Shadowing Practice: How to cry in 1 minute - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “How to cry in 1 minute”. This video has 21 sentences and 219 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:12. The speaker talks fast, about 181 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 86% 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 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| naturally adverb | /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ | In a natural manner. |
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
| obligation noun | /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/ | The act of binding oneself by a social, legal, or moral tie to someone. |
| sadness noun | /ˈsædnəs/ | The state or emotion of being sad. |
| tutorial noun | /ˌtjuːˈtɔːɹɪəl/ | A self-paced learning exercise; a lesson prepared so that a student can learn at their own speed or convenience. |
| endurance noun | /ɪnˈdʊɹəns/ | The measure of a person's stamina or persistence. |
| blink verb | /ˈblɪŋk/ | To close and reopen both eyes quickly. |
| filmmaker noun | A producer or director of films/movies. | |
| squinch noun | /skwɪnt͡ʃ/ | A structure constructed between two adjacent walls to aid in the transition from a polygonal to a circular structure, as when a dome is constructed on top of a… |
| emotional adjective | /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/ | Of or relating to the emotions. |
| teach verb | /ˈtiːt͡ʃ/ | To pass on knowledge to. |
| actor noun | /ˈæk.tɚ/ | Someone or something that takes part in some action; a doer, an agent. |
| fake adjective | /feɪ̯k/ | Not real; false, fraudulent. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| take off verb | To remove. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm not, it helps you fake cry.
- I don't feel any sadness.
- My body's like making me squinch up my face.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is just doing · isn't acting |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | It'll help · will force |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 8 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, isn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: obligation /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/, emotional /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/
- Long words — get the stress right: naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, emotional /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/
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 naturally, tear, obligation.
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.