The speaker keeps coming back to these words: present, Chandler, Monica, Christmas. This video has 77 sentences and 559 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:04. The speaker talks at a steady 137 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 22 of its 77 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
closet noun	/ˈklɑzɪt/	A small room within a house used to store clothing, food, or other household supplies.
hollow adjective	/ˈhɑloʊ/	Having an empty space or cavity inside.
bench noun	/ˈbɛnt͡ʃ/	A long seat with or without a back, found for example in parks and schools.
ruin noun	/ˈɹuː.ɪn/	The remains of a destroyed or dilapidated construction, such as a house or castle.
couch noun	/ˈkaʊ̯t͡ʃ/	An item of furniture, often upholstered, for the comfortable seating of more than one person; a sofa.
loser noun	/luzɚ/	A person who loses; one who fails to win or thrive.
priceless adjective	/ˈpɹaɪslɪs/	So precious as not to be obtainable or sold at any price.
mink noun	/mɪŋk/	Any semi-aquatic, carnivorous mammal in the Mustelinae subfamily, similar to weasels, with dark fur, native to Europe and America, of which two species in…
purifier noun		A person or device that purifies (by removing impurities).
wily adjective	/ˈwaɪ.li/	Sly, cunning, full of tricks.
concern noun	/kənˈsɝn/	That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone.
kitchen noun	/ˈkɪt͡ʃ(ə)n/	A room or area for preparing food.
medium noun	/ˈmiː.di.əm/	The material of the surrounding environment, e.g. solid, liquid, gas, vacuum, or a specific substance such as a solvent.
bunch noun	/bʌnt͡ʃ/	A group of similar things, either growing together, or in a cluster or clump, usually fastened together.

Sentences worth repeating

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

Chandler, why don't you take a walk?
A great idea, I guess?
Dear losers, do you really think I'd hide presents under the couch?
You don't do that every year, do you?
That's what you got me?

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 just gotten · I've never seen
Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming	We're just going to search · gonna make · gonna find
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now	are looking · I'm opening · is opening
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	will look · Will you get

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 25 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, can'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 closet, hollow, bench.

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: Friends | Searching for presents (19) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

Family Guy | Stewie's Treehouse (1)

A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms | Supper & Dancing

Friends 13 Chandler + Joey's Sister 2

Emily in Paris (18) - Emily's Birthday

Hilda | Home Attack (2)

Hilda | The Lonely Giant (4)

How I met your Mother | Lily Runs Away (1)

Friends | Rachel's Job Interview (16)

Wicked | Involuntary Roommates

Friends | The Dirty Apartment (15)

Friends | New Year's Kiss

Friends | Rachel Quits (11)

Friends | Flirting

Friends | Joey's Thanksgiving Meal 1

Modern Family | Modern Family Fighting 1

Friends | Annoying habits

How I met your mother | Ted's Soulmate

Hilda | Hilda meets Alfur (3)

Friends | The Bullies 1

Friends | Skin Issues (14)

Chandler would never cheat on Monica.

A Cozy Night In with Twister and Friends | Friends

Friends — New Year's Resolution

Monica’s Halloween Party: Everyone’s Grand Entrance | Friends

He won her heart with a book.

Friends: Ross Gets Mauled by Cat (Season 1 Clip) | TBS

Friends: Monica Offers to Cook Thanksgiving (Season 1 Clip) | TBS

Friends The One Where Chandler Crosses The Line - uncut scene

Friends Boob Job

Doing a Small Thing to Perfection#shorts #friends

When You Accidentally Discover a Friend's Secret#shorts #friends

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson