Shadowing Practice: Feeling Stressed? Learn this Daily Vocabulary English - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

303 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

you Hello, high -level listeners.

Today, we're going to help you improve your daily vocabulary in English and take your everyday English to the next level.

Now, let me ask you something.

When you study a vocabulary list in English, can you actually use those new words right away?

Or do you get a little bit stuck wondering if it's the right way to use that word or not?

It's definitely a common problem for English learners.

You might learn a new word, but you're not always sure how to use it in a real sentence or in a real situation right away.

And that's why we at High Level Listening believe the best way to learn daily vocabulary, words, and phrases in English is through real spoken sentences and conversations.

When you hear this vocabulary in context, in real spoken English, you understand the meaning and you know how to use it correctly the very first time.

So today you'll learn some real vocabulary through two short stories, one in American English with Kat and one in British English with me.

All right, so let's jump right in.

Today's stories are about those days when you're just feeling stressed, run down, or just a little bit Bleh.

Yes, I definitely know how you feel.

So Kat, have you been feeling a bit stressed lately?

Oh god, it's been non -stop.

My brain is totally fried.

I mean, I've been trying to keep it together for the sake of my family, but this week will just not let up.

You know how I was talking about training that new guy at work a couple of weeks ago?

Well, guess what?

He got let go and now I have to pick up the slack around the office.

Oh, wow.

Great.

That sounds like a lot to deal with.

Yeah, I'm sorry to hear that.

What about you, Mark?

Your week can't have been as stressful as mine, can it?

I'm in the same boat, really.

This week's been a whirlwind.

I'm not even sure what day it is.

Work's just been piling up.

Now the car's started making a weird noise.

It's just One thing after another.

I'm supposed to be moving house in a few weeks and I've barely even started packing.

I just haven't had the headspace to even think about it.

What a week.

Exactly, for both of us.

Well, don't worry if you didn't understand everything that first time.

We're about to go back through our stories line by line.

So you can practice your speaking skills with us by shadowing, which is repeating words but try to say it at the same time as us.

And it's definitely a little bit hard at first to do the shadowing, but it really helps you improve your accent, your rhythm, your pace, and definitely your fluency as well.

So try it in our class today.

We'll make sure to repeat each line twice so you have a chance to practice.

Yes, and if you'd like to keep learning with even more topics in the same way, you can check out our complete listening guide.

There's over 100 vocabulary topics in English, and there's over 2000 vocabulary words and phrases all in one package.

You can find that the link in the description below.

All right, so let's get started.

Mark's going to start the question and we're going to kind of tell the story again, but in a back and forth dialogue.

So let's start with Mark.

So have you been feeling a bit stressed lately?

Oh god, it's been non -stop.

My brain is totally fried.

Oh god, it's been non -stop.

My brain is totally fried.

Okay, so kind of the first phrase that I said, "Oh God." Thank you.

So we do use the word God in a lot of different ways.

You could say, oh gosh, or oh God.

And it's just kind of just start letting people know how you feel.

Oh God.

Oh gosh.

So it's been nonstop.

Now I've used it has been.

And I've changed it to it's it's been nonstop.

It's nonstop.

It's been nonstop.

So that sounds like it started last week and it has been nonstop, meaning I have not had a moment to rest.

I have not had a moment to relax.

My brain is totally fried.

Now, it kind of sounds like I cracked an egg, put it into a pan, and that was my brain.

Now, the brain is inside of your head, okay?

And if my brain is fried...

I can't think anymore.

I can't do anything.

My brain is fried.

So we wouldn't probably say my head is fried.

We wouldn't really use it with anything else.

We're kind of just using it with the with the word brain.

So oh, God, it's been nonstop.

My brain is totally fried.

Oh, well, I'm so sorry to hear that.

I thought things were going okay.

I mean, I've been trying to keep it together for the sake of my family, but this week just will not let up.

I mean...

I've been trying to keep it together for the sake of my family, but this week just will not let up.

So this sentence is a little bit sad.

Now, Mark said, I thought things were going OK.

And I say, well, I mean, I'm not.

Meaning I...

