Shadowing Practice: 50 Simple English Conversations (1 Hour) | Easy English for beginners (A1-A2) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Same Channel
Recommend Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “50 Simple English Conversations”. This video has 115 sentences and 7451 words to shadow. The speech runs for 56:04. The speaker talks at a steady 133 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 329 of its 115 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| gate noun | /ˈɡeɪ̯t/ | A doorlike structure outside a house. |
| luggage noun | /ˈlʌɡ.ɪdʒ/ | The bags and other containers that hold a traveller's belongings. |
| jacket noun | /ˈd͡ʒæk.ɪt/ | A piece of clothing worn on the upper body outside a shirt or blouse, often waist length to thigh length. |
| receipt noun | /ɹɪˈsiːt/ | The act of receiving, or the fact of having been received. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| hungry adjective | /ˈhʌŋ.ɡɹi/ | Affected by hunger; having the physical need for food. |
| headache noun | /ˈhɛdeɪk/ | A pain or ache in the head. |
| shrimp noun | /ʃɹɪmp/ | Any of many swimming, often edible, crustaceans, chiefly of the infraorder Caridea or the suborder Dendrobranchiata, with slender legs, long whiskers and a… |
| wash verb | /wɑʃ/ | To clean with water. |
| taxi noun | /ˈtæksi/ | A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. |
| passport noun | /ˈpæspɔɹt/ | An official document normally used for international journeys, which proves the identity and nationality of the person for whom it was issued. |
| toast noun | /toʊst/ | Bread that has been toasted (cooked lightly by browning). |
| vegetable noun | /ˈvɛd͡ʒ.tə.bəl/ | A plant raised for some edible part of it, such as the leaves, roots, fruit or flowers, but excluding any plant considered to be a fruit, grain, herb, or spice… |
| package noun | /ˈpæk.ɪd͡ʒ/ | Something which is packed, a parcel, a box, an envelope. |
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
| fill out verb | /fɪl ˈaʊt/ | To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information. |
| drop off verb | To fall asleep. | |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| turn up verb | To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What would you like today?
- Can I pay by cash?
- How can I help you today?
- May I ask why you're returning it?
- Are you sure she's all right?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If you ever need help practicing, I'd be · If we stay in bed, we will be |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | Have you thought · I've always wanted · You've been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is also made · is needed · is served |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should have · should go · should also plan |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 158 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: throat /ˈθɹoʊt/, tooth /tuθ/, clothing /ˈkloʊðɪŋ/, leather /ˈlɛðɚ/, toothache /ˈtuθˌeɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shrimp /ʃɹɪmp/, wash /wɑʃ/, confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/
- Long words — get the stress right: confirmation /ˌkɑn.fəɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, reservation /ˌɹɛz.ɚˈveɪ.ʃən/, successfully /səkˈsɛs.fə.li/, residential /ˌrɛzɪˈdɛnʃəl/, photographer /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fɚ/
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 gate, luggage, jacket.
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.















