Shadowing Practice: How To Change Your Accent (Part 2: My Advice For YOU) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “How To Change Your Accent”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: accent, english, sound, language, pattern. This video has 343 sentences and 4113 words to shadow. The speech runs for 22:15. The speaker talks fast, about 185 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 85% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| accent noun | /ækˈsɛnt/ | A higher-pitched or stronger (louder or longer) articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to… |
| pronunciation noun | /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ | The formal or informal way in which a word is made to sound when spoken. |
| ear noun | /ˈɪə̯/ | The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna or auricle, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea. |
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| reduction noun | /ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/ | The act, process, or result of reducing. |
| depend verb | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| anyways adverb | /ˈɛn.iˌweɪz/ | Anyway, anyhow, in any case. |
| transition noun | /tɹænˈzɪʃ.ən/ | The process of change from one form, state, style or place to another. |
| awareness noun | /əˈwɛɹ.nəs/ | The state or level of consciousness where sense data can be confirmed by an observer. |
| shadow noun | /ˈʃædəʊ̯/ | A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| differently adverb | /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/ | In a different way. |
| instantly adverb | /ˈɪnstəntli/ | At once; without delay. |
| communicate verb | /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ | To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go up verb | To move upwards. | |
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- It's just one sound and I'm holding it.
- I don't usually say it's for me.
- I say it's for me.
- I say it's, it's, it's.
- Do you, do you hear how it's like completely different?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has helped · have you improved · have seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are not subscribed · is spoken · are surrounded |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should I choose · should really pay · should have |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | my best · the greatest · the most common |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 83 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/, diphthong /ˈdɪpˌθɔŋ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, reduction /ɹɪˈdʌk.ʃən/, transition /tɹænˈzɪʃ.ən/, shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.li/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, accurately /ˈæk.jə.ɹɪt.li/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like accent, pronunciation, ear.
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.

















