Shadowing Practice: 5 Gay Men vs 1 Secret Straight Guy... - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
319 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
I'm gay.
2
I'm gay.
3
I'm gay.
4
I'm gay.
5
I'm gay.
6
I'm gay.
7
When did everyone realize they were gay?
8
Um, probably like end of high school, after my first relationship.
9
It was a girl, and it was just not for me.
10
I think for me, it was in middle school.
11
It was like before puberty.
12
So I was just kind of figuring things out for myself.
13
And also other kids were understanding too.
14
So that really helped me to find myself when I would talk about it?
15
15. Oh.
16
So I know exactly when it was.
17
I grew up in a very religious home and I too was in relationships with girls.
18
So what I did was I hid myself for a long time.
19
So I'm trying not to tear up.
20
It wasn't until the pandemic when I came out to my little brother.
21
I actually knew when I was eight.
22
My grandma took me to see Mamma Mia, and if you've seen the movie, you know the beach scene.
23
You know exactly what I'm talking about.
24
And I knew something was just a little bit off about me
25
when I realized that I was more attracted to Sky than I was Sophie.
26
I'm like, something about him.
27
You know, mine honestly is right after Twilight came out.
28
It came out of Pattinson, I don't know.
29
Who's team, who's team?
30
Of course, of course.
31
Pattinson for sure, Edward.
32
I knew in middle school, like, there was something up with me.
33
I was like, I like men, that's 100% but I called myself bisexual, and then freshman year in high school, I was just like, I'm gay.
34
Like, the way I feel about women is nothing like the way I feel about men.
35
Okay.
36
I already revealed mine, but what is everyone's favorite celebrity crush?
37
Mine is also a vampire.
38
It's Paul Wesley from Vampire Diaries.
39
He was like my gay awakening, yeah.
40
Really?
41
Yeah.
42
Okay, well mine was Robert Pattinson, so I'm a vampire.
43
Ross Lynch, something about that man is just, oh, just, ah, I just love Ross Lynch.
44
Yeah.
45
Prince and Idris Elba.
46
Mine right now, I think, is Pedro Pascal.
47
You're on the Pedro Pascal train.
48
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
49
Yeah, I am.
50
I'm your daddy.
51
Matt Balmer from White Collar.
52
Like, the snake eyes are so sexy.
53
That's it.
54
What do you guys hate about straight men?
55
Their inability to take criticism or take no as an answer.
56
Like, what is up with that?
57
Like, I understand patriarchy and all that, but still.
58
I know, like, consent.
59
Literally.
60
their inability to have any sort of fashion.
61
It's just T-shirts, jeans, or like just basketball shorts.
62
You know, you see those men who clearly use like the three-in-one shampoos, and I'm just like, how?
63
They brush their teeth with it.
64
Yeah, like I swear.
65
Oh my God, this one guy had a 10-in-one.
66
I did not even want to ask what it meant.
67
Lucifer, I just wanted to ask you, so you said at 15 is when you knew, right?
68
That you were gay?
69
Yes, that's when I came to terms with it for myself.
70
And then you said during COVID was when you told your brother?
71
Yes.
72
So that whole time he didn't know?
73
No. Really?
74
How did that feel for you?
75
Because were you guys close?
76
We were, but I moved from Memphis when I was 18.
77
OK.
78
We've been long distance for all that time.
79
I see.
80
He really didn't make a big deal out of it.
81
Just told me that he loved me no matter what.
82
I see.
83
Can I ask why did you not come out to him earlier if you guys felt so comfortable together with that?
84
Yes.
85
Yes, so for me, when I was growing up, the thing that mattered most was getting married and having a family.
86
I had to keep that facade a long time.
87
I was actually practicing to be a minister in 2012, right when President Obama declared gay marriage legalized nationwide.
88
And when I was in...
89
I want to hear more.
90
Hey, have you spotted the mole yet?
91
Well hang tight because we're going to get there.
92
Until then, subscribe to our channel, and now let's get back to the video.
93
That tank top that he's wearing is really tacky.
94
Sorry, just the jeans and his shirt.
95
Good luck guys.
96
It kind of hurted a little bit.
97
Kind of hurted.
98
Why do you think they were suspicious of you?
