Shadowing Practice: [Extrait] Episode 1 Saison 1 - 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 “[Extrait] Episode 1 Saison 1”. This video has 26 sentences and 204 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:15. The speaker talks at a natural 163 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 79% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 5 of its 26 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 9 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fatigue noun | /fəˈtiːɡ/ | A weariness caused by exertion; exhaustion. |
| promotion noun | /pɹəˈmoʊʃn̩/ | An advancement in rank or position. |
| grateful adjective | /ˈɡɹeɪtf(ə)l/ | Of a person or their actions, feelings, etc.: expressing gratitude or appreciation; appreciative, thankful. |
| physically adverb | /ˈfɪz.ɪ.kli/ | In a physical manner. |
| comedian noun | /kəˈmiː.di.ən/ | An entertainer who performs in a humorous manner, especially by telling jokes. |
| vire verb | /vaɪə(ɹ)/ | To transfer a surplus from one account to cover a deficit in another, to make a virement. |
| royal adjective | /ˈɹɔɪ̯.əl/ | Of or relating to a monarch or his (or her) family. |
| criminal noun | /ˈkɹɪm.ɪ.nəl/ | A person who is guilty of a crime, notably breaking the law. |
| assistant noun | /əˈsɪstənt/ | A person who assists or helps someone else. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- We're all a little fatigued in the summer.
- You don't want to take the gelée royale?
- You don't want to go to the road.
- I'm going to give you a force.
- Wait, it's like that you're grateful?
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 | you've already said · I've already said |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to go · I'm going to give · I'm not going to go |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 23 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. 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 fatigue, promotion, grateful.
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.