Shadowing Practice: [B1] How You Organize Your Study Time | English Listening & Speaking Practice - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hi, everyone.
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Welcome to the 5 -Minute English Podcast, where we help you practice real English through short, everyday conversations.
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I'm Jessica, and today I'm here with my lovely co -host, Lisa.
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Hey, guys.
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Thanks for joining us again.
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So, Jessica, what's today's topic?
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Today, we're talking about something every student can relate to, how to organize your study time.
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Whether you're learning English, studying at school, or preparing for exams, having a good study plan really makes a difference.
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That's so true.
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I remember when I was in high school, I used to wait until the very last minute before an exam.
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I'd stay up all night, drink too much coffee, and try to memorize everything in one go.
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It was exhausting, and it never really worked.
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I know that feeling.
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I used to think I could just study hard for one night and be fine.
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But the truth is, it doesn't help you remember much.
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Now I realize that organizing your study time is just as important as studying itself.
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Totally agree.
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So how do you organize your study time these days?
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Do you follow a specific plan or routine?
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I do, actually.
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I like to plan my study week every Sunday evening.
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I take about 15 minutes to look at everything I need to do for the week—assignments,
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readings, projects—and then I divide them into smaller tasks.
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For example, if I have to read a long article, I split it into two or three days instead of doing it all at once.
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That's smart.
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I do something similar, too.
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I keep a weekly planner, and every day I write down what subjects I'll study and for how long.
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I usually study in the evening because I'm more focused then.
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But I try not to study too late, otherwise I get sleepy and forget what I've learned.
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Yeah, studying when you're tired never helps.
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I usually study in the morning when my mind is fresh.
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I set a timer for 25 minutes.
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That's called the Pomodoro technique.
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And during that time, I focus completely.
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Then I take a short five -minute break to stretch or get some water.
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After four sessions, I take a longer break, maybe 30 minutes, to rest my eyes or go for a short walk.
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I've heard about that method.
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I think it's great for people who get distracted easily.
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For me, I prefer slightly longer sessions, about 45 minutes, and then I take a 10 -minute break.
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During my break, I like to listen to music or scroll through my phone, but I make sure not to lose track of time.
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That's a good point.
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Breaks are important, but they can easily become too long.
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I also try to keep my phone away when I study.
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I put it on silent mode or leave it in another room.
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Otherwise, I'll keep checking messages or social media.
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Same here.
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I used to tell myself, oh, I'll just check one message.
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And then suddenly, 20 minutes are gone.
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Now, I use an app that blocks social media while I'm studying.
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It really helps me stay focused.
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Nice.
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Another thing that helps me is setting clear goals for each study session.
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for example instead of saying i'll study english tonight i say i'll review 20 new words
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and write five sentences using them
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when i have a specific goal i can see my progress
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and that makes me feel good yes i do
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that too i think
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when you know exactly what you want to achieve you become more motivated i also like to reward myself
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when i finish my study plan maybe i'll watch one episode of my favorite show
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or have some chocolate it's like giving myself a little pat on the back
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that's a great idea rewarding yourself helps keep studying positive
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and i think the biggest lesson i've learned is
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that being consistent is better than studying for long hours just once even
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if If you study for only 30 minutes a day, it's more effective than cramming everything in one night.
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I couldn't agree more.
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Studying is like exercising, ain't you?
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You get better if you do it regularly.
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Also, it's important to listen to your body.
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If you're really tired, maybe it's better to rest and start again later.
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Forcing yourself when you're exhausted doesn't help you learn faster. So true.
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Everyone learns differently and it's okay to try different methods until you find what works best for you.
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Some people like studying in the morning, others at night.
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The key is to have a plan and follow it as best as you can.
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Exactly.
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So, to all our listeners, next time you sit down to study, take a few minutes to plan your time,
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use a timer, write down small goals, take breaks, And remember to reward yourself.
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It really makes a difference.
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Well said, Lisa.
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And that's all for today's episode of the 5 -Minute English Podcast.
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We hope our tips help you stay organized and make your study sessions more effective.
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Don't forget to follow our podcast for more short English conversations and useful topics every week.
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See you next time.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “[B1] How You Organize Your Study Time”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: study, studying, break, english, session. This video has 82 sentences and 856 words to shadow. The speech runs for 5:50. The speaker talks at a steady 147 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% 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:

WordPronunciationMeaning
organize verb/ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/To arrange in working order.
reward noun/ɹɪˈwɔɹd/Something of value given in return for an act.
podcast noun/ˈpɑdˌkæst/A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on…
topic noun/ˈtɑpɪk/A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
exhaust verb/ɪɡˈzɔst/To draw or let out wholly; to drain completely.
timer noun/ˈtaɪmɚ/A device used to measure amounts of time.
consistent adjective/kənˈsɪs.tənt/Of a regularly occurring, dependable nature.
everyday adjective/ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions.
lesson noun/ˈlɛs.ən/A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
technique noun/tɛkˈniːk/The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements.
silent adjective/ˈsaɪ̯lənt/Free from sound or noise; absolutely still; perfectly quiet.
routine noun/ɹuˈtin/A course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure.
stretch verb/stɹɛt͡ʃ/To lengthen by pulling.
exam verb/ɪɡˈzæm/Shortened form of examine
examination noun/ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/The act of examining.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

WordMeaning
write down verbTo produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something.
stay up verbTo remain awake; to not go to bed.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

  • Do you follow a specific plan or routine?
  • I've heard about that method.
  • Otherwise, I'll keep checking messages or social media.
  • Studying is like exercising, ain't you?
  • Also, it's important to listen to your body.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer trueused to think · used to tell
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowI've learned · I've heard
Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two thingsbetter than · more effective than
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing formkeep checking · keep studying

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 24 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

  • Long words — get the stress right: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like organize, reward, podcast.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →