Shadowing Practice: How to instantly look confident - 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 instantly look confident”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: insecure, confident, slowly. This video has 11 sentences and 134 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:37. The speaker talks fast, about 219 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| insecure adjective | /ɪnsəˈkjʊɹ/ | Not secure. |
| everyday adjective | /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ | Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions. |
| rapid adjective | /ˈɹæp.ɪd/ | Very swift or quick. |
| deliberately adverb | /dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət.li/ | Intentionally, or after deliberation; not accidentally. |
| firmly adverb | /ˈfɝmli/ | In a firm or definite or strong manner. |
| tendency noun | /ˈtɛn.dən.si/ | A likelihood of behaving in a particular way or going in a particular direction; a tending toward. |
| gesture noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɚ/ | A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech. |
| intentionally adverb | /ɪnˈtɛn(t)ʃənəli/ | In an intentional manner; on purpose. |
| jerky noun | /ˈd͡ʒɝki/ | Lean meat cured and preserved by cutting into thin strips and air-drying in the sun. |
| slowly adverb | /ˈsloʊli/ | At a slow pace. |
| reply noun | /ɹɪˈplaɪ/ | A written or spoken response; part of a conversation. |
| movement noun | /ˈmuːv.mənt/ | Physical motion between points in space. |
| seriously adverb | /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/ | In a serious or literal manner. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| slow down verb | To decelerate. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start looking · start moving · start practicing |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should we |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the most important |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will turn · will wait |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: deliberately /dɪˈlɪb.(ə.)ɹət.li/, intentionally /ɪnˈtɛn(t)ʃənəli/, seriously /ˈsɪɹ.i.əs.li/
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 insecure, everyday, rapid.
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.