Shadowing Practice: How to Use WaniKani to Learn Kanji | Tutorial for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Recommend Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “How to Use WaniKani to Learn Kanji”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: review, kanji, lesson, item, radical. This video has 24 sentences and 4907 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:32. The speaker talks fast, about 251 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| radical noun | /ˈɹædɪkəl/ | A root (of a number or quantity). |
| 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. |
| quiz noun | /kwɪz/ | A competition in the answering of questions. |
| knife noun | /ˈnaɪ̯f/ | A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge… |
| tab noun | /tæb/ | A small flap or strip of material attached to or inserted into something, for holding, manipulation, identification, opening etc. |
| pace noun | /peɪs/ | A step taken with the foot. |
| purple noun | /ˈpɝ.pl̩/ | A colour between red and blue; violet, though often closer to magenta. |
| unlock verb | /ʌnˈlɑk/ | To undo or open a lock or something locked by, for example, turning a key, or selecting a combination. |
| pronounce verb | /pɹəˈnaʊns/ | To declare formally, officially or ceremoniously. |
| penalty noun | /ˈpɛn.əl.ti/ | A legal sentence. |
| summary noun | /ˈsʌm.ə.ɹi/ | An abstract or a condensed presentation of the substance of a body of material. |
| wrap verb | /ɹæp/ | To enclose (an object) completely in any flexible, thin material such as fabric or paper. |
| breakdown noun | /ˈbɹeɪkˌdaʊn/ | A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature. |
| apprentice noun | /əˈpɹɛntɪs/ | A trainee, especially in a skilled trade. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| show up verb | To appear, arrive, or attend, especially suddenly or erratically. | |
| come back verb | To return to a place. | |
| fill up verb | To make (something) completely full. | |
| make up verb | /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/ | To constitute, to compose. |
| spread out verb | Become further apart. | |
| wrap up verb | To cover or enclose (something) by folding and securing a covering entirely around it. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | you've been struggling · you've been getting |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have not seen · have seen · you've already done |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is perfected · be based · being burned |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 189 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/, thumb /ˈθʌm/, bath /bɑːθ/, bathtub /ˈbæθtʌb/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, exception /əkˈsɛpʃən/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/, repetition /ˌɹɛp.əˈtɪʃ.ən/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, sustainable /səˈsteɪnəbəl/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/
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 lesson, radical, vocabulary.
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.



![Learn Advanced English Vocabulary - "Cooking" English Words, C-1 [Lesson #7]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/aW7sRGF41BA/mqdefault.jpg)








