Shadowing Practice: Intermediate Pronunciation - Day 18 - Happy birthday - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 26 sentences and 141 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:04. The speaker talks at a steady 133 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

13 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• backpack /ˈbæk.pæk/ (noun) — A knapsack, sometimes mounted on a light frame, but always supported by straps, worn on a person’s back for the purpose of carrying things, especially when…
• bedroom /ˈbɛdˌɹum/ (noun) — A room in a house, apartment, hotel, or other dwelling where a bed is kept for sleeping.
• bake /beɪk/ (verb) — To cook (something) in an oven (for someone).
• bracelet /ˈbɹeɪslət/ (noun) — A band or chain worn around the wrist as jewelry/jewellery or an ornament.
• bead /ˈbiːd/ (noun) — Each in a string of small balls making up the rosary or paternoster.
• bookshelf /ˈbʊkˌʃɛlf/ (noun) — A shelf or shelves for storing books for easy visual reference.
• cookbook /ˈkʊkˌbʊk/ (noun) — A book or an encyclopedia of recipes and cookery tips.
• paintbrush /ˈpeɪntˌbɹʌʃ/ (noun) — A thin brush for applying paint.
• cake /keɪk/ (noun) — A rich, sweet dessert food, typically made of flour, sugar, and eggs and baked in an oven, and often covered in icing.
• celebrate /ˈsɛl.ɪ.bɹeɪt/ (verb) — To extol or honour in a solemn manner.
• birthday /ˈbɜːθ.deɪ/ (noun) — The anniversary of the day on which someone is born.
• totally /ˈtəʊ.tə.li/ (adverb) — To the fullest extent or degree.
• somebody /ˈsʌmˌbədi/ — Some unspecified person.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• forget about (verb) — To not think about something or someone, to fail to remember, or to disregard someone or something.
• go out (verb) — To leave, especially a building.
• look at (verb) — To observe or watch.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: bookshelf /ˈbʊkˌʃɛlf/, paintbrush /ˈpeɪntˌbɹʌʃ/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like backpack, bedroom, bake.