Shadowing Practice: Can You Swim? What Can You Do? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Can You Swim? What Can You Do?”. This video has 18 sentences and 91 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:01. The speaker talks slowly, about 90 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 7 of its 18 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
10 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| swim verb | /swɪm/ | To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means. |
| whistle noun | /ˈwɪs(ə)l/ | A device designed to be placed in the mouth and blown, or driven by steam or some other mechanism, to make a whistling sound. |
| knee noun | /ni/ | In humans, the joint or the region of the joint in the middle part of the leg between the thigh and the shank. |
| swimmer noun | /ˈswɪm.ɚ/ | One who swims. |
| jump verb | /d͡ʒʌmp/ | To propel oneself rapidly upward, downward and/or in any horizontal direction such that momentum causes the body to become airborne. |
| teach verb | /ˈtiːt͡ʃ/ | To pass on knowledge to. |
| bike noun | /baɪk/ | Any vehicle sharing some characteristics with a bicycle or motorbike, such as pedal power, a handlebar, or a saddle. |
| teacher noun | /ˈti.t͡ʃɚ/ | A person who teaches, especially one employed in a school; preceptor. |
| ride verb | /ɹaɪd/ | To transport oneself by sitting on and directing a horse, later also a bicycle etc. |
| worry verb | /ˈwʌ.ɹi/ | To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Grandpa, can you ride a bike?
- Can you jump on one leg?
- Grandpa, can you swim?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, you're, don'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.
- 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 swim, whistle, knee.
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.