99
Um, mainly because I'm wearing just jeans and a t-shirt, but I look stylish and I look amazing, so...
100
Lucifer, I remember you were mentioning that gay marriage was being legalized in 2012, but it was 2015, right?
101
Yeah, that's what I thought.
102
Yeah, so like, yeah, because it was, I remember it precisely, I was on the phone with my pastor actually, when that announcement was made.
103
He was running in 2012, so yeah, he would've...
104
Right, right. So 15?
105
16?
106
I'm bad at math.
107
I'm terrible.
108
Well, it took a while for it to actually go into legislation.
109
Gotcha.
110
So you can say 2012, but if you're technically, yes, it did tickle up a few years into that second term before it was actually registered.
111
What are some things you look for in a guy?
112
Oh, creativity, style, and confidence.
113
Number one would be hygiene.
114
Yeah.
115
I bathe at least twice a day if you know not more in a drought, so Please look, you know,
116
I got a freshen up so I expect that from someone else.
117
Yeah, no, I get that I get that.
118
Yeah, yeah, my boyfriend every time I work my ex-boyfriend Yeah, every time I'd come in like the room is just super messy and like I'm really big on bathroom cleanliness Yeah,
119
it's the last place you are at night in the first place you're in the morning and most traditional
120
men are just Dirty in the bathrooms right um for me definitely funny, and I mean obviously I feel a kid That's that's yeah, that's not started though
121
Mine is basically somebody that could just hang
122
and vibe with me I'm a very active person whether
123
that be like I'm going out hiking I go out working out height doesn't really matter.
124
I mean Haven't found anybody as tall as me yet 6'6 okay, how are you?
125
6'2, but I have these on right now so a little bit taller.
126
I love those by the way Oh, thanks.
127
They're brand new.
128
They're duck marks.
129
Me too, me too.
130
Look at...
131
I love ducks.
132
These are the brand new model.
133
They have little...
134
Yeah, I know.
135
I saw those.
136
I saw those.
137
Did you miss the memo that we were supposed to wear boots today?
138
Yes.
139
I did.
140
I do prefer men that are shorter than me.
141
A little more on the submissive side.
142
We're out.
143
I hate the bottom.
144
Oh.
145
I'm just being honest.
146
I guess because I was in such a controlled environment for so many years, I just have a way of controlling that space.
147
Can we run down and say what we are?
148
Like, you already answered.
149
Yes.
150
We'll say bottom.
151
Top. Or verse.
152
I say I'm a verse top.
153
Yeah, verse bottom.
154
He's definitely a bottom.
155
Ricky is a bottom for sure.
156
Did you see what this man is wearing?
157
Had the midriff and all.
158
Yeah, just takes the right person for me.
159
Yeah, I agree.
160
I think it's very dependent.
161
But honestly, like, the verse comes in more so when it's with like hookups and stuff like that.
162
Well, baby, I'm a Scorpio, so like...
163
Me too!
164
Oh, nice! So nice!
165
When my dapped up Lucifer.
166
That was, I was like, okay, that was a little, that was a little straight.
167
That felt very hetero to me.
168
Ew.
169
Oh, and my other thing, if they're open to threesomes, because I want to do that.
170
Hey, say it to the camera.
171
If you're out there and you're open to threesomes, Lucifer is available.
172
I think it's better on paper.
173
I'm not going to, I just want to break the truth to you.
174
Really?
175
Because it's just like, it's just another person.
176
It just gets a lot.
177
I don't know.
178
I just feel like- I completely agree.
179
It's more of a novelty for sure.
180
Is it like a lot of just sitting around or...?
181
Sitting around.
182
One person waiting.
183
No, no, it's like two at a time.
184
I mean, it's like great.
185
Let's do a round of Smash or Pass.
186
Dominic Fyke.
187
Smash.
188
Michael B.
189
Jordan.
190
Smash.
191
Ooh, Kree 3.
192
Ooh, Kree 3.
193
The Rock.
194
What?
195
What?
196
What?
197
That was cringe.
198
I'm so sorry.
199
Oh my god.
200
I'm sorry.
201
Wait, that's so surprising to me, because you said that you were a top, like you like being in control.
