verb
To get rid of an unwanted feeling or influence.
A short walk helped me shake off my nervousness.
With an object pronoun, put it between the verb and particle: shake it off.
critic
noun, countable
Someone who expresses a judgement or disapproval; also a professional reviewer.
The critic praised the acting but disliked the ending.
gossip
noun, uncountable
Informal talk about other people’s private lives, which may not be reliable.
I try not to repeat office gossip.
carry on
phrasal verb
To continue doing something.
Despite a small technical problem, the band carried on playing.
03 · 9 minutes
Quick quiz
Choose one answer for each question. Questions 1–2 focus on the song; questions 3–6 practise useful vocabulary.
Open the six-question quiz
1–2 minGrammar in a minuteB1–B2 · Where does the pronoun go?
The title illustrates a separable phrasal-verb pattern. Practise it with another everyday verb.
The radio is too loud. Please turn it down.
Original practice model, not a song lyric
With a separable phrasal verb such as turn down, a pronoun object goes between the verb and particle: turn it down. A noun can go in either position: turn the radio down or turn down the radio.
04 · 12 minutes
Speaking
Give your opinion and explain it. Different reactions are welcome. You may use invented examples instead of personal experiences.
Open the three speaking questions
1. How do you distinguish useful criticism from a personal attack?
Give one sign of each.
Useful criticism… whereas…
2. What helps people shake off an unfair comment?
Suggest a practical response that does not make the conflict worse.
It may help to…
3. Can ignoring other people’s opinions go too far?
Give a case in which listening would be wiser.
Ignoring opinions is useful when… but…