This speaking lesson is built on the video “English Conversations - Practical situations”. This video has 75 sentences and 464 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:51. The speaker talks slowly, about 96 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 13 of its 75 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
lesson noun	/ˈlɛs.ən/	A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
gear noun	/ɡɪɚ/	Equipment or paraphernalia, especially that used for an athletic endeavor.
ridiculous adjective	/ɹɪˈdɪk.jə.ləs/	Deserving of ridicule; foolish, absurd.
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…
marry verb	/ˈmæɹi/	To enter into the conjugal or connubial state; to take a husband or a wife.
scary adjective	/ˈskɛə.ɹi/	Causing fear or anxiety
twelve noun	/twɛlv/	A group of twelve items.
tail noun	/ˈteɪ̯l/	An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails; a strand of material hanging from something.
fifteen noun	/ˈfɪf.tiːn/	An Irish traybake made with crushed digestive biscuits, marshmallows and glacé cherries combined with condensed milk and desiccated coconut.
lecture noun	/ˈlɛk.t͡ʃə/	A spoken lesson or exposition, usually delivered to a group.
eleven noun	/əˈlɛv.ən/	A cricket team of eleven players. Hence first eleven - the team of best cricket players (at a school), second eleven - the "B" team, etc.
suburbs noun	/ˈsʌbɝbz/	The populated area surrounding a city.
squeeze verb	/skwiːz/	To apply pressure (to something) from two or more sides at once.
rumor noun	/ˈɹumɚ/	A statement or claim of questionable accuracy, from no known reliable source, usually spread by word of mouth.
smoky adjective	/ˈsmoʊki/	Filled with smoke.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
hold off verb		To delay (someone or something) temporarily; to keep at bay.
work out verb	/ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/	To calculate.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Are you ready for the test?
Do you think she'll marry him?
Do you think I should take it back?
Couldn't you just explain the situation to him?
You did water the plants, didn't you?

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 been · I've tried · I've done
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was hoping
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	I'll ever be · I'll be · she'll marry
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now	We're doing · she's doing · Are you thinking

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 29 contractions and reduced forms, such as I've, couldn't, I'll. 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.
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 lesson, gear, ridiculous.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: English Conversations - Practical situations - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson