Shadowing Practice: Family Life - English Conversation - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Family Life - English Conversation”. This video has 281 sentences and 2042 words to shadow. The speech runs for 16:52. The speaker talks at a steady 121 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 55 of its 281 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 |
|---|---|---|
| reward noun | /ɹɪˈwɔɹd/ | Something of value given in return for an act. |
| pizza noun | /ˈpi.tsə/ | A baked Italian dish of a thinly rolled bread crust typically topped before baking with tomato sauce, cheese, and other ingredients such as meat or vegetables. |
| cousin noun | /ˈkʌz(ə)n/ | Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a… |
| apologize verb | /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/ | To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends |
| consequence noun | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | An effect; something that follows a cause as a result. |
| skip verb | /skɪp/ | To move by hopping on alternate feet. |
| tackle verb | /ˈtækəl/ | To force a person to the ground with the weight of one's own body, usually by jumping on top or slamming one's weight into them. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| bullying noun | /ˈbʊ.li.ɪŋ/ | An act of intimidating a person to do something, especially such repeated coercion. |
| strawberry noun | /ˈstɹɔˌbɛɹi/ | The sweet, usually red, edible accessory fruit of certain plants of the genus Fragaria. |
| sibling noun | /ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/ | A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with. |
| sweetie noun | /ˈswi.ti/ | A person who is much loved. |
| tidy adjective | /ˈtaɪ.di/ | Arranged neatly and in order. |
| earn verb | /ɝn/ | To gain (success, reward, recognition) through applied effort or work. |
| soccer noun | /ˈsɑk.ɚ/ | Association football. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| clean up verb | To make an area or a thing clean; to pick up a mess; to tidy. | |
| cut out verb | To refrain from (doing something, using something etc.), to stop or cease (doing something). | |
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| fill out verb | /fɪl ˈaʊt/ | To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| get along verb | To interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble. | |
| have over verb | To host (a visiting guest) at one's house. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Are we running low on anything?
- Can we get strawberries at the store, please?
- Anything else you need to tell us, kiddos?
- Can you both come and watch?
- Hey, who's the oddball in your family?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been getting · You've been skipping · you've been wanting |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | should be done · was named · being informed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | Have you met · I've noticed |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start studying · start improving · start showing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 60 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I've, we'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, gathering /ˈɡæð.ɚ.ɪŋ/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/, mythical /ˈmɪθɪkəl/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: possession /pəˈzɛʃn̩/, delicious /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/
- Long words — get the stress right: apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, electricity /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/, experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/, hilarious /hɪˈlɛə.ɹi.əs/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/
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 reward, pizza, cousin.
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.






























