Shadowing Practice: In 7 Minutes, You'll Be 170% Better At Presentations - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
116 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Give me the next seven minutes and I'm gonna change the way you do presentations forever.
2
There are seven communication devices that separate people who bore their audiences from people who captivate them.
3
Most people only use one of these, but now you're going to learn all six.
4
Neil!
5
Hello, Neil!
6
My question was to a certain extent to do with how you engage with the audience.
7
I think a number of us do sessions, we present, I present on a number of occasions.
8
Yes.
9
And sometimes where I struggle is knowing if the points are landing.
10
If I don't know if the content is landing the way I expect for it to, I find that I tend to tune out and I try to get through the slides, just get it done with.
11
I wonder what advice you'd have for those instances
12
when you're not sure whether or not the stuff is landing with the audience.
13
How do you know if it is landing?
14
When you're presenting, how would you know if it's landing or not?
15
What's your signal that you need to let you know it's landing?
16
Usually you'd look for some kind of engagement, questions that are coming back from the audience or whether the audience is nodding along.
17
Okay, good.
18
If it's a virtual session, then maybe just what you're seeing on the screen, you know, there's emojis on the screen that gives you...
19
Emojis, interesting.
20
If I can share with you, when you're presenting to a group, there are many tools you can use to engage the audience.
21
If it's just content delivery non-stop, it's not effective.
22
It's not as engaging, unfortunately, it's just not.
23
So there are many tools.
24
Can I just write down a few tools?
25
So the first tool, which we all default to, is our content.
26
Right, so that's me speaking about my content.
27
What topics do you speak on digital marketing okay
28
so that's all content that's digital marketing now the second form
29
of engagement is you can ask the audience questions right
30
and then if you're doing it virtually tell me in chat the content
31
that what I just spoke about emojis are great
32
but then you can tell me in chat with what I just shared what resonates the most point one two
33
or three let me know full engagement because
34
when they're engaging here virtually they're engaging up here
35
so virtually you have to strategically ask questions at very key moments
36
and don't tell them to write whatever they want it's just go was a point a point B
37
or point C let me know just type a B
38
or C I want to get a bit of sense oh
39
wow well everybody's getting a point a would you like me
40
to dive deeper into a yes yes yes yeah let's do it
41
so virtual is very different okay because people are happy to type like that but
42
if you did this all the time with an audience live it can give it a bit exhausting so questions
43
So that can be virtual and online.
44
You can also use many different tools to better engage the audience.
45
One of the most famous ones done by Bill Gates, love him or hate him after recent events, he did this incredible thing where he did a talk about malaria,
46
I don't know if any of you have seen it, and what he does is he brings a prop.
47
So prop, you can engage him with a prop.
48
Now malaria is of course transmitted by mosquitoes.
49
I brought some here so you could experience this.
50
We'll let those roam around the auditorium a little bit.
51
There.
52
There's no reason only poor people should have the experience.
53
Those mosquitoes are not infected.
54
So these are engagement techniques.
55
He brings a little glass container, he walks out on stage, and he takes a glass container, he puts it here, and he goes, I'd like to talk about malaria,
56
and instead of me just talking about it, how about we all experience it?
57
The audience started to freak out.
58
He's like, is he being serious?
59
And there were mosquitoes inside, right?
60
malaria obviously and that you can use a prop
61
and you see that's engagement so
62
when you think about what you're about to present think about
63
what props can i bring in to demonstrate the point
64
that i'm trying to make about digital marketing point a b
65
and c what are some what are some different things i can use to bring in to represent
66
that make it fun make it physical
67
if you start to apply all the things i'm teaching you
68
in this video they're going to make your presentations extremely dynamic however
69
if you also want to learn how to make your voice
70
dynamic I've recorded a 90 minute free class on how you can unlock the four different vocal archetypes you have access to.
71
You actually have access to four different voices.
72
If you want to explore that training with me, just click the link in the description or you can scan the QR code.
73
See you in the training.
74
Back to the video.
75
All right.
76
And then on top of this, you can also do an activity.
77
Right.
78
So an activity like I did with all of you, we're always doing activities.
79
And then all you have to do is, how does that activity link to the point that I'm trying to make?
80
So there's a wonderful book I shared with the storytellers this morning, 275 theater games.
81
And if you look that up, it's 275 theater games that now you can use AI.
82
You find a game you really like
83
and you go share with me are there possible angles to
84
connect this activity with talking about the importance of this
85
and it'll be like oh yeah here's your segue here's five variations
86
which one do you want to use boom
87
so now in the middle your presentation you go hey why
88
don't we break this up engagement stand up engagement look to the person next you engagement
89
and then that sits so so
90
when I think of this I think of the audience has about an hour's worth of focus, or maybe sometimes 30 minutes, you've got to do an activity close to the end of the day,
91
re-energizes them, they sit back down and keep teaching.
92
These are all engagement tools.
93
So that's activity.
94
Alright, there's also video.
95
Is there a video that can illustrate your point?
96
One of the greatest marketing videos we've seen online that has incredible results, it's really funny, I've got to show you all.
97
It's just a pattern break.
98
I showed a video this morning.
99
So these are all the different tools and then there's more, there's also storytelling, there's also analogies, metaphors and similes.
100
Start with the fundamentals.
101
These are all the tools of engagement that a great presenter uses.
102
Most only do that.
103
And then their experience that they create, it's so two-dimensional.
104
Whereas when you experience something like that, how long do you often present for?
105
30 minutes.
106
30 minutes?
107
Okay, don't do all of them because then it seems like a clown show.
108
So what you want to do is you just want to pick one or two.
109
It would be super engaging now.
110
Because now they can see it from a different perspective.
111
They're not just seeing it from words.
