Shadowing Practice: How to Practice English by Yourself - 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 Practice English by Yourself”. This video has 343 sentences and 3767 words to shadow. The speech runs for 22:30. The speaker talks at a natural 167 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| mango noun | /ˈmæŋɡəʊ/ | Any of species Mangifera indica of tropical Asian fruit trees. |
| powder noun | /ˈpaʊ.dɚ/ | The fine particles which are the result of reducing a dry substance by pounding, grinding, or triturating, or the result of decay; dust. |
| goodness noun | /ˈɡʊdnəs/ | The state or characteristic of being good. |
| passive adjective | /ˈpæs.ɪv/ | Being subjected to an action without producing a reaction. |
| scoop noun | /skup/ | Any cup-shaped or bowl-shaped tool, usually with a handle, used to lift and move loose or soft solid material. |
| windy adjective | /ˈwɪn.di/ | Accompanied by wind. |
| butter noun | /ˈbʌtɚ/ | A soft, fatty foodstuff made by churning the cream of milk (generally cow's milk). |
| pour verb | /poɹ/ | To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it. |
| peanut noun | /ˈpiˌnʌt/ | A legume resembling a nut, the fruit of the plant Arachis hypogaea, native to South America. |
| soak verb | /soʊk/ | To be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it. |
| wash verb | /wɑʃ/ | To clean with water. |
| fancy noun | /ˈfæn.si/ | The imagination. |
| tail noun | /ˈteɪ̯l/ | An object or part of an object resembling a tail in shape, such as the thongs on a cat-o'-nine-tails; a strand of material hanging from something. |
| pretend verb | /pɹəˈtɛnd/ | To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fall down verb | /fɔl ˈdaʊn/ | To fall to the ground. To collapse. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| going forward adverb | In the immediate future and beyond. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| see over verb | To inspect something fully. | |
| stay up verb | To remain awake; to not go to bed. | |
| stick out verb | To protrude. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you want some food?
- We're going to go back home.
- We're going to make some breakfast.
- Loki where are you going?
- Do you see the ocean there?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is abandoned · are made · are not practiced |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | has eaten · has blossomed · it's been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | food, which is · vocabulary, which means · people who purchased |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | stop trying · keep watching · keep learning |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 143 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: wealthy /ˈwɛl.θi/, underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/, pathway /ˈpæθˌweɪ/, thirsty /ˈθɝs.ti/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: wash /wɑʃ/, crush /kɹʌʃ/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, delicious /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/, shore /ʃɔɹ/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/, accessible /əkˈsɛs.ɪ.bəl/, unnecessary /ʌnˈnɛs.əˌsɛɹ.i/
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 vocabulary, mango, powder.
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.
































