Shadowing Practice: Chatting with the Stranger in the Window Seat - Learn English Speaking with Video
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33 sentences
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1
Hi, sorry, I think I'm in the middle seat there.
2
Oh, no trouble at all. Let me just move my handbag.
3
Thanks. Is it just me, or are these seats getting smaller?
4
Ha, it's not just you, love. Thirteen hours of this ahead!
5
So, is Singapore home, or just a stopover?
6
Neither, really. I'm flying on to Bali to see my granddaughter.
7
Wow, that's a long way to go for a visit!
8
Well, she's just had a baby, so wild horses couldn't keep me away!
9
Oh, congratulations! Is that your first great-grandchild?
10
My second, actually. And what about you?
11
Well... it's actually my first trip to Asia.
12
I quit my job last month to go backpacking for a while.
13
Good for you! I did exactly the same thing at your age.
14
No way! Where did you go?
15
India, Nepal, Thailand... though that was back in 1975.
16
Whoa! What was that bump?
17
Just a bit of turbulence. Nothing to worry about.
18
I know... it still makes my stomach drop, though.
19
Here, hold the armrest and look out of the window. It helps.
20
Okay, that's actually a lot better. Thanks.
21
Ooh, here comes the trolley. Chicken or pasta, I wonder?
22
Ugh, it sounds like they've run out of chicken already.
23
Typical! The back rows always get stuck with the pasta.
24
Honestly, after that turbulence, I'm just happy to eat anything.
25
Any tips for jet lag? I've heard it's brutal.
26
Drink plenty of water, and skip the wine, however tempting.
27
And when you land, stay awake until it's dark.
28
Even if I'm exhausted? That sounds like torture.
29
Trust me, it's worth it. You'll thank me on day two.
30
If you're ever in Chicago, you have to try the deep-dish pizza!
31
I'll hold you to that! And you must try the chilli crab in Singapore.
32
Deal. It's been really nice talking to you.
33
Likewise. Now go and have the adventure of a lifetime.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Chatting with the Stranger in the Window Seat”. This video has 33 sentences and 320 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:20. The speaker talks at a steady 137 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 9 of its 33 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| turbulence noun | /ˈtɝ.bjə.ləns/ | The state or fact of being turbulent or agitated; tempestuousness, disturbance. |
| pasta noun | /ˈpɑ.stə/ | Dough made from wheat and water and sometimes mixed with egg and formed into various shapes; often sold in dried form and typically boiled for eating. |
| armrest noun | /ˈɑɹmˌɹɛst/ | Part of the seat of a chair that is designed to support the arm. |
| grandchild noun | /ˈɡɹændˌtʃaɪld/ | A child of someone's child. |
| handbag noun | /ˈhændˌbæɡ/ | A small bag used chiefly by women for carrying various small personal items, sometimes considered as a fashion accessory. |
| stopover noun | /ˈstɑpˌoʊvɚ/ | A short interruption in a journey or the place visited during such an interruption. |
| trolley noun | A trolley pole; a single-pole device for collecting electrical current from an overhead electrical line, normally for a tram/streetcar or a trolleybus. | |
| granddaughter noun | The daughter of someone's child. | |
| chili noun | /ˈt͡ʃɪli/ | The pungent, spicy fresh or dried fruit of any of several cultivated varieties of capsicum peppers, used in cooking. |
| crab noun | /kɹæb/ | Any crustacean of the infraorder Brachyura, having five pairs of legs, the foremost of which are in the form of claws, and a carapace. |
| backpack noun | /ˈbæk.pæk/ | A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when… |
| exhaust verb | /ɪɡˈzɔst/ | To draw or let out wholly; to drain completely. |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| bump noun | /bʌmp/ | A light blow or jolting collision. |
| likewise adverb | /ˈlaɪkˌwaɪz/ | In a similar manner. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Is it just me, or are these seats getting smaller?
- Ha, it's not just you, love.
- Is that your first great-grandchild?
- Chicken or pasta, I wonder?
- Even if I'm exhausted?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, couldn't, I'll. 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 turbulence, pasta, armrest.
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.