This speaking lesson is built on the video “A Dinner With Death”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: joe, meet, dinner, bill, met. This video has 96 sentences and 652 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:52. The speaker talks slowly, about 83 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 22 of its 96 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
introduce verb	/ˌɪntɹəˈdus/	To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else).
daddy noun	/ˈdædi/	Also used as a term of address: a father; one's father.
incidentally adverb	/ˌɪnsəˈdɛn(t)l̩i/	By happenstance; in a particular case which has little to no bearing on, and little to no causal relation to, any other case.
occur verb	/əˈkɜː/	To happen or take place.
silent adjective	/ˈsaɪ̯lənt/	Free from sound or noise; absolutely still; perfectly quiet.
plain noun	/pleɪn/	An expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse.
flower noun	/ˈfloʊɚ/	A reproductive structure in angiosperms (flowering plants), often conspicuously colourful and typically including sepals, petals, and either or both stamens…
whoever	/huˈɛvɚ/	Who ever: an emphatic form of who.
buddy	/ˈbʌdi/	A person far removed from the conversation.
shake verb	/ˈʃeɪk/	To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
encounter verb	/ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/	To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
arrangement noun	/əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒmənt/	The act of arranging.
forgive verb	/fɚˈɡɪv/	To pardon (someone); to waive any negative feeling towards or desire for punishment or retribution against.
rude adjective	/ɹuːd/	Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous.
lamp noun	/ˈlæ̝mp/	A device that generates light, heat, or other electromagnetic radiation. Especially an electric light bulb.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
get around verb		To move to the other side of (something, such as an obstruction) by deviating from a direct course or following a curved path.
sit down verb		To assume a sitting position from a standing position.
speak up verb	/ˌspik ˈʌp/	To talk more loudly or clearly.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

May I say something?
It's gone right out of my head.
What do you mean?
What's on the table for discussion, party favors, flowers?
What are you doing here?

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 29 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

Long words — get the stress right: incidentally /ˌɪnsəˈdɛn(t)l̩i/, kaleidoscope /kəˈlaɪ.dəˌskoʊp/, personalize /ˈpɜː.sə.nə.laɪz/, rotisserie /ɹəʊˈtɪ.sə.ɹi/

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 introduce, daddy, incidentally.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: A Dinner With Death | Meet Joe Black - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Robin and his Men Ambush Sir Godfrey While they Loot Soldiers (Full Scene) | Robin Hood (2010) 4K

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Meet Joe Black (1998) - Mystery Man Scene (6/10) | Movieclips

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shadow

Jackie Brown - end scene

Learning

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Joey vs. Hombre Man: A Cowboy Showdown at Saks | Friends

Blind Dating Horrible But Hot Girls

Kill Bill- Vol. 2 The Two Pines Massacre.

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson