Shadowing Practice: Conversation - A secret meeting - 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 “Conversation - A secret meeting”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: protest, secret, meeting. This video has 34 sentences and 189 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:58. The speaker talks slowly, about 96 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 6 of its 34 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| protest noun | /ˈpɹoʊ.tɛst/ | A formal objection, especially one by a group. |
| impressive adjective | /ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/ | Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress. |
| fitness noun | /ˈfɪt.nəs/ | The condition of being fit, suitable or appropriate. |
| poster noun | /ˈpoʊstɚ/ | A picture of a celebrity, an event etc., intended to be attached to a wall. |
| smartwatch noun | A wristwatch with electronic functionality beyond timekeeping. | |
| kilometre noun | /kɪˈlɑmɪtəɹ/ | An SI unit of length equal to 10³ metres. Symbol: km |
| chat verb | /ˈt͡ʃæt/ | To be engaged in informal conversation. |
| basketball noun | /ˈbæs.kɪt.bɔl/ | A sport in which two opposing teams of five players strive to put a ball through a hoop. |
| bike noun | /baɪk/ | Any vehicle sharing some characteristics with a bicycle or motorbike, such as pedal power, a handlebar, or a saddle. |
| secret noun | /ˈsiː.kɹɪt/ | A piece of knowledge that is hidden and intended to be kept hidden. |
| heavy adjective | /ˈhɛv.i/ | Having great weight. |
| weekend noun | /ˈwiˌkɛnd/ | The break in the working week, usually two days including the traditional holy or sabbath day. Thus in Western countries, Saturday and Sunday. |
| teacher noun | /ˈti.t͡ʃɚ/ | A person who teaches, especially one employed in a school; preceptor. |
| app noun | /æp/ | An application (program), especially a small one designed for a mobile device. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What have you got in them?
- I've got the posters for the protest.
- Ed, you haven't got time to chat.
- We've got a meeting now.
- We've got some simple rules for our meetings.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 17 contractions and reduced forms, such as isn't, haven't, I've. 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 protest, impressive, fitness.
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.