112
Does that give you some tools?
113
It does.
114
It does.
115
This is fantastic.
116
You'll love it. Have fun.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B25
How to join group conversations
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
How to Sound Friendly Without Losing Authority
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B24
Top 5 Communication Skills Lessons
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B13
5 vocal exercises for a more powerful voice 😎
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B26
How to Speak with MORE Clarity!
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B23
The 2 biggest benefits of PAUSING when you speak
Business EnglishWorking Adults
C11
The Guide To Talk To Anyone (Regardless of Their Seniority)
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B25
How to improve your articulation FAST
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B16
Look confident + sound confident = Feel confident
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
Doing This (Almost) GUARANTEES You Get Hired In A Job Interview!
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
C11,202
When do you stop understanding? 🙊
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B129
Never answer questions quickly. Pause first.
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B24
How to Have Difficult Conversations (Even If It's Confronting)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
7 POWERFUL Storytelling Secrets to Level Up Your Communication Skills
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B13
You must PAUSE when you speak!
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B17
5 simple habits to be a better communicator
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
TOP 3 Tips To Improve Your Communication Skills!
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
STOP Saying Umm & Ahh
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B229
Why You're So Good At Being Shy...
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
You won't believe the difference hand gestures make... 🤯
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B212
48 sentences
4 Fundamentals to Smart Speaking | Matt Abrahams (Key Points Talk)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B213
202 sentences
Các Cách Học Tiếng Anh Viral Có Thực Sự Hiệu Quả? - Podcast Chậm Rãi | Tập 28
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2130 sentences
Presenting Your Graphic Design Portfolio: A Creative Director's Expert Tips
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B213
220 sentences
Improve Your Spoken English in Just 15 Minutes
British AccentIELTS PrepBusiness EnglishDaily Conversation
B216
459 sentences
How to Speak Better Than 99% of People (Complete Framework)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B29
162 sentences
Presentations in English - How to Give a Presentation - Business English
British AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
128 sentences
Speaking Like This Makes Your YouTube Videos Impossible To Forget
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
![Virtual Meeting Etiquette [DOS & DON'TS]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/HYUVXQfaVp0/mqdefault.jpg)
B21
144 sentences
Virtual Meeting Etiquette [DOS & DON'TS]
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
198 sentences
How to keep people’s attention in work presentations as an expert in your domain
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2283 sentences
How To Improve Your Communication Skills: 6 Unique Psychology-Backed Tips
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C11
260 sentences
Quick Thinks: Network Smarter and Make Better Connections
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
77 sentences
Tell Me About Yourself (The BEST Way to Answer this Interview Question)
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “In 7 Minutes, You'll Be 170% Better At Presentations”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: audience, engagement, tool, landing, activity. This video has 116 sentences and 1261 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:19. The speaker talks fast, about 200 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| prop noun | /pɹɑp/ | An object placed against or under another, to support it; anything that supports. |
| malaria noun | /məˈlɛəɹi.ə/ | A disease spread by mosquito, in which a protozoan, Plasmodium, multiplies in blood every few days. |
| emoji noun | /ɪˈmoʊ.d͡ʒi/ | A digital graphic icon with a unique code point used to represent a concept, object, person, animal or place, originally used in Japanese text messaging but… |
| mosquito noun | /məsˈki.toʊ/ | A small flying insect of the family Culicidae, the females of which bite humans and animals and suck blood, leaving an itching bump on the skin, and sometimes… |
| container noun | /kənˈteɪ.nəɹ/ | An item in which objects, materials or data can be stored or transported. |
| archetype noun | /ˈɑɹkɪtaɪp/ | An original model of which all other similar concepts, objects, or persons are merely copied, derivative, emulated, or patterned. |
| captivate verb | /ˈkæptəˌveɪt/ | To attract and hold (someone's) attention and interest; to charm, to entrance, to fascinate, to enchain. |
| energize verb | /ˈɛnəd͡ʒaɪz/ | To invigorate; to make energetic. |
| infect verb | /ɪnˈfɛkt/ | To bring (the body or part of it) into contact with a substance that causes illness (a pathogen), so that the pathogen begins to act on the body; (of a… |
| resonate verb | /ˈɹɛz.əˌneɪt/ | To vibrate or sound, especially in response to another vibration. |
| simile noun | /ˈsɪməli/ | A figure of speech in which one thing is explicitly compared to another, using e.g. like or as. |
| storyteller noun | A person who relates stories through one medium or another to an audience. | |
| strategically adverb | In a strategic manner. | |
| auditorium noun | /ˌɔ.dɪˌto.ɹi.əm/ | A large room for public meetings or performances. |
| storytelling noun | The act and skills of presenting stories and tales. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come back from verb | To become successful, confident or effective again after an injury, setback, failure, embarrassment, etc. | |
| get through verb | /ɡɛt ˈθɹu/ | To overcome; to endure. |
| sit back verb | To recline while still in a seated position, with one's back on the frame of the seat. | |
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. | |
| tune out verb | To stop paying attention to; to ignore; to zone out. | |
| walk out on verb | To abandon or desert someone, especially a spouse. | |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- How do you know if it is landing?
- When you're presenting, how would you know if it's landing or not?
- What's your signal that you need to let you know it's landing?
- Can I just write down a few tools?
- Is there a video that can illustrate your point?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 32 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: dimensional /daɪˈmɛn.ʃə.nəl/, variation /ˌvɛəɹiˈeɪʃn̩/
- Long words — get the stress right: malaria /məˈlɛəɹi.ə/, auditorium /ˌɔ.dɪˌto.ɹi.əm/, analogy /əˈnæləd͡ʒi/, dimensional /daɪˈmɛn.ʃə.nəl/
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 prop, malaria, emoji.
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.