Shadowing Practice: 1979 - ...And Justice for All. - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “1979 - ...And Justice for All”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: lawyer, boyfriend, angry. This video has 58 sentences and 366 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:27. The speaker talks at a steady 149 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 10 of its 58 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| innocent adjective | /ˈɪnəsənt/ | Free from guilt, sin, or immorality. |
| crack noun | /kɹæk/ | A thin and usually jagged space opened in a previously solid material. |
| occasion noun | /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/ | A favorable opportunity; a convenient or timely chance. |
| exception noun | /əkˈsɛpʃən/ | The act of excepting or excluding; exclusion; restriction by taking out something which would otherwise be included, as in a class, statement, rule. |
| mild adjective | /ˈmaɪld/ | Gentle and not easily angered |
| assure verb | /əˈʃʊɹ/ | To make sure and secure; ensure. |
| statute noun | /ˈstæt͡ʃuːt/ | A written law or ordinance passed by a legislative body. |
| detector noun | /dɪˈtɛktə(ɹ)/ | A device capable of registering a specific substance or physical phenomenon, and that optionally sounds an alarm or triggers a warning. |
| polygraph noun | /ˈpɒliɡɹæf/ | A device which measures and records several physiological variables such as blood pressure, heart rate, respiration and skin conductivity while a series of… |
| reopen verb | /ɹiːˈəʊpən/ | To open (something) again. |
| acquit verb | /əˈkwɪt/ | To declare or find innocent or not guilty. |
| admissible adjective | /ədˈmɪsəbəl/ | Capable or deserving to be admitted, accepted or allowed; allowable, permissible, acceptable. |
| sadistically adverb | In a sadistic manner. | |
| sodomize verb | American and Oxford British English standard spelling of sodomise. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. |
| show up verb | To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Why don't you tell me about the girl, then?
- Can you tell me anything about her?
- What do you want to know?
- What do you think happened to her?
- It's a little mild, don't you think?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | can be done · wasn't just raped · I've been involved |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've been involved · I've said |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 28 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: occasion /əˈkeɪ̯ʒən/, exception /əkˈsɛpʃən/, assure /əˈʃʊɹ/
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 innocent, crack, occasion.
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.