Shadowing Practice: Extra English episode 6 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Extra English episode 6”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: ticket, Bridget, Hector, lottery, Nick. This video has 466 sentences and 1676 words to shadow. The speech runs for 24:19. The speaker talks slowly, about 69 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 86 of its 466 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lottery noun | /ˈlɑtɚi/ | A scheme for the distribution of prizes by lot or chance, especially a gaming scheme in which one or more tickets bearing particular numbers draw prizes, the… |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| dustman noun | A person employed to collect refuse from people's homes and take it to be processed. | |
| meow | /miˈaʊ/ | Used to indicate the cry of a cat. |
| rubbish noun | /ˈɹʌbɪʃ/ | Refuse, waste, garbage, junk, trash. |
| cleaner noun | /ˈkli.nɚ/ | A person whose occupation is to clean things, especially rooms, floors, and windows. |
| disappear verb | /dɪsəˈpɪɹ/ | To vanish. |
| 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. |
| yoga noun | /ˈjoʊ.ɡə/ | Any of several Hindu or Buddhist disciplines aimed at training the consciousness for a state of perfect spiritual insight and tranquillity; especially a system… |
| bin noun | /ˈbɪn/ | A box, frame, crib, or enclosed place, used as a storage container. |
| shhh | Elongated form of shh. | |
| waitress noun | /ˈweɪ.tɹɪs/ | A female attendant who serves customers in a restaurant, café, or similar. |
| cushion noun | /ˈkʊʃən/ | A soft mass of material stuffed into a cloth bag, used for comfort or support. |
| unlucky adjective | /ʌnˈlʌki/ | Unfortunate, marked by misfortune. |
| resign verb | /ɹɪˈzaɪn/ | To give up; to relinquish ownership of. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Where did you meet her?
- Is this my lucky day?
- How did you collect the cleaning?
- Have you found the ticket?
- What do you mean, they're not the winning numbers?
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 never heard · I've just been · I've won |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be claimed · will be turned |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will have · will be · will give |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | must not · must go · need to prepare |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 36 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: rubbish /ˈɹʌbɪʃ/, cushion /ˈkʊʃən/, shopkeeper /ˈʃɑpkiːpɚ/, showroom /ˈʃoʊˌɹum/, shout /ʃaʊt/
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 lottery, whoa, dustman.
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.

















