Shadowing Practice: Embrace Success as a Language Learner from Day One! - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
I want to tell you something. You are already successful as an English language learner. Why? Because you're her. You chose to show up. You see, I've made more progress in Russian than in
2
Spanish. I'm still a beginner in Spanish, but I already consider myself successful in my Spanish studies because I chose to start, and because I show up I go to my classes, my private lessons,
3
and I practice. You have to get in the game to make progress, and it's not always going to be easy, and we're going to make mistakes, but that's part of the process. If we compare language
4
learning to a sport like football or hockey, there are still people sitting on a bench. When you're on that bench, you have thoughts like, "I can't. It's too hard. I don't have the time. People on
5
the bench haven't even started, or they've given up. Maybe they're waiting for a signal. Maybe they're waiting for permission. In language learning, you don't need anyone's permission
6
except your own. There's also a danger when people think, "Well, yeah, I want to be successful. I want to be fluent." But you see, that makes success far out there, like 5 years from
7
now. But you can embrace success from day one. Success is here and success is here. And that's how you create a successful language learning experience -- what I like to call happy studies!
📺 Same Channel
B13
Learn How to Read the IPA | Phonetic Alphabet
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A215
Talk about Your Family in English | Very Easy Questions
American AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
B13
How to Introduce Yourself in English | What to Say (and Avoid!)
American AccentInterview EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
A22
Oral Reading Fluency 6: "Who Can Lead a Nation?"
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
A13
Can You Pass This A1 English Test? 15 Questions
American AccentKidsTeensDaily Conversation
B114
What’s Wrong with the Way Americans Dress?
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
✨ Recommend Video
B12,609
11 sentences
The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Students (Part 6) 💯
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13,240
13 sentences
How English Transformed My Life as a Learner #english
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
184 sentences
if you wanna learn a language in 2026, start these habits now.
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
74 sentences
All Ears English Podcast 04 Deep Thoughts Thursday Inspiration to Keep Learning
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B12
70 sentences
Hear it & Say it: Listen and Repeat English Sentences for Speaking Practice
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B1211
26 sentences
DAILY CONVERSATION - SUCCESS (ORIGINAL)
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B14
504 sentences
Getting Fluent In English By Yourself - Where To Actually Start
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B18
362 sentences
Never Give Up || Learn English Through Motivational Lesson 🔥 || Improve Your English Fluency ✅️
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B12
198 sentences
The Power of Small Habits | English Listening Practice
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
259 sentences
How polyglots learn languages | The book that changed my life
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
146 sentences
Become a Confident English Speaker | Practical Strategies
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
36 sentences
Practice Helps You Improve #readingeanglish #english #education
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Embrace Success as a Language Learner from Day One!”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: successful, success, language, bench, Spanish. This video has 7 sentences and 238 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:28. The speaker talks at a natural 161 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 87% 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 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bench noun | /ˈbɛnt͡ʃ/ | A long seat with or without a back, found for example in parks and schools. |
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| compare verb | /kəmˈpɛɚ/ | To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it… |
| hockey noun | /ˈhɑ.ki/ | Any of a family of sports in which hockey sticks are used to move a ball or puck into a goal. |
| embrace verb | /ɛmˈbɹes/ | To clasp (someone or each other) in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug. |
| beginner noun | /bəˈɡɪnɚ/ | Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started. |
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| learner noun | /ˈlɜɹnəɹ/ | One who is learning; one receiving instruction. |
| permission noun | /pəɹˈmɪʃ.ən/ | authorisation; consent (especially formal consent from someone in authority) |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| signal noun | /ˈsɪɡnəl/ | A sequence of states representing an encoded message in a communication channel. |
| danger noun | /ˈdeɪn.d͡ʒɚ/ | Exposure to likely harm; risk of death or serious injury. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| show up verb | To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically. |
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've made · haven't even started |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | they're waiting |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | it's not always going to be |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to get |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, they're, you're. 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.
- 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 bench, lesson, compare.
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.