Shadowing Practice: IELTS Listening Practice Section-2(Traffic Changes in Granford) with answers - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

51 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
You will hear the chairman of the Highways Committee of Granford, speaking to members of the public about proposed changes to traffic and parking in the area.
2
First, You have some time to look at questions 11 to 13.
3
Now listen carefully.
4
and answer questions 11 to 13.
5
Good evening everyone.
6
My name's Phil Sutton and I'm Chairman of the Highways Committee.
7
We have called this meeting to inform members of the public about the new regulations for traffic
8
and parking we are proposing for Granford.
9
I'll start by summarising these changes before we open the meeting to questions.
10
So, why do we need to make these changes to traffic systems in Granford?
11
Well?
12
We're very aware that traffic is becoming an increasing problem.
13
It's been especially noticeable with the increase in heavy traffic while they've been building the new hospital.
14
but it's the overall rise in the volume of traffic of all kinds that's concerning us.
15
To date, there's not been any increase in traffic accidents, but that's not something we want to see happen, obviously.
16
We recently carried out a survey of local residents, and their responses were interesting.
17
People were very concerned about the lack of visibility on some roads due to cars parked along the sides of the roads.
18
"'We'd expected complaints about the congestion near the school,' when parents are dropping off their children or picking them up.
19
But this was on top of the list, and nor were noise and fumes from trucks and lorries, though they were mentioned by some people.
20
We think these new traffic regulations would make a lot of difference.
21
But we still have a long way to go.
22
We've managed to keep our proposals within budget, just so they can be covered by the Council.
23
But, of course, it's no good introducing new regulations
24
if we don't have a way of making sure
25
that everyone obeys them.' and that's an area we're still working on with the help of representatives from the police force.
26
Before you hear the rest of the talk, You have some time to look at questions 14 to 20.
27
Now listen and answer questions 14 to 20.
28
OK, so this slide shows a map of the central area of Granford, with the high street in the middle and school road on the right.
29
Now, we already have a set of traffic lights in the High Street at the junction with Station Road, but we're planning to have another set at the other end,
30
at the School Road Junction, to regulate the flow of traffic along the High Street.
31
We've decided we definitely need a pedestrian crossing.
32
We considered putting this on school road just outside the school, but in the end we decided that could lead to a lot of traffic congestion.
33
So we decided to locate it on the High Street, crossing the road in front of the supermarket.
34
That's a very busy area, so it should help things there.
35
we are proposing some changes to parking at present parking isn't allowed on the high street outside the library
36
but we are going to change that and allow parking there
37
but not at the other end of the high street near school road
38
There'll be a new 'no parking' sign on School Road, just by the entrance to the school, forbidding parking for 25 metres.
39
This should improve visibility for drivers and pedestrians, especially on the bend just to the north of the school.
40
As far as disabled drivers are concerned, at present they have parking outside the supermarket.
41
But lorries also use those spaces, so we've got two new disabled parking spaces on the side road up towards the bank.
42
It's not ideal, but probably better than the present arrangement.
43
We also plan to widen the pavement on School Road.
44
"'We think we can manage to get an extra half metre
45
on the bend "'just before you get to the school.' "'on the same side of the road.' Finally,
46
We've introduced new restrictions on loading and unloading for the supermarket, so lorries will only be allowed to stop there before 8am.
47
That's the supermarket on School Road.
48
We kept to the existing arrangements with the High Street supermarket.
49
Okay, so that's about it.
50
That is the end of section two.
51
You now have half a minute to check your answers.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing

Same Channel

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

Who Is This Video For?

If you’re prepping for IELTS Listening or want to boost your english speaking practice, this video is gold. It’s perfect for intermediate learners aiming to follow real-world conversations—think local council meetings, which are full of the kind of formal yet conversational English you’ll face in exams or daily life. The dialogue moves at a natural pace, making it ideal for trying the shadowing technique: repeat phrases right after the speaker to nail rhythm and fluency. Whether you’re focusing on IELTS speaking practice or just want to sound more confident, this is a solid tool.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

Let’s grab some standout phrases. “Carried out a survey” is a pro way to say “did a survey”—great for formal talks. “On top of the list” means “the most important,” way more natural than “number one.” “Keep within budget” is key for discussing plans (and adulting!). “Obey the regulations” is a must for IELTS—replace “follow rules” with this for a polished touch. And “lead to congestion” works for traffic, but also for busy schedules (“Too many meetings lead to congestion!”).

How to Get the Accent Right

The speaker uses a clear, mid-tempo British accent—perfect for shadow speak practice. Focus on his short pauses after phrases like “We think these new traffic regulations would make a lot of difference” to mimic natural flow. Notice how he stresses “especially” and “definitely” to emphasize key points—copy that to sound more engaging. For tricky words, slow down: “pedestrian crossing” (pe-DES-tri-an CROSS-ing) and “congestion” (con-JES-chun) are common IELTS terms. Try shadowing the section about parking changes—repeat each sentence right after him to lock in the rhythm. This isn’t just about pronunciation; it’s about sounding like you belong in real conversations.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhave called · It's been · there's not been
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itwere mentioned · can be covered · isn't allowed

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 →