Shadowing Practice: IELTS Speaking Part 1: Texting or Calling? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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24 sentences
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1
Good afternoon. Can I have your full name, please?
2
Good afternoon! My name is Linh Tran.
3
Thank you. Now, let's talk about texting and phone calls.
4
Do you prefer texting or calling people?
5
Texting, definitely, at least for everyday things.
6
It's quick, and I can reply whenever I'm free.
7
But if it's something serious, I'd much rather call.
8
Who do you call most often?
9
Mostly my mum, since she lives in another city.
10
She's not a fan of texting, so we video call every Sunday.
11
Honestly, it's become the highlight of both our weeks!
12
Have you ever sent a message to the wrong person?
13
Oh, yes! And it was so embarrassing!
14
I once sent a complaint about my boss to my boss.
15
Luckily, he laughed, but I check twice before sending now.
16
Do you think people spend too much time on their phones?
17
Yes, and I'm afraid I'm one of them.
18
I check my messages the moment I wake up.
19
So recently, I've started leaving my phone in another room.
20
How has communication changed in recent years?
21
Oh, enormously! Hardly anyone leaves voicemails anymore.
22
Young people even get nervous when the phone rings!
23
An unexpected call feels almost rude these days.
24
Thank you. That's the end of Part One.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IELTS Speaking Part 1: Texting or Calling?”. This video has 24 sentences and 209 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:29. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 6 of its 24 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| everyday adjective | /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ | Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions. |
| complaint noun | /kəmˈpleɪnt/ | The act of complaining. |
| rude adjective | /ɹuːd/ | Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous. |
| unexpected adjective | /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/ | Not expected, anticipated or foreseen. |
| leaf noun | /lif/ | The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants. |
| highlight verb | /ˈhaɪˌlaɪt/ | To make prominent; emphasize. |
| luckily adverb | /ˈlʌk.ɪ.li/ | In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately. |
| embarrass verb | /ɪmˈbæɹəs/ | To disrupt someone's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely. |
| enormously adverb | Extremely, greatly: to an enormous degree. | |
| voicemail noun | A computerized interactive system for storing, processing and reproducing verbal messages left through a conventional telephone network. | |
| communication noun | /kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | The act or fact of communicating anything; transmission. |
| laugh verb | /læf/ | To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and… |
| whenever | /wəˈnɛvɚ/ | At any time that. |
| prefer verb | [pɹɪˈfɝ] | To be in the habit of choosing something rather than something else; to favor; to like better. |
| reply noun | /ɹɪˈplaɪ/ | A written or spoken response; part of a conversation. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| wake up verb | /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ | To stop sleeping; to awake. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Can I have your full name, please?
- Do you prefer texting or calling people?
- It's quick, and I can reply whenever I'm free.
- Who do you call most often?
- Honestly, it's become the highlight of both our weeks!
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'd, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: unexpected /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/, communication /kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.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 everyday, complaint, rude.
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.