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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 49 sentences and 361 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:47. The speaker talks slowly, about 95 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 81% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| chick noun | /t͡ʃɪk/ | A young bird. |
| poem noun | /ˈpoʊ.əm/ | A literary piece written in verse. |
| examination noun | /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/ | The act of examining. |
| rhyme noun | /ɹaɪm/ | Rhyming verse (poetic form). |
| chook noun | /t͡ʃʊk/ | A chicken, especially a hen. |
| speckled adjective | /ˈspɛkəld/ | Marked with dots or spots, spotted. |
| hearty adjective | /ˈhɑɹti/ | Warm and cordial towards another person. |
| ration noun | /ˈɹæʃən/ | A portion of some limited resource, especially food, allocated to a person, group or period. |
| speckle noun | /ˈspɛkəl/ | A small spot or speck on the skin, plumage or foliage. |
| yellow adjective | /ˈjɛloʊ/ | Of a yellow hue. |
| color noun | /ˈkʌl.ə/ | The spectral composition of visible light. |
| spot noun | /spɑt/ | A round or irregular patch on the surface of a thing having a different color, texture etc. and generally round in shape. |
| none | /noʊn/ | Not any of a given number or group. |
| count verb | /kaʊnt/ | To recite numbers in sequence. |
| fourth adjective | /fɔɹθ/ | The ordinal form of the number four. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| act out verb | /ˌækt ˈaʊ̯t/ | To perform something specific. |
| hand out verb | To distribute; to give out, either by hand or as if so (figuratively). |
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 | are speckled |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the nicest |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will learn · I'll see |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, don't, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: examination /ɪɡˌzæm.ɪˈneɪ.ʃən/, ration /ˈɹæʃən/
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 chick, poem, examination.
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.