I thought they were going, okay, maybe they, I was trying to make it look like that, right?

I mean...

I've been trying to keep it together.

I've been trying to keep it together is a very common way to hide your feelings.

Let's use it that way.

So if you're trying to keep it together, maybe you want to cry.

Maybe you want to get angry.

Maybe you want to show that you're feeling stressed and angry and upset, but you have to.

show everybody else that you're calm.

So you're trying to keep it together.

100

You're trying to keep it together.

101

Just Okay, yeah, I'm stressed, I'm tired, but I have to show everybody that I'm okay.

102

I have to look like I'm calm.

103

So I've been trying to keep it together.

104

Why?

105

For the sake of my family.

106

for the sake of my family.

107

This means that I'm trying to keep it together for my family.

108

For the sake of my family means the reason is my family.

109

Okay.

110

So for the sake of my family, I've been trying to keep it together.

111

But this week just will not let up.

112

Now you could say this week just won't let up.

113

That's very common to say.

114

This just won't let up.

115

But I'm really...

116

trying to be a bit dramatic it just will not let up

117

so i'm going to give lots of emphasis to that This week just will not let up.

118

So altogether, I mean, I've been trying to keep it together for the sake of my family, but this week just will not let up.

119

Oh, man.

120

What happened?

121

You know how I was talking about training that new guy at work a couple of weeks ago?

122

Okay, you know how I was This is kind of a fast way and a very common way to say, "Do you remember?" You know how I was...

123

talking about this person.

124

You know how I was working on this project?

125

"You know how I was doing this thing, So I'm kind of trying to remind you, hey, you remember that time that I was talking about training that new guy?

126

You know how I was talking about training that new guy at work a couple of weeks ago?

127

A couple of weeks ago, a couple of weeks ago, So do you remember that conversation we had,

128

Mark, you know, how I was talking about training that new guy at work a couple of weeks ago?

129

Yeah, he was supposed to help you around the office?

130

Okay, so guess what?

131

He got let go.

132

And now I have to pick up the slacker on the office.

133

Well, guess what?

134

He got let go, and now I have to pick up the slack around the office.

135

Okay, well, guess what?

136

So I kind of introed it with, you know how I was talking about this?

137

Well, guess what?

138

It's kind of a way to keep the conversation going, kind of to pique Mark's interest a little bit.

139

Well, guess what?

140

Now, he doesn't actually have to guess, right?

141

I'm not asking him to actually guess because he would say...

142

Well, what happened?

143

Well guess what?

144

He got let go.

145

Thank you.

146

So this is kind of an interesting set of words.

147

He was let go.

148

He got let go.

149

This means that they fired him.

150

Okay, they fired him or they said, I'm sorry, it's not working out.

151

So he got let go, or we could also say he was let go.

152

And now I have to pick up the slack.

153

Now, not every language does this, but especially in English, if we want to give more emphasis, we just say the word stronger.

154

Now I have to pick up the slack.

155

I do.

156

It's me now.

157

And I have to pick up the slack.

158

So slack is kind of when you have something very tight.

159

And then if something has some slack, there's some extra, all right.

160

There's some extra rope.

161

There's some extra piece.

162

And if I have to pick up the slack.

163

That means that I have to do extra work because that person was let go.

164

So now I have to pick up the slack around the office.

165

So altogether, Well, guess what?

166

He got let go and now I have to pick up the slacker on the office.

167

What?

168

No. Okay, so now we'll go on to Mark's side of the story.

169

Mark, my week's been so stressful, but enough about me.

170

What about yours?

171

I'm in the same boat, really.

172

This week's been a whirlwind. So "uh".

173

I'm in the same boat, really.

174

This week's been a whirlwind.

175

So Kat has had a rough week and me too.

176

We both have problems.

177

And if you both have the same problem, there's a phrase.

178

I'm in the same boat.

179

This is always a negative phrase.

180

It's always when we're complaining about something, about having the same kind of issue.

181

So, Maybe you could even use this talking to a stranger.

182

Maybe someone is waiting for a bus and it's not coming and my bus isn't coming either.

183

So, well, it looks like we're in the same boat.

