Shadowing Practice: How to Detach from People and Situations | @Thewizardliz - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
250 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
okay now going back to a little bit around the same topic
2
so another question we got a lot of is now
3
that we're on the topic of men
4
and dating is you know nowadays i don't know
5
if it's the way society is evolving or the changes in gender roles
6
and traditional roles
7
but now you see a lot of women are very successful right women are becoming more
8
and more independent and very financially independent and therefore successful
9
and you get these women these what you would term like high value
10
which i don't really like high value women are the ones struggling to find a partner why do you think
11
that is i think because um a lot of men are insecure
12
and a lot of men take their value from being successful
13
so when you take that away and you have a woman
14
that is more successful for than you
15
that becomes a competition for them you know
16
and i think that's actually sad because i I think people don't teach men to, like, for example, be more in touch with their emotions,
17
develop other skills than just making money, because then they can also get their value from those things.
18
But right now, because they put men on such a pedestal for so long, and they just poured into young men and whatever,
19
and women were just the housemakers, right?
20
Because they made that such a big thing.
21
Now you're sitting with all these men yeah they they just know okay i'll get my value
22
if i'm successful
23
if i'm successful i'm a good man no like look at
24
your morals who like who are you as a person get to know yourself better
25
and that's how you build
26
that confidence a confident man will not get intimidated by successful woman never ever ever
27
but there's just not enough confident men no and even you know
28
when you look at masculinity
29
so that's one question we got for you actually from my audience
30
which was you know there's kind of like a rise in
31
like soft masculinity you know where i don't know you must
32
have seen all of these funny reels where you know it's
33
like men want the princess treatment now they they don't want
34
to be the first one to text they don't want to
35
be the one to pay the whole 50 50 situation
36
that is coming up but do you think
37
that is also causing an issue with men just like understanding their role
38
and their position in society now i think men have always gotten the princess treatment
39
always i think there has never been another time the amount of standards men have for women is insane okay
40
but the minute you have a woman
41
that says like hey provide you know like take care of
42
me it's like no you're a goldie girl how dare you say
43
that but how many men would date an unattractive woman exactly they wouldn't they just simply wouldn't okay
44
because they have that standard if you're unattractive i don't want to date you
45
but once a woman has a standard and it's like if If you're a broke guy, and with broke guys, I don't mean men that are poor.
46
No. I mean men that don't know how to create abundance.
47
And that's a big, big issue.
48
See, for example, for me, a broke man, how I classify it, is like my dad.
49
My dad refused to work.
50
He doesn't want to work.
51
He doesn't want to figure out how to work.
52
He made my mom work her whole life, and she was taking care of him.
53
Okay?
54
He didn't respect himself, and he didn't respect my mother.
55
It was just not in balance at all
56
and my mom had to be hyper masculine to make up for the lack of masculine energy in the house.
57
Right?
58
Now, when you have that, a person that doesn't know how to be abundant, that's a broke guy.
59
Okay.
60
It doesn't matter how much money he makes as long as he's trying that's an abundant man
61
because a lot of people they especially women they think like
62
oh i just need a rich man i've dated a very
63
wealthy guy probably the wealthiest guy i've ever dated he was not generous at all brokey yeah
64
so that's a broke man
65
because what do i have with you you're showing me every day how much money you're making but
66
what do I have with it?
67
What do I care how much money you made?
68
You know?
69
So it's like, that's like just the difference.
70
Like when a man doesn't know how to be abundant, that's the big issue.
71
So men wanting the princess, I think they always had that, right?
72
So it's like, they always had a standard for a woman.
73
They always had like, you have to behave like this and blah, blah.
