Shadowing Practice: Disagreeing Politely in a Planning Meeting - Learn English Speaking with Video
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28 sentences
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1
So, my proposal is to launch in all five cities at once.
2
It would make a big splash and get us noticed.
3
I can see why that's appealing, Kevin.
4
But I'm not convinced it's the right move.
5
Really? What's holding you back?
6
My main concern is that we'd be spreading ourselves too thin.
7
We only have six people on the support team.
8
True, but we could hire temporary staff.
9
We could, although training them would take weeks.
10
I'd suggest starting with two cities and learning from that.
11
I take your point, but that feels a little too cautious.
12
Our competitors aren't going to wait around for us.
13
That's fair. Speed does matter here.
14
Still, a messy launch could seriously damage our reputation.
15
Hmm. I hadn't really looked at it that way.
16
What if we met somewhere in the middle?
17
I'm open to that. What do you have in mind?
18
Three cities first, then the other two a month later.
19
That sounds much more manageable to me.
20
And it gives us time to iron out any problems.
21
Agreed. Would the support team be able to cope with three?
22
I believe so, provided we extend their hours slightly.
23
Okay. I'll rework the numbers and send them over.
24
Great. I'll talk to support and get their view.
25
I'm glad you pushed back on this, Rachel.
26
Well, I think we've ended up with a stronger plan.
27
Definitely. Let's present it to the board next week.
28
Sounds good. I'll start putting the slides together.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 28 sentences and 249 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:32. The speaker talks at a natural 162 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| temporary adjective | /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/ | Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time. |
| proposal noun | /pɹəˈpoʊzəl/ | A scheme or design. |
| reputation noun | /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/ | What somebody or something is known for. |
| thin adjective | /ˈθɪn/ | Having little thickness or extent from one surface to its opposite. |
| hire verb | /ˈhaɪɹ/ | To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment. |
| extend verb | /ɛkˈstɛnd/ | To increase in extent. |
| slide noun | /ˈslaɪ̯d/ | An item of play equipment that children can climb up and then slide down again. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| messy adjective | /ˈmɛsi/ | In a disorderly state; chaotic; disorderly. |
| splash verb | /splæʃ/ | To hit or agitate liquid so that part of it separates from the principal liquid mass. |
| competitor noun | /kəmˈpɛt.ɪ.tɚ/ | A person or organization against whom one is competing. |
| cautious adjective | /ˈkɔːʃəs/ | Using or exercising caution; careful; tentative |
| manageable adjective | /ˈmænəd͡ʒəb(ə)l/ | Capable of being managed or controlled. |
| rework noun | /ˈɹiːwɜː(ɹ)k/ | The act of redoing, correcting, or rebuilding. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 11 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, aren't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, splash /splæʃ/, cautious /ˈkɔːʃəs/
- Long words — get the stress right: temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/, reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, competitor /kəmˈpɛt.ɪ.tɚ/, manageable /ˈmænəd͡ʒəb(ə)l/
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 temporary, proposal, reputation.
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.