Shadowing Practice: IELTS Speaking Part 1 – High School - Learn English Speaking with Video

Hey everyone, welcome back.

Today we're looking at the part one topic, high school.

You'll first watch Finn and Blondie answer the same set of questions, and then we'll go through some useful vocabulary and expressions from their interviews.

Let's get started with Finn.

Did you go to a high school near where you lived?

Why or why not?

Yeah, I did actually.

It was only about 15 minutes from my house, so getting there was pretty easy.

I usually rode my bike every morning, which I really liked.

It gave me a bit of time to wake up before classes started.

My parents also preferred me going to a nearby school since it was safer and just more convenient.

What was your high school like?

I'd say it was fairly typical for a public high school, but overall it was a good environment to grow up in.

The facilities weren't particularly modern, and some of the buildings looked a bit outdated, but the teachers were dedicated and the students were generally friendly.

Academically, it was quite competitive, so there was definitely a lot of pressure to perform well.

What did you like most about your high school?

Probably the friendships I built there.

Looking back, that's what I value the most.

I had a close-knit group of friends, and we spent almost every day together, whether it was studying for exams or just hanging out after school.

I think those relationships made even the stressful parts of high school much more enjoyable.

Was there anything you didn't like about your high school?

Yeah, definitely the academic pressure.

At times it felt like everything revolved around grades and exams, so students were constantly stressed out.

I remember having periods where I barely had any free time because I was buried in homework and test preparation.

In hindsight, I think the school could have encouraged a healthier balance between studying and personal life.

What was your favorite subject in high school?

I'd probably say math.

I know a lot of students found it difficult or even intimidating, but I actually enjoyed the logical side of it.

There was something really satisfying about solving a complicated problem step by step and finally arriving at the correct answer.

I also liked the fact that math felt very objective compared to subjects where answers were more open to interpretation.

Did you have a favorite teacher in high school?

Yeah, my math teacher was probably my favorite.

What made him stand out was the way he explained difficult concepts so clearly that even weaker students could follow along.

He also had a good sense of humor, which made the lessons feel less stressful.

More importantly, he was the kind of teacher who genuinely wanted students to improve rather than just memorize formulas for exams.

Did you take part in any extracurricular activities in high school?

No, not really.

To be honest, my high school didn't offer many extracurricular activities in the first place, so there weren't a lot of options available.

On top of that, I wasn't particularly talented in areas like sports or music, so I never felt strongly motivated to join anything.

Most of the time, I just focused on my studies and spent time with my friends after class instead.

What was your relationship like with your classmates in high school?

Overall, it was really good.

I got along with most people in my class, even if we weren't especially close friends.

Since we spent so many years together, we naturally became quite comfortable around each other.

Of course, there were occasional disagreements here and there, but nothing serious.

I'd say the atmosphere was generally supportive and relaxed.

Do you still keep in touch with any of your high school friends?

Yeah, I still keep in touch with a few of my closest friends from high school.

We all go to different universities now, so it's obviously harder to meet regularly, but we still text each other quite often and sometimes meet up during holidays.

Even though we're busy with our own lives, it's nice that we've managed to stay connected over the years.

How do you think your high school could have been improved?

I think one major improvement would have been offering students more opportunities outside academics.

For example, the school could have introduced more clubs, workshops, or creative activities so students with different interests had a chance to develop their skills.

I also think better career guidance would have helped because a lot of students, including me, were pretty uncertain about what we wanted to do after graduating.

All right, so that was Finn's interview.

You can probably notice that his speaking style is quite natural and grounded.

His answers are detailed, but they still feel conversational and relaxed.

Now let's see how Blondie approaches the same topic.

Did you go to a high school near where you lived?

Actually, I didn't.

I grew up in a quiet suburb, but I ended up attending a school in the city centre.

My parents were quite keen on a specific academy there known for its arts programme, so I had to put up with a 40-minute commute.

It was a bit of a trek, but looking back, it was definitely worth the effort.

What was your high school like?

It was a bit of a vibrant melting pot, really, because it was centrally located.

It drew students from all sorts of backgrounds, which made for a very energetic atmosphere.

Architecturally, it was a bit of a mismatch, half grand Victorian building and half modern extensions.

So it felt quite unique, if a little chaotic.

What did you like most about your high school?

I'd have to say the sense of creative freedom.

Our teachers really encouraged us to think outside the box, rather than just focusing on rote learning.

We also had these fantastic common areas that really fostered a sense of community and intellectual curiosity among the students.

Was there anything you didn't like about your high school?

If I'm being honest, the administrative side of things was a bit of a nightmare.

The school was quite oversubscribed, so simple tasks like changing a class schedule often felt like an uphill battle.

It could be pretty frustrating when you just wanted to get on with your studies.

What was your favourite subject in high school?

I was absolutely obsessed with English literature.

I've always been a bit of a bookworm and I loved dissecting the complex themes in classic novels.

There was something so satisfying about uncovering a hidden metaphor.

It never really felt like work to me.

Did you have a favourite teacher in high school?

I did.

My history teacher, Miss Sterling, was legendary.

She told history like it was a gripping drama rather than just reciting dry dates and facts.

She was incredibly demanding, but to be fair, she genuinely cared about our progress, which made us all want to work harder.

Did you take part in any extracurricular activities?

Yes, I was quite heavily involved in the drama club.

We put on two major productions a year and I loved the whole process, from the nerve-wracking auditions to the final curtain call.

It was a fantastic outlet for stress and really helped build my confidence.

What was your relationship like with your classmates?

On the whole, it was very positive.

My year group was quite tight-knit and there wasn't much clique culture, which I know can be an issue.

We all generally looked out for one another, especially during the high-pressure exam seasons.

Do you still keep in touch with any of your high school friends?

Absolutely.

I have a core group of four girlfriends from high school and we're still inseparable.

Even though we've gone off to different universities and started various career paths, we make a point of meeting up at least once a month.

They're the people who knew me before I really knew myself.

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So those bonds are incredibly resilient.

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How do you think your high school could have been improved?

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I think it could have benefited from a greater focus on practical life skills.

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While we were well prepared academically, things like financial literacy were somewhat overlooked.

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a few seminars on how to navigate the professional world would have been incredibly beneficial before we hit adulthood.

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All right so those were the two interviews.

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What's interesting is that Finn and Blondie have completely different personalities and speaking styles but both of them sound fluent,

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natural and comfortable when answering the questions.

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Now let's take a closer look at some useful vocabulary and expressions they use throughout the interviews.

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Close-knit.

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Finn mentioned having a close-knit group of friends.

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That's a really natural way to describe people who are emotionally close and spend a lot of time together.

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For example, we were a pretty close-knit class so everyone knew each other well.

113

Buried in homework.

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This expression is great for describing periods when you have way too much work to do.

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Instead of just saying, I had a lot of homework, you could say, I was completely buried in homework before exams.

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It sounds much more natural and expressive.

117

Think outside the box.

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Blondie used the phrase, think outside the box, which basically means thinking creatively or approaching something differently.

119

You'll hear native speakers use this expression all the time in school or work-related conversations.

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For example, my teacher always encouraged us to think outside the box.

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Put up with.

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Blondie said she had to put up with a long commute.

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Put up with simply means to tolerate something annoying or unpleasant.

124

For example, I had to put up with noisy classmates during lessons.

125

A vibrant melting pot.

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This is a really strong phrase from Blondie's interview.

127

When you describe a place as a melting pot, you mean there are lots of different kinds of people, cultures or backgrounds mixed together,

128

and adding vibrant makes it sound even more lively and energetic.

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For example, my university is a vibrant melting pot of students from all over the world.

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It's a great expression for describing schools, cities, workplaces or even neighbourhoods.

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Look out for one another.

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This expression means to care for or support each other.

133

So when Blondie said her classmates looked out for one another, she meant people were supportive and considerate, especially during stressful times.

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For example, my co-workers always look out for one another when things get busy.

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That's a really useful phrase for topics about friends, family, classmates or co-workers.

136

All right, that's it for today's lesson.

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If you'd like more practice like this, you can become a member for Extra Lessons.

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Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next one.

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Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les

Deze video bevat 138 zinnen en 1803 woorden om na te spreken. Het gesproken deel duurt 10:41. De spreker praat in een natuurlijk tempo van ongeveer 169 woorden per minuut, dicht bij een alledaags gesprek. Slechts 81% van de woorden hoort bij de 3.000 meest gebruikte Engelse woorden, dus de woordenschat is pittig.

