Shadowing Practice: A Real IELTS Speaking Makeover in 20 Minutes - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “A Real IELTS Speaking Makeover in 20 Minutes”. This video has 325 sentences and 4035 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:39. The speaker talks at a natural 157 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bind verb | /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ | To tie; to confine by any ligature. |
| fluency noun | /ˈfluːənsi/ | The quality of smoothness of flow. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| coherence noun | /koʊˈhɪɹ.ən(t)s/ | The quality of cohering, or being coherent; internal consistency. |
| examiner noun | /əɡˈzæmɪnɚ/ | A person who investigates someone or something. |
| pronunciation noun | /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ | The formal or informal way in which a word is made to sound when spoken. |
| grammar noun | /ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/ | A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general. |
| creativity noun | /kri.eɪˈtɪv.ᵻ.ti/ | The ability to use imagination to produce a novel idea or product. |
| checklist noun | /ˈt͡ʃɛklɪst/ | A list of tasks to be completed, names to be consulted, conditions to be verified and similar. |
| criterion noun | /kɹaɪˈtɪɹ.i.ən/ | A standard, test, or requirement by which individual things or people may be compared and judged; a gauge. |
| foodie noun | /ˈfuːdi/ | A person with a special interest in or knowledge of food, a gourmet. |
| grammatical adjective | /ɡɹəˈmæt.ɪ.kəl/ | Not breaching any constraints of the grammar, or morpho-syntax, of the relevant language. |
| ingrain verb | /ɪŋˈɡɹeɪn/ | To dye with a fast or lasting colour. |
| oblige verb | /əˈblaɪd͡ʒ/ | To constrain someone by force or by social, moral or legal means. |
| personalize verb | /ˈpɜː.sə.nə.laɪz/ | To adapt something to the needs or tastes of an individual. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| bring up verb | To mention. |
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. |
| get up to verb | To do something, especially something that is forbidden or improper. |
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
| pick up on verb | To notice, observe, learn, or understand, especially something otherwise overlooked. |
| put out verb | To blind (eyes). |
| show out verb | To escort someone out of an event or place. |
| start off verb | To begin. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you have any plants at home?
- Would you like to grow plants in the future?
- Are gardens popular in your hometown?
- What financial advice would you give to others?
- How often do you eat out?
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 | we've been talking · you've been speaking · you've been making |
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if I had to guess, people would say · if you do, you probably will get |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've created · I've done · I've thought |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are obliged · was checked · are involved |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 87 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, sushi /ˈsuːʃi/, shotgun /ˈʃɑtɡʌn/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, shawarma /ʃəˈwɑɹmə/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, examiner /əɡˈzæmɪnɚ/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, creativity /kri.eɪˈtɪv.ᵻ.ti/, criterion /kɹaɪˈtɪɹ.i.ən/
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 bind, fluency, vocabulary.
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.












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