Shadowing Practice: Intermediate English Practice | Nickel and dimed | Bonus 165 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Intermediate English Practice”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: ticket, canada, plane, flight, price. This video has 286 sentences and 3537 words to shadow. The speech runs for 20:09. The speaker talks at a natural 176 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| cancel verb | /ˈkæn.sl̩/ | To cross out something with lines etc. |
| frustrate verb | /ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/ | To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of something expected or desired. |
| cancellation noun | /kænsəˈleɪʃən/ | The act, process, or result of cancelling; as, the cancellation of certain words in a contract, or of the contract itself. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| airline noun | /ˈɛɹˌlaɪn/ | A company that flies airplanes to transport people and goods. |
| discord noun | /ˈdɪskɔɹd/ | Lack of concord, agreement, harmony; disaccord. |
| depend verb | /dɪˈpɛnd/ | To be contingent or conditioned; to have something as a necessary condition |
| fluctuate verb | /ˈflʌkt͡ʃu.eɪt/ | To vary irregularly; to swing. |
| reseller noun | A company or individual that purchases goods or services with the intention of reselling them rather than consuming or using them. | |
| suitcase noun | /ˈsutkeɪs/ | A large (usually rectangular) piece of luggage used for carrying clothes, and sometimes suits, when travelling. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| quiz noun | /kwɪz/ | A competition in the answering of questions. |
| airplane noun | /ˈɛɹˌpleɪ̯n/ | A powered heavier-than-air aircraft with fixed wings: a fixed-wing aircraft with at least one engine or electric motor. |
| refund noun | /ɹɪˈfʌnd/ | An amount of money returned. |
| glossary noun | /ˈɡlɑ.sə.ɹi/ | A list of difficult words or specialized terms used in a particular book or document, or in a particular domain of knowledge, with their definitions; a list of… |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. | |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). | |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| go up verb | To move upwards. | |
| close down verb | /kləʊzˈdaʊn/ | To stop trading as a business. |
| come on over verb | to visit someone's home or other location. | |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| grow up verb | To mature and become an adult. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I hope you're doing well.
- Why do I have to cancel my ticket?
- I'm not sure if this is global or not.
- That's where my parents live.
- That's their bread and butter, I think.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to be · used to offer |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't decided · have joined · I've complained |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | be closed · are priced · is just included |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | everyone who travels · WestJet, which is · option, which was |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 68 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thankful /ˈθæŋkfəl/, underneath /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/, northwest /nɔɹθˈwɛst/, mathematics /mæθ(.ə)ˈmæt.ɪks/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: cancellation /kænsəˈleɪʃən/, comprehension /ˌkɑmpɹɪˈhɛnʃn̩/, specialty /ˈspɛʃ.əl.ti/, frustration /fɹʌsˈtɹeɪ.ʃən/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: cancellation /kænsəˈleɪʃən/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, communicator /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtə/, accompany /əˈkʌm.pə.ni/, complexity /kəmˈplɛk.sɪ.ti/
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 cancel, frustrate, cancellation.
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.












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