Shadowing Practice: How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Same Channel
Recommend Video
B1How to Deal with Stress #readingeanglish #english
B12 simple steps to stop procrastinating
B1This is how you come back to you | Mel Robbins
B1Inner Balance #motivation #boostyourconfidence #positivethinking #inner #balance
B1Jeff Bezos Reveals the True Cause of Stress
B1LEVEL 3 DAY 5 T2P2
B2How to Stop Overthinking and Anxiety
B1How to Develop Healthy Eating Habits | Level B1 | English shadowing
B1Stress Control #positivemindset #learnenglish #easyenglisheveryday
B1Master Job Interviews: Conquer Nervousness & Stress! #shorts
B1Why We Feel Stuck Even Though We Work So Hard | B1 English Shadowing
B28 Ways to Become More Emotionally Mature
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “How to Be Calm in a Stressful Situation”. This video has 12 sentences and 175 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:24. The speaker talks at a steady 125 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% 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
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| stressful adjective | /ˈstɹɛsfəl/ | Irritating; causing stress. |
| scenario noun | /sɪˈnɛəɹioʊ/ | An outline or model of an expected or supposed sequence of events. |
| realistic adjective | /ˌɹɪəˈlɪs.tɪk/ | Expressed or represented as being accurate, practicable, or not idealistic. |
| anxious adjective | /ˈæŋkʃəs/ | Nervous and worried. |
| pause noun | /pɔːz/ | A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation. |
| interrupt verb | /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/ | To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking. |
| irrational adjective | /ɪˈɹæʃ.(ə.)nəl/ | Not rational; unfounded, nonsensical or wrong-headed. |
| endorphin noun | /ɛnˈdɔ(ɹ)fɪn/ | Any of a group of peptide hormones found in the mammalian brain that act as neurotransmitters and have properties similar to morphine. |
| exhale verb | /ˌɛksˈheɪ̯l/ | To expel air from the lungs through the nose or mouth by action of the diaphragm, to breathe out. |
| inhale verb | /ɪnˈheɪl/ | To draw air into the lungs, through the nose or mouth by action of the diaphragm. |
| calm adjective | /kɑm/ | Peaceful, quiet, especially free from anger and anxiety. |
| exercise noun | /ˈɛk.sə.saɪz/ | Any activity designed to develop or hone a skill or ability. |
| fail verb | /feɪl/ | To be unsuccessful. |
| assume verb | /əˈsjuːm/ | To authenticate by means of belief; to surmise; to suppose to be true, especially without proof. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| calm down verb | To become less excited, intense, or angry. | |
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. | |
| work out verb | /ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/ | To calculate. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the worst |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | you're doing · are coming · you're assuming |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | is going to happen |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/, irrational /ɪˈɹæʃ.(ə.)nəl/
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 relax, stressful, scenario.
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.