Shadowing Practice: I Became A Mom At 15 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

357 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

Imagine being on a date at the best restaurant in town, and then the waiter trips and drops his tray full of live lobster, and one of them pinches you.

And this is not even the most embarrassing thing that has ever happened to me.

Let's take it from the beginning.

My mom was a Red Cross advocate for women's rights, and my dad was her bodyguard.

So they were always off to this gala or the other, and they left us back with an army of nannies.

And when I say us, I mean me and the Chaos Crew, also known as my five younger siblings.

Food battles, mud fights, glitter bombs, they were so extra.

Even Mary Poppins would snap her little umbrella and shuffle up a chimney to escape from them.

Every time another nanny left, we got the talk.

I'm disappointed in all of you, but especially you, Martha.

You're the oldest.

You should lead by example.

I haven't done anything.

Exactly.

How are you supposed to become a leader of the future if you can't even lead your siblings?

If you were home teaching us instead of running around, I wouldn't have to take charge.

What I do is important.

More important than your family?

When mom didn't immediately reply, my heart shattered.

I rushed to my room and locked it when mom came to talk to me later.

Martha, I'm sorry.

Of course I love you.

Then don't go.

I have to.

But we'll talk when we come back, I promise.

Maybe it's better if you never come back.

It was like fate really had a twisted sense of humor and heard me.

Mom and Dad did not return from their last trip to the Amazon.

I felt like it was my fault that they didn't return.

My punishment.

The police sent out search parties and even used drones to look at their plane that disappeared.

But they couldn't find anything.

It's a lot, right?

But stay with me.

You've already liked and subscribed, haven't you?

Don't cry.

Mom and Dad will come back.

Dad's a tough bodyguard and Mom's faster than a tiger.

I'll take care of you in the meantime.

I'll be a leader, Mom, just like you wanted.

Please come back.

But I was only 15, and I knew nothing about adulting.

I was suddenly surrounded by lawyers asking me questions and making me sign things.

Just pretend you know what you're doing and you'll be fine.

Yeah, it wasn't fine.

One of my Mom's lawyers turned out to be a total snake.

He conned his way into getting guardianship over everything, and then he kicked us out and took control of all the assets.

You can't do this!

Oh, what?

I'm sorry, I couldn't hear you over the sound of all the money you just signed off to me.

Wait until mom and dad are back!

They'll send you to jail!

You mean when they come back from the jungle?

Puh!

Well, I've got a fortune to spend.

Goodbye!

I was super angry, but I didn't have time for it.

The Chaos Crew had turned into a miserable bunch, and I needed to take care of them first.

Right, first step, let's find a place to live.

We all put our birthday cash together, and it was enough for a couple of months' rent.

Finding someone willing to rent to a group of teenagers was quite a challenge.

So I had this crazy idea to dress up like an old lady and somehow managed to get us a lease.

Luckily, it was still the summer holidays, so I had time to take up all the gigs I could find.

Like a plant manager, where I literally had to water plants, cornfield pollinator, and even party entertainer.

These children are wilder than my siblings.

Let it go!

Here, let me help you up.

At least my colleagues are all kind.

My siblings pitched in as well.

They baked tons of cookies and sold them, pretending to be Girl Scouts.

And they muddied everyone's cars at night so they could offer a wash-up service in the morning.

At a premium, of course.

Who knew that being little devils would come in handy?

By the time school started, I had turned 16, and we had all transferred to public school.

I was so nervous on the first day.

And then I got to class, and all the desks were already taken.

Now I'll have to stand in the corner like a potted plant.

But then a girl sitting in the last row waved at me.

She was dressed in this bright orange shirt with space buns, and her desk was hidden under a pile of comics.

Come here, we can share.

Um, there's a desk under all that?

Where can I get a chair?

We'll share mine.

By the way, I'm Bree.

You can call me Brilliant.

Bri was a weirdo, but she was also pretty awesome.

She gave me all her notes and knew all the juicy gossip.

That girl there, her mom works in marketing, so she always knows the latest discount codes.

And that one there, don't talk about her nose.

We became best friends, and eventually I told her about my story.

I want to save up enough cash so I can find my parents.

You're so strong.

I want to be like you.

You're perfect the way you are.

I'm not.

I'm almost 17, and I've never had a boyfriend.

Everyone I confess to just rejects me, and Darius doesn't even know I exist.

Darius was Bree's crush and the captain of the school's chess team.

