Shadowing Practice: a personal update + we found out more about our baby ❤️ - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
57 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hello everyone.
2
I'm going to take a look.
3
I'm going to take a look.
4
I'm going to take a look.
5
I'm going to take a look.
6
I'm going to take a look.
7
I'm going to take a look.
8
I'm going to take a look.
9
I'm going to take a look.
10
I'm going to take a look.
11
I'm going to take a look.
12
I'm going to take a look.
13
I'll take a look.
14
Hello everyone, I had enormous plans this week of a lot of projects I wanted to get done
15
and I started all of them and I finished none of them.
16
I ended up picking up a bug from my job, I work at a bookstore,
17
I do retail, so I think I picked up something from doing the holiday season
18
when everything is kind of so stuffy indoors.
19
I'm on the mend and very excited to finally finish some of these projects,
20
finally get all the things done that I've been wanting to get done.
21
I've been trying to reopen my Etsy shop what feels like forever this month,
22
so next week will be the week it will happen i know it with all
23
that being said i just wanted to share with you something this week
24
that was very exciting to me i know it is not relevant to everyone
25
and i know not everyone's interested but it is something really big for me
26
and a big part of my life and
27
so i did want to very briefly share that luke
28
and i just found out that we were having a baby boy we didn't have a preference,
29
but finding out was such a big deal for us, more than I thought it would be,
30
because suddenly I am starting to visualize a little bit of what our family might be looking like by the summer.
31
And it's just been really interesting and wonderful, fascinating experience so far.
32
The topic for next week's video is one
33
that I just wanted to tell you really quick to see if it's something that resonates with any of you.
34
And it is something that I realized that I really need to work on this year.
35
Throughout my life, I have struggled with self -trust and self -confidence, but it manifests in me a little bit different from maybe the stereotype.
36
I am confident in many aspects of my life.
37
Obviously, I enjoy creating videos and putting them out there,
38
and that is something really wonderful and beneficial for me that has helped me come out of my shell even more.
39
However, I do notice when it comes to making decisions about my life and making choices,
40
I really like when other people make those decisions for me.
41
And there's nothing wrong with bringing in input from other people, but I'm realizing now that I sometimes go to other people's opinions
42
and choices so much that I don't really trust my own ability to make good choices,
43
and I don't even always trust my own ability to think through things, and I assume that there are many people that can relate to this,
44
maybe some people not, but definitely share down below if you have had experience with this or you have some advice.
45
It is something I'm going to dive into next week,
46
but I just wanted to share it because it's something I'm realizing 2024 kind of needs to be all about.
47
If you're looking to develop more assuredness in yourself, more trust and belief that you can do things, that you are stronger than you think,
48
that you are capable of making good choices.
49
So yes, that is something that I'm working on in my personal life right now, and it's something I'm going to talk about next week.
50
I talked about it a bit on Patreon, and that's when I realized that there were a few people, at least, that really relate to this.
51
I wanted to dive in more to hopefully encourage myself and hopefully connect with all of you.
52
I know I don't need to apologize for not having a video up, but I really wanted to have one up this week
53
That's all i'm gonna say today, but thank you again for being here.
54
We'll see you very soon.
55
Sending so much love.
56
Goodbye Thank
57
you.
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
B21
I have no ambition in life - but I feel fine
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
C12
Thank you for the last five years ❤️
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
I Bought a Bookstore
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
learning about life in a winter cottage - what the season has taught me
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B24
My First Year as a Bookstore Owner
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B1the beauty of an ordinary life - social media and simple living
American AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B22
320 sentences
Let’s talk…
TeensDaily Conversation
B11
86 sentences
perfect autumn days | pumpkin patches, pumpkin spice lattes, and sewing!
TeensDaily Conversation
B1396 sentences
I'm moving to london !!
TeensDaily Conversation
B11
553 sentences
10 things i learned at 26
TeensDaily Conversation
B12
33 sentences
A New Little Soul Has Entered My Life | Welcoming Lumi
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B15
29 sentences
You're not late, you're right on time ☕
TeensDaily Conversation
B187 sentences
MORNING ROUTINE as a SAHM of a toddler | *realistic* + my favorite baby monitor
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B12
457 sentences
I Got Pregnant At The Age Of 19 | MAS - My Animated Story
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
217 sentences
a productive crochet week in my life ✨ | filming, orders, yarn shopping
TeensDaily Conversation
B13
101 sentences
🎧 Shadowing Practice with Justin Bieber – Boost Your Accent, Fluency & Confidence
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B1226 sentences
Cozy Day In My Life | Q&A, cooking & eating comfort food, holiday chat
TeensDaily Conversation
B1206 sentences
Learn Real-Life English: Spend My Birthday With Me 🎂
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “a personal update + we found out more about our baby ❤️”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: choices, trust, share. This video has 57 sentences and 722 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:28. The speaker talks at a natural 162 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| relate verb | /ɹɪˈleɪt/ | To tell in a descriptive way. |
| dive verb | /daɪv/ | To swim under water. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| belief noun | /bɪˈliːf/ | Mental acceptance of a claim as true. |
| encourage verb | /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ | To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit. |
| luke adjective | /l(j)uːk/ | lukewarm |
| aspect noun | /ˈæspɛkt/ | Any specific feature, part, or element of something. |
| shell noun | /ʃɛl/ | The calcareous or chitinous external covering of mollusks, crustaceans, and some other invertebrates. |
| connect verb | /kəˈnɛkt/ | To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object. |
| input noun | /ˈɪnpʊt/ | The act or process of putting in; infusion. |
| goodbye | /ɡʊdˈbaɪ/ | Farewell; a formula used to another person or persons when the speaker, writer, or person addressed is departing. |
| enormous adjective | /ɪˈnɔː.məs/ | Extremely large; greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc. |
| briefly adverb | /ˈbɹiːfli/ | In a brief manner, summarily. |
| apologize verb | /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/ | To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends |
| preference noun | /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ | The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of") |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. |
| think through verb | To fully consider, so as to understand all the consequences of. |
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 wanting · I've been trying |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | it's just been · have struggled · has helped |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to take · I'm going to dive · I'm going to talk |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | am starting · I'm realizing · you're looking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 28 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shell /ʃɛl/, beneficial /ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əl/, visualize /ˈvɪʒuəˌlaɪz/
- Long words — get the stress right: apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, beneficial /ˌbɛn.ɪˈfɪʃ.əl/, stereotype /ˈstɛ.ɹi.əˌtaɪp/
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 relate, dive, topic.
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.