Shadowing Practice: Improve your IELTS Speaking in less than 15 minutes! - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hi, and welcome to lesson 201.
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If you find these resources helpful, hit that like button and click the join link at my YouTube page to unlock non-stop repeat after me lessons.
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This week, we are looking at IELTS Speaking Part 3 questions on the topic of happiness.
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I'll read the questions to you now.
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What is the connection between a person's behavior and their happiness?
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How can you tell if someone is truly happy?
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What are the signs?
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How do happy events or good news affect people when they are feeling sad or stressed?
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Do you think happiness means the same thing for different generations?
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What role does society play in shaping people's happiness?
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Alright, first thing, let's listen to the sample so you can hear the model spoken naturally.
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Here it is.
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What is the connection between a person's behavior and their happiness?
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviours, such as expressing gratitude, tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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This is because such actions often trigger the release of feel-good hormones, like dopamine.
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On the other hand, negative behaviours, such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction.
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I think happiness is something your habits can help you experience experience.
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How can you tell if someone is truly happy?
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What are the signs?
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Hmm, I think truly happy individuals often exhibit both verbal and nonverbal signs.
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Physically, they tend to smile frequently and have an overall energetic demeanor.
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Emotionally, they demonstrate optimism and tend to have warm and engaging interactions with others.
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However, it's important to note that happiness is not always outwardly expressed.
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Some people may feel joy internally and without any outward signs.
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How do happy events or good news affect people when they are feeling sad or stressed?
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Good news and joyful events can serve as a powerful distraction, providing a temporary escape from negativity.
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Moreover, positive experiences trigger the brain's reward system.
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The brain may release chemicals, like endorphins, that can uplift a person's mood.
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Do you think happiness means the same thing for different generations?
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I think happiness is perceived differently across generations due to changing social values and technological advancements.
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Older generations may associate happiness with traditional successes, such as having a lifelong career.
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In contrast, younger generations often find happiness in experiences and personal growth.
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I also feel older generations tend to find joy in face-to-face interactions, while younger people derive happiness from online communities.
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What role does society play in shaping people's happiness?
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Society can play a significant role.
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A society that promotes work-life balance and mental well-being tends to foster greater happiness among its citizens.
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For example, communities with strong social support systems generally report higher levels of happiness than those that expect long,
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grueling workdays in unsafe conditions.
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Thank you.
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Okay, we will now start this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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In this week's free sample exercise, you will repeat the response to the first two questions from the model.
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I'll read this section of the response again to you now, just to refresh your memory.
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The examiner asks, What is the connection between a person's behavior and their happiness?
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And the candidate responds, I believe people who engage in positive behaviors, such as expressing gratitude, tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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This is because such actions often trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors such as pessimism can lead to dissatisfaction.
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I think happiness is something your habits can help you experience.
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Okay, let's go ahead and start this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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If this is your first time doing a speech shadowing exercise, remember you should be speaking aloud as you listen.
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So, you will first hear a portion of the sample, and then you will be given a pause within which to repeat what you have heard.
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And the point of the exercise is to try to adjust your pronunciation to sound as much like the model as possible.
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Remember that at the IELTS Ryan YouTube Members channel, just $25 per month gives you access to the full shadowing lessons.
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Find a link to join in the description of this episode.
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Okay, here's this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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Enjoy!
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What is the connection between a person's behaviour and their happiness?
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviours, such as expressing gratitude, tend to experience greater emotional wellbeing.
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Tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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Greater emotional well-being.
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Emotional well-being.
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Emotional well-being.
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Greater emotional well-being.
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tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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Tend to experience tend to experience tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviors,
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such as expressing gratitude, such as expressing gratitude,
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expressing gratitude, expressing gratitude such as expressing gratitude such as expressing gratitude.
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviors engage in positive behaviors positive behaviors
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positive behaviors engage in positive behaviors I believe people who engage in positive behaviors
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviors, such as expressing gratitude, tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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I believe people who engage in positive behaviors, such as expressing gratitude, tend to experience greater emotional well-being.
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This is because such actions often trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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Feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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Like dopamine.
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Like dopamine.
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Feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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Trigger the release of feel-good hormones like dopamine.
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This is because such
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actions
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often trigger the release of feel-good hormones, like dopamine.
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This is because such actions often trigger the release of feel-good hormones, like dopamine.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors,
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such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction. Can lead to dissatisfaction.
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Dissatisfaction.
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Dissatisfaction. can lead to dissatisfaction.
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Negative behaviors, such as pessimism,
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such as pessimism, pessimism, pessimism,
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such as pessimism, negative behaviors,
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negative behaviors, negative behaviors such as pessimism.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors, such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction.
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I think happiness is something your habits can help you experience.
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Your habits can help you experience. Can help you experience. Can help you experience.
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habits can help you experience.
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I think happiness is something your habits can help you experience.
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I think happiness is something your habits can help you experience.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors, such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction.
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On the other hand, negative behaviors, such as pessimism, can lead to dissatisfaction.
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Thank you for leaving a like or share on this episode.
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If you have found these exercises helpful and would like more training, search for IELTS Ryan on YouTube, where you can find over 200 lessons to learn from.
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Thank you for leaving a five-star review at iTunes, and join me again next week for another speech shadowing exercise.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 106 sentences and 1210 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:22. The speaker talks slowly, about 84 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 78% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| happiness noun | /ˈhæpinɪs/ | The emotion of being happy; joy; elation. |
| engage verb | /ɪnˈɡeɪd͡ʒ/ | To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied. |
| gratitude noun | /ˈɡɹæ.tɪ.tud/ | The state of being grateful. |
| hormone noun | /ˈhoɹmoʊn/ | Any substance produced by one tissue and conveyed by the bloodstream to another to effect physiological activity. |
| shadow noun | /ˈʃædəʊ̯/ | A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object. |
| trigger noun | /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/ | A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun. |
| habit noun | /ˈhæb.ɪt/ | An action performed on a regular basis. |
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| behaviour noun | British standard spelling of behavior. | |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| interaction noun | /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/ | The situation or occurrence in which two or more things act upon one another to produce an effect; the effect resulting from such a situation or occurrence. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| naturally adverb | /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ | In a natural manner. |
| temporary adjective | /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/ | Not permanent; existing only for a period or periods of time. |
| contrast noun | /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/ | The degree of this difference. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| sign up verb | To add a name to the list of people who are participating in something. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who engage |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have heard · have found |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is perceived · will be given |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, contrast /kənˈt(ʃ)ɹæst/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, emotionally /ɪˈməʊʃənəli/
- Long words — get the stress right: interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, differently /ˈdɪf.ə.ɹənt.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 happiness, engage, gratitude.
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.