Shadowing Practice: how to destroy someone’s ego without putting in any effort - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 20 sentences and 247 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:15. The speaker talks fast, about 197 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 84% 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
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| react verb | /ɹiːˈækt/ | To act in response. |
| validation noun | /ˌvæl.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/ | The act of validating something. |
| finger noun | /ˈfɪŋɡɚ/ | A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other… |
| worthy adjective | /ˈwɝ.ði/ | Having worth, merit, or value. |
| manipulate verb | /məˈnɪp.jʊ.leɪt/ | To move, arrange or operate something using the hands |
| insignificant adjective | /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/ | Not significant; not important, inconsequential, or having no noticeable effect. |
| provoke verb | /pɹəˈvəʊk/ | To cause someone to become annoyed or angry. |
| powerless adjective | /ˈpaʊɚləs/ | Lacking sufficient power or strength. |
| destroy verb | /dɪˈstɹɔɪ/ | To damage beyond use or repair; to damage (something) to the point that it effectively ceases to exist. |
| external adjective | /ɪkˈstɜː.nəl/ | Outside of something; on the exterior. |
| strange adjective | /stɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | Not normal; odd, unusual, surprising, out of the ordinary, often with a negative connotation. |
| upset verb | /ʌpˈsɛt/ | To make (a person) angry, distressed, or unhappy. |
| valuable adjective | /ˈvælju(ə)bl̩/ | Having a great value. |
| lift noun | /lɪft/ | An act of lifting or raising. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| stand up for verb | To speak or act in support or defense of (a person, a cause, a belief, or the like). |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as aren't, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: validation /ˌvæl.əˈdeɪ.ʃən/, manipulate /məˈnɪp.jʊ.leɪt/, insignificant /ˌɪnsɪɡˈnɪfɪkənt/
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 react, validation, finger.
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.