Shadowing Practice: Advanced (C2) Verbs to Build Your Vocabulary - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
C2
Let's learn some advanced C2 verbs.
293 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Let's learn some advanced C2 verbs.
2
And I'm going to get right to the point,
3
and we'll begin with our first verb, which is to linger.
4
So this verb actually has two different meanings.
5
The first one is to continue to exist.
6
So if I were sick and I have a cold,
7
I could say that it is still lingering.
8
And in this case, you may often hear it being used in the continuous tense with that adverb still.
9
That's a good adverb-verb collocation.
10
Something is still lingering.
11
How's your cold?
12
Unfortunately, it's still lingering.
13
It also means to take longer than usual to leave.
14
And in this case, you may be talking about a person or group of people.
15
Some customers lingered for a while after the shop closed,
16
and they just took longer than usual to leave.
17
When you pronounce this verb, it has two syllables.
18
The stress is on that first syllable, linger.
19
But I want to focus on that NG because it can be a little confusing.
20
Look at these two words.
21
They are not rhyming words.
22
Singer, you only have that ing sound,
23
whereas linger, you have the ing plus that g sound afterwards.
24
Linger.
25
It's similar to the word finger.
26
These are rhyming words.
27
Linger, finger.
28
Any of you wish to seek counseling due to lingering trauma?
29
Speak with me privately.
30
Yeah, well, it turns out that there's some lingering feelings or something.
31
Clark, get out of here.
32
My mistake.
33
Yes, it is your mistake.
34
It's lingering. So annoying.
35
And if you are someone who enjoys building your vocabulary,
36
then I hope that you linger for a while and watch more video lessons.
37
And I would also love it if you subscribe, turn on notifications.
38
That way I can become your teacher.
39
My name is Wes.
40
The channel is Interactive English.
41
It's all about trying to help you reach your fluency goals.
42
And throughout the lesson, I'm going to talk to you about how to pronounce these verbs,
43
because I tried to choose verbs that are a little difficult to pronounce,
44
or maybe confusing, or just have something about the pronunciation that I'd like to talk to you about.
45
Like this next verb, dole out.
46
This means to give something,
47
usually money, to several people.
48
And this C2 verb, it is a phrasal verb that may be separable.
49
So you could dole out something or dole something out.
50
And in order to show you how this verb may be used in context,
51
I have some news headlines for you.
52
As lawmakers dole out record surplus,
53
many say they need more.
54
Colts dole out $22.5 million for kicker Matt Gay.
55
This is talking about American football and yeah,
56
that's a lot of money to dole out for a kicker.
57
Should political parties be able to dole out freebies?
58
When pronouncing this phrasal verb,
59
you should know that linking is going to occur.
60
And we can link the final consonant sound in dole with the beginning vowel sound in out.
61
And this is when linking commonly occurs,
62
linking a final consonant sound with a beginning vowel sound
63
and it just helps us make a smooth transition from one word to the next.
64
Dole out.
65
It's like we're taking that consonant sound and just moving it over to the next syllable.
66
Dole out.
67
Then we have the verb pinpoint.
68
It also has two meanings.
69
The first one is to find or say the exact position in space or time of something.
70
I may ask you the question,
71
can you pinpoint our location on the map?
72
Because I just want to know where we are.
73
It also means to discover or describe the exact facts of something.
74
I could tell you doctors could not pinpoint the cause of his illness.
75
So in this case, they just could not describe the facts of his illness.
76
For pronunciation, the verb has two syllables.
77
The stress is on that first syllable, pinpoint.
78
And I'd also like to point out that final T.
79
It's really a stop T.
80
It's pretty subtle.
81
Pinpoint.
82
Now, if you have some lingering doubts when it comes to pronunciation,
83
then I'd like to tell you about the sponsor of today's lesson,
84
which is Elsa Speak.
85
This is a great app that will help you pinpoint your mistakes so that you can fine-tune your pronunciation.
86
And if you're unfamiliar with it,
87
let me show you how it works.
88
You just download the app,
89
create an account, and there's so much that you can do.
90
practice daily lessons, improve pronunciation, study by topic.
91
But let me show you some of the other cool features that Elsa has to offer.
92
You can do fun activities like unscrambling words,
93
practicing both vocabulary and pronunciation, like this one, fireworks.
94
Let's do one more.
95
Okay.
96
Party.
97
You can also practice a variety of study sets based on your needs,
98
because I know that, well,
99
many of you may be practicing for the IELTS.
100
So we can, well, practice synonyms for very.
101
And you can listen to it.
102
Both the book and the film are dreadful.
103
And then practice saying it.
104
Both the book and the film are dreadful.
105
Now let me show you what it's like if a mistake is made and I mispronounced that synonym.
106
Both the book and the film are dreadful.
107
As you can see, you get instant feedback,
108
which then allows you to try and make adjustments.
109
And right now, when you click on the link below and download the Elsa Speak app,
110
you can get seven days of the pro membership for free.
111
But you can also use my discount to get 85% off a lifetime membership or 40% off a one-year membership.
112
So check out the links and discounts in the description if you'd like to pinpoint your mistakes and improve your pronunciation.
113
And before you know it,
114
you'll sound just like a native speaker.
115
Now let's get back to our C2 verbs.
116
And the next one that I have for you is plague.
117
This means to cause worry,
118
pain, or difficulty to someone or something over a period of time.
119
And often you may follow this verb with the preposition by.
120
You have been plagued by something.
121
I could tell you that,
122
well, my athletic career has been plagued by back injuries.
123
And to be honest, I've never really had much of an athletic career.
124
That's not really true but yes,
125
over the years I have been plagued by back injuries.
126
That part is unfortunately true.
127
When it comes to pronunciation,
128
the spelling and pronunciation don't really look like they match,
129
but that final G-U-E, it's going to be pronounced with an aspirated G sound, plague.
130
But often people may use this verb as,
131
well, the past participle, in which case it's going to end with the final D sound.
132
And those consonants, that can be a difficult combination.
133
That plagued, plagued.
134
You've been plagued by something.
135
I'm plagued by an internal struggle.
136
If you would just use the bucket,
137
you'd be so much more comfortable.
138
Sunrise Bay was a coastal community plagued by a centuries-old curse.
139
Next is the verb prescribe.
140
And this is a very useful verb because it's when a doctor says what kind of treatment someone should have.
141
And it's very specific because we're really talking about someone's health.
142
And there are some common collocations with this verb because a doctor may prescribe some medicine,
143
or prescribe some pills, or prescribe some rest,
144
or even prescribe some painkillers.
145
Now this verb has two syllables,
146
and the stress is on that second syllable, prescribe.
147
And that first syllable, even though it's spelled P-R-E,
148
it has a pre sound because it's unstressed.
149
Prescribe.
150
Say it with me.
151
Prescribe.
152
Excellent.
153
Then we have the verb utter.
154
This means to say something or just make a sound with your voice.
155
So sometimes it can be interchangeable with say,
156
except that it's a bit more formal and not as commonly used.
157
Maybe I tell you, he sat through the meeting without uttering a word.
158
And that's a good collocation with this verb, without uttering a word.
159
Now to talk about the difference between utter and say is that,
160
well, utter is not always clear.
161
For pronunciation, the verb has two syllables.
162
The stress is on that first syllable, utter.
163
But what I'd really like to point out is that T,
164
I am going to pronounce it as a flat T.
165
It's going to sound like a soft D.
166
And this is pretty common with the American accent when the T comes between two vowel sounds.
167
There are many words we can say with the flap T,
168
like water, better, utter.
169
Just listen for it.
170
It was him.
171
He uttered something.
172
Oh, I'm sorry I uttered.
173
You think you're funny, don't you, bro?
174
It is the truth.
175
Utter with his own lips.
176
What she said.
177
Wasn't uttered another syllable.
178
Then we have the verb curb.
179
And to curb something means to control or limit something that is not wanted.
180
And you would try to curb something.
181
And in order to show you how this verb is used in context,
182
once again, I have some news headlines for you.
183
This phone helped me curb my screen addiction.
184
Syria agrees to curb drug trade in meeting with Arab ministers.
185
Brazil orders Google to curb campaign against fake news law.
186
And when you pronounce this verb,
187
it's pretty simple and straightforward.
188
There's just one syllable, curb.
189
But that U has more of an ER vowel sound,
190
curb, to curb something.
191
Then there's lure.
192
This means to persuade someone to do something or go somewhere by offering them something exciting.
193
And often you may follow this verb with the preposition into or to.
194
The employees were lured into working over the weekend with the promise of overtime.
195
Or universities try to lure the top academics to their school.
196
They always set those things to pay out more so they can lure people into the casino.
197
Tyler and I feel, due to Marie's attempt to lure him to your house...
198
I'm trying to lure him.
199
Very clever Simpson.
200
Luring our bees to your sugar and selling them back to us at an inflated price.
201
You're on to what now?
202
Simpson, you diabolical.
203
When you pronounce this verb,
204
just make sure that you are saying that diphthong,
205
because that U, it's gonna sound like a combination of vowel sounds.
206
Lure.
207
Say it with me.
208
Lure.
209
Lure.
210
Good.
211
Then there's indulge.
212
And I really like this verb.
213
It means to allow yourself or some other person to have something enjoyable,
214
especially more than what's good for you.
215
So you may follow this verb with the preposition in and you indulge in something.
216
Late at night, sometimes I get a little hungry and I probably shouldn't eat anything,
217
but I like to indulge in sweets and I'll have
218
some cookies or chocolate and often you may use this verb
219
when talking about food and you indulge in something
220
and you have more than what's really good for you for pronunciation there are two syllables the stress is on
221
that second syllable and that g has more of a sound indulge indulge
222
what do you like to indulge in let me know in the comments then there's delegate this means to give a job,
223
duty, or right to someone so they can do it for you.