74
And even like before when women were supposed to be housemakers, there were
75
so many standards you're supposed to cook you're supposed to clean you're supposed to take care of the kids
76
and look good on top of that and
77
if you don't i'm gonna cheat on you and
78
if you do i'm gonna cheat on you
79
so it's like women had to accept that
80
but then you had women for example that have a platform like me
81
that came on and were like stop accepting it
82
and it's like let's have standards you know let's have standards as a collective
83
and because of that yeah you have what you have right now
84
which is very successful women because they started believing in themselves instead of a man
85
and chasing what they want
86
and being who they want to be instead of chasing a man
87
and like taking their value from being with a man
88
because that's also a huge issue
89
that women are facing you know they think like oh my god
90
if i'm not married by this age or
91
if i don't have children then i failed as a woman
92
but who said that society your parents your culture who said
93
that who set that standard for women who said that
94
if a woman has her period she's dirty she
95
that like that's dirty who said all these things
96
if men could get their period
97
and could get pregnant we would not be able to meet
98
their standards the they would have standards through the roof the like anything
99
that even is like um like tampons all these things it would be free it will be free yeah free
100
and they would have made like uh medic medicine
101
or something to solve like cramps
102
and everything it would help you to help them massage tools
103
at work yeah days off days off paid yes no for
104
sure women would not be able to meet their standards no no
105
and that's the thing i'm so glad you touched on this
106
because this this has come up many times in conversations with my guests on the podcast
107
and even with my friends i keep seeing this because now that women are getting in their mid-30s and late 30s, they're starting to worry.
108
And all of these friends that I have, or even guests that I've met, one of them even said on the podcast that, you know, I feel like I have the villa that I always wanted.
109
I have my cars, I have my six-figure business, and I sit in my house alone.
110
And now I'm thinking, did I go wrong?
111
Should I have focused on finding a husband?
112
Should I have focused on having kids younger?
113
Because that's when you are at your peak on the sexual market value, if you want to call it that.
114
And now she's like, now what do I do?
115
And now I see this kind of like, I don't know how to explain it other than passive depression
116
that is rampant around where you see all these successful women
117
who at the end of the day come home to like a quiet apartment
118
and they are sad and they feel like they went wrong somewhere.
119
What would you say to these people?
120
I think that the grass is always greener on the other side i know
121
that there's a lot of married women
122
that wish they could come home to an empty house i swear like they have glamorized having children
123
and married so much
124
and people don't see the behind the scenes they always like show you the pretty picture
125
but all the work
126
that is behind the scenes all the arguments all the compromises all the things
127
that cheating that happens
128
and then you have to think oh my god do i want to stay married
129
because i don't want to lose face in under you know in front of other people
130
so i just stay married with a cheating husband
131
and i just look nice in front of everyone
132
and then someone looks at them and think oh i wish i had
133
that no you don't you don't know what's going on in
134
someone's house behind closed doors you know my parents like everyone
135
that knew them they thought like oh father's a great guy
136
such an amazing man such a religious man they would say you know behind closed doors
137
that was literally the devil himself you know
138
you never know what is going on so i would say never glamorize something
139
if i think right now right now about having children
140
and a husband that's a huge responsibility huge i i rather
141
right now in this position of my life have my business make my own money and be independent
142
and whoever comes into my life they can add to it but i'm not thinking like let me right now
143
start a family because i know that will take
144
so much of my time and energy into the family you know
145
if i want to raise it in a way
146
that i would want which is with full attention and everything
147
so it all depends on like do you really want that
148
or do you want to create a perfect picture for society
149
because we have to really go back to the beliefs
150
that we have because why do we have that
151
because it's also it's not only women it's the same with men right
152
if you don't get married as a man oh you're not
153
a man you're not you have to you're not a father
154
oh my god you're already late 30s you're not a father
155
it's like why push things upon people some people don't want
156
that that's okay some people do then yeah you find a
157
way you date around you see does this match with me
158
but don't do it because you feel like you're losing time
159
because i feel like everything in life comes at the right time at divine timing
160
when it's when it's meant for you when something is not meant for you, it will not happen no matter what you do.
161
When something is meant for you, no one can take that from you ever.
162
It will come in like in the most miraculous ways it will come.
