Shadowing Practice: Best speech from Donnie Brasco - Brooklyn 99 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 18 sentences and 115 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:45. The speaker talks at a natural 152 words per minute, close to everyday conversation.
Key vocabulary in this video
11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| whoever | /huˈɛvɚ/ | Who ever: an emphatic form of who. |
| breathe verb | /bɹiːð/ | To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases. |
| laptop noun | /ˈlæp.tɑp/ | A laptop computer. |
| apologize verb | /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/ | To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends |
| tablet noun | /ˈtæblət/ | A slab of clay, stone or wood used for inscription. |
| employee noun | /ˌɛm.plɔɪˈiː/ | A person who provides labor to a company or another person. |
| speech noun | /spiːt͡ʃ/ | The ability to speak; the faculty of uttering words or articulate sounds and vocalizations to communicate. |
| camera noun | /ˈkæməɹə/ | A device for taking still or moving pictures or photographs. |
| partner noun | /ˈpɑːt.nə(ɹ)/ | Either of a pair of people or things that belong together. |
| mostly adverb | /ˈmoʊstli/ | Mainly or chiefly; for the most part; usually, generally, on the whole. |
| alive adjective | /əˈlaɪv/ | Having life; living; not dead. |
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 | was hit |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is eating · I'm not becoming · are you doing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, I'm, can't. 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.
- 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 whoever, breathe, laptop.
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.