Shadowing Practice: Homestay in the USA (esl-lab.com) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Homestay in the USA”. This video has 31 sentences and 208 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:28. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 7 of its 31 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bother verb | /ˈbɑðɚ/ | To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for. |
| invite verb | /ɪnˈvaɪt/ | To ask for the presence or participation of someone or something. |
| snake noun | /sneɪk/ | Any of the suborder Serpentes of legless reptiles with long, thin bodies and fork-shaped tongues. |
| awake verb | /əˈweɪk/ | To become conscious after having slept. |
| rabbit noun | /ˈɹæbɪt/ | A mammal of most genera of the family Leporidae, with long ears, long hind legs and a short, fluffy tail. (Those of the larger kind are instead called hares) |
| roommate noun | /ˈɹu(m)ˌmeɪt/ | A person with whom one shares a room, as in a dormitory, barracks, rooming house, or apartment. |
| sofa noun | /ˈsoʊ̯fə/ | An upholstered seat with a raised back and one or two raised ends, long enough to comfortably accommodate two or more people. |
| dorm verb | /doɹm/ | To reside in a dorm. |
| earphone noun | /ˈɪə(ɹ)fəʊn/ | A transducer that converts electric signals into sound and is held near the ear, especially as part of a telephone; an earpiece or headphone. |
| homestay noun | /ˈhoʊmˌsteɪ/ | A system whereby students, visiting a foreign country to study, board with a local family at an affordable price. |
| roomy adjective | /ˈɹuːmi/ | Spacious, expansive, comfortable. |
| lay verb | /leɪ/ | To place down in a position of rest, or in a horizontal position. |
| noise noun | /ˈnoɪ̯z/ | Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Who is that on your sofa?
- No, I don't think this is a good idea.
- No, man, you'll like it.
- I'll live with my brother in the dorms.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, don't, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 bother, invite, snake.
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.