Shadowing Practice: "I loved every minute of it, however hard it had been" - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

30 sentences

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

The first seven years I'd worked on this problem, I loved every minute of it.

However hard it had been, there'd been setbacks often, there'd been things that had seemed insurmountable,

but it was a kind of private and very personal battle I was engaged in.

In September, I decided to go back

and look one more time at the original structure of Flack and Kohlvergian to try and pinpoint exactly why it wasn't working,

try and formulate it precisely.

I never really do that in mathematics, but I just wanted to set my mind at rest, that it really couldn't be made to work.

At the beginning of September I was sitting here at this desk when suddenly,

totally unexpectedly, I had this incredible revelation.

It was the most important moment of my working life.

It was so indescribably beautiful.

It was so simple and so elegant.

And I just stared in disbelief for 20 minutes.

Then during the day I walked around the department, I'd keep coming back to my desk and looking to see it was still there, it was still there.

Almost what seemed to be stopping the method of flack and color bargain was exactly what would make horizontally the solid theory, my original approach to the problem from three years before,

would make exactly that work.

So out of the ashes seemed to rise the true answer to the problem.

So the first night I went back and stepped on it, I checked through it again the next morning,

and about 11 o'clock I was satisfied, and I went down and told my wife, I've got it.

I think I've got it.

I found it.

And it was so unexpected.

I think she thought I was talking about a children's toy or something.

She said, got what?

And said, I've fixed my proof.

I've got it.

There's no other problem that will mean the same to me.

I had this very rare privilege of being able to pursue...

in my adult life what had been my childhood dream.

I know it's a rare privilege, but if one can do this, it's more rewarding than anything I can imagine.

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

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

373

24 sentences

IELTS SPEAKING PART 2 + 3 Band 8 Samples: Describe a time when you felt proud of a family member

IELTS PrepInterview EnglishHigh School Students

31 sentences

You’re Not Broken You’re Just Thinking Too Much

Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

52 sentences

Phil Kaye - Repetition

IELTS PrepTOEFL PrepCambridge Exam Prep

156 sentences

02 English Vocabulary in Use Advanced Unit 5-8

Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “"I loved every minute of it, however hard it had been"”. This video has 30 sentences and 362 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:13. The speaker talks at a steady 113 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% 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

The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
flak noun	/flæk/	Ground-based anti-aircraft guns firing explosive shells.
disbelief noun	/dɪsbɪˈliːf/	An unpreparedness, unwillingness, or an inability to believe that something is the case.
formulate verb	/ˈfɔː(ɹ)mjʊleɪt/	To put into a clear and definite form of statement or expression.
horizontally adverb		In a horizontal direction or position.
indescribably adverb		In an indescribable manner.
insurmountable adjective		Incapable of being passed over, surmounted, or overcome; insuperable
pinpoint verb	/ˈpɪnpɔɪnt/	To identify or locate (someone or something) precisely or with great accuracy.
setback noun	/ˈsɛtbæk/	An obstacle, delay, disadvantage, or blow (an adverse event which slows down, or prevents progress towards a desired outcome).
unexpectedly adverb	/ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪdli/	In an unexpected manner.
stare verb	/stɛɚ/	To look fixedly (at something).
elegant adjective	/ˈɛləɡənt/	Characterised by or exhibiting elegance; having grace, refinement, or tasteful simplicity.
bargain noun	/ˈbɑːɹɡən/	An agreement between parties concerning the sale of property; or a contract by which one party binds themself to transfer the right to some property for a…
revelation noun	/ˌɹɛv.əˈleɪ.ʃən/	The act of revealing or disclosing.
satisfy verb	/ˈsætɪsfaɪ/	To be enough (for)

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
go back verb	To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time.
check through verb	To permit someone to continue onward, e.g. through a security checkpoint, after verifying their identity, tickets, etc.
go down verb	To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one.
walk around verb	To walk with no planned destination; to meander.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as I've, I'd, there'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

Long words — get the stress right: unexpectedly /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪdli/, revelation /ˌɹɛv.əˈleɪ.ʃən/

How to practise with this video

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

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 loved every minute of it, however hard it had been" - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

IELTS Speaking Part 2: A Place That Changed My Perspective

Sir Andrew Wiles - The 2016 Abel Prize Laureate

SEtalk: The Trap of "I'll Be Happy When…"

Fluent Forever

B1 T3 TEST 4 PART 2

How I’d Teach My Wife IELTS (If I Had To Start Over)

Maths’ Future Takes Shape: Fields Medallist Envisions Asia as a New Global Hub

In her Home Country | IELTS LISTENING TEST | SECTION-3