Shadowing Practice: Giving Difficult Feedback to a Colleague - Learn English Speaking with Video
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25 sentences
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1
Thanks for making time, Leo. Grab a seat.
2
Sure. Is everything all right? You sounded serious.
3
Nothing dramatic, but there's something I want to raise.
4
I'd rather talk it through now than let it fester.
5
In the last two client meetings, you interrupted quite a lot.
6
On Tuesday, you cut across the client three times.
7
I don't think you meant any harm by it.
8
But it came across as dismissive, and they noticed.
9
I was only trying to keep things moving.
10
Half the meeting was going round in circles.
11
I get that, and your instinct to drive things forward is valuable.
12
But clients need to feel heard before they'll buy in.
13
Fair point. I suppose I do get impatient.
14
I hadn't realised it was quite that noticeable.
15
Honestly, I'm a bit mortified.
16
Don't beat yourself up. It's easily fixed.
17
How about this: before you jump in, count to three.
18
And try summarising what the client said first.
19
That's a useful trick. It'd buy me time to think, too.
20
Could you give me a nudge if I slip back into it?
21
Absolutely. A quick glance from me will be our signal.
22
Thanks for being straight with me. I appreciate it.
23
Thanks for taking it so well. Not everyone does.
24
Your ideas are some of the sharpest on the team.
25
I just want the clients to see that too.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 25 sentences and 227 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:45. The speaker talks at a steady 130 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sharp adjective | /ʃɑɹp/ | Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded. |
| trick noun | /ˈtɹɪk/ | Something designed to fool, dupe, outsmart, mislead or swindle. |
| harm noun | /hɑːm/ | Physical injury; hurt; damage. |
| dramatic adjective | /dɹəˈmætɪk/ | Of or relating to the drama. |
| slip verb | /ˈslɪp/ | To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction. |
| realise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of realize. | |
| glance verb | /ɡlæns/ | To turn (one's eyes or look) at something, often briefly. |
| instinct noun | /ˈɪn.stɪŋkt/ | A natural or inherent impulse or behaviour. |
| noticeable adjective | /ˈnəʊtɪsəbl̩/ | Capable of being seen or noticed. |
| interrupt verb | /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/ | To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking. |
| impatient adjective | /ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/ | Restless, short of temper, and intolerant of delays. |
| dismissive adjective | /dəsˈmɪsɪv/ | Showing disregard, indicating rejection, serving to dismiss. |
| fester verb | /ˈfɛstɚ/ | To become septic; to become rotten. |
| mortify verb | /ˈmoɹtɪfaɪ/ | To discipline (one's body, appetites etc.) by suppressing desires; to practise abstinence on. |
| nudge verb | /nʌd͡ʒ/ | To push against gently, especially in order to gain attention or give a signal. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come across verb | To change sides; to cross over to work for the opposition. |
| cut across verb | To take a shortcut over or through (a place). |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, hadn't, I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sharp /ʃɑɹp/, impatient /ɪmˈpeɪʃənt/
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 sharp, trick, harm.
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.