Shadowing Practice: English File pre intermediate 4th edition SB_1.20 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “English File pre intermediate 4th edition SB_1.20”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: date, Mum, arrive, tall. This video has 22 sentences and 201 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:36. The speaker talks at a steady 125 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| awful adjective | /ˈɔːfʊl/ | Very bad. |
| realise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of realize. | |
| handsome adjective | /ˈhæn.səm/ | Having a pleasing appearance, good-looking, attractive, particularly |
| sadly adverb | /ˈsædli/ | In a sad manner; sorrowfully. |
| gentleman noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/ | Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man. |
| spark noun | /ˈspɑɹk/ | A small particle of glowing matter, either molten or on fire, resulting from an electrical surge or excessive heat created by friction. |
| tall adjective | /tɔl/ | Having great vertical extent (usually reckoned from the bottom of the feet to the very top of the head) when standing. (For instance, somebody with a height of… |
| suddenly adverb | /ˈsʌd.ən.li/ | Happening quickly and with little or no warning; in a sudden manner. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| chat verb | /ˈt͡ʃæt/ | To be engaged in informal conversation. |
| agree verb | /əˈɡɹi/ | To be in harmony about an opinion, statement, or action; to have a consistent idea between two or more people. |
| teacher noun | /ˈti.t͡ʃɚ/ | A person who teaches, especially one employed in a school; preceptor. |
| taste noun | /teɪst/ | One of the sensations produced by the tongue in response to certain chemicals; the quality of giving this sensation. |
| terrible adjective | /ˈtɛɹəbəl/ | Dreadful; causing terror, alarm and fear; awesome |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, don't, I'm. 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 arrive, awful, realise.
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.