Shadowing Practice: i was sad so i went to paris - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 390 sentences and 4083 words to shadow. The speech runs for 24:57. The speaker talks at a natural 164 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hungry adjective | /ˈhʌŋ.ɡɹi/ | Affected by hunger; having the physical need for food. |
| vintage noun | /ˈvɪn.tɪd͡ʒ/ | The yield of grapes or wine from a vineyard or district during one season. |
| soup noun | /sup/ | Any of various dishes commonly made by combining liquids, such as water or stock, with other ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, that contribute the food… |
| cookie noun | /ˈkʊki/ | A small, flat, baked good which is either crisp or soft but firm. |
| anyways adverb | /ˈɛn.iˌweɪz/ | Anyway, anyhow, in any case. |
| elevator noun | /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/ | Anything that raises or uplifts. |
| onion noun | /ˈʌn.jən/ | A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice. |
| balcony noun | /ˈbælkəni/ | An accessible structure extending from a building, especially outside a window. |
| curious adjective | /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ | Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. |
| plain noun | /pleɪn/ | An expanse of land with relatively low relief and few trees, especially a grassy expanse. |
| butter noun | /ˈbʌtɚ/ | A soft, fatty foodstuff made by churning the cream of milk (generally cow's milk). |
| wrap verb | /ɹæp/ | To enclose (an object) completely in any flexible, thin material such as fabric or paper. |
| metro noun | /ˈmɛtɹoʊ/ | A rapid transit rail transport system, or a train in such systems, generally underground and serving a metropolitan area. |
| cheers | /t͡ʃɪəz/ | A common toast used when drinking in company. |
| expectation noun | /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/ | The act or state of expecting or looking forward to an event as about to happen. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. | |
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. | |
| pick out verb | To remove by picking. | |
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
| blow away verb | To cause to go away by blowing, or by wind. | |
| bring out verb | To elicit, evoke, or emphasize (a particular quality). | |
| come out in verb | to be afflicted by (a visible disruption of the body) | |
| come up to verb | To approach. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 133 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: leather /ˈlɛðɚ/, truthfully /ˈtɹuːθ.fəl.i/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: expectation /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/, shock /ʃɔk/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, dish /dɪʃ/, observation /ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/
- Long words — get the stress right: elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/, expectation /ˌɛk.spɛkˈteɪ.ʃən/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, architecture /ˈɑː.kɪˌtɛk.t͡ʃə/, disappointed /ˌdɪsəˈpɔɪnɪd/
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 hungry, vintage, soup.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | i've been · i've always wanted · haven't done |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | planned which is · toast, which is · latte, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is chilled · was stressed · is actually called |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the most beautiful · the sweetest · the cutest |
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.




























