Shadowing Practice: Don't waste your time - Brian Tracy - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Don't waste your time - Brian Tracy”. This video has 11 sentences and 179 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:44. The speaker talks fast, about 245 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 95% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 10 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| excel verb | /ɪkˈsɛl/ | To surpass someone or something; to be better or do better than someone or something. |
| tread verb | /tɹɛd/ | To step or walk (on or across something); to trample. |
| crackle verb | /ˈkɹækəl/ | To make a prolonged, frequent cracking sound which sounds like fizzing or popping. |
| shaky adjective | /ˈʃeɪki/ | Shaking or trembling. |
| attitude noun | /ˈætɪˌtud/ | The position of the body or way of carrying oneself. |
| ability noun | /əˈbɪl.ə.ti/ | The quality or state of being able; capacity to do or of doing something; having the necessary power. |
| foot noun | /fʊt/ | A biological structure found in many animals that is used for locomotion and that is frequently a separate organ at the terminal part of the leg. |
| everybody | /ˈɛvɹi(ˌ)bədi/ | All people. |
| throw verb | /θɹoʊ/ | To hurl; to release (an object) with some force from one’s hands, an apparatus, etc. so that it moves rapidly through the air. |
| excellent adjective | /ˈɛk.sə.lənt/ | Having excelled, having surpassed. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is designed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who are |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: ability /əˈbɪl.ə.ti/, everybody /ˈɛvɹi(ˌ)bədi/
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 excel, tread, crackle.
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.