100

Are you sure he's the right guy for you?

101

He's the one, I can feel it.

102

And this time, I'm going to get my confession right.

103

Bree's plan was as crazy as she was.

104

She got dressed up as a chess piece

105

and painted the whole club room as a giant chess board with a banner that said, Will you be my checkmate?

106

But when Darius walked into the door, he freaked out.

107

Where is it?

108

What?

109

My chess board!

110

There was a game I've been playing since I was a freshman!

111

I...

112

I...

113

We just moved it...

114

Uh.. there?

115

Darius was so furious, he wanted to call the principal.

116

And then one of his friends intervened.

117

I didn't see who he was because I was too busy pulling a crying Bree away.

118

Thank you, mysterious dude.

119

After that, Bree was done with the guys.

120

And honestly, I had my own problems to deal with.

121

Like the time I was getting out of the shower and this gigantic cockroach came out of the drain.

122

I screamed and hit it with the shampoo bottle.

123

But then even more of them started crawling out.

124

Yeek!

125

It's an invasion!

126

Oh yeah, it happens.

127

Why do you think the flat was so cheap?

128

We tried spraying them with gas, but the crawlers kept multiplying.

129

We need a new flat ASAP.

130

Martha, wise up and ask for a raise.

131

But when I showed up for my part-time gig at the party entertainer company, the door was sealed off with bright yellow FBI tape and the entire place cleared out.

132

Oh man, I loved this job.

133

At least you get to keep the costume.

134

What costume?

135

These are my normal clothes.

136

That is.. very creative.

137

I never thought I'd meet someone more colorful than Bree.

138

Hey, hey, wait a second.

139

Cute, smart, and probably colorblind.

140

He's just perfect!

141

Jasper, how would you like to meet a friend of mine?

142

The moment I introduced Brie and Jasper, it was insta-love.

143

They were like two very colorful peas in a super bright pot.

144

And shortly after, they started dating.

145

Martha, you are a lifesaver!

146

I was seriously starting to think I'd be a crazy cat lady forever!

147

Eh, it was an easy match.

148

You have so much in common.

149

A couple of months later, it was Jasper's birthday party, and he introduced me to his sister Trinity, who was like the Wednesday to his Enid.

150

Wow, and they came out of the same womb.

151

I can't believe someone like Jasper found such a cute girlfriend.

152

And I'm still single.

153

All the boys care about is looks, and no one cares about brains.

154

As I watched Trinity cut marshmallows into cubes and stack them into perfect columns, I realized there was at least one boy who could appreciate her, so I texted him.

155

I hope I won't regret this.

156

The party was in full swing when...

157

What's Darius doing here?

158

Actually, I invited him.

159

What?

160

Trust me.

161

Hey, Darius.

162

Hi.

163

This is Trinity, and she likes cube-shaped marshmallows.

164

Round marshmallows make no sense.

165

Finally, someone who gets it.

166

And just like that, Darius the Ice Cube started melting.

167

See, I told you he wasn't the right one for you.

168

She is.

169

OMG, you're right!

170

You're like the matchmaking queen!

171

I realized how happy Bree's words made me.

172

Helping other people is so cool.

173

But fate was once again ready to kick me down, because I got a call from the hospital.

174

What happened?

175

They're saying my brother picked up a sandwich from the bin, but it had some glass in it, and now he needs stitches.

176

This is all my fault!

177

If we had more money, he'd never pick food from the bin.

178

And now how am I gonna pay for the operation?

179

We don't have insurance!

180

I even tried to call the snake lawyer, but...

181

Aw, I love that you think I should care.

182

Bye!

183

Luckily, the operation was a success, and my brother was okay.

184

When I got to the hospital and asked for the bill, the receptionist told me it had already been paid.

185

It was a young guy.

186

Ah, there.

187

He's just walking into the elevator.

188

I tried to catch up with him, but the elevator doors shut in my face.

189

Gosh, I swear his back looks so familiar.

190

Who is he?

191

Thanks to my mysterious angel, the accident had resolved well, but it had shown me how much I needed a new job.

192

After Darius and Trinity became a thing, the whole school was buzzing with the rumor that I was the one who set them up.

193

People were begging me to find them their perfect match.

194

Every time I opened my locker, I was buried in a pile of profiles and love letters.

195

How do I fix this?

196

I'm happy to help, but I can't keep doing this for everyone.

197

I gotta focus on finding a new part-time job.

198

Well, why don't you open a matchmaking agency?

