Shadowing Practice: BCA1 Listening: The first English class - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “BCA1 Listening: The first English class”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: British, Monday, begin. This video has 39 sentences and 253 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:31. The speaker talks slowly, about 101 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| upstairs adverb | /ˌʌpˈstɛɹz/ | Up the stairs; on or to a higher floor or level. |
| photocopy noun | /ˈfəʊtəˌkɒpi/ | A copy made using a photocopier. |
| begin verb | /bɪˈɡɪn/ | To start, to initiate or take the first step into something. |
| floor noun | /flɔː/ | The interior bottom or surface of a house or building; the supporting surface of a room. |
| hello | /hɛˈloʊ/ | A greeting (salutation) said when meeting someone or acknowledging someone’s arrival or presence. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| finish verb | /ˈfɪnɪʃ/ | To complete (something). |
| teacher noun | /ˈti.t͡ʃɚ/ | A person who teaches, especially one employed in a school; preceptor. |
| twice adverb | /twaɪs/ | Two times. |
| copy noun | /ˈkɑpi/ | The result of copying; an identical or nearly identical duplicate of an original. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 arrive, upstairs, photocopy.
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.