Shadowing Practice: Aviation English Photo Description: De-Icing - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Welcome back to another Easy Aviation English video.
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Since many of us are experiencing the cold weather during these winter months I thought this would be a great opportunity to talk about cold weather operations and specifically the de-icing process.
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I’ll be describing this photo as if I was taking the ICAO English Exam.
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But before I start just take a moment to look over this photo.
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What are some words and phrases you would use to describe this scene?
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Alright, in this photo I see an aircraft that’s being de-iced prior to departure.
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The purpose is to ensure that the aircraft and its critical surfaces are free of any contamination. There are Four trucks and each one is parked at a separate corner of the airplane. Each truck has a lift and at the top of the lift there is a specially trained employee spraying a de-icing fluid onto the aircraft.
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I can see that at least two of these employees are wearing a reflective vest which makes them more visible to anyone else on the ramp.
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Now let's look at the aircraft. The airplane at the center of this photo appears to be a transport category aircraft possibly a Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 so the chances are that it’s carrying either passengers or cargo. It also looks like this aircraft was just pushed back from the gate. Not only is the airplane still connected to the tug via the tow-bar but I can clearly see the tire marks left in the snow from the main wheels when it was pushed back.
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However, I don’t think the airplane is chalked because I see a few pairs of wheel chalks sitting on the tug just behind where the driver is seated.
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In the background I can see that the sky is overcast and the visibility is quite low.
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This is probably due to the snowfall which appears to be moderate to heavy in intensity.
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I also wouldn’t be surprised if the local METAR reported low ceilings as well.
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Now, why is getting de-iced so important?
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Well, the reason an airplane gets de-iced is to remove and prevent any ice accumulation at least until the aircraft reaches the climb phase of flight.
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In this photo the aircraft will receive two applications of de-icing fluid.
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The first type will melt and remove any existing snow and ice.
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Now, since it’s actively snowing a second type of de-icing fluid will be applied to prevent any ice from adhering to the aircraft.
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During this process the de-ice team will pay special attention to removing snow and ice from the aircraft’s critical surfaces.
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These critical surfaces include the upper surface of the wing, both horizontal and vertical stabilizers as well as certain instrument probes and sensors.
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These are basically the parts of the airplane that would negatively affect aircraft's performance if there was any contamination.
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Let's talk about the de-icing process. Now before getting de-iced, the pilots must decide which type of de-icing fluids will be required and that will depend on the local weather conditions. The flight crew will then put in their request with the de-ice team. After the aircraft is properly configured the de-ice team will then begin the de-icing process.
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Once that’s complete a member of the de-ice team will inspect the aircraft to verify that it’s free of contaminants and then notify the flight crew.
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The pilots will then re-configure the aircraft and continue taxiing to the runway.
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If I was the captain on this flight, what would be some special considerations?
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Well, if I was the captain on this flight, I would pay special attention while taxiing.
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Clearly the ramp has not yet been plowed and there’s still plenty of snow on the ground. Therefore I would be extra cautious especially while steering the aircraft and operating the brakes.
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I would also consider making a passenger announcement if I expected any delays.
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I would say something like “Ladies and gentlemen this the captain speaking.
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Since safety is our number one priority we will be getting de-iced.
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In doing so, we will be slightly delayed for departure.
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Thank you for your patience and understanding. If I expect any more delays I’ll be sure to let you know.” So that wraps up my description of this photo.
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What other details did you notice that weren’t mentioned?
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Write it in the comments below. And If you liked this short video please give it a like and hit the subscribe button.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Aviation English Photo Description: De-Icing”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: aircraft, ice, icing, airplane, photo. This video has 34 sentences and 766 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:38. The speaker talks at a natural 165 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 81% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| airplane noun | /ˈɛɹˌpleɪ̯n/ | A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings: a fixed-wing aircraft with at least one engine or electric motor. |
| configure verb | /kənˈfɪɡə(ɹ)/ | To set up or arrange something in such a way that it is ready for operation for a particular purpose, or to someone's particular liking |
| chalk noun | /t͡ʃɔk/ | A soft, white, powdery limestone (calcium carbonate, CaCO₃). |
| contamination noun | /kənˌtæm.əˈneɪ.ʃən/ | The act or process of contaminating. |
| taxi noun | /ˈtæksi/ | A vehicle that may be hired for single journeys by members of the public, particularly one with an automated meter to calculate the fare. |
| contaminant noun | /kənˈtamɪnənt/ | That which contaminates; an impurity; foreign matter. |
| overcast adjective | /ˈoʊvɚ.kæst/ | Covered with clouds; overshadowed; darkened; (meteorology) more than 90% covered by clouds. |
| ploughed adjective | Turned over with the blade of a plough to create furrows (usually for planting crops). | |
| snowfall noun | /ˈsnoʊfɔːl/ | An instance of falling of snow. |
| stabilizer noun | /ˈsteɪbəlaɪzɚ/ | Any substance added to something in order to stabilize it, as for example a fuel additive that prolongs the shelf life of petrol. |
| adhere verb | /ædˈhɪə/ | To stick fast or cleave, as a glutinous substance does; to become joined or united. |
| reflective adjective | /ɹɪˈflɛktɪv/ | That reflects, or redirects back to the source. |
| accumulation noun | /əˌkjuːm.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/ | The act of amassing or gathering, as into a pile. |
| inspect verb | /ɪnˈspɛkt/ | To examine critically or carefully; especially, to search out problems or determine condition; to scrutinize. |
| negatively adverb | In a negative manner; so as to be damaging or not positive. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look over verb | To check quickly; to make a brief or cursory visual inspection of. |
| push back verb | To refute or argue against a position or an accusation; to express one's own view on a situation. |
| wrap up verb | To cover or enclose (something) by folding and securing a covering entirely around it. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If I expect any more delays I'll be |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is parked · was just pushed · is chalked |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, don't, weren't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: contamination /kənˌtæm.əˈneɪ.ʃən/, accumulation /əˌkjuːm.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, cautious /ˈkɔːʃəs/, specially /ˈspɛʃəli/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/
- Long words — get the stress right: contamination /kənˌtæm.əˈneɪ.ʃən/, contaminant /kənˈtamɪnənt/, stabilizer /ˈsteɪbəlaɪzɚ/, accumulation /əˌkjuːm.jəˈleɪ.ʃən/, visibility /ˌvɪz.əˈbɪl.ɪ.ti/
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 airplane, configure, chalk.
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.