Shadowing Practice: IELTS Tips You MUST Know Before Your Test - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Sarah was devastated.

After months of preparation, she failed her IELTS test by just half a band.

The reason?

A simple mistake she made 24 hours before the exam.

In this video, I'm going to share with you four incredible stories about four students

that made one small change to their preparation 24 hours before the test that made a huge difference to their score.

Each story focuses on one key area

that you need to address the day before your test if you want to get the best score possible.

Stay tuned because what you do the day before your test could make or break your IELTS score.

Meet Sarah.

She was a brilliant student with dreams of studying international business in London.

Sarah should have easily got a band eight, but she made three critical mistakes in the 24 -hour period before her exam.

Number one, cramming.

I stayed up all night trying to memorize vocabulary and practice answers.

I thought if I could just cram a little more information into my brain, I'd do better on the test.

Number two, isolation.

I shut myself in my room, avoiding everyone, especially my family.

I was so focused on studying that I didn't want any distractions.

Number three, negative self -talk.

I kept imagining all the ways I could fail.

Every time I made a mistake, I convinced myself I wasn't ready.

These approaches might sound very familiar to you.

It is natural that we want to cram as much information in as possible

and work as hard as possible to give us the best possible chance.

But as we're going to learn, it can backfire.

By the time I got to the test center, I was exhausted, anxious, and my mind was a mess full of half -remembered words and phrases.

I could barely focus on the questions, let alone give good answers.

And the result?

Burnout, anxiety, and a disappointing 6 .5.

Sarah's confidence was completely shattered when she saw her result

and she was about to give up on her dream of studying business in London.

But in order to help her, I used this technique that you can use at home to identify the root cause of the problem.

So I asked her on the night before the test, why were you so stressed out?

I might fail.

Why are you so afraid of failure?

I'll let my family down.

Have you spoken to your family about this?

we have a winner.

This is the real reason why she was so stressed the day before her test.

So she had to have a very hard conversation with her parents

and I'll let you know how that went in a second but let me tell you about her next attempt.

How she prepared 24 hours before the test that massively boosted her score.

So here's what she did.

Number one she set a cutoff time.

I stopped all IELTS preparation at 6 p .m the day before the test.

It was hard at first.

I felt like I should be studying every minute but Chris convinced me that rest was just as important as practice.

Number two, relaxation activities.

I took a long bath, did some light yoga and listened to calming music.

It was the first time in months I'd allowed myself to truly relax.

Number three, positive visualization.

Before bed I spent 10 minutes imagining myself feeling confident and performing well on the test.

I pictured myself calmly answering questions and writing fluently.

Number four, early bedtime.

I was in bed by 9pm to ensure I got a full 8 hours of sleep.

I used to think sleep was a waste of time, but I realised how crucial it is for my mental clarity.

Number 5, morning motivation.

I read encouraging messages from my mum and dad over breakfast.

It reminded me that I had a support system and that my worth was not determined by a test score.

These changes might sound simple, anyone can do them, but those changes had a profound impact on her test score.

When I walked into the test center this time, I felt like a different person.

I was calm, focused, and actually felt confident.

For the first time, I wasn't fighting against panic and stress during the test.

I was able to think clearly and express myself well.

And the result, she got an 8 .5 on test day.

Now being calm, focused, and relaxed is very, very important.

And you can achieve that by doing similar things to Sarah, but you need to identify the root cause problem.

When she was able to sit down and speak to her parents she realized

that her parents loved her more than getting a high band score

or moving to london and getting a fancy degree she realized

that she was much more than her test score once she realized

that like many many things in life she realized

that all the worry all the stress was in her imagination if you are feeling stressed if you're feeling worried

Try using that technique by asking yourself several times, why?

Why are you stressed?

Why does that matter?

Why do you care about that?

Why does that make you scared?

And get to the root cause problem and then address that problem and it will fix 80, 90 % of your stress -related issues.

And finally, once you identify that problem, if you don't know how to fix it, share it with a friend, a family member, someone you trust.