199

But I feel bad to ask people to pay for love than only ask for a donation from the successful ones.

200

And who knows, maybe you'll find the right match for yourself as well.

201

Right, like I have time for that.

202

But Brie is right.

203

This is something I'm good at.

204

I should at least try.

205

So the next day, I got Bree and Jasper to help me throw my first matchmaker party.

206

By the end of the night, the donation box was bursting with cash, and everyone was coupled up.

207

Almost everyone.

208

As I stepped into the bathroom, a girl ran up to me, and she was dripping wet.

209

How could you match me up with that dimwit?

210

I told him, pass me the water, and he poured it on me!

211

Him as in...

212

I checked my notes.

213

Kuro?

214

Kuro was one of my top candidates.

215

One year older than me, and a looker.

216

Plus, he aced all his classes.

217

Oh, and he loved hamsters. And gaming.

218

And, well, to be honest, I might have stalked his online profile a bit.

219

Can't help that he's so cute.

220

And then he called my mom your grandma.

221

It has to be on purpose.

222

I'm sorry, I'll find you a new match.

223

How about...

224

Timothy.

225

Thankfully, Timothy was a total catch.

226

So the girl was happy, and my reputation was saved.

227

My agency was killing it, and my siblings and I finally moved out of Cockroachville.

228

But to track down Mom and Dad, I needed some serious cash.

229

And that meant tackling my biggest issue.

230

Hero, what's up with him?

231

On paper, he's a catch, but every girl I set him up with comes back with a nightmare story.

232

He took me on a boat trip, and we almost sank.

233

We went ice skating, but he didn't know how to stop, and we crashed.

234

We tried a cooking class, and he somehow managed to burn the spaghetti, set off the fire alarm, and evacuate the entire restaurant.

235

He's ruining my perfect score.

236

How can someone be really that clumsy?

237

Maybe you need to find out by yourself.

238

Brie was right, so I bought a wig and contact lenses and set up myself for a date with Kiro.

239

As soon as he entered the restaurant, he tripped on his own feet and crashed into the waiter, and everyone was looking at us.

240

But instead of being angry, I just smiled.

241

So, Kuro, tell me about yourself.

242

Well, I'm kinda clumsy.

243

I'm sorry.

244

Ah, it's not so easy to scare me.

245

I mean, I survived a cockroach invasion.

246

A what?

247

So I told Kuro everything about my horrible flat and crazy summer jobs.

248

He laughed, and then got back from the toilet with a whole roll stuck under his shoe, which then led to the lobster accident, which I told you about already.

249

And, gosh, he really is a menace.

250

You're giving up?

251

Never.

252

The second date was better.

253

We only got a batch full of super salty popcorn.

254

The third date was almost normal, and by the fourth I realized he'd done nothing clumsy.

255

Wow, I guess he was just nervous.

256

I started to get so comfortable around him that I even told him about my mom and dad's disappearance.

257

Don't lose hope.

258

I bet they're still out there somewhere.

259

I know they are.

260

If it hadn't been for that awful lawyer.

261

What lawyer?

262

After I explained how we got conned, Kuro was super mad.

263

I can't believe he can get away with something like that.

264

He's a lawyer.

265

Who is the police gonna believe?

266

There must be some evidence.

267

The more I listened to Kuro, the more I realized he was right.

268

I didn't have time or money before to go after him, but now it's time for the Chaos Crew's return and get our rubbish.

269

That night, we went to our old house and stuffed some old rotted beans in all the air vents.

270

Less than half an hour later, the people inside were opening all the windows.

271

Stage two, go!

272

Dressed up as a cleaning crew, my siblings rang at the door while I sneaked through a window.

273

It was dark, but I grew up in this house.

274

I know it like the back of my hand.

275

I waited until the Chaos Crew started to fill all the vents with flour, making everyone cough, and then I went into the study.

276

Okay, focus.

277

He won't leave around a folder with evil plan written on it, so...

278

But as I looked into a drawer, that's exactly what I found!

279

As I scanned through the pages, everything became clear.

280

My parents!

281

I can't believe they- DROP THAT!

282

I looked around to see if there was anything I could throw at him, but he had me backed into a corner!

283

I thought I smelled a rat.

284

Now be a good girl and- Konk!

285

The lawyer dropped, and behind him was Kuro, holding a big law book!

286

The power of knowledge, eh?

287

OMG, thank you!

288

But how did you find me?

