Shadowing Practice: A Squash and a Squeeze By Julia Donaldson & Illustrated by Axel Scheffler - Learn English Speaking with Video
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A squash and a squeeze by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler.
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A little old lady lived all by herself with a table and chairs and a jug on the shelf.
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A wise old man heard her grumble and grouse, There's not enough room in my house Wise old man,
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won't you help me please My house is a squash and a squeeze Take in your hen,
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said the wise old man Take in my hen,
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what a curious plan Well,
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the hen laid an egg on the fireside rug and flapped round the room knocking over the jug
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The little old lady cried, what shall I do?
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It was pokey for one and it's tiny for two My nose has a tickle and there's no room to sneeze
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My house is a squash and a squeeze And she said,
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wise old man, won't you help me please my house is a squash and a squeeze
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take in your goat said the wise old man take in my goat what a curious plan
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well the goat chewed the curtains and trot on the egg then sat down to nibble the table leg
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The little old lady cried, Glory be!
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It was tiny for two and it's titchy for three.
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The hen pecks the goat and the goat's got fleas.
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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And she said, Wise old man, won't you help me please?
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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Take in your pig, said the wise old man.
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Take in my pig.
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What a curious plan.
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So she took in her pig, who kept chasing the hen, and raided the larder again and again.
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The little old lady cried, Stop, I implore.
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It was ditchy for three and it's tiny for four.
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Even the pig in the larder agrees.
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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And she said, wise old man, won't you help me please?
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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Take in your cow, said the wise old man.
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Take in my cow, what a curious plan Well,
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the cow took one look and charged straight at the pig Then jumped on the table
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and tapped out a jig The little old lady cried,
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Heaven's alive It was tiny for four and it's weenie for five.
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I'm tearing my hair out.
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I'm down on my knees.
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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And she said, wise old man, won't you help me please?
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My house is a squash and a squeeze.
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Take them all out, said the wise old man.
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but then I'll be back where I first began.
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So she opened the window and out flew the hen.
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That's better.
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At last I can sneeze again.
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She shooed out the goat and she shoved out the pig.
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My house is beginning to feel pretty big.
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She huffed and she puffed and she pushed out the cow.
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Just look at my house,
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it's enormous now Thank you old man for the work you have done It was weenie for five,
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it's gigantic for one There's no need to grumble and there's no need to grouse There's plenty of room in my house
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and now she's full of frolics and fiddle diddies it isn't a squash and it isn't a squeeze
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yes she's full of frolics and fiddle diddies it isn't a squash or a squeeze
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A1 speaking lesson is built on the video “A Squash and a Squeeze By Julia Donaldson & Illustrated by Axel Scheffler”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: squash, squeeze, wise, hen, pig. This video has 53 sentences and 589 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:43. The speaker talks slowly, about 103 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 73% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| squeeze verb | /skwiːz/ | To apply pressure (to something) from two or more sides at once. |
| squash noun | /skwɔʃ/ | Cucurbita maxima, including hubbard squash, great winter squash, buttercup squash, and some varieties of pumpkins. |
| goat noun | /ɡoʊt/ | Any ruminant of the genus Capra. |
| curious adjective | /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ | Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. |
| chase verb | /t͡ʃeɪs/ | To follow at speed. |
| knock verb | /nɑk/ | To rap one's knuckles against something, especially wood. |
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
| knee noun | /ni/ | In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank. |
| enormous adjective | /ɪˈnɔː.məs/ | Extremely large; greatly exceeding the common size, extent, etc. |
| raid noun | /ɹeɪd/ | A quick hostile or predatory incursion or invasion in a battle. |
| shelf noun | /ʃɛlf/ | A flat, rigid structure, fixed at right angles to a wall or forming a part of a cabinet, desk, etc., and used to display, store, or support objects. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| curtain noun | /ˈkɜɹt(ə)n/ | A piece of cloth covering a window, bed, etc. to offer privacy and keep out light. |
| illustrate verb | /ˈɪl.əˌstɹeɪt/ | To clarify something by giving, or serving as, an example or a comparison. |
| chew verb | /tʃuː/ | To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| knock over verb | To bump or strike something in such a way as to tip it. |
| push out verb | To force (someone) to leave a group. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- The little old lady cried, what shall I do?
- I'm tearing my hair out.
- I'm down on my knees.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have done · you've enjoyed |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | won't you help · I'll be |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm tearing · is beginning |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as won't, isn't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: squash /skwɔʃ/, shelf /ʃɛlf/, shove /ʃʌv/, shoo /ʃuː/
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 squeeze, squash, goat.
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.