163
So just let it go.
164
Women need to start letting stuff go.
165
That is the biggest thing.
166
Tell me how Liz.
167
No, that is the biggest thing.
168
Look, right before, this was actually a month ago, like one and a half months ago, I was so obsessed with the outcome.
169
I became very masculine because I didn't have anyone supporting me.
170
So I felt like I was completely alone, okay?
171
So I was like, oh my God, I need to have this.
172
I need to have this.
173
I need to figure something out.
174
And I was going crazy.
175
So I was focused so much on my career and I was literally losing it, okay?
176
And then I went back home because mentally I was not doing well.
177
So I went back home to my mom and I went home.
178
And then the second day I arrived, I went to walk in nature.
179
And I always tell people, go walk in nature because nature is healing, right?
180
The trees, the plants, all these things, these are living beings.
181
I even tell people like, put your back or your hands against a tree.
182
It will remove any energy that's not serving you because that's how we work with each other.
183
But people don't know these things or they don't want to try these things.
184
So they don't get like really further in life.
185
Anyway, so I went and I walked in nature and I started talking to God.
186
And I always used to do this thing a lot, like especially in the beginning of my career, like talking to God and having conversations like he's my best friend.
187
Oh my God, I see the same thing, you know, we're going to talk about it.
188
Yeah, keep going.
189
Sorry.
190
So then I was like, I was walking in nature and I started talking to him and I said, God, like, I can't take this anymore.
191
Like, not like this.
192
I'm like, I want to do what I have to do on this earth and complete my mission, but not like this, not on my own.
193
And I feel very bad.
194
And I said, like, I don't want to live anymore.
195
And that was really my mental state.
196
Like, I don't want to be here anymore, but I'm not going to do it myself.
197
So you do it.
198
Okay.
199
You please take my life.
200
So I was like, I said that and then all of a sudden while I was walking, I heard like, wanting nothing gives you everything.
201
I heard that sentence in my head.
202
And then I kept walking and I started repeating it out loud.
203
I was like, wanting nothing gives you everything.
204
And then I understood, wanting nothing gives you everything.
205
I was too focused on, I need to have this.
206
I need to have fun.
207
I need to have work.
208
I need to have this.
209
I need to be bigger and bigger and I was too focused on them.
210
So what I realized was if I just let go of, I don't want anything anymore.
211
Like you handle it here, give it to God, you handle it.
212
You know, when I did that, everything I've ever wanted came and it came so fast.
213
Like these past one and a half months, my life has changed 360.
214
I've probably never been happier than I am right now.
215
Yeah, which is crazy.
216
But it was the minute I just let it go.
217
I was like, I don't care anymore.
218
And you know, this is, you can see it, for example, and you know why this is also the thing?
219
When you let something go, you take your power back.
220
You take your energy from that thing back.
221
Now, when you are too focused on things, for example, let's say you're obsessing over an ex, okay?
222
The minute you stop wanting that ex, all of a sudden he texts you.
223
All of a sudden he calls you.
224
He's now obsessed with you.
225
He comes back, yeah.
226
Why?
227
You took your energy back.
228
The minute you take back your energy from all these things and you are now whole by yourself, those things become attracted to you
229
and they want to be with you instead of you wanting to be with them because nothing likes desperation.
230
Desperation is a repulsive energy.
231
When you are desperate, you have a lack mindset.
232
You don't believe that this earth is abundant and this earth is very abundant.
233
God gave us everything.
234
This is another thing that people always tell me like, oh, how dare you?
235
You're asking for too much.
236
Oh, why do you want these things?
237
But there's billionaires on this earth like multiple multiple billionaires yeah
238
why can i not have even 10 of what they have
239
what does it matter money is is a is an abundant
240
source as well you know money gives you freedom that's the only reason why i ever wanted money for freedom
241
because i can go where i want i can do what i want i can help people in a way
242
that i want right so if
243
that is on earth why can i not have it
244
if god made this earth so abundant anything that is on this earth i can have and i will get
245
whenever I think to myself, okay, I want that, but I just want it and I don't focus on it like in a desperate way.