289

I might have followed you?

290

Sorry, I was worried.

291

While Kuro tied him up and called the police, I whipped out the phone and called the number I had found in the evil plan folder.

292

Sugar Leader's Bakery?

293

Yes, I have to place an order for 27 cinnamon rolls.

294

Thank you.

295

Please work.

296

Please work.

297

Attack!

298

Mistaking Kuro for a bad guy, my siblings jumped him.

299

And by the time I cried them away, the police had arrived.

300

Arrest them!

301

They're trespassing!

302

It's not your house!

303

My parents are missing, not dead.

304

So by law, my signatures are invalid.

305

But the evidence was clear, and the police dragged him away.

306

It turns out, we weren't the only family he had conned.

307

He's going to be in prison for a very long time.

308

A few days later, my siblings and I returned to our parents' home.

309

I invited Kiro, Bri, and my friends to celebrate, but I couldn't sit still.

310

Finally, the doorbell rang, and when I opened the door, my parents were there, alive and well.

311

My babies!

312

We're so sorry.

313

We were working with Native communities to stop illegal activities, but we were forced to go underground to save the project.

314

We left our lawyer a number and a safe message, so that you could reach us in case of an emergency.

315

That's the call you made?

316

Yes!

317

That arrogant man had written everything down.

318

He was supposed to explain everything and take care of us.

319

Instead, he even told our parents to stay away because we had received some threats.

320

We should have never trusted him.

321

But now you're home and you're going to stay, right?

322

Mom and Dad looked at each other and for a moment I was afraid that they might leave again.

323

Of course we're staying.

324

We learned our lesson.

325

And who are all these nice young people?

326

I introduced all my new friends to my parents and told them how much they had helped me.

327

But when it was Kiro's turn, I hesitated.

328

Is he a friend?

329

A date?

330

A boyfriend?

331

He doesn't even know I'm the matchmaker.

332

This is Kiro, and I.. well, I've never been completely honest with him.

333

I turn to him.

334

I hope he understands.

335

Kiro, I'm not one of your matches.

336

I am the matchmaker.

337

I braced myself, expecting rejection, but...

338

I already knew.

339

What?

340

Why do you think I was such a loser with other girls?

341

I've had a crush on you since Bree's wild confession to Darius.

342

But you were so wrapped up in your agency, you never even gave me a second glance.

343

I had to do something drastic to get you to notice me.

344

Bree's confession? But...

345

I squinted at him.

346

Right!

347

He was the guy who stopped Darius from going to the principal! And, OMG!

348

You also paid for my brother's hospital bill!

349

Yeah, I overheard you talking about it at Jasper's party.

350

Why didn't you tell me?

351

I didn't want you to go out with me because of money.

352

I couldn't believe he'd done all that just to date me.

353

I guess this answers my question.

354

Mom, Dad, I'd like to introduce you to Kuro, my perfect match.

355

I grabbed Kuro's hand, and as I saw the happiness on his face, I knew I had made the perfect choice.

356

Welcome to the family, Kuro.

357

Thank you.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

📺 Same Channel

✨ Recommend Video

237 sentences

My Parents Made me A Maid to My Sister

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

175 sentences

I Was Raised By My Sister | Non-Biological Mothers | Cut

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

182 sentences

Life As A Mom | moving on, home reset, my son is five!

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

265 sentences

DAD WON'T Let TEEN WEAR CROP TOPS, What Happens Next Is Shocking | Dhar Mann

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

339 sentences

My Big Brother’s SECRET Put Our Whole Family In DANGER

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

38 sentences

Test

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

131 sentences

Learn English with Stories ⭐ The Tired Mother | Level 3 English Listening & Speaking Practice

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

909 sentences

In a coastal town, little Annie joins the Turners. Love and kindness reshape their fate.

