Shadowing Practice: Improve Your English Speaking Fluency \ Level "Hard" - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Improve Your English Speaking Fluency \ Level "Hard"”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: elsa, spending, favorite, nature, currently. This video has 193 sentences and 2201 words to shadow. The speech runs for 26:09. The speaker talks slowly, about 84 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| photography noun | /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/ | The art and technology of producing images on photosensitive surfaces, and its digital counterpart. |
| kindness noun | /ˈkaɪnd.nəs/ | The state of being kind. |
| hike noun | /haɪk/ | A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise. |
| surround verb | /səˈɹaʊnd/ | To encircle something or simultaneously extend in all directions. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| 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. |
| strongly adverb | /ˈstɹɔŋli/ | In a strong or powerful manner. |
| passion noun | /ˈpæʃən/ | A true desire sustained or prolonged. |
| inspiration noun | /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The drawing of air into the lungs, accomplished in mammals by elevation of the chest walls and flattening of the diaphragm, as part of the act of breathing. |
| fitness noun | /ˈfɪt.nəs/ | The condition of being fit, suitable or appropriate. |
| routine noun | /ɹuˈtin/ | A course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure. |
| achievement noun | /əˈt͡ʃiːv.mənt/ | The act of achieving or performing; a successful performance; accomplishment. |
| explore verb | /ɪkˈsploɹ/ | To examine or investigate something systematically. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| volunteer noun | /ˌvɑlənˈtɪɹ/ | One who enters into, or offers themselves for, any service of their own free will, especially when done without pay. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You don't need to search for someone to shadow.
- I've been married for eight years.
- I'm a parent to a wonderful six -year -old.
- One thing I can't live without is music.
- I'm currently focused on building my personal brand.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been doing · I've been working |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've always been interested · I've been married · I've traveled |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being judged · was delivered · was born |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | feature which is · people who overcome |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 80 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: grandmother /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/, triathlon /tɹaɪˈæθˌlɑn/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: passion /ˈpæʃən/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/, evaluation /ɪˌvæljuˈeɪʃn̩/, frustration /fɹʌsˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: photography /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/, inspiration /ˌɪn.spɪˈɹeɪ.ʃən/, evaluation /ɪˌvæljuˈeɪʃn̩/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, unlimited /ʌnˈlɪm.ɪ.tɪd/
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 photography, kindness, hike.
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.


























