Shadowing Practice: Giving Difficult Feedback to a Team Member - Learn English Speaking with Video
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34 sentences
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1
Tom, come in! Thanks for popping in.
2
Sure. So... is everything alright?
3
Don't worry, you're not in trouble.
4
Honestly, your design work this year has been brilliant.
5
Oh, thanks! That's really nice to hear.
6
Well... there's something I've been meaning to raise, though.
7
Three deadlines have been missed in the last month.
8
Three? Really? I thought it was just the one.
9
The client report was handed in two days late.
10
And you've been arriving after ten most mornings.
11
Hang on, I always stay late to make up for it!
12
Nobody complains when I'm here at seven at night.
13
I know, and that hasn't gone unnoticed.
14
But the team needs you here for the morning stand-up.
15
Right... I suppose that's fair enough.
16
To be honest, things have been tough at home.
17
My partner started night shifts in September.
18
So I do the school run every morning,
19
Ugh, and then the trains are a complete nightmare.
20
Oh, Tom, I'm so sorry. I had no idea.
21
Okay, let's see what we can do about it.
22
What if you started at ten and finished at six?
23
Wait, would that actually be allowed?
24
Absolutely. Flexible hours were introduced last year.
25
Wow, that would take a huge weight off my shoulders!
26
In return, I'd like us to agree on clear check-ins.
27
Let's say a quick catch-up every Monday and Thursday.
28
That sounds fair. I'll flag problems before they snowball.
29
Ha, and no more heroic late nights, alright?
30
Ha, deal! The kids will be thrilled.
31
Thanks for being so understanding about all this.
32
Thank you for being honest with me. That took courage.
33
Now, let's get that next project off to a flying start!
34
Definitely! I'm really looking forward to it!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Giving Difficult Feedback to a Team Member”. This video has 34 sentences and 287 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:04. The speaker talks at a steady 138 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 6 of its 34 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| introduce verb | /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ | To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else). |
| courage noun | /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/ | The quality of being confident, not afraid or easily intimidated, but without being incautious or inconsiderate. |
| complain verb | /kəmˈpleɪn/ | To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment. |
| nightmare noun | /ˈnaɪt.mɛɚ/ | A very unpleasant or frightening dream. |
| deadline noun | /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ | A time limit in the form of a date on or before which something must be completed. |
| heroic adjective | /hɪˈɹoʊ.ɪk/ | Of or relating to a hero or heroine; supremely noble. |
| thrill verb | /θɹɪl/ | To suddenly excite someone, or to give someone great pleasure; to (figuratively) electrify; to experience such a sensation. |
| snowball noun | /ˈsnoʊbɔl/ | A ball of snow, usually one made in the hand and thrown for amusement in a snowball fight; also a larger ball of snow made by rolling a snowball around in snow… |
| unnoticed adjective | /ʌnˈnoʊtɪst/ | Not noticed. |
| flag noun | /flæɡ/ | A piece of cloth, often decorated with an emblem, used as a visual signal or symbol. |
| shift noun | /ˈʃɪft/ | A movement to do something, a beginning. |
| suppose verb | /səˈpoʊz/ | To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe. |
| brilliant adjective | /ˈbɹɪl.jənt/ | Shining brightly. |
| client noun | /ˈklaɪ.ənt/ | A customer, a buyer or receiver of goods or services. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| catch up verb | To pick up suddenly. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Don't worry, you're not in trouble.
- Nobody complains when I'm here at seven at night.
- I know, and that hasn't gone unnoticed.
- I suppose that's fair enough.
- What if you started at ten and finished at six?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | have been missed · was handed · be allowed |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has been · have been missed · hasn't gone |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll flag · will be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, hasn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shift /ˈʃɪft/, shoulder /ˈʃoʊldɚ/
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 arrive, introduce, courage.
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.