Shadowing Practice: Grammar Snacks: Present perfect simple and continuous - Learn English Speaking with Video
B1New headway series 5
B1COMPLETE PET TRACK 18 UNIT 4
B1Exam Booster Listening Part 5 Test 1
A2بودكاست تعلم الإنجليزية للمبتدئين 🎧 | يوم عادي في حياتي – الحلقة 1
A2Life in Britain: Family, Friends, and Diversity
B140 Minutes of Real English Conversation | Everyday English Listening Practice (A2–B1)
B1bandicam 2026 09 27 16 33 29 170
B1My Trip to China | Improve Your English | English Speaking Practice
B1L1 DAY 7 T3P1
A2تعلم اللغة الإنجليزية من خلال محادثة من الحياة اليومية. (السلسلة 39)
A2Fun for flyers 17.E
B1Learn English by visiting an Australian grocery store | Comprehensible Input | English Lesson Vlog
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Grammar Snacks: Present perfect simple and continuous”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Oliver, Dubai, mum, won. This video has 42 sentences and 297 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:10. The speaker talks at a steady 137 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 14 of its 42 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| sand noun | /sænd/ | Rock that is ground more finely than gravel, but is not as fine as silt (more formally, see grain sizes chart), forming beaches and deserts and also used in… |
| architecture noun | /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/ | The art and science of designing and managing the construction of buildings and other structures, particularly if they are well proportioned and decorated. |
| desert noun | /ˈdɛz.ɚt/ | A barren area of land or desolate terrain, especially one with little water or vegetation; a wasteland. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| chef noun | /ʃɛf/ | The presiding cook in the kitchen of a large household. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| translate verb | /tɹænzˈleɪt/ | To change spoken words or written text (of a book, document, movie, etc.) from one language to another. |
| bake verb | /beɪk/ | To cook (something) in an oven (for someone). |
| yacht noun | /jɑt/ | A slick and light ship for making pleasure trips or racing on water, having sails but often motor-powered. At times used as a residence offshore on a dock. |
| luxurious adjective | /lʌɡˈʒʊəɹi.əs/ | Very fine in quality and comfortable. |
| practise verb | /ˈpɹæktɪs/ | To repeat (an activity) as a way of improving one's skill in that activity. |
| souvenir noun | /ˈsu.vəˌnɪɹ/ | An item of sentimental value, that is given or kept to remember an event or location. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What were you going to ask her?
- Do you want some?
- What have you seen so far?
- Have you bought any souvenirs?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as I've, hasn't, haven't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: chef /ʃɛf/, luxurious /lʌɡˈʒʊəɹi.əs/
- Long words — get the stress right: architecture /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/, luxurious /lʌɡˈʒʊəɹi.əs/
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 sand, architecture, desert.
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.