Shadowing Practice: Hilda | Hilda meets Alfur (3) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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59 sentences
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1
Little girl!
2
Who's there?
3
I'm one of the little people who trashed your house.
4
Get out!
5
Oh, the trashing wasn't done by me personally.
6
I'm more of a writer than a fighter.
7
Did you read my note?
8
Indeed.
9
Wait, am I dreaming?
10
You sound like you're just a voice inside my head.
11
Not at all.
12
So why won't you show yourself?
13
Oh, my people take the business of who sees them and who doesn't very seriously.
14
Which means, of course, that there's a lot of paperwork involved.
15
What kind of paperwork?
16
If you'll just go over to your desk, please.
17
I took the liberty of filling out the relevant papers for you.
18
I think you'll find the forgery quite impressive.
19
Indeed.
20
Now, if you'll sign this last page yourself, we'll be all set.
21
This better not be some kind of trick.
22
There.
23
Now, where are you?
24
Look in the mirror.
25
I don't...
26
Your ear.
27
Gooey!
28
You're very, very small.
29
I'm on the tall side for an elf, actually. So, um...
30
My name is Alpha.
31
It's nice to finally see you, Alpha.
32
It's nice to be seen.
33
Now, if you'll come outside with me, there's something I want to show you.
34
Wow!
35
This is amazing.
36
Careful, that's waiting.
37
But these been here all the time, and I just couldn't see them.
38
Correct.
39
Ah, careful with that!
40
Somebody lives there, you know.
41
Whoops.
42
Yeah, whoops, indeed.
43
Look, behaviour like that will not endear you to elf kind.
44
Sorry about that.
45
How many houses are there?
46
How far does this go?
47
I dare say as far as the eye can see.
48
There's 15 counties in this valley alone.
49
And your house is smack in the middle of my one.
50
But why get mad now?
51
My great -grandad built that house.
52
I've lived here all my life and there hasn't been any bother.
53
It's the new Prime Minister.
54
He promised to get rid of you if he was elected and...
55
Now that he has been, he has to see to it that he does.
56
But that's not fair.
57
We're allowed to live here as much as you are.
58
Don't shout at me.
59
I agree.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 59 sentences and 359 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:44. The speaker talks at a steady 131 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. 9 of its 59 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| trash noun | /tɹæʃ/ | Useless physical things to be discarded; rubbish; refuse. |
| paperwork noun | /ˈpeɪ.pɚˌwɝk/ | Routine work involving written documents. |
| trick noun | /ˈtɹɪk/ | Something designed to fool, dupe, outsmart, mislead or swindle. |
| impressive adjective | /ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/ | Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress. |
| mirror noun | /ˈmiɹɚ/ | A smooth surface, usually made of glass with reflective material painted on the underside, that reflects light so as to give an image of what is in front of it. |
| desk noun | /dɛsk/ | A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a… |
| bother verb | /ˈbɑðɚ/ | To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for. |
| behaviour noun | British standard spelling of behavior. | |
| liberty noun | /ˈlɪbəti/ | The condition of being free. |
| fighter noun | /ˈfaɪtɚ/ | A person who fights; a combatant. |
| dare verb | /dɛ(ə)ɹ/ | To have enough courage (to do something). |
| shout verb | /ʃaʊt/ | To utter a sudden and loud cry, as in joy, triumph, exultation or anger, or to attract attention, to animate others, etc. |
| elect verb | /ɪˈlɛkt/ | To choose or make a decision (to do something). |
| smack verb | /smæk/ | To slap or hit someone. |
| whoop noun | /wuːp/ | A loud, eager cry, usually of joy. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fill out verb | /fɪl ˈaʊt/ | To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information. |
| get out verb | To leave or escape. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm more of a writer than a fighter.
- Did you read my note?
- Wait, am I dreaming?
- So why won't you show yourself?
- If you'll just go over to your desk, please.
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 | wasn't done · be seen · was elected |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've lived · has been |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | won't you show · you'll just go · you'll find |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 19 contractions and reduced forms, such as you'll, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: trash /tɹæʃ/, shout /ʃaʊt/
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 trash, paperwork, trick.
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.