Shadowing Practice: (Reading Practice (Improve your pronunciation in English - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 117 sentences and 1093 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:57. The speaker talks slowly, about 55 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 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:

• collect /ˈkɑlɪkt/ (verb) — To gather together; amass.
• swim /swɪm/ (verb) — To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
• airplane /ˈɛɹˌpleɪ̯n/ (noun) — A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings: a fixed-wing aircraft with at least one engine or electric motor.
• downtown /ˈdaʊ̯nˌtaʊ̯n/ (noun) — The main business part of a city or town, usually located at or near its center.
• complaint /kəmˈpleɪnt/ (noun) — The act of complaining.
• pollution /pəˈluʃən/ (noun) — Physical contamination, now especially the contamination of the environment by harmful substances, or by disruptive levels of noise, light etc.
• stamp /stæmp/ (noun) — An act of stamping the foot, paw or hoof.
• airline /ˈɛɹˌlaɪn/ (noun) — A company that flies airplanes to transport people and goods.
• hike /haɪk/ (noun) — A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise.
• reservation /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/ (noun) — The act of reserving, withholding or keeping back.
• lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (noun) — A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
• desk /dɛsk/ (noun) — A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a…
• electricity /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ (noun) — Originally, a property of amber and certain other nonconducting substances to attract lightweight material when rubbed, or the cause of this property; now…
• ugly /ˈʌɡli/ (adjective) — Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing.
• delay /dɪˈleɪ̯/ (noun) — A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• stay in (verb) — To remain at home.
• ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
• fall down /fɔl ˈdaʊn/ (verb) — To fall to the ground. To collapse.
• get on (verb) — To board or mount (something), especially a vehicle.
• go into (verb) — To get involved in; to investigate or explore.
• have at (verb) — To take on; to begin dealing with.
• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
• sit in (verb) — To attend a class, educational presentation, meeting, etc. for one time, as a visitor.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 22 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: pollution /pəˈluʃən/, reservation /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/
• Long words — get the stress right: reservation /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/, electricity /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/, accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, refrigerator /ɹɪˈfɹɪd͡ʒ.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/

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 collect, swim, airplane.

דקדוק בסרטון הזה

המבנים שהדובר משתמש בהם הכי הרבה, עם המילים המדויקות מהסרטון: