Shadowing Practice: 100 Most Common English Verbs (with examples) | English Speaking Pronunciation - Learn English Speaking with Video
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hello everyone and welcome to the video here are the 100 most common verbs in the english language
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with example sentences are you ready three two one start the lesson
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to be to be the weather is supposed to be nice this weekend the weather is supposed to be nice this weekend
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to have to have i'm going to have another cup of coffee i'm going to have another cup of coffee
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to do to do she explained to them what to do in an emergency
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she explained to them what to do in an emergency
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to say to say he opened his mouth to say something he opened his mouth to say something
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to go to go he said he wanted to go to town he said he wanted to go to town
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to get to get it took me a year to get the necessary materials together
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it took me a year to get the necessary materials together to make to make
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doctors expect him to make a full recovery doctors expect him to make a full recovery
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to know to know i'd like to know the reason why you're
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so late i'd like to know the reason why you're so late to think
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to think i was beginning to think you'd never come i was beginning to think you'd never come to take to take
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don't forget to take your umbrella when you go don't forget to take your umbrella when you go
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to see to see try to see the issue
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from a different perspective try to see the issue from a different perspective
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to come to come people used to come and visit him every day
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people used to come and visit him every day to want to want
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they both seem to want the same things out of life they both seem to want the same things out of life
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to look to look the cake was decorated to
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look like a car the cake was decorated to look like a car
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to use to use my boss doesn't allow me to use the telephone
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my boss doesn't allow me to use the telephone to find to find
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i returned from work to find the house empty i returned from work to find the house empty
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to give to give he refused to give a statement to the police
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he refused to give a statement to the police to tell to tell
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my father called me up to tell me the good news my father called me up to tell me the good news
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to work to work i managed to work for two hours without interruption
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i managed to work for two hours without interruption
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to call to call i was going to call you
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but i lost your number i was going to call you but i lost your number to try
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to try i'd like to try on that blue wool coat i'd like to try on that blue wool coat
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to ask to ask lastly i would like to ask about your future plans
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lastly i would like to ask about your future plans
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to need to need she's going to need an operation on her ankle
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she's going to need an operation on her ankle
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to feel to feel it's normal to feel tired after such a long trip
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it's normal to feel tired after such a long trip to become to become
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i certainly never expected to become a writer i certainly never expected to become a writer
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to leave to leave it was careless of me to leave the door open
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it was careless of me to leave the door open to put to put
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i need to put some air in my tires i need to put some air in my tires to mean to mean
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the takeover of the company is bound to mean more job losses
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the takeover of the company is bound to mean more job losses
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to keep to keep try to keep a balance between work
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and relaxation try to keep a balance between work and relaxation
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to let to let i moved aside to let
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him get by i moved aside to let him get by
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to begin to begin it's time to begin the meeting now it's time to begin the meeting now
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to seem to seem no politician wants to
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seem soft on crime no politician wants to seem soft on crime
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to help to help we aim to help students make more informed career choices
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we aim to help students make more informed career choices
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to talk to talk i don't want to talk about it anymore
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i don't want to talk about it anymore to turn to turn
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i pushed the button to turn on the radio i pushed the button to turn on the radio
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to start to start ideally we would like to start at the beginning ideally
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we would like to start at the beginning
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to show to show sales figures continue to show signs of improvement
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sales figures continue to show signs of improvement to hear to hear
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i'm pleased to hear about your news i'm pleased to hear about your news
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to play to play he challenged me to play another tennis game he challenged me to play another tennis game
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to run to run tell your children not to
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run across the street tell your children not to run across the street
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to move to move the policeman told the
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crowds to move along the policeman told the crowds to move along
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to like to like i'm sure you'll grow to like her in time
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i'm sure you'll grow to like her in time
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to live to live most of the buildings are unfit to live in most of the buildings are unfit
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to live in to believe to believe do you really expect me to believe you
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do you really expect me to believe you to hold to hold you
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that's not the right way to hold a pair of scissors that's not the right way to hold a pair of scissors
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to bring to bring don't forget to bring your books with you don't forget to bring your books with you
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to happen to happen i'd hate anything to happen to him i'd hate anything to happen to him
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to write to write we had to write out a list of 10 jobs we'd like to do
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we had to write out a list of 10 jobs we'd like to do
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to provide to provide we are here to provide a service for the public
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we are here to provide a service for the public
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to sit to sit i just want to sit down
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and relax i just want to sit down and relax
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to stand to stand the crowd had to stand behind barriers the crowd had to stand behind barriers
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to lose to lose i was unlucky enough to lose my glasses
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i was unlucky enough to lose my glasses
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to pay to pay you will have to pay them you have no option you will have to pay them
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you have no option to meet to meet
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they charged down the stairs to meet meet their grandmother they charged down the stairs to meet their grandmother
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to include to include the trip has been extended to include a few other events events
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the trip has been extended to include a few other events to continue
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to continue she wanted to continue working after she was married she wanted to continue working after she was married
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to set to set i forgot to set the burglar alarm i forgot to set the burglar alarm
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to learn to learn be humble enough to learn from your mistakes be humble enough to learn from your mistakes
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to change to change he had to change his lifestyle
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and eating habits he had to change his lifestyle and eating habits
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to lead to lead to lead to lead i think
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we've chosen the right person to lead the expedition i think we've chosen the right person to lead the expedition
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to understand to understand i've been struggling to understand this article all afternoon
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i've been struggling to understand this article all afternoon
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to watch to watch my father took me to watch
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football every saturday my father took me to watch football every saturday
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to follow to follow she hired a private detective to follow her husband
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she hired a private detective to follow her husband to stop to stop
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tell the boy to stop messing around upstairs tell the boy to stop messing around upstairs
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to create to create the government plans to create more
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jobs for young people people the government plans to create more jobs for young people
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to speak to speak we've told our daughter not to speak to strangers
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we've told our daughter not to speak to strangers
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to read to read it's really difficult to read your writing it's really difficult to read your writing
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to allow to allow we have to allow for the possibility that we might not finish on time
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we have to allow for the possibility that we might not finish on time
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to add to add i have nothing to add to my earlier statement i have nothing to add to my earlier statement
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to spend to spend he wants to spend more time with his family he wants to spend more time with his family
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to grow to grow all plants like to
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grow up towards the sunlight all plants like to grow go up towards the sunlight to open
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to open i'd like to open a window unless anyone has any objections
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i'd like to open a window unless anyone has any objections
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to walk to walk she missed the bus and had to walk home she missed the bus and had to walk home
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to win to win she is hoping to win the gold medal she is hoping to win the gold medal
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to offer to offer we aim to offer good value
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and service to all our customers we aim to offer good value and service to all our customers
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to remember to remember i tried to remember her name but my mind went a complete blank
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i tried to remember her name but my mind went a complete blank
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to love to love the way to love anything is to realize
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that it might be lost the way to love anything is to realize that it might be lost
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to consider to consider i need to consider the advantages
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and the disadvantages i need to consider the advantages and the disadvantages
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to appear to appear the car seemed to appear from nowhere the car seemed to appear from nowhere
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to buy to buy he used his savings to buy a book bicycle
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he used his savings to buy a bicycle
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to wait to wait we had to wait outside in the corridor until our names were called
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we had to wait outside in the corridor until our names were called
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to serve to serve the job of a politician is to serve the whole community
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the job of a politician is to serve the whole community
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to die to die we are all doomed to die in the end we are all doomed to die in the end to send to send
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parents are obliged by law to send their children to school
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parents are obliged by law to send their
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children to school to expect to expect
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it's unreasonable to expect you to work seven days a week
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it's unreasonable to expect you to work seven days a week
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to build to build the city is planning to build a new library the city is planning to build a new
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to stay to stay the main thing is to stay calm the main thing is to stay calm
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to fall to fall the rain continued to
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fall all afternoon the rain continued to fall all afternoon
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to cut to cut you need a powerful saw to cut through metal
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you need a powerful saw to cut through metal
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to reach to reach the two sides were unable
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to reach an agreement the two sides were unable to reach an agreement
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to kill to kill i bought a spray to kill the weeds i bought a spray to kill the weeds
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to remain to remain remain the doctor ordered him to remain
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in bed for a few days the doctor ordered him
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to remain in bed for a few days to suggest to suggest
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we were asked to suggest ideas ideas for improving efficiency we were asked to suggest ideas for improving efficiency
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to raise to raise we need to raise more money next year we need to raise more money next next year
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to pass to pass we sang songs to pass the time we sang songs to pass the time
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to sell to sell they are still trying to sell their house they are still trying to sell their house to require to require
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it is normal for hotels to require confirmation from a guest by email
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it is normal for hotels to require confirmation from a guest by email
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to report to report i want to report the loss of a package
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i want to report the loss of a package
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to decide to decide it was difficult to decide between the two candidates
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it was difficult to decide between the two candidates
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to pull to pull firemen managed to pull some
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survivors from the wreckage firemen managed to pull some survivors from the wreckage
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Oh, oh, oh.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “100 Most Common English Verbs”. This video has 164 sentences and 2286 words to shadow. The speech runs for 33:36. The speaker talks slowly, about 68 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| politician noun | /ˌpɑ.ləˈtɪʃ.ən/ | One engaged in politics, especially an elected or appointed government official. |
| package noun | /ˈpæk.ɪd͡ʒ/ | Something which is packed, a parcel, a box, an envelope. |
| telephone noun | /ˈtɛləˌfoʊn/ | A telecommunication device which converts data or sounds (usually speech) into electrical signals which are then transmitted to enable two or more people to… |
| hire verb | /ˈhaɪɹ/ | To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment. |
| nowhere adverb | /ˈnoʊ.(h)wɛɹ/ | In no place. |
| medal noun | /ˈmɛdəl/ | A stamped metal disc used as a personal ornament, a charm, or a religious object. |
| refuse verb | /ɹɪˈfjuːz/ | To decline (a request or demand). |
| efficiency noun | /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/ | The extent to which a resource is used for the intended purpose. |
| coat noun | /ˈkoʊ̯t/ | An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms. |
| tennis noun | /ˈtɛnɪs/ | A sport played by two players (or four in doubles), who alternately strike the ball over a net using racquets. |
| extend verb | /ɛkˈstɛnd/ | To increase in extent. |
| lifestyle noun | /ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl/ | A style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| alarm noun | /əˈlɑɹm/ | A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. |
| stranger noun | /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/ | A person whom one does not know; a person who is neither a friend nor an acquaintance. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cut through verb | To take a shortcut through. |
| mess around verb | To fiddle idly. |
| move along verb | To continue without being distracted; to keep going. |
| run across verb | To cross by running. |
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. |
| stand behind verb | To support; express one's support for, especially despite opposition; to stick with a decision. |
| write out verb | To write at full length or in expanded form. |
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | i've been struggling |
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to come |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was decorated · is bound · has been extended |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has been extended · we've chosen · we've told |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 36 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: politician /ˌpɑ.ləˈtɪʃ.ən/, efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, expedition /ɛkspəˈdɪʃən/, objection /əbˈd͡ʒɛkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: politician /ˌpɑ.ləˈtɪʃ.ən/, efficiency /ɪˈfɪʃ.ən.si/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, expedition /ɛkspəˈdɪʃən/, ideally /aɪˈdi.ə.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like politician, package, telephone.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.