Shadowing Practice: DAN DA DAN - Episode 01 [English Sub] - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “DAN DA DAN - Episode 01”. This video has 354 sentences and 2034 words to shadow. The speech runs for 23:57. The speaker talks slowly, about 85 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 57 of its 354 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| banana noun | /bəˈnænə/ | An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin. |
| scare verb | /skɛɚ/ | To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way. |
| grandma noun | /ˈɡɹænmɑː/ | Grandmother. |
| abduction noun | /æbˈdʌk.ʃn̩/ | A leading away; a carrying away. |
| tunnel noun | /ˈtʌn(ə)l/ | An underground or underwater passage. |
| ton noun | /tʌn/ | The short ton of 2000 pounds (about 907 kg), 20 hundredweights of 100 pounds avoirdupois each. |
| chakra noun | /ˈt͡ʃɑː.kɹə/ | Any of (at least) seven centres of spiritual energy in or near the body, according to Ayurveda philosophy. |
| supernatural adjective | /ˌsu.pəɹˈnæ.tʃə.ɹəl/ | Above nature; beyond or added to nature, often so considered because it is given by a deity or some force beyond that with which humans are born. |
| distress noun | /dɪˈstɹɛs/ | Physical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature. |
| cloth noun | /klɒθ/ | A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use. Sometimes… |
| grandmother noun | /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/ | A mother of someone's parent. |
| encounter verb | /ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/ | To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly. |
| awkward adjective | /ˈɔk.wɚd/ | Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| get away verb | To move away (from). | |
| open up verb | To open. | |
| shut up | /ʃʌt ʌp/ | Stop talking (usually in the form of making annoying, irrelevant, or false comments, during a period of peace and quiet, or when one is not allowed to talk)… |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are you reading from the book?
- What do you mean to me?
- You know what I'm doing?
- Aiyose, you've seen a幽霊?
- You don't have a reason for me?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if you don't have money, I won't have · if you don't have money, I'll be · If you have a dream, you'll be |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | we've done · has been launched · you've seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | has been launched · is called · has not been believed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who talk · people who are · kid who was |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 225 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: cloth /klɒθ/, grandmother /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/
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 banana, scare, grandma.
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.
![SPY×FAMILY - Episode 01 [English Sub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/h_tL16PZ0IE/mqdefault.jpg)
![DAN DA DAN - Episode 05 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/2fP6zo_ANog/mqdefault.jpg)
![Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - Episode 03 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8GdPZ1ELFQk/mqdefault.jpg)
![DAN DA DAN - Episode 01 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/6FRTJ0z1vxs/mqdefault.jpg)
![SPY×FAMILY - Episode 01 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/ZgyothCzhLA/mqdefault.jpg)
![SPY×FAMILY - Episode 09 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/1vJLzPN3hzU/mqdefault.jpg)
![Date A Live V - Episode 01 [English Sub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/-EFaRJBQMfg/mqdefault.jpg)
![Frieren: Beyond Journey's End - Episode 01 [English Dub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Eb2WFA8LyZo/mqdefault.jpg)



![[In the SOOP BTS ver.] Highlight Clip Ep.1-4](https://img.youtube.com/vi/XQiFVyYyCeQ/mqdefault.jpg)