224
And this verb is often used in the context of work
225
because you can't do everything so you may delegate certain responsibilities to other people
226
and you may also say that a boss
227
or supervisor is good at delegating and they tell others what they need to do
228
or perhaps someone is bad at delegating because they try to do everything themselves
229
and yeah that may not be a good situation so this is a very useful verb when talking about work.
230
This verb has three syllables.
231
The stress is on that first syllable, delegate.
232
Now, don't confuse this with the noun because that third syllable is pronounced differently when you say the noun delegate.
233
With the verb, you're going to use that long a sound, delegate.
234
Now, I'd also like to point out that when you use this verb in the continuous tense.
235
It's going to change from a stop T to a flap T,
236
at least with the American accent.
237
And you'd say that someone is delegating something,
238
and you're going to use that flap T.
239
Once again, just listen for it.
240
I'm delegating.
241
He's delegating.
242
Don't shy away from delegating.
243
Reconcile.
244
Great verb.
245
This means to find a way in which two situations
246
or beliefs that are opposed to each other can agree or exist together.
247
And you could hear somebody say something like,
248
we need to reconcile our differences.
249
That's a great collocation with this verb.
250
The boys appear to have reconciled their differences.
251
Rose and her daughter have reconciled their differences.
252
That's why it's important for you to reconcile your differences.
253
You could also reconcile something with something.
254
I could say, research is being done to reconcile the world's population growth with sustainability.
255
So these two things, they seem opposed,
256
but we need to reconcile them and find a way for them to exist together.
257
Growth and sustainability.
258
For pronunciation, the verb has three syllables.
259
The stress is on that first syllable.
260
And keep in mind that the C has more of an S sound.
261
Reconcile.
262
Reconcile.
263
And then there's loathe, which is a pretty powerful verb because it means to hate someone or something.
264
So loathe, just like hate,
265
it's a strong word, so be careful how you're using it.
266
But of course there are probably things that I'm sure you loathe.
267
I know there are things that I loathe,
268
like I loathe sitting at an airport when my flight has been delayed.
269
or I loathe anchovies.
270
I just don't like eating them.
271
Or I loathe driving in really bad weather conditions.
272
For pronunciation, it's just the one syllable,
273
but make sure you're using that voice TH at the end.
274
Loathe.
275
Let's say it together.
276
Loathe.
277
Loathe.
278
Nice.
279
Now for a little review.
280
I'm sure that you do not loathe building your vocabulary
281
and I hope that I can lure you into watching another video lesson
282
because even though I'm not a doctor
283
that is what I would prescribe in order for you to develop your English fluency
284
and to be honest I know it's not good to watch a lot of videos
285
and be in front of a screen
286
but in this case of course I think it's okay for you to indulge a little bit
287
and watch many different video lessons I have a lot on this channel especially vocabulary lessons in
288
which you will find me doling out words left and right
289
but in all seriousness I just want you to keep practicing keep improving
290
and I'm not going to linger around any longer I'm gonna say goodbye
291
but as always I hope that you learn something new
292
if you enjoyed the lesson please hit that like button thank you
293
so much for watching and I will see you next time. So long.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
Context & Background
In this video, the speaker engages viewers by introducing advanced C2 verbs that can significantly enhance vocabulary skills. As part of a comprehensive English learning strategy, the speaker highlights the importance of understanding both the meaning and pronunciation of these verbs. The context revolves around learning how to use the verbs in daily communication while fostering a deeper understanding of their nuances. This instructional approach is ideal for those seeking to improve their English, particularly for exam preparation like IELTS speaking practice, or for enhancing general communication skills.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- To linger: Used to describe something that continues to exist or to denote a person taking longer than usual to leave, e.g., "Some customers lingered in the shop."
- Dole out: Refers to giving something, usually money, to several people, e.g., "The organization will dole out funds to various charities."
- To stress: To emphasize the importance of a particular point, e.g., "I want to stress how critical this practice is for your fluency."
- To seek counseling: To look for guidance or help regarding personal issues, e.g., "Many individuals seek counseling for lingering trauma."
- To subscribe: A common call to action asking viewers to follow a channel, e.g., "I'd love it if you subscribe and turn on notifications."
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
Using the shadowing technique effectively allows learners to improve their pronunciation and comprehension skills in English. Here’s how to tackle this video's difficulty using a structured shadowspeak approach:
- Watch closely: Start by viewing the entire video to grasp the context and tone used by the speaker.
- Listen and repeat: Play short excerpts of the video and repeat sentences immediately after. Focus on mimicking the speaker's intonation and rhythm.
- Focus on challenging verbs: Pay special attention to words like "linger" and "dole out." Note their meanings and practice their pronunciation.
- Contextual practice: Try to create your own sentences using the learned verbs in real-life situations, similar to how they were presented in the video.
- Utilize shadowing sites: For continuous improvement, seek out additional videos or resources that focus on advanced vocabulary and C2 level verbs to broaden your practice.
Incorporating these techniques into your learning routine will not only prepare you better for exams but also enhance your overall communication skills in English.
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