202
Dude, The Rock?
203
Yeah.
204
I can take it.
205
You might be a bit shorter than you.
206
Wait.
207
Yeah, I am.
208
But I mean, The Rock is huge.
209
I bet I've been watching wrestling for a long time, too.
210
Ain't nobody topping The Rock.
211
Come on.
212
That's sus.
213
Rock's ugly.
214
Good luck gentlemen.
215
Thank you.
216
Oh they bitches.
217
They jealous.
218
They see I'm totally star power.
219
They just didn't want to share the money with me.
220
I'm not someone that gets offended easily, but bitch that offended me.
221
I am offended.
222
This is the s* I'm talking about.
223
This makes no damn sense.
224
Look at me.
225
What?
226
Do I look straight to you?
227
Come on.
228
If you want to continue playing because you think
229
that there's potentially still a liar among the four of you in the box, raise your hand on three, alright?
230
One, two, three.
231
Wait, raise your hand just continue playing?
232
Yes.
233
Oh, I'm not sure.
234
So you four are confident that the mole is out, is that correct?
235
I think so.
236
I can unconfidently say.
237
He's like my besties right here.
238
So that means the game has ended.
239
If the box turns green, you have correctly voted the mole out, and you four will share a cash prize.
240
If the box turns red, that means the mole is still among you four, and they win the cash prize themselves. Are you guys ready?
241
Oh my god, I knew I was unconfident.
242
Don't act surprised.
243
I said, I said.
244
Why would I act surprised?
245
This is...
246
One of you aren't my besties.
247
Alright.
248
So the mole has one.
249
And on the count of three, I'm gonna have the mole step forward.
250
One.
251
One, two, three.
252
Oh man.
253
We're all the most?
254
No!
255
Let's go!
256
I think there was a mix-up you guys.
257
Look at us, we are besties after.
258
I was very confused.
259
You had me with the fit, Ricky. For real?
260
Dude, this is my girlfriend's tea.
261
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
262
I thought everybody misheard the question.
263
Dude, I took a step and I was like, are these people stupid?
264
Like, why is everyone else stepping up?
265
Like, I'm only straight, dude, y'all are gay.
266
I thought that everyone was gay.
267
Have either of you ever been mistaken as gay or more feminine?
268
Yes.
269
For a long time.
270
I know, every night I feel like I'm gonna go out with my friends or whatever.
271
I get hit on by more guys than girls sometimes, and it's very common, yeah.
272
I got mistaken for being gay a lot of the time.
273
I even, I'll be honest, I went on dates with guys because so many people were suspecting me of it, but I was just like, that's not me.
274
After being on those dates, I was like, I like women.
275
That's a fact.
276
My story that I was telling was very genuine.
277
I'd suppressed my, I guess,
278
my alternative to being macho straight for a long time because I just don't fit the mold for the typical straight guy.
279
There's always questions of, is he or isn't he?
280
Hell, dude.
281
I've been training for this for a week.
282
How did you train for it?
283
Bro, I FaceTimed all my gay homies.
284
They were saying like, I'm gonna be a verse top because that's like the least sus, but it's also gay.
285
Dude, I practiced walking, I practiced my fits.
286
I was doing like 360 Snapchat videos, like, damn, do I look gay or not?
287
Like, does my ass pop?
288
I work at Urban Outfitters.
289
There's a lot of gay men.
290
He helped me pick up this nail polish.
291
I called all my gay friends and I watched a whole bunch of drag.
292
I watched so much drag, bro.
293
And it's actually really good, so I would probably keep watching after this.
294
I think my game plan was to just not offend anybody.
295
I hope I stuck to that because I'm very inclusive.
296
I applied for this episode because especially right now with the whole red pill movement, Aiden Ross, Andrew Tate, the toxic male influences out there,
297
that it's very important to show other men, and especially younger men that are coming up into this world, that it is okay to be feminine.
298
Is it okay to express your emotions?
299
Is it okay to be vulnerable?
300
Accept everyone.
301
It doesn't matter what your looks, sexuality, gender are.
302
Just accept everyone.
303
Everyone's a little bit different.
304
And don't be mad if you're not as confident as the people who are.