184

We're both having the same problem.

185

And it's a way to...

186

Connect with people and commiserate together.

187

So my week's been stressful and so has Kat.

188

I'm in the same boat, really.

189

This week's been a whirlwind.

190

very very busy there's lots of different things that i have to do lots of work errands and obligations

191

And it's just been hectic and chaotic, a whirlwind, like a tornado.

192

And I use the same grammar that Kat did too.

193

This week's bin.

194

a whirlwind.

195

So Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and today It has been.

196

Every day has been...

197

chaotic so far.

198

So, Well, for this week's.

199

Been a whirlwind.

200

So altogether, Oh, I'm in the same boat really.

201

This week's been a whirlwind.

202

No, I'm so sorry to hear that.

203

Not even sure what day it is.

204

I'm not even sure what day it is.

205

So, again, when it's very, very chaotic...

206

Right.

207

Is it Thursday?

208

Is it Friday?

209

Maybe.

210

I've lost count.

211

I'm not even sure what day.

212

It is.

213

We're using that "what" as a relative clause.

214

So what day it is.

215

It would be a mistake to say, "What day is it?" That would be wrong.

216

"What day it is?" So it's like saying, I'm not even sure where I am the subject, then the verb.

217

I'm not even sure who he is.

218

So keep the subject and verb, not a question.

219

Ciao.

220

I'm confused.

221

I'm lost.

222

The week has been so busy, I'm not even sure what day it is.

223

What's been going on with you?

224

I didn't realize it was so stressful.

225

Yeah, work's just been piling up.

226

Now the car's started making a weird noise.

227

It's just one thing after another.

228

Work's been piling up.

229

Now the cars started making a weird noise It's just one thing after another.

230

So we're using the present perfect again, the present perfect continuous here.

231

Work's been piling up.

232

So again, this week, from the beginning and every day, I have been getting more and more and more work.

233

and maybe I can't finish the work quickly enough and new tasks arrive.

234

It's piling up.

235

I have more tasks coming in than I can finish.

236

So work's been piling up.

237

Now the car started making a weird noise.

238

So recently the car has started making a weird noise and it still makes that noise Now.

239

Every time I turn it on, the engine makes a sort of squeaking noise and It's another thing I have to do.

240

I have to take the car to the mechanic or to a garage and get it looked at.

241

So that's another thing I have to deal with.

242

It's just one thing after another.

243

If one thing after another is a phrase that we use again in stressful times, when a bad thing happens and then another bad thing,

244

and then another problem, and then another issue.

245

It's just one thing.

246

after another.

247

So overall, Work's just been piling up.

248

Now the cars started making a weird noise.

249

It's just one thing after another.

250

Oh, that's no good at all.

251

I'm supposed to be moving house in a few weeks, and I've barely even started packing.

252

I'm supposed to be moving house in a few weeks.

253

and I've barely even started packing.

254

So another problem is I'm supposed to be moving house.

255

Moving house takes a lot of time.

256

It's a lot of organizing and putting things in boxes and packing.

257

I'm supposed to be? focusing on that.

258

This structure is I'm supposed to be and then an ing.

259

So I'm supposed to be relocating, I'm supposed to be moving out I'm supposed to be packing?

260

I have this big job to do and I can't do it

261

because my car's making a noise and I'm having all this work to do.

262

So I'm extra stressed because I'm not able to do the thing I really should be doing.

263

I'm supposed to be.

264

Moving house in a few weeks?

265

and I've barely even started packing.

266

'I've barely even' means that I haven't started.

267

Maybe I've done a couple of boxes and put some like old utensils away Ready to move? but I'm nowhere near ready.

268

I've barely even started packing.

269

I'm sure it'll be okay, just take things one step at a time.

270

Okay.

271

Yeah, I just haven't had.. the headspace to think about it.

272

I just haven't had the headspace to think about it.

273

Thank you.

274

So again, over this stressful week, I haven't had the headspace.

275

This is quite.. a new phrase.

276

I think I only started hearing this a couple of years ago.

277

But the headspace is how much energy I have to think about my tasks and my problems.

278

I have work taking up space, I have my car problem taking up space and moving house.

279

All of these things are filling my brain and they're distracting me.

280

I'm always thinking about them.

281

I can't even think about moving house because I'm too focused on these other things, So I just haven't had the headspace to think about it.

282

So I've got such a busy week that I can't think about the thing I'm supposed to be doing, which is moving out.

283

Yeah, that's how the stressful weeks, they just pile up and then all the important things go right out the window, right?

284

Yes.

285

All right.

286

So that's it for us for our conversations today.

287

Thank you so much for spending time with us.

288

Hopefully you had a chance to practice shadowing the conversation with us.

289

Listening and repeating real English sentences like this is one of the best ways to build confidence

290

and to start understanding naturally spoken conversations much more easily.

291

Yes, and if you would like even more English listening practice again, you can find our complete listening guide in the description below.

292

It's over 100 topics, over 2000 vocabulary words, phrases and grammar patterns.

293

You can grab that in the link below.

294

And we always love hearing from you guys as well.

295

So your comments, questions, and personal stories really make our community very special.

296

And it's great to see how many of you are learning daily vocabulary English through our dialogues and practicing along with us.

297

Yes, so if you enjoy learning American and British English side by side, like us on High Level Listening, don't forget to like the video and subscribe to High Level Listening,

298

and you'll never miss another English podcast episode.

299

All right.

300

Thanks.

301

We'll see you next time.

302

Goodbye.

303

Bye -bye.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

Advanced English Dialogues - British Restaurants & UK Dining Experiences - Real Everyday English

Travel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

S2 E16: Healthy Eating & Diets - Important Vocabulary in Advanced English Podcast - American British

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

B2 Advanced English: Discussion and Debate: Rent or Own?

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

Daily English Podcast: Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

10 Professional English Vocabulary: Meetings in English and Preparing for English at Work

Business EnglishWorking Adults

English Small Talk Practice: How to Keep the Conversation Going

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

English for Professionals: How to Give Criticism Without Offending

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

From B1 to B2 English Listening Practice: Deeper Conversations

Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students

Everyday English Conversation: Scrolling, Notifications & Muting | Real-Life English Phone Phrases

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

B2 English Podcast: Discussion and Debate! Comprehensible Input English

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

Let's talk Money! B2 Advanced English

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

B2 C1 English Listening: Aging Parents Advanced Discussion!

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

Real Teachers! B2 C1 English Listening Practice: Social Media

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

Sorry, there's been a mistake! Real Life English Small Talk Conversations

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

Small Talk & Spoken English: Talking about the News!

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

Learn English with Shadowing: Small Talk with Strangers!

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

77 sentences

[B2] 3 Simple Ways to Handle Stress | English Listening & Speaking Practice

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

86 sentences

How to Learn English Vocabulary

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

207 sentences

Stop Saying "I'm Fine" 😮 Say THIS Instead to Sound Like a Native | Talk About Feelings in English

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

354 sentences

Learn English With Podcasts | Real-Life Listening Practice at Native Speed!

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

311 sentences

Don’t Waste Your Time Anymore | English Reading and Listening Practice #englishpodcast #motivation

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

216 sentences

Intermediate English Conversation Lesson with Shadowing | Learning English Speaking Practice 🗣️

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

421 sentences

Best way to talk about your money & budget in english | English podcast

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

467 sentences

Episode 1: Learn Real English Speaking! Phrases & Situations for Intermediate Learners

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

244 sentences

Improve Your English Listening: Real Conversation on Work, Study & Health (B1-B2)

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

103 sentences

[B2] Mindfulness & Meditation for Mental Health | Advanced English Listening Practice