246
But I know I have a goal in the back of my mind, but I'm not desperate for it.
247
Right?
248
That's when it comes.
249
Oh, wow.
250
Okay, I love that.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B21
This video will change your life | @Thewizardliz
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
The Truth About Money and Happiness with Dr Sana Sajan
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2From Broke to Millionaire at 26 | Money Mindsets with Afnan Khalifa
Business EnglishWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B26
318 sentences
How to Enter Your Independent Girl Era ✨ Become the Girl Who Needs Nobody
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
14 sentences
What Real Masculinity Looks Like
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
180 sentences
I don’t care if you don’t like me, you don’t even like yourself
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
118 sentences
Emma Watson: “Marriage Isn’t a Checklist — It’s a Constant Choice” 💍
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B223
25 sentences
Balance isn’t about giving every area of your life equal attention.
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
49 sentences
Don't Put Women on A Pedestal | Sadia Khan
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
432 sentences
This is why you envy her
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
213 sentences
The Most Ignored Social Skill (It Changed How People Treat Me)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
290 sentences
If You Have Anxiety, Watch This
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
278 sentences
How to detach and demand respect
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
144 sentences
Self improvement means letting go of yourself
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
308 sentences
How to Become a Woman of Value | Simon Sinek Inspired Motivation
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “How to Detach from People and Situations”. This video has 250 sentences and 2831 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:56. The speaker talks fast, about 203 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| abundant adjective | /əˈbʌn.dənt/ | Fully sufficient; found in copious supply; in great quantity; overflowing. |
| cheat verb | /ˈt͡ʃiːt/ | To violate rules in order to gain, or attempt to gain, advantage from a situation. |
| obsess verb | /əbˈsɛs/ | To be preoccupied with a single topic or emotion. |
| masculine adjective | /ˈmæskjələn/ | Of or pertaining to the male gender. |
| glamorize verb | To make or give the appearance of being glamorous. | |
| housemaker noun | /ˈhaʊs.meɪ.kə/ | homemaker |
| masculinity noun | /ˌmæskjəˈlɪnɪti/ | The degree or property of being masculine or manly; manliness. |
| unattractive adjective | Not handsome or beautiful or appealing. | |
| desperation noun | /ˌdɛspəˈɹeɪʃən/ | The act of despairing or becoming desperate; a giving up of hope. |
| billionaire noun | /ˌbɪl.jəˈnɛɚ/ | Somebody whose wealth is at least one billion (10⁹) currency units (usually understood to exclude holders of hyperinflated currencies). |
| podcast noun | /ˈpɑdˌkæst/ | A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on… |
| classify verb | /ˈklæs.əˌfaɪ/ | to identify by or divide into classes; to categorize |
| goldie noun | Something which is golden in color. | |
| intimidate verb | /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/ | To make timid or afraid; to cause to feel fear or nervousness; to deter, especially by threats of violence. |
| medick noun | Any of various European and North African herbs, of the genus Medicago, several of which are grown for fodder etc. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
| come back verb | To return to a place. |
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. |
| take back verb | To retract or withdraw (an earlier statement). |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What do I care how much money you made?
- And now I'm thinking, did I go wrong?
- Should I have focused on finding a husband?
- Should I have focused on having kids younger?
- What would you say to these people?
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 | have seen · have always gotten · has never been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | women who said · want which is · Yeah, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is not meant · is meant |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 79 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: desperation /ˌdɛspəˈɹeɪʃən/, massage /məˈsɑ(d)ʒ/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: masculinity /ˌmæskjəˈlɪnɪti/, desperation /ˌdɛspəˈɹeɪʃən/, intimidate /ɪnˈtɪmɪdeɪt/, miraculous /mɪˈɹæk.jʊ.ləs/
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 abundant, cheat, obsess.
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.