305
Like not jumping to conclusions and not stereotyping anyone, letting them speak for themselves.
306
Yeah.
307
I changed my locks into a dude as well, bro.
308
This is my homie Nick.
309
He's in the bed.
310
I said, yo, send me a selfie with your nipple.
311
You send it, yeah.
312
I put a picture of mine like that too.
313
This is my boss.
314
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
315
I don't do.
316
I don't do.
317
Because I was like, if I turn my phone on, they see my phone.
318
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
319
Show me your lock chain.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
C11
Gen Z and The American Dream | Surrounded Follow Up w/Maxwell Frost
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
People Read Their Last Breakup Texts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
Flat Earthers vs Scientists: Can We Trust Science? | Middle Ground
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Can 2 Strangers Fall in Love with 36 Questions? Dani + Andrew
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
6 Boys vs 1 Secret Girl | Odd One Out
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B14
519 sentences
Bridgerton Cast Test How Well They Know Each Other | Vanity Fair
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B22
103 sentences
The Aroace Experience
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B16
96 sentences
Phoebe’s Gay Husband Is Hiding a Huge Secret | Friends
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B22
96 sentences
Brad Pitt on His First Kiss, What He Wore to Prom, and His Early Days as an Extra | W Magazine
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
91 sentences
Peter Kavinsky being jealous for 3 minutes straight
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
205 sentences
ALEX CONSANI | CHICKEN SHOP DATE
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
135 sentences
Matt Smith & Claire Foy Play "Who Am I?" | Vogue Challenges
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
78 sentences
Friends: Ross gets rushed to the Emergency Room (Season 1 Clip) | TBS
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
152 sentences
hi, I'm Dream.
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
40 sentences
live, laugh, love 😌💗#peytonlist
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B2198 sentences
“A Lot Of Our Jokes Are Rated R” Tom Holland, Zendaya & Jacob Batalon | KISS
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B15
43 sentences
Emma Watson TOTALLY Had A Crush On Tom Felton | The Jonathan Ross Show
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 318 sentences and 2328 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:53. The speaker talks at a natural 168 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| verse noun | /ˈvɝs/ | A poetic form with regular meter and a fixed rhyme scheme. |
| offend verb | /əˈfɛnd/ | To hurt the feelings of; to displease; to make angry; to insult. |
| jeans noun | /d͡ʒiːnz/ | A pair of trousers made from denim cotton. |
| dragon noun | /ˈdɹæɡən/ | In European mythologies, a gigantic beast, typically reptilian with leathery bat-like wings, lion-like claws, scaly skin and a lizard-like body, often a… |
| duck noun | /dʌk/ | Any of certain aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet, distinguished from swans and geese by generally being smaller and… |
| inability noun | /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ | Lack of the ability to do something; incapability. |
| feminine adjective | /ˈfɛmɪnɪn/ | Of or pertaining to the female gender. |
| confused adjective | /kənˈfjuːzd/ | unable to think clearly or understand |
| reveal verb | /ɹɪˈviːl/ | To uncover; to show and display that which was hidden. |
| sexy adjective | /ˈsɛksi/ | Having sex appeal; attractive. |
| ugly adjective | /ˈʌɡli/ | Displeasing to the eye; aesthetically unpleasing. |
| conclusion noun | /kənˈkluːʒən/ | The end, finish, close or last part of something. |
| potentially adverb | /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/ | In a manner showing much potential; with the possibility of happening in a given way. |
| genuine adjective | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.juˌɪn/ | Belonging to, or proceeding from the original stock; native. |
| consent verb | /kənˈsɛnt/ | To express willingness, to give permission. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| sit around verb | To spend time sitting idly, not doing anything important. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. | |
| mix up verb | To mix or blend thoroughly and completely. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| run down verb | To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 75 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, threesome /ˈθɹi.səm/, bathe /beɪð/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: conclusion /kənˈkluːʒən/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, polish /ˈpɑ.lɪʃ/, brush /bɹʌʃ/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: inability /ˌɪnəˈbɪlɪti/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, celebrity /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like verse, offend, jeans.
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 watching · I've been training |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've seen · We've been · Haven't found |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being legalized · was made · was actually registered |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | men who clearly · people who are |
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.