Shadowing Practice: I’d Rather #intermediateenglish - Learn English Speaking with Video

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6 sentences
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1
I'd rather means I would prefer.
2
People use it when they choose one thing instead of another.
3
For example, you can say I'd rather stay home tonight or I'd rather drink tea than coffee.
4
It sounds more natural than saying I prefer every time.
5
This phrase is common when talking about plans, food, activities, and choices.
6
It helps you express your wishes clearly but politely what would you rather do this weekend

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 6 sentences and 72 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:34.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 10 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

WordPronunciationMeaning
phrase noun/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/A short written or spoken expression.
politely adverb/pəˈlaɪtli/in a polite manner
prefer verb[pɹɪˈfɝ]To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better.
express verb/ɪkˈspɹɛs/To convey or communicate; to make known or explicit.
weekend noun/ˈwiˌkɛnd/The break in the working week, usually two days including the traditional holy or sabbath day. Thus in Western countries, Saturday and Sunday.
clearly adverb/ˈklɪɚli/In a clear manner.
choose verb/t͡ʃuːz/To pick; to make the choice of; to select.
drink verb/ˈdɹɪŋk/To consume (a liquid) through the mouth.
activity noun/ækˈtɪv.ɪ.ti/The state or quality of being active; activeness.
coffee noun/ˈkɑfi/A beverage made by infusing the beans of the coffee plant in hot water.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two thingsmore natural than

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

  1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
  2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
  3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like phrase, politely, prefer.

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 →