Shadowing Practice: Advanced Synonyms for IELTS & TOEFL | C1–C2 Vocabulary with Meanings & Examples - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
100 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Worsen.
2
Exacerbate.
3
To make a bad situation worse.
4
Fast fashion has exacerbated the global waste crisis.
5
Relieve.
6
Alleviate.
7
To make pain or problems less severe.
8
Governments must allocate funds to alleviate child poverty.
9
Change.
10
Revolutionize.
11
To completely change something.
12
Artificial intelligence has completely revolutionized the way we work.
13
Support.
14
Bolster.
15
To support or strengthen.
16
Regular exercise significantly helps to bolster the immune system.
17
cause, engender, to cause a feeling or situation.
18
Economic inequality often engenders crime and social unrest.
19
Stop, stifle, to prevent something from happening.
20
A rigid education system can stifle children's creativity.
21
Give.
22
Allocate.
23
To distribute resources for a purpose.
24
City councils should allocate more budget to public parks.
25
Prove.
26
Substantiate.
27
To provide evidence to support a claim.
28
Students must substantiate their arguments with concrete examples.
29
Ignore.
30
Neglect.
31
To not pay enough attention to something.
32
Overworked parents often neglect their children's emotional needs.
33
Get.
34
Acquire.
35
Acquire to gain skills or knowledge.
36
Traveling abroad allows youths to acquire valuable life skills.
37
Think about.
38
Contemplate.
39
To think deeply about something.
40
Graduates should carefully contemplate their future career paths.
41
Adapt.
42
Assimilate.
43
To become part of a new culture, group.
44
Immigrants need time and support to assimilate into a new culture.
45
destroy, devastate, to cause great damage.
46
Deforestation has completely devastated the habitats of endangered species.
47
Harmful, pernicious, highly destructive in a gradual way.
48
The pernicious effects of screen time on sleep are alarming.
49
huge, monumental, very great in significance or size.
50
The invention of the Internet was a monumental human achievement.
51
Deep, profound, felt or experienced very strongly.
52
Reading books has a profound impact on cognitive development.
53
Necessary Imperative Extremely important or urgent It is imperative to adopt eco-friendly habits immediately.
54
Everywhere Pervasive Spreading widely throughout an area Cyberbullying has become a pervasive issue in modern schools.
55
Easily hurt Vulnerable Easily physically or emotionally hurt Elderly people are highly vulnerable to extreme weather conditions.
56
Long-lasting Chronic Continuing for a long time A sedentary lifestyle often leads to chronic heart diseases.
57
Practical, Pragmatic Solving problems in a practical way Leaders must take a pragmatic approach to tackle inflation.
58
Unavoidable.
59
Inexorable.
60
Impossible to stop or prevent.
61
The inexorable rise of automation will displace many factory workers.
62
Many.
63
Manifold.
64
Many and of various types.
65
The benefits of learning a second language are manifold.
66
Related.
67
Pertinent.
68
Relevant to a particular subject.
69
Candidates should only include details pertinent to the essay topic.
70
Growing.
71
Burgeoning Growing or developing quickly The burgeoning tourism industry has significantly boosted the local economy.
72
Not enough Deficient Not having enough of a required quality.
73
A diet deficient in essential vitamins can cause severe illness.
74
Short Fleeting Lasting for a very short time Material wealth only provides a fleeting sense of happiness.
75
Result Ramification A complex or unwelcome consequence.
76
The long-term ramifications of climate change are truly terrifying.
77
Idea Paradigm A typical example or pattern of something.
78
Online learning has created a completely new paradigm in education.
79
Trigger Catalyst A person or thing that causes change.
80
Personal failure can often serve as a catalyst for growth.
81
Lack Deerth A scarcity or lack of something.
82
There is a severe dearth of affordable housing in major cities.
83
Barrier Impediment A hindrance or obstruction.
84
Lack of self-confidence is a major impediment to career success.
85
Tendency Propensity A natural inclination to behave a certain way.
86
Some genetic traits naturally increase the propensity for obesity.
87
Danger Jeopardy Danger of loss, harm, or failure.
88
Plastic pollution constantly puts marine life in extreme jeopardy.
89
Connection Correlation A mutual relationship or connection.
90
There is a strong correlation between urban poverty and crime.
91
Gap Disparity A great difference.
92
The growing income disparity causes widespread anger among the working class.
93
Standard Benchmark A standard to compare things against.
