Shadowing Practice: Band 8.5+ Full Speaking Exam | 2019 new topics (difficult) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
180 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
hi guys hello welcome to my channel
2
and in this special episode
3
I'm very honored to be joined by my friend Ernest he's from Singapore say hi hello everybody yeah
4
you know some of you may have some misconceptions about how Singapore English sounds like
5
and how Singaporeans speak English so today I'm gonna put him to the test
6
and you know let's see how well he's gonna fare in the IELTS exam okay
7
he hasn't taken this exam before
8
so he has no idea what it looks like all right
9
so are you ready to be tested well I don't know about
10
that dad but let's give it a try okay sure okay just do your best okay okay
11
so hello today I'll be your examiner
12
and the IELTS exam has three parts okay
13
and in the first part of the test we'll be talking about some questions about yourself all right are you ready?
14
Okay.
15
So let's talk about noise.
16
Okay.
17
So could you tell me what natural sounds do you like the most?
18
Personally I like the sound of rain.
19
I think it's very calming and it is perfectly suited together with my very introverted personality.
20
I like a lot of alone time
21
and listening to the pitter -patter of rain outside without a
22
care in the world actually puts me in a very peaceful
23
mood okay thank you like me question number two okay um what sounds remind
24
you of your childhood childhood i guess it's the sound of children's laughter um
25
when i see children at the playground and i hear the laughter
26
It reminds me of happier times when I was in my childhood.
27
Okay.
28
Yeah.
29
And what types of noise do you come across in your daily life?
30
Oh, noise.
31
So, people quarreling or having an argument, having an altercation, that's very jarring and disconcerting to me,
32
and I really don't like that.
33
Okay.
34
let's move on to talk about science shall we science okay sure first do you like science oh
35
i love science i love science
36
so science has always been a part of my life
37
it is very intricately tied together with what i do in my job in my career
38
so i love science
39
and what is the most uh the most difficult part of
40
studying science the most difficult part of studying science in my opinion is the way
41
it is delivered as well as finding relevance in today's society.
42
So the problem with studying science from the Singapore context is
43
that mainly the way that we teach science is a very didactic,
44
very top -down approach and it's very difficult to actually understand the relevance of science in our daily activities.
45
Okay, thank you.
46
How has the science that you have studied helped you?
47
Okay, so I work as a doctor and I feel that having a very keen understanding of science,
48
of biology, how the human body works, the physiology and anatomy of the human body actually allows me to be able to practice my art
49
which is also a signs in a more precise manner to which I can deliver excellent patient care to the patient.
50
Interesting.
51
Now let's move on to talk about street markets.
52
Street markets, okay sure.
53
Are street markets common in your country?
54
Street markets are fairly uncommon.
55
We do have periods of festivities in Singapore where we actually have street markets more commonly seen,
56
but it is not a common occurrence in Singapore.
57
Alright, what is usually sold there?
58
So, we have various kinds of food,
59
usually representing the common food that is eaten during that festival.
60
Fun, games, usually like daily necessities, clothes, curios, knick -knacks.
61
Okay, and how have street markets in your country changed in the last 10 years?
62
Street markets have become a little bit more commercialized in the sense
63
that in the past there used to be an atmosphere about such markets which signified the festivities.
64
It was usually something very joyous
65
and yes there was of course a cacophony behind in the background always
66
but it was always light -hearted bantering not what we hear nowadays
67
which is a lot of bartering
68
and a lot of a lot of sometimes a lot of anger behind it
69
because you can hear that there are a lot of frustrations on our day -to -day activities
70
so I think that generally the tone is a little bit more sour
71
and I do feel that um it is partly
72
because festivities in singapore have become very commercialized thank you very good
73
that's the end of part one that's part one okay sure okay
74
so let's move on to part two of the test okay
75
and in this part i'll be giving you a topic
76
and i would like you to talk about it for for two minutes
77
i'll give you one minute to prepare okay okay
78
so i would like you to describe an impressive work of art such as a painting
79
or sculpture that you saw and you should say what it is
80
when and where you first saw this work of art what it looks like
81
and explain why you like it okay this is a piece of paper
82
you have one minute to prepare now i'll tell you when the time is up.
83
All right the time is up
84
so now you have two minutes to talk I'll tell you
85
when the time is up so don't worry if I stop you okay you can start talking now.
86
Okay so the piece of sculpture that I saw was actually one that I saw yesterday at the War Remnants Museum.
