Shadowing Practice: IELTS Speaking Part 3 – Tall Buildings and Urban Development - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello everyone and welcome back.
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Today we're discussing the part three topic, Tall Buildings and Urban Development.
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You'll first watch a mock interview with Finn.
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After that we'll break down each answer
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and look at the key ideas he uses so you can learn how to develop your own responses.
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Let's get started.
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Why are tall buildings becoming more common in cities?
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I think the main reason is that cities are becoming more crowded as more people move there for work, education, and better opportunities.
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Since land is limited, building upward is often much more practical than expanding outward.
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Tall buildings also allow developers to create more homes, offices, and commercial spaces without using too much land.
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Another reason is that modern construction technology makes it easier and safer to build high-rise structures than it was in the past.
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Overall, I think tall buildings are a practical response to the growing demands of urban life.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of tall buildings?
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Tall buildings have several advantages, especially in large cities where space is limited.
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They can accommodate a large number of people in a relatively small area, which helps reduce pressure on land.
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They also tend to be located near workplaces, public transportation, and other essential services, making daily life more convenient.
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However, there are some disadvantages as well.
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Living or working in a high-rise can sometimes feel less personal because people have fewer opportunities to interact with their neighbors.
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In addition, these buildings are expensive to construct and maintain, and problems like elevator failures can cause significant inconvenience.
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Do you think it is better to live in a high-rise apartment or a house?
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Why?
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I think it really depends on a person's lifestyle and priorities.
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Personally, I'd rather live in a house because it offers more privacy, outdoor space, and a quieter environment.
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That said, I completely understand why many people prefer high-rise apartments, especially in busy cities where houses are either too expensive or difficult to find.
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Apartments are usually closer to workplaces and public transportation, so they can save people a lot of commuting time.
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In the end, I think both options have their own advantages, and the better choice depends on individual circumstances.
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How have buildings changed compared with those in the past?
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Buildings today are quite different from those built several decades ago.
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In the past, most buildings were designed mainly to serve a practical purpose, and they were generally much shorter.
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Nowadays, architects focus not only on functionality but also on appearance, sustainability, and energy efficiency.
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Many modern buildings include smart technology, environmentally friendly materials, and designs that reduce energy consumption.
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I think these changes reflect both technological progress and people's growing awareness of environmental issues.
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Do you think governments should build more tall buildings in the future?
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Yes, I think they should, but only in places where there is a genuine need for them.
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In densely populated cities, tall buildings can help solve housing shortages and make better use of limited land.
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However, I don't think every city should be filled with skyscrapers because that could make urban areas feel overcrowded.
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Governments also need to preserve historical buildings, parks, and public spaces to maintain a good quality of life.
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In my opinion, careful planning is much more important than simply building taller structures.
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Why do some tall buildings become famous landmarks?
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I think tall buildings usually become famous because they have something distinctive that sets them apart from others.
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It could be their unique design, impressive height, or the role they play in a city's history or development.
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Over time, these buildings often become symbols of the places where they are located, so both residents and tourists recognize them instantly.
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They also attract a lot of attention through travel guides, news reports, movies, and social media, which makes them even more well-known.
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In addition, many people visit these buildings for the views, exhibitions, or observation decks, so they naturally become popular tourist attractions.
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Once a building gains that kind of recognition, it often becomes an important part of the city's identity.
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How does architecture influence a city's image?
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I think architecture plays a huge role in shaping the way people see a city.
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Well-designed buildings can make a place look modern, attractive, and culturally rich, while poorly planned developments can have the opposite effect.
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Architecture also reflects a city's history, values, and level of development, so it creates a lasting impression on both residents and visitors.
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In many cases, people remember a city because of its unique skyline or distinctive architectural style.
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That's why I believe good architecture can strengthen a city's identity and even attract more tourists and investment.
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What qualities do you think make a building well-designed?
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In my opinion, a well-designed building should be both attractive and practical.
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It needs to meet the needs of the people who use it while also fitting naturally into its surroundings.
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I also think sustainability is becoming increasingly important.
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So, features like energy-efficient systems and environmentally friendly materials should be included whenever possible.
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Another important quality is safety, because people should always feel comfortable and secure inside the building.
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When a building successfully combines functionality,
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aesthetics, and sustainability, I think it can have a positive impact on both the people who use it and the surrounding community.
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That's the end of the mock interview.
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Now let's go through each response and look at the key ideas Finn uses to develop his answers.
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Question one.
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Why are tall buildings becoming more common in cities?
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Finn explains that the main reason is that cities are becoming more crowded as more people move there for work, education and better opportunities.
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Since land is limited, he believes building upward is often more practical than expanding outward.
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He also points out that tall buildings can provide more homes, offices and commercial spaces without using too much land.
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Finally, he mentions that improvements in construction technology have made it easier and safer to build high-rise structures.
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Question 2.
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What are the advantages and disadvantages of tall buildings?
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Finn first talks about the advantages of tall buildings, especially in cities where space is limited.
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He explains that they can accommodate many people in a relatively small area and help reduce pressure on land.
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He also mentions that these buildings are often located near workplaces, public transportation and essential services.
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However, he points out some disadvantages, including less interaction between neighbours, high construction and maintenance costs, and problems caused by elevator failures.
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Question 3.
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Do you think it is better to live in a high-rise apartment or a house?
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Why?
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Finn says that the choice depends on a person's lifestyle and priorities.
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He personally prefers living in a house because it provides more privacy, outdoor space and a quieter environment.
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However he understands why many people choose high-rise apartments, especially in busy cities where houses can be expensive or difficult to find.
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He explains that apartments are often more practical because they are closer to workplaces and public transportation.
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Question 4.
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How have buildings changed compared with those in the past?
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Finn explains that buildings today are different from those built several decades ago.
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He says that buildings in the past were mainly designed for practical purposes, while modern architects consider more factors.
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These include appearance, sustainability and energy efficiency.
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He also mentions that many modern buildings use smart technology and environmentally friendly materials to reduce energy consumption.
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Question 5.
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Do you think governments should build more tall buildings in the future?
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Finn believes governments should build more tall buildings, but only in places where they are truly needed.
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He explains that they can help solve housing shortages and make better use of limited land.
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However, he does not think every city should be filled with skyscrapers because this could make urban areas feel overcrowded.
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He also emphasises the importance of preserving historical buildings, parks and public spaces through careful planning.
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Question 6.
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Why do some tall buildings become famous landmarks?
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Finn explains that some tall buildings become famous because they have something distinctive that makes them different from others.
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This could be their unique design, impressive height or their role in a city's history or development.
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He also mentions that these buildings often become symbols of the places where they are located.
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In addition, attention from travel guides, news reports, movies and social media can make them more well known.
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He adds that many people visit these buildings, which helps them become an important part of the city's identity.
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Question 7.
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How does architecture influence a city's image?
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Finn explains that architecture plays an important role in shaping how people see a city.
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He says that well-designed buildings can make a place look modern, attractive and culturally rich, while poorly planned developments can create a negative impression.
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He also points out that architecture reflects a city's history, values and level of development.
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Finally, he believes that good architecture can strengthen a city's identity and attract more tourists and investment.
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Question 8.
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What qualities do you think make a building well designed?
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Finn believes that a well designed building should combine attractiveness with practicality.
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He explains that it should meet the needs of the people who use it while fitting naturally into its surroundings.
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He also highlights the importance of sustainability, including energy efficient systems and environmentally friendly materials.
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In addition, he mentions safety as an important quality because people should feel comfortable and secure inside a building.
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Overall, he believes good design can have a positive impact on both users and the surrounding community
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That's the end of our discussion on tall buildings and urban development Take these ideas,
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make them your own and keep practising your part 3 responses For more IELTS lessons and exclusive content,
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check out our membership Keep Practising and I'll see you in the next one
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “IELTS Speaking Part 3 – Tall Buildings and Urban Development”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: tall, Finn, cities, explains, architecture. This video has 115 sentences and 1648 words to shadow. The speech runs for 10:50. The speaker talks at a natural 152 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 18 of its 115 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 |
|---|---|---|
| sustainability noun | /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/ | A means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest… |
| environmentally adverb | In a manner affecting the environment. | |
| disadvantage noun | /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪd͡ʒ/ | A weakness or undesirable characteristic; con; drawback. |
| locate verb | /ˈloʊˌkeɪt/ | To place; to set in a particular spot or position. |
| workplace noun | /ˈwɝkˌpleɪs/ | The place where someone works. |
| distinctive adjective | /dɪˈstɪŋktɪv/ | Distinguishing, used to or enabling the distinguishing of some thing. |
| depend verb | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition |
| overcrowded adjective | Containing too many occupants for an area of its size. | |
| skyscraper noun | /ˈskaɪˌskɹeɪpɚ/ | A very tall building with a large number of floors. |
| practise verb | /ˈpɹæktɪs/ | To repeat (an activity) as a way of improving one's skill in that activity. |
| outward adjective | /ˈaʊt.wɚd/ | Outer; located towards the outside. |
| culturally adverb | In a cultural way. | |
| functionality noun | The ability to do a task, performance, or execution; a set of functions that something is able or equipped to perform. | |
| upward adverb | /ˈʌpwɚd/ | In a direction from lower to higher; toward a higher place; in a course toward the source or origin. |
| surroundings noun | /səˈɹaʊndɪŋz/ | The area surrounding someone or something, together with the objects and circumstances in the vicinity; the environment or ambiance. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| point out verb | To identify among a group of similar subjects, or in a scene where the subject might not be readily seen or noticed, with a gesture of the body. |
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you think governments should build more tall buildings in the future?
- How does architecture influence a city's image?
- What qualities do you think make a building well-designed?
- What qualities do you think make a building well designed?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be located · were designed · should be filled |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | media, which makes · people who use |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'd, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: strengthen /ˈstɹɛŋ(k)θən/, aesthetics /ɛsˈθɛt.ɪks/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shortage /ˈʃɔː(ɹ)tɪd͡ʒ/, attraction /əˈtɹækʃn̩/, observation /ˌɑbzɚˈveɪʃn̩/
- Long words — get the stress right: sustainability /səˌsteɪnəˈbɪlɪti/, disadvantage /ˌdɪsədˈvæntɪd͡ʒ/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/, accommodate /əˈkɑməˌdeɪt/, inconvenience /ɪnkənˈvinjəns/
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 sustainability, environmentally, disadvantage.
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.