94
Standardized tests are heavily used as a benchmark for student performance.
95
Burden Toll The cost or damage caused by something.
96
Working excessively long hours takes a heavy toll on mental health.
97
Proof Testament Evidence that something is true.
98
Her incredible success is a clear testament to her hard work.
99
Peak Pinnacle The most successful point Winning the Olympic gold medal was the pinnacle of his athletic career.
100
Thank 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
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C12
198 sentences
C1 Most Comprehensive Advanced Vocabulary for IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE Exams
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C17
24 sentences
English vocabulary in use Advanced Unit 2
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C225
35 sentences
10 Từ Vựng Tiếng Anh C1–C2 Chủ Đề Environment | Day 2 – Cô Lan Tiếng Anh
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C217
291 sentences
Learn 20 Words With Multiple Meanings: Advanced English Vocabulary (B2, C1, C2 & IELTS 6.0-9.0)
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
C220
63 sentences
C1 C2 Government and Politics Vocabulary for IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C1891
23 sentences
Shadowing AFC22
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B22
43 sentences
ElevenLabs 2026 07 13T15 18 04 Hale Expressive, Deep and Emotive pvc sp100 s65 sb75 se29 b m2 1
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep
C256
886 sentences
40 min of C1–C2 English Listening for IELTS Band 9 | Real Native Speed
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C26
127 sentences
تعلم اللغة الانجليزية من القصص مستوى C1-C2 | نص اكاديمي ايلتس توفل
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
C15
302 sentences
IELTS Speaking: Globalization & Economy Topics - Advanced Vocabulary & Band +7 Tips!
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
C16
92 sentences
Unit 16 | The energy crisis | Vocabulary for IELTS | All English 4U
IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepUniversity Students
B21
58 sentences
Favorite IELTS Adverbs for Speaking and Writing
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Advanced Synonyms for IELTS & TOEFL”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: completely, allocate, acquire, severe, lack. This video has 100 sentences and 688 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:57. The speaker talks slowly, about 69 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 68% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| allocate verb | /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ | To set aside for a purpose. |
| assimilate verb | /əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/ | To incorporate nutrients into the body, especially after digestion. |
| bolster noun | /ˈboʊlstɚ/ | A large cushion or pillow, usually cylindrical in shape. |
| burgeon verb | /ˈbɜː.d͡ʒən/ | To grow or expand. |
| contemplate verb | /ˈkɑn.təmˌpleɪt/ | To look at on all sides or in all its aspects; to view or consider with continued attention; to regard with deliberate care; to meditate on; to study, ponder… |
| deficient adjective | /dɪˈfɪʃənt/ | Lacking something essential; often construed with in. |
| disparity noun | /dɪˈspæɹɪti/ | The state of being unequal; difference. |
| engender verb | /ɛnˈd͡ʒɛn.dɚ/ | To give existence to, to produce (living creatures). |
| exacerbate verb | /ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/ | To make worse (a problem, bad situation, negative feeling, etc.). |
| impediment noun | /ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt/ | A hindrance; that which impedes or obstructs progress; impedance. |
| inexorable adjective | /ɪnˈɛksɚəb(ə)l/ | Impossible to prevent or stop; inevitable. |
| manifold adjective | /ˈmænɪˌfoʊld/ | Various in kind, quality, or manifestation; diverse. |
| monumental adjective | /ˌmɑnjəˈmɛntəl/ | In the manner of a monument. |
| pernicious adjective | /pɚˈnɪʃəs/ | Causing much harm in a subtle way. |
| pertinent adjective | /ˈpɚtɪnənt/ | Important with regard to (a subject or matter); pertaining; relevant. |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: dearth /dɝθ/, strengthen /ˈstɹɛŋ(k)θən/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: deficient /dɪˈfɪʃənt/, pernicious /pɚˈnɪʃəs/, revolutionize /ˌɹɛv.əˈl(j)u.ʃəˌnaɪz/, substantiate /səbˈstænʃieɪt/, benchmark /ˈbɛn(t)ʃmɑːk/
- Long words — get the stress right: assimilate /əˈsɪm.ɪ.leɪt/, disparity /dɪˈspæɹɪti/, exacerbate /ɪɡˈzæsɚˌbeɪt/, impediment /ɪmˈpɛdɪmənt/, inexorable /ɪnˈɛksɚəb(ə)l/
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 allocate, assimilate, bolster.
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.