KidsTeensDaily Conversation

306 sentences

I Became a Nanny for a Billionaire

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

172 sentences

Strict Mom Didn't Respect Her Passion. Now, She Won The Fashion Design Competition

Business EnglishTeensDaily Conversation

72 sentences

Whoever sticks it out to the end will win#shorts

TeensDaily Conversation

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “I Became A Mom At 15”. This video has 357 sentences and 3196 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:35. The speaker talks fast, about 235 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
sibling noun	/ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/	A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with.
chess noun	/t͡ʃɛs/	A board game for two players, each beginning with sixteen chess pieces moving according to fixed rules across a chessboard with the objective to checkmate the…
clumsy adjective	/ˈklʌmzi/	Awkward, lacking coordination, not graceful, not dextrous.
marshmallow noun	/ˈmɑɹʃˌmɛl.oʊ/	Marsh mallow, a species of mallow, Althaea officinalis, that grows in marshy terrain.
matchmaker noun	/ˈmæt͡ʃˌmeɪkɚ/	Someone who finds suitable dates or marriage partners for other people.
confession noun	/kənˈfɛʃən/	The open admittance of having done something (especially something bad).
con verb	/kɑn/	To trick, lie or defraud, usually for personal gain.
bodyguard noun	/ˈbɑːdiɡɑːɹd/	A person or group of persons, often armed, responsible for protecting someone.
entertainer noun	/ˌɛntɚˈteɪnɚ/	A person who entertains others, esp. as a profession, as a singer, actor, presenter, dancer, musician, magician, comedian, etc.
matchmaking noun	/ˈmæt͡ʃˌmeɪkɪŋ/	An attempt to make two people romantically interested in each other, especially an attempt to set up a date between people or to arrange a marriage.
waiter noun	/ˈweɪ̯təː/	A male or female attendant who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant, café or similar.
lobster noun	/ˈlɑb.stɚ/	A crustacean of the Nephropidae family, dark green or blue-black in colour turning bright red when cooked, with a hard shell and claws, which is used as a…
folder noun	/ˈfoʊldɚ/	An organizer that papers are kept in, usually with an index tab, to be stored as a single unit in a filing cabinet.
vent noun	/vɛnt/	An opening through which gases, especially air, can pass.
colorful adjective	/ˈkʌl.əɹ.fl̩/	Possessing prominent and varied colors.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
come back verb	To return to a place.
dress up verb	To put on special or fancy clothes.
clear out verb	To completely empty.
come back from verb	To become successful, confident or effective again after an injury, setback, failure, embarrassment, etc.
find out verb	To discover, as by asking or investigating.
get away with verb	To get away, or escape, taking (something) with one.
get out of verb	To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of.
give up verb	To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone).

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

More important than your family?
You've already liked and subscribed, haven't you?
Are you sure he's the right guy for you?
That's the call you made?
Why didn't you tell me?

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	were already taken · was dressed · was done
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has ever happened · haven't done · You've already liked
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	someone who gets · one who set · guy who stopped
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was getting · was buzzing · were begging

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 90 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: marshmallow /ˈmɑɹʃˌmɛl.oʊ/, confession /kənˈfɛʃən/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, donation /doʊˈneɪʃən/, crush /kɹʌʃ/
Long words — get the stress right: entertainer /ˌɛntɚˈteɪnɚ/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/, mysterious /mɪˈstɪɹi.əs/, evacuate /ɪˈvæk.ju.eɪt/, disappearance /dɪsəˈpɪəɹəns/

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 sibling, chess, clumsy.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: I Became A Mom At 15 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

I'm the Weird Sister

He Was Dating The 3 Of Us

I'm Turning Into A Vampire - Season 2 Episode 2 - Trailer

I'm Salish Matter And This Is My Story

it's not you, it's her

My Twin and I Share Our Emotions Too!

Video

My sister copies everything I do 😱

My Weird Sister Wants To Dominate Me

My sister is jealous of my hair

Step Mom Made Dad Hate Me

I Keep Failing School Because Of Math

My Wonderful Story of Being Different

A homeless woman stole me when I was a baby

I Was 16 the First Time I Attended School

I Got The Worst Fake BF To Make My Crush Jealous

My mom Woke Up From A Coma After 15 Years To Get Revenge!

My Experience As A Female Soccer Player

Mom Looks like a 10 year old

My Mom Went Back To School

My Parents Made me A Maid to My Sister

I Was Raised By My Sister | Non-Biological Mothers | Cut

Life As A Mom | moving on, home reset, my son is five!

DAD WON'T Let TEEN WEAR CROP TOPS, What Happens Next Is Shocking | Dhar Mann

My Big Brother’s SECRET Put Our Whole Family In DANGER

Test

Learn English with Stories ⭐ The Tired Mother | Level 3 English Listening & Speaking Practice

In a coastal town, little Annie joins the Turners. Love and kindness reshape their fate.

I Became a Nanny for a Billionaire

Strict Mom Didn't Respect Her Passion. Now, She Won The Fashion Design Competition

Whoever sticks it out to the end will win#shorts

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?