87
It was a very evocative piece of art
88
and it was a physical representation of the cumulative frustration at the atrocities of war
89
that was inflicted on the vietnamese people it was made of brass it was burnished and it was
90
a sculpture depicting a mother and a child in the battlefield and it was very painful because
91
I saw from the pictures in the gallery the vicissitudes of life
92
and the atrocities that occurred during the war and the suffering that the Vietnamese people had to go through
93
because of the formation of a very nascent country with different ideologies
94
and it was very painful because what it actually spoke to me was of the fact
95
that when powerful people come into play with differing ideologies
96
so people who actually pay the price instead of the common people
97
and that's the reason why i really like it
98
because it was very heart -wrenching
99
when i actually put this piece of sculpture in context with the rest of the pictures of soldiers dying,
100
of common people dying, of simple farmers,
101
women and children all dying and being put in mass graves
102
and it was very very painful and
103
because it was such a powerfully evocative piece of work it really touched me
104
and that's the reason why I really like it.
105
Okay, thank you.
106
Can I have this piece back?
107
All right, now we're moving on to part three of the test
108
and in this part I'll be asking you some questions related to the second part of the test.
109
So first, do you think art classes are necessary and why?
110
I think art classes are very necessary.
111
It gives an avenue of expression for children to be able to express their greatest joys,
112
their deepest fears, and their hope for the future.
113
And I think that's really, really important.
114
Art has always been an outlet of expression for people, to connect to people.
115
And I think that that is critically important because in life, when we actually talk about the hard sciences, as what we spoke about earlier,
116
it's very hard to actually connect to people with science we use science to connect to people
117
but art is critically important because it is a common language
118
that transcends cultures that can transcends religion
119
that actually speak to people on a very emotive level and that is really really powerful um
120
Yeah, thank you.
121
What kinds of art do people in your country like?
122
I think we have different kinds of art.
123
We have the traditional kinds of art, we have theatre, we have dance, we have song, we have instrumental music.
124
So I think that art being a very personal topic,
125
we do have different kinds of art that people do enjoy but it being so subjective,
126
there is always something out there for somebody but it is not something
127
that we can say definitively that there is one form that supersedes all others.
128
Okay and what benefits can you get from painting as a hobby?
129
Personally I don't really paint myself but I have seen people who paint and And I've seen their pieces of work before.
130
Painting actually is an activity that can be done by different kinds of people.
131
From somebody who's a novice to somebody who's an expert.
132
As again, with all forms of art, it's an outlet for expression.
133
It is also a means towards a livelihood for some people.
134
we do have some people for example who in Singapore
135
we have a mental institution for those who are afflicted with mental illness
136
and sometimes they use art as a form of therapy
137
in children who have undergone severe post -traumatic stress disorder
138
they also use art as a way to express what they cannot speak about
139
and as a way to reconcile the conflicting emotions within themselves.
140
Okay, last question.
141
Do you think people's preferences for arts in your country changed in the past few years?
142
I think definitely so because there were more traditional forms of art that were more widely practiced in older Singapore.
143
So for example, we have like the Wayang Kulit, we have like the more traditional lion dance that we see
144
that we actually perform during Chinese New Year
145
and these forms are actually slowly dying out
146
because the younger generation have different forms of art that they can attune themselves and relate better to
147
and as a result these forms of art are becoming less relevant to the newer to the younger generation
148
so as the older generation slowly dies out many of the
149
traditional forms of art have slowly started to be faced out as well okay thank you
150
that is the end of the test thank god that's it, thank you.
151
Okay, what part did you find the most challenging?
152
The fact that I had to talk about a topic on the spot immediately about something
153
that I had completely not a clue about like art.
