Shadowing Practice: IELTS SPEAKING PART 1: FASHION - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 36 sentences and 331 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:58. The speaker talks at a natural 168 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% 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

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

• cloth /klɒθ/ (noun) — A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use. Sometimes…
• uniform /ˈjunɪˌfɔɹm/ (noun) — A distinctive outfit that serves to identify members of a group, company, prison inmates, etc.
• depend /dɪˈpɛnd/ (verb) — To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition
• sharp /ʃɑɹp/ (adjective) — Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded.
• mirror /ˈmiɹɚ/ (noun) — A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it.
• contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/ (noun) — The degree of this difference.
• formal /ˈfɔɹməl/ (adjective) — In accordance with established forms.
• plain /pleɪn/ (noun) — An expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse.
• designer /dɪˈzaɪnɚ/ (noun) — A person who designs something, or who designs things as a profession.
• mall /mɔːl/ (noun) — A pedestrianised street, especially a shopping precinct.
• casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/ (adjective) — Happening by chance.
• jeans /d͡ʒiːnz/ (noun) — A pair of trousers made from denim cotton.
• norm /nɔːm/ (noun) — That which is normal or typical.
• flush /ˈflʌʃ/ (verb) — To cleanse by flooding with generous quantities of a fluid.
• slack /slæk/ (adjective) — Lax; not tense; not firmly extended.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• stand in (verb) — To substitute for; to replace
• work in (verb) — To find time or space for, amid other things.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sharp /ʃɑɹp/, contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, flush /ˈflʌʃ/, leisurely /ˈliʒɚli/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like cloth, uniform, depend.