Shadowing Practice: IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a Skill You Learned - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Now, in part two, I'm going to give you a topic.
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I'd like you to describe a skill you learned.
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You have one minute to prepare. Here's some paper and a pencil.
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Um, okay... a skill. Let me think for a second.
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All right? Your minute is up. Could you start now, please?
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Well, I'd like to talk about learning to cook.
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When I moved out for university, I couldn't cook at all.
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Ha, I basically lived on instant noodles for months.
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Then one evening, I tried to make fried rice.
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Suddenly, the whole kitchen was full of smoke!
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Ugh, the fire alarm went off, and my flatmates were furious.
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Honestly, I felt so embarrassed that I nearly gave up.
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That weekend, I video-called my grandmother for help.
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She taught me step by step, one simple dish at a time.
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Her golden rule was to taste everything as you go.
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And, to my surprise, it actually made a huge difference!
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Gradually, I got more confident and started experimenting.
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Last spring, I cooked a three-course dinner for six friends!
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Everyone asked for seconds, and nobody mentioned the smoke!
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That night, I felt genuinely proud of myself.
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Looking back, cooking taught me more than just recipes.
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It taught me that mistakes are part of learning.
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Thank you. Do you still cook with your grandmother?
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Yes! We cook together whenever I go home.
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And is there a dish you still find difficult?
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Hmm, fried rice, actually. I'm still a bit scared of it!
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Thank you. Can I have the paper and pencil back, please?
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Of course. Here you are.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a Skill You Learned”. This video has 28 sentences and 268 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:48. The speaker talks at a steady 149 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 79% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 5 of its 28 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 |
|---|---|---|
| skill noun | /skɪl/ | A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate. |
| dish noun | /dɪʃ/ | A vessel such as a plate for holding or serving food, often flat with a depressed region in the middle. |
| grandmother noun | /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/ | A mother of someone's parent. |
| pencil noun | /ˈpɛnsəl/ | A writing utensil with a graphite (commonly referred to as lead) shaft, usually blended with clay, clad in wood, and sharpened to a taper. |
| fry verb | /fɹaɪ/ | To cook (something) in hot fat. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| experiment noun | /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/ | A test under controlled conditions made to either demonstrate a known truth, examine the validity of a hypothesis, or determine the efficacy or likelihood of… |
| instant noun | /ˈɪnstənt/ | A very short period of time; a moment. |
| alarm noun | /əˈlɑɹm/ | A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. |
| recipe noun | /ˈɹɛs.ɪ.pi/ | Any set of instructions for preparing a mixture of ingredients. |
| gradually adverb | /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuəli/ | In a gradual manner; making slow progress; slowly. |
| genuinely adverb | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/ | In a genuine manner; truthfully, truly. |
| scare verb | /skɛɚ/ | To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way. |
| embarrassed adjective | /ɪmˈbæɹ.əst/ | Having a feeling of shameful discomfort. |
| furious adjective | /ˈfjʊəɹi.əs/ | Feeling great anger; raging; violent. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). |
| go off verb | To explode. |
| look back verb | To think of (past events) in retrospect (in hindsight). |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'd like you to describe a skill you learned.
- Could you start now, please?
- Do you still cook with your grandmother?
- I'm still a bit scared of it!
- Can I have the paper and pencil back, please?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, I'm, couldn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/
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 skill, dish, grandmother.
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.