A problem shared is a problem halved.

Next.

Let's talk about Ahmed.

His lack of practical preparation nearly cost him his chance at a prestigious MBA program.

Let's look at what he did and have a think about why he got a much lower score than he deserved.

I woke up to my alarm feeling confident, but as I checked the test center address,

I panicked and realized it was much further than I thought.

I rushed to get ready, but then I couldn't find my ID.

By the time I found it and left home, I was already running late.

Then the morning quickly went from bad to worse.

There was unexpected traffic and I arrived at the test center 20 minutes late, sweating and stressed out.

They almost didn't let me in to take the test.

By the time I sat down, my heart was racing and I couldn't focus on the questions.

To make matters worse, the deadline for the MBA program was within two weeks, so he needed his second attempt to go without a hitch.

Here are the five things that he did in order to guarantee the best possible result.

Number one, reconnaissance mission.

The afternoon before, I did a practice run to the test center.

I timed the journey and familiarized myself with the building.

It gave me peace of mind knowing exactly where I needed to go.

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Number two, document preparation.

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I laid out all my required documents and packed my bag the night before.

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Three, multiple alarms.

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I set three alarms and asked a friend to call me as a backup.

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And before, backup transportation.

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I arranged a free ride with a friend in case there were problems with public transport.

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Knowing I had a plan B really helped me relax and sleep well that night.

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Number five, tech stack.

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I made sure my phone was fully charged.

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I had the test center's location stored in the maps, all of my IDs photographed, stored in my phone, and even the test center's contact information.

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These things might seem excessive, but they made a huge difference to him on test day.

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The night before the test, I felt so much more relaxed.

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I knew I had everything prepared so I could focus on getting a good night's sleep instead of worrying.

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I woke up calmly to my first alarm, had time to have a good breakfast and arrived at the test center with 45 minutes to spare.

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I even had time to relax and do some deep breathing before the test started.

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And the result, he went from 6 .5 to 8 just by taking those practical steps

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and he was able to do his MBA program.

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Now meet Mai.

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In the 24 hours before her test, Mai made some unhealthy choices.

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Number one, she pulled an all -nighter.

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I thought if I studied right up until the test, I'd remember more.

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I didn't want to waste time sleeping when I could be studying.

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Number two, caffeine overload.

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Drank so much coffee before the test that my hands were shaking and I couldn't sit still.

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Number three, skipped meal.

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I was just too nervous to eat properly and I thought I'd feel more alert if I was hungry.

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Her approach might sound very familiar to you.

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Many students believe that if they cram in as much information as possible, they will do better on test day.

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But it's important to remember that the IELTS test is not a memorization test.

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It is not a knowledge test.

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It is a communication test.

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And in order to clearly communicate in English, you need a clear, focused mind.

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Halfway through the reading section, it was like hitting a wall.

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My eyes couldn't focus on the words.

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My brain felt foggy.

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And I just started making silly mistakes.

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And the result of her ignoring her physical preparation meant

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that her score was far lower than what was required for her PhD.

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I was devastated.

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I'd studied so hard, but my scores didn't reflect my true ability at all.

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I realized I had sabotaged myself with my last minute preparation tactics.

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So for her next attempt, what we did was show her that her mental performance was linked to her physical performance.

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And we focused far more in helping her body perform well so that her brain could perform well on test day.

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So here's what we did.

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Number one, sleep.

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I went to bed early and aimed for eight hours of sleep.

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I also avoided screens for an hour before bedtime to help me fall asleep more naturally.

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Number two, balanced nutrition.

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I had a nutritious dinner the night before, grilled salmon, rice and vegetables.

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And for breakfast on test day, I had oatmeal with fruit and nuts.

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It gave me steady energy without making me feel sluggish.

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Number three, hydration.

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I made sure to drink plenty of water, but not so much that I needed bathroom breaks every 20 minutes.

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I also avoided too much caffeine because that ensures you get a good sleep and means you're not running to the bathroom.

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Number four, light exercise.

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I did a 20 -minute yoga session in the morning to energize my body and calm my mind.

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It helped me feel relaxed but alert.

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Number five, brain food.

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I packed some nuts and dark chocolate for a quick energy boost during the breaks.

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Number six, comfortable clothing.

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Being physically comfortable during the test was way more important than I realized

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and her score jumped from 6 .5 to 7 .5, and she was able to start her PhD.

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Carla's a software engineer, and she was used to speaking English every day at work.

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But the day before the test, she made a crucial mistake.

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I spent the whole day relaxing, watching Spanish movies and chatting with my family in Spanish.

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I thought I could just switch to English mode on test day.

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When I started the speaking test, it was like my brain was stuck in Spanish.

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I knew what I wanted to say, but the English words weren't just coming out smoothly.

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I kept hesitating and making small grammar mistakes I wouldn't usually make.

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This situation is very, very common.

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So on test day, you're going to be stressed out.

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And when you combine that with maybe speaking in your native language for a few days before the test,

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and you're suddenly expected to switch into English.

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It's a bit like an athlete trying to go into a big game without stretching and warming up first.

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So after speaking to Carla, it was very obvious why they didn't get the score that they needed.

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So 24 hours before their next test, we did a few things.

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Number one, English only.

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I committed to using only English for the entire day before the test.

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It was challenging at first, especially with my family, but it really helped me get into the right mindset.

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Number two, immersive listening.

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I listened to English podcasts on IELTS related topics during breakfast and my commute.

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I chose topics like education, environment, technology, things that often come up in the IELTS test.

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Number three, active reading.

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I read English news articles and books all day.

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I made sure to read actively summarizing main points and noting new vocabulary.

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Number four, speaking practice.

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I had lunch with English speaking colleagues and deliberately steered our conversation towards more complex topics.

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I even told them about my IELTS test, and they were happy to engage me in more formal discussions.

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Number five, English entertainment.

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In the evening, I watched English YouTube videos and a movie without subtitles.

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Now, some of you might be thinking, isn't she cramming?

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Isn't she exhausting herself?

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No, there's a huge difference between cramming for a test and just operating in English.

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But if you're feeling tired, If you don't want to be watching English movies and reading English books,

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just do nothing but try to get into that English warm -up 24 hours before your test.

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And you've guessed it, Carla was able to jump to a massive score and get the job of her dreams in America.

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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección

Esta lección de conversación se basa en el vídeo “IELTS Tips You MUST Know Before Your Test”. Las palabras que más se repiten: test, English, score, hour. Este vídeo tiene 195 frases y 2269 palabras para practicar shadowing. La parte hablada dura 12:05. El hablante habla rápido, unas 188 palabras por minuto, así que espera sonidos enlazados y reducidos. Solo el 81 % de las palabras está entre las 3.000 más comunes del inglés, por lo que el vocabulario es exigente.

Vocabulario clave de este vídeo

15 palabras del vídeo que vale la pena aprender, con su pronunciación y significado:

Palabra	Pronunciación	Significado
preparation sustantivo	/ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/	preparación
relax verbo	/ɹɪˈlæks/	relajar, aflojar
alarm sustantivo	/əˈlɑɹm/	alarma, rebato
topic sustantivo	/ˈtɑpɪk/	tema, tópico
practical adjetivo	/ˈpɹæk.tɪ.kəl/	práctico
technique sustantivo	/tɛkˈniːk/	técnica
boost verbo	/buːst/	aupar, upar
alert adjetivo	/əˈlɝt/	alerta, vigilante
crucial adjetivo	/ˈkɹuː.ʃəl/	crucial
convince verbo	/kənˈvɪns/	convencer, llevar al huerto
examination sustantivo	/ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/	examen, examinación
panic sustantivo	/ˈpænɪk/	pánico
backup sustantivo	/ˈbækˌʌp/	respaldo
yoga sustantivo	/ˈjoʊ.ɡə/	yoga
vocabulary sustantivo	/vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/	vocabulario

Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar

Palabra	Pronunciación	Significado
stress out verbo		agobiar, estresar
sit down verbo		sentarse
come out verbo	/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/	revelarse, salir a la luz
lay out verbo	/ˌleɪ ˈaʊt/	encaminar
stay up verbo		quedarse despierto, empalmar
wake up verbo	/ˌweɪk ˈʌp/	despertarse, recordar

Frases que vale la pena repetir

Frases cortas y completas del vídeo que puedes reutilizar en la conversación diaria:

Why are you so afraid of failure?
I'll let my family down.
Have you spoken to your family about this?
Why do you care about that?
Why does that make you scared?

Gramática en este vídeo

Las estructuras que más usa el hablante, con las palabras exactas del vídeo:

Estructura	En el vídeo
Present perfect have/has + participio pasado — una acción pasada que sigue importando ahora	Have you spoken · you've guessed
Voz pasiva be + participio pasado — importa lo que ocurre, no quién lo hace	was required · was linked

Pronunciación a tener en cuenta

El hablante usa 32 contracciones y formas reducidas, como didn't, I'd, you're. Dilas en su forma corta, tal como las oyes.

Los sonidos de “th”: clothing /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/, bath /bɑːθ/, breathe /bɹiːð/, athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/, unhealthy /ʌnˈhɛl.θi/
Los sonidos de “sh” y “zh”: preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, crucial /ˈkɹuː.ʃəl/, examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, rush /ɹʌʃ/, shake /ˈʃeɪk/
Palabras largas — cuida el acento: preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, devastated /ˈdɛv.əˌsteɪ.təd/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/

Sonidos difíciles para hispanohablantes:

s + consonante al inicio — sin añadir una “e” delante: stretch /stɹɛt͡ʃ/, steady /ˈstɪdi/, spare /spɛɚ/, skip /skɪp/, sweat /swɛt/
/v/ — no es /b/: los dientes tocan el labio inferior: convince /kənˈvɪns/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, devastated /ˈdɛv.əˌsteɪ.təd/, actively /ˈæktɪvli/, motivation /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/
/z/ — sonora, no /s/: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, exhaust /ɪɡˈzɔst/, anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/, physically /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kli/

Cómo practicar con este vídeo

Escucha el vídeo entero una vez sin hablar y anota las palabras que no conoces.
Empieza a velocidad 0,75×, haz shadowing frase por frase y vuelve a la velocidad normal cuando te resulte fácil.
Grábate y compara con el original, prestando atención a palabras como preparation, relax, alarm.

¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?

Shadowing es una técnica de aprendizaje de idiomas respaldada por la ciencia, desarrollada originalmente para la formación de intérpretes profesionales y popularizada por el políglota Dr. Alexander Arguelles. El método es simple pero poderoso: escuchas audio en inglés nativo y lo repites en voz alta de inmediato, como una sombra que sigue al hablante con solo 1-2 segundos de retraso. A diferencia de la escucha pasiva o los ejercicios de gramática, el shadowing obliga a tu cerebro y músculos de la boca a procesar y reproducir simultáneamente patrones de habla reales. Las investigaciones muestran que mejora significativamente la precisión de la pronunciación, la entonación, el ritmo, el habla conectada, la comprensión auditiva y la fluidez al hablar, convirtiéndola en una de las metodologías más efectivas para la preparación del IELTS Speaking y la comunicación en inglés en el mundo real.

Técnica de shadowing: lee la guía completa paso a paso →

Shadowing Practice: IELTS Tips You MUST Know Before Your Test - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulario y notas de pronunciación para esta lección

Vocabulario clave de este vídeo

Phrasal verbs que vas a escuchar

Frases que vale la pena repetir

Gramática en este vídeo

Pronunciación a tener en cuenta

Cómo practicar con este vídeo

¿Qué es la Técnica de Shadowing?