Shadowing Practice: Lesson 1 Oxford Word Skills Basic - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video is all about nailing a key fluency milestone: confidently understanding and saying numbers from 1 to 1,000,000+—and using "about" to talk about approximate amounts. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to avoid awkward pauses when discussing quantities, this lesson builds the foundational skills you need. Plus, it’s perfect for trying the shadowing technique: repeat the numbers out loud as you hear them, mimicking the rhythm and pronunciation to train your mouth and ears.

Your Go-To Phrase Bank for Numbers & Approximations

• "About 20" (for when you’re not exact)
• "11,000" (comma placement for thousands)
• "3,000,000" (comma placement for millions)
• "A 100, a 1,000, a 1,000,000" (natural ways to say big numbers)
• "Not 200s, not 2,000,000" (correcting common plural mistakes)

These phrases work in real life—from asking "How much is it? It's about 100 pounds" to answering "How many students are there? About 20." They’re simple but essential, and great for shadowing practice to boost your speaking speed.

Fix These Common Number Mistakes (With Shadowing!)

Numbers trip up even advanced learners, but the video helps you avoid two big errors: pluralizing large numbers (it’s "200," not "200s") and misplacing commas (use commas to separate thousands and millions, like "11,000" or "252,000"). The shadowing technique is key here—by repeating the numbers aloud as you hear them, you’ll train your brain to automatically use the right form. If you’re new to shadowing, try pausing the video, repeating the number, and then playing it back to check your rhythm. Sites that focus on shadowing can also help, but even learning English with YouTube videos like this one works—just hit play and follow along.

Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to sound more natural, mastering numbers and "about" will make you a more confident speaker. So grab your phone, hit record, and start shadowing—you’ll be saying "1,050" and "2,000,000" like a pro in no time!