Belangrijke woorden in deze video

15 minder gangbare woorden uit de video, met uitspraak en betekenis:

knit /nɪt/ (werkwoord) — breien. To turn thread or yarn into a piece of fabric by forming loops that are pulled through each other. This can be done by hand with needles or by machine.
lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — les. A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
homework /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — huiswerk, huistaak. Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class.
melt /mɛlt/ (werkwoord) — smelten, laten smelten. To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat.
vibrant /ˈvaɪbɹənt/ (bijvoeglijk naamwoord) — energiek. Pulsing with energy or activity.
topic /ˈtɑpɪk/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — onderwerp, thema. A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
encourage /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ (werkwoord) — bemoedigen, aanmoedigen. To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit.
phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — uitspraak. A short written or spoken expression.
mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — wiskunde, mathematiek. An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them.
bury /ˈbɛɹi/ (werkwoord) — begraven. To outlive.
stressful /ˈstɹɛsfəl/ (bijvoeglijk naamwoord) — stressvol. Irritating; causing stress.
atmosphere /ˈætməsˌfɪɹ/ (zelfstandig naamwoord) — atmosfeer, dampkring. The gases surrounding the Earth or any astronomical body.
relax /ɹɪˈlæks/ (werkwoord) — losmaken. To make something loose.
supportive /səˈpɔɹtɪv/ (bijvoeglijk naamwoord) — ondersteunend, behulpzaam. Providing support.
satisfy /ˈsætɪsfaɪ/ (werkwoord) — voldoen, voldoende zijn. To be enough (for)

Phrasal verbs die je zult horen

put up with (werkwoord) — ondergaan, verdragen. To endure, tolerate, suffer through, or allow, especially something annoying.
look back (werkwoord) — achterom kijken, terugkijken. To think of (past events) in retrospect (in hindsight).
end up (werkwoord) — belanden, terechtkomen. To bring to a conclusion.
get on with (werkwoord) — aan de gang gaan met, doorgaan. To proceed with; to begin or continue, especially after an interruption.
put on /ˌpʊt ˈɒn/ (werkwoord) — aantrekken, opzetten (headgear). To don (clothing, equipment, or the like).
wake up /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ (werkwoord) — wakker worden, ontwaken. To stop sleeping; to awake.

Uitspraak om op te letten

De spreker gebruikt 26 samentrekkingen en verkorte vormen, zoals didn't, I'd, we're. Spreek ze kort uit, zoals je ze hoort.

De klanken “sh” en “zh”: extension /ɪkˈstɛnʃən/, friendship /ˈfɹɛn(d)ʃɪp/, preparation /ˌpɹɛpəˈɹeɪʃ(ə)n/, examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, interpretation /ɪnˌtɜːpɹəˈteɪʃən/
Lange woorden — let op de klemtoon: incredibly /ɪŋˈkɹɛdɪbli/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, energetic /ˌɛn.əɹˈdʒɛt.ɪk/

Zo oefen je met deze video

Luister de hele video één keer zonder te spreken en noteer de woorden die je niet kent.
Begin op 0,75× snelheid, spreek zin voor zin na en ga terug naar normale snelheid zodra het makkelijk gaat.
Neem jezelf op en vergelijk met het origineel; let daarbij op woorden als knit, lesson, homework.

Grammatica in deze video

De structuren die de spreker het meest gebruikt, met de exacte woorden uit de video:

Structuur	In de video
Lijdende vorm be + voltooid deelwoord — het gaat om wat er gebeurt, niet om wie het doet	were dedicated · was buried · have been improved
Present perfect have/has + voltooid deelwoord — iets uit het verleden dat nu nog telt	we've managed · I've always been · we've gone
Betrekkelijke bijzinnen who / which + zin — extra informatie over een persoon of ding	teacher who genuinely · people who knew · people who are

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?

Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.

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Woordenschat en spreektips bij deze les

Belangrijke woorden in deze video

Phrasal verbs die je zult horen

Uitspraak om op te letten

Zo oefen je met deze video

Grammatica in deze video

Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?