Shadowing Practice: Einstein Didn't Invent Relativity! - Physics Explained for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 281 sentences and 4572 words to shadow. The speech runs for 20:55. The speaker talks fast, about 219 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 85% 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| relative noun | /ˈɹɛl.ə.tɪv/ | Someone connected by blood, marriage, or adoption; someone in the same family. |
| coordinate verb | /koʊˈɔɹ.dəˌneɪt/ | To place in the same order or rank. |
| meter noun | /ˈmitəɹ/ | A device that measures things. |
| equation noun | /ɪˈkweɪ.ʒən/ | The act or process of equating two or more things, or the state of those things being equal (that is, identical). |
| transformation noun | /ˌtɹæns.fɔɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | The act of transforming or the state of being transformed. |
| regardless adverb | /ɹɪˈɡɑɹd.lɪs/ | Without attention to warnings or indications of bad consequences. |
| axe noun | /æks/ | A tool for felling trees or chopping wood etc. consisting of a heavy head flattened to a blade on one side, and a handle attached to it. |
| stationary adjective | /ˈsteɪʃəˌnɛɹi/ | Not moving. |
| assumption noun | /əˈsʌm(p).ʃ(ə)n/ | The act of assuming, or taking to or upon oneself; the act of taking up or adopting. |
| universal adjective | /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/ | Of or pertaining to the universe. |
| complicated adjective | /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/ | Difficult or convoluted. |
| physics noun | /ˈfɪz.ɪks/ | The branch of science concerned with the study of the properties and interactions of space, time, matter and energy. |
| mathematics noun | /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/ | An abstract representational system studying numbers, shapes, structures, quantitative change and relationships between them. |
| gamma noun | /ˈɡæ.mə/ | The third letter of the Greek alphabet (Γ, γ), preceded by beta (Β, β) and followed by delta, (Δ, δ). |
| align verb | /əˈlaɪn/ | To form a line; to fall into line. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. |
| come along verb | To accompany. |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| pop out verb | To appear on the screen as a temporary window or menu. |
| run away from verb | To avoid or shirk a problem or consequences; to rush to back away from or disclaim responsibility for something. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | have been asking · I've also been thinking |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've done · we've done · we've chosen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is chosen · is based · is known |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who either · person who came · mechanics, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 84 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, we've, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, mathematical /ˌmæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪ.kəl/, thermodynamics /ˌθɜː(ɹ)moʊdaɪˈnæmɪks/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: equation /ɪˈkweɪ.ʒən/, transformation /ˌtɹæns.fɔɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, stationary /ˈsteɪʃəˌnɛɹi/, assumption /əˈsʌm(p).ʃ(ə)n/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/
- Long words — get the stress right: coordinate /koʊˈɔɹ.dəˌneɪt/, transformation /ˌtɹæns.fɔɹˈmeɪ.ʃən/, stationary /ˈsteɪʃəˌnɛɹi/, universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/
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 relative, coordinate, meter.
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.












