Shadowing Practice: How to easily talk with new people - Learn English Speaking with Video
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16 sentences
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1
If you avoid social events like birthdays and parties because you don't know what to say when you meet new people, I've got you.
2
Starting conversations with strangers is actually really easy.
3
I know it's freaking terrifying, but technically it's really easy.
4
The mistake people make is that they think they need to start a conversation with something really interesting, but a better way is to talk about something you have in common.
5
And at every event, regardless of what it is, you have something in common with everyone that's there.
6
The fact that you are there at this event.
7
Ask how they know the host or how they heard about this event
8
or how long they've worked with this company or what made them come.
9
And then when they reply, don't just say, okay, cool, but explore their answer by asking some follow -up questions.
10
So for example, if you're at a wedding, you might ask, you know, the bride or the groom, and they might say the groom.
11
And then you can say, how do you know him?
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And he'll say, yeah, you know, I grew up with the groom.
13
And then you can ask something like, where, what was it like growing up there?
14
Do you ever miss it?
15
Do you ever want to move back?
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And you'll have a conversation.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 16 sentences and 224 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:56. The speaker talks fast, about 241 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 92% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| groom verb | /ɡɹum/ | To attend to one's appearance and clothing. |
| regardless adverb | /ɹɪˈɡɑɹd.lɪs/ | Without attention to warnings or indications of bad consequences. |
| explore verb | /ɪkˈsploɹ/ | To examine or investigate something systematically. |
| stranger noun | /ˈstɹeɪnd͡ʒɚ/ | A person whom one does not know; a person who is neither a friend nor an acquaintance. |
| technically adverb | /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/ | Based on precise facts, which, however, may be contrary to common belief or casual terminology. |
| bride noun | /bɹaɪd/ | A woman in the context of her own wedding; one who is going to marry or has just been married. |
| terrify verb | /ˈtɛɹɪfaɪ/ | To frighten greatly; to fill with terror. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| reply noun | /ɹɪˈplaɪ/ | A written or spoken response; part of a conversation. |
| conversation noun | /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/ | Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. |
| grow verb | /ˈɡɹəʊ/ | To become larger, to increase in magnitude. |
| avoid verb | /əˈvɔɪd/ | To try not to meet or communicate with (a person); to shun. |
| wedding noun | /ˈwɛdɪŋ/ | A marriage ceremony; a ritual officially celebrating the beginning of a marriage. |
| host noun | /hoʊst/ | One which receives or entertains a guest, socially, commercially, or officially. |
| birthday noun | /ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/ | The anniversary of the day on which someone is born. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| follow up verb | To take further actions remaining after an event; to continue, revisit, or persist; especially, to maintain communication or verify. |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
| move back verb | To reschedule (something) to a later date or time. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, he'll, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/, conversation /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.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 groom, regardless, explore.
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 | they've worked |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might ask |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | he'll say · you'll have |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | need to start |
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.