Shadowing Practice: Borrowing a Pen at Work – Simple English Conversation | Coworkers - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Borrowing a Pen at Work – Simple English Conversation”. This video has 26 sentences and 132 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:52. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| borrow verb | /ˈbɑɹ.oʊ/ | To receive (something) from somebody temporarily, expecting to return it. |
| rush verb | /ɹʌʃ/ | To hurry; to perform a task with great haste, often not properly or without thinking carefully. |
| desk noun | /dɛsk/ | A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a… |
| pen noun | /pɪn/ | A tool, originally made from a feather but now usually a small tubular instrument, containing ink used to write or make marks. |
| anytime adverb | At any time. | |
| disappear verb | /dɪsəˈpɪɹ/ | To vanish. |
| pack noun | /pæk/ | A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale. |
| grab verb | /ˈɡɹæb/ | To grip suddenly; to seize; to clutch. |
| extra adjective | /ˈɛkstɹə/ | Beyond what is due, usual, expected, or necessary; extraneous; additional; supernumerary. |
| quick adjective | /kwɪk/ | Moving with speed, rapidity or swiftness, or capable of doing so; rapid; fast. |
| seriously adverb | /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/ | In a serious or literal manner. |
| awesome adjective | /ˈɔːsəm/ | Causing awe or terror; inspiring wonder or excitement. |
| literally adverb | /ˈlɪ.tə.ɹə.li/ | Without overstatement or understatement, or false or misleading words. |
| luck noun | /lʌk/ | Something that happens to someone by chance, a chance occurrence. |
| yesterday noun | /ˈjɛstɹdeɪ/ | The day immediately before today; one day ago. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you happen to have a pen I can borrow?
- Office pens really disappear fast, don't they?
- You're seriously saving me right now.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'll, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: seriously /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/, literally /ˈlɪ.tə.ɹə.li/
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 borrow, rush, desk.
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.