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Feeling Stressed? Learn this Daily Vocabulary English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: English, supposed, brain. This video has 303 sentences and 2875 words to shadow. The speech runs for 17:21. The speaker talks at a natural 166 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
slack adjective	/slæk/	Lax; not tense; not firmly extended.
vocabulary noun	/vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/	A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning.
fry verb	/fɹaɪ/	To cook (something) in hot fat.
whirlwind noun	/ˈ(h)wɝlwɪnd/	A windstorm of limited extent, such as a tornado, dust devil, or waterspout, characterized by an inward spiral motion of the air with an upward current in the…
pile noun	/paɪl/	A mass of things heaped together; a heap.
stressful adjective	/ˈstɹɛsfəl/	Irritating; causing stress.
headspace noun	/ˈhɛdspeɪs/	The space between the top of the contents of a container (such as a jar) and its seal (such as a lid).
nonstop adverb	/ˌnɑnˈstɑp/	Without stopping; without interruption or break
chaotic adjective	/keɪˈɑtɪk/	Filled with chaos.
altogether adverb	/ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/	Completely, wholly, or without exception.
verb noun	/vɝb/	A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being.
gosh	/ɡɑːʃ/	A mild expression of surprise or enthusiasm.
grammar noun	/ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/	A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general.
emphasis noun	/ˈɛmfəsɪs/	Special weight or forcefulness given to something considered important.
commiserate verb	/kəˈmɪzəɹeɪt/	To feel or express compassion or sympathy for (someone or something).

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
let up verb	To cease or stop.
pick up verb	To lift; to grasp and raise.
pile up verb	To form a pile, stack, or heap.
move out verb	To leave one's present location; to leave somewhere for another place.
take up verb	To pick up.
check out verb	To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.).
go back verb	To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time.
run down verb	To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.

Sentences worth repeating

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

All right, so let's jump right in.
Your week can't have been as stressful as mine, can it?
You know how I was working on this project?
What's been going on with you?
I'm supposed to be?

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 trying · Work's just been piling · What's been going
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	it's been · week's been · haven't had
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is fried · was let
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	shadowing, which is · doing, which is

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 112 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: altogether /ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, obligation /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/
Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, altogether /ɔl.tuˈɡɛð.ɚ/, commiserate /kəˈmɪzəɹeɪt/

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 slack, vocabulary, fry.

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: Feeling Stressed? Learn this Daily Vocabulary English - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

Job Interview in English | Talking About Your Weaknesses

Learn Real Life English: My Hobbies

Meet New People! Self Introduction in English: Business English at Work

Can you Live without your Phone? English Learning Story B1 B2

Advanced English Dialogues - British Restaurants & UK Dining Experiences - Real Everyday English

S2 E16: Healthy Eating & Diets - Important Vocabulary in Advanced English Podcast - American British

B2 Advanced English: Discussion and Debate: Rent or Own?

Daily English Podcast: Are you an Introvert or an Extrovert?

10 Professional English Vocabulary: Meetings in English and Preparing for English at Work

English Small Talk Practice: How to Keep the Conversation Going

English for Professionals: How to Give Criticism Without Offending

From B1 to B2 English Listening Practice: Deeper Conversations

Everyday English Conversation: Scrolling, Notifications & Muting | Real-Life English Phone Phrases

B2 English Podcast: Discussion and Debate! Comprehensible Input English

Let's talk Money! B2 Advanced English

B2 C1 English Listening: Aging Parents Advanced Discussion!

Real Teachers! B2 C1 English Listening Practice: Social Media

Sorry, there's been a mistake! Real Life English Small Talk Conversations

Small Talk & Spoken English: Talking about the News!

Learn English with Shadowing: Small Talk with Strangers!

[B2] 3 Simple Ways to Handle Stress | English Listening & Speaking Practice

How to Learn English Vocabulary

Stop Saying "I'm Fine" 😮 Say THIS Instead to Sound Like a Native | Talk About Feelings in English

Learn English With Podcasts | Real-Life Listening Practice at Native Speed!

Don’t Waste Your Time Anymore | English Reading and Listening Practice #englishpodcast #motivation

Intermediate English Conversation Lesson with Shadowing | Learning English Speaking Practice 🗣️

Best way to talk about your money & budget in english | English podcast

Episode 1: Learn Real English Speaking! Phrases & Situations for Intermediate Learners

Improve Your English Listening: Real Conversation on Work, Study & Health (B1-B2)

[B2] Mindfulness & Meditation for Mental Health | Advanced English Listening Practice

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?