154
So yeah sometimes we
155
but you did really well like you had a ton of vocab for for those topics yeah
156
you tackled the questions very well still yeah people would probably think
157
that you you have a neck for art too
158
but yeah I wouldn't have been able to do so well yeah
159
so great job hey guys
160
so we're done with the test as you can see how he was feeling during the test
161
and the stuff
162
that he shared with you guys after the test right would you say it's nerve wrecking well i think
163
that it is a little bit jarring
164
because even as a native english speaker i think
165
that it's um it's difficult to talk about a topic especially for like two
166
or three minutes when you have not a clue about it um
167
and i think
168
that definitely for somebody who is not a native speaker of English it will be very challenging especially
169
when it comes to more esoteric topics or the more oblique topics
170
that are not so mainstream I think that
171
that would be a little bit more challenging
172
so hopefully this will be a very nice sample for you
173
guys to refer to right in your process of studying for the exam
174
I myself would probably learn from him too okay guys
175
so thank you for tuning in
176
if you like the video please give it a big thumbs up
177
and hit the subscribe button and yeah
178
if you have any questions please feel free to go to my Facebook group
179
and ask questions hopefully I'm gonna meet another friend
180
and have another test with him soon okay so you guys take care okay bye
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B23
Band 8.5 Sample - Full Speaking test | New Topics 2019 | IELTS with Datio
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B13
IELTS Speaking Band 6.0 có khó như bạn nghĩ? | Band 6+ Sample
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepHigh School Students
B210
“Hometown/City” Chủ đề phổ biến nhất IELTS Speaking | IELTS with Datio
IELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
Bài mẫu mới nhất IELTS Speaking band 6.5 | IELTS with Datio
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
B2IELTS Speaking 7.5+ Full Test | IELTS with Datio
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B27 cách diễn đạt Band 8+ cho IELTS Speaking Part 2
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C11
161 sentences
LanguageCert Academic Speaking
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
38 sentences
VSTEP Listening - Task 1 - Test 28
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
C1123
40 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Competition in Schools, Sport and Work (Band 8.0)
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B27
75 sentences
CAM19 TEST1 P1
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
115 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Neighbours | Band 7–8+ Answers & Vocabulary | Learnivo #ieltsspeaking #ielts
IELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B12
213 sentences
Speaking Part 1: Topic 1-6 Basic
Interview EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B26
123 sentences
IELTS SPEAKING PART 1 - TOPIC 1-7
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C1238
32 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Noise and the Value of Quiet
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
148 sentences
IELTS Speaking Test Band 7.0 Mock Test | Uzbek Student
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
B214
147 sentences
When a native English speaker takes the IELTS...
IELTS PrepUniversity Students
C12
269 sentences
Hard Band 7+ IELTS Listening 2026 With Answer | Habitats on Wetlands British Accent- 29.09.2026
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
C14
193 sentences
IELTS Speaking Band 8.0 Mock Test with Feedback
IELTS PrepCambridge Exam PrepUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Band 8.5+ Full Speaking Exam”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: science, test, singapore, markets. This video has 180 sentences and 2060 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:43. The speaker talks at a steady 140 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 86% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| exam verb | /ɪɡˈzæm/ | Shortened form of examine |
| sculpture noun | /ˈskʌlpt͡ʃɚ/ | A three-dimensional work of art created by shaping malleable objects and letting them harden or by chipping away pieces from a rock (sculpting). |
| connect verb | /kəˈnɛkt/ | To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object. |
| painful adjective | /ˈpeɪn.fl̩/ | Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental. |
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| clue noun | /kluː/ | Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion. |
| laughter noun | /ˈlæftɚ/ | The sound of laughing, produced by air so expelled; any similar sound. |
| ideology noun | /aɪ.diˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ | Doctrine, philosophy, body of beliefs or principles belonging to an individual or group. |
| outlet noun | /ˈaʊtlɛt/ | A vent or similar passage to allow the escape of something. |
| frustration noun | /fɹʌsˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The feeling of annoyance at impossibility from resistance or inability to achieve something. |
| jar noun | /d͡ʒɑː/ | An earthenware container, either with two or no handles, for holding oil, water, wine, etc., or used for burial. |
| critically adverb | /ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kə.li/ | In a critical manner; with, or in terms of, criticism. |
| relevance noun | /ˈɹɛl.ɪ.vən(t)s/ | The property or state of being relevant or pertinent. |
| tone noun | /ˈtəʊn/ | A specific pitch. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come across verb | To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition. |
| die out verb | To become extinct. |
| face out verb | To carry off by bold looks; to see something unpleasant through with courage and spirit. |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- How has the science that you have studied helped you?
- Are street markets common in your country?
- Can I have this piece back?
- What kinds of art do people in your country like?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be joined · be tested · is perfectly suited |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | hasn't taken · has always been · have studied |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who actually · people who paint · those who are |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 22 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, don't, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: frustration /fɹʌsˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/, institution /ˌɪn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/, representation /ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/, commercialize /kəˈmɚʃəˌlaɪz/
- Long words — get the stress right: ideology /aɪ.diˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, critically /ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kə.li/, institution /ˌɪn.stɪˈtʃuː.ʃən/, representation /ˌɹɛp.ɹə.zɛnˈteɪ.ʃən/, biology /baɪˈɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/
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 topic, exam, sculpture.
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.