Shadowing Practice: Chandler's Blind Date Nightmare | Friends - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 53 sentences and 295 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:06. The speaker talks slowly, about 95 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 82% 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

14 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• coat /ˈkoʊ̯t/ (noun) — An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms.
• theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ (noun) — A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on.
• toe /təʊ/ (noun) — Each of the five digits on the end of the human foot.
• puppet /ˈpʌpɪt/ (noun) — Any small model of a person or animal able to be moved by strings or rods, or in the form of a glove.
• lick /lɪk/ (verb) — To stroke with the tongue.
• cruelty /ˈkɹu(.ə)lti/ (noun) — An indifference to suffering or pleasure in inflicting suffering.
• slather /ˈslæðə(ɹ)/ (verb) — To spread something thickly on something else; to coat well.
• mousse /muːs/ (noun) — An airy pudding served chilled, particularly chocolate mousse.
• zipper /ˈzɪpɚ/ (noun) — A zip fastener.
• mess /mɛs/ (noun) — A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation.
• excuse /ɪksˈkjuz/ (verb) — To forgive; to pardon; to overlook.
• bathroom /ˈbæθˌɹum/ (noun) — A room containing a shower or bathtub, and (typically but not necessarily) a toilet.
• chocolate /ˈtʃɔk.(ə.)lɪt/ (noun) — A food made from ground roasted cocoa beans.
• smell /smɛl/ (verb) — To sense a smell or smells.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• come back from (verb) — To become successful, confident or effective again after an injury, setback, failure, embarrassment, etc.
• pick up (verb) — To lift; to grasp and raise.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 11 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, slather /ˈslæðə(ɹ)/, bathroom /ˈbæθˌɹum/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like coat, theater, toe.