Shadowing Practice: 失眠症 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
The speaker keeps coming back to these words: feels, till, insomnia, crush, trust. This video has 19 sentences and 295 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:27. The speaker talks at a steady 120 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
8 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| crush verb | /kɹʌʃ/ | To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass. |
| asleep adjective | /əˈsliːp/ | In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting. |
| insomnia noun | /ɪnˈsɒmniə/ | A sleeping disorder that is known for its symptoms of unrest and the inability to sleep. |
| rewind verb | /ɹiːˈwaɪnd/ | To wind (something) again. |
| mess noun | /mɛs/ | A thing or group of things in a disagreeable, disorganised, or dirty state; hence a bad situation. |
| till | /tɪl/ | Until; to, up to; as late as (a given time). |
| grow verb | /ˈɡɹəʊ/ | To become larger, to increase in magnitude. |
| sit verb | /sɪt/ | To move oneself into such a position. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look back verb | To think of (past events) in retrospect (in hindsight). |
| stay up verb | To remain awake; to not go to bed. |
| walk out verb | To stage a walkout or strike. |
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 telling |
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to think |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've never fallen |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll change · I'll stay |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 22 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, you're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 crush, asleep, insomnia.
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.