Shadowing Practice: It Only Takes Two Weeks - Learn English Speaking with Video

I'm just going to get right to the point

because I want to keep this video short and then I'll explain my point.

The point is this.

If you're in a classroom.

And there are people in your class.

And you feel like.

You are behind those people.

You feel like there is no way that you could become as good as they are.

then the point is that it only takes two weeks.

Two weeks.

You could do it in two weeks.

And so let me explain this because this was actually a comment

that someone made in a room I was in many years ago.

There was this math professor who I didn't really know and he was talking to a student who I didn't really know.

And the conversation went something like this.

The student was feeling like, you know, they were behind and the professor was saying, well, you know, when students feel that way,

you know, I always tell them, you know, really only two weeks behind.

You might think that you can't catch up to them.

You might think that you can't be as good as they are.

You might think that you can't improve your mathematics to get to the level where they are

because they're succeeding and maybe you're not.

But the reality is it only takes two weeks.

And so I left the room and I thought about it.

And it didn't make any sense.

I mean, how is this guy going to know that it only takes two weeks?

Because different people are at different levels.

So how does this comment make any sense at all?

You know, people say things all the time.

So why is this true?

And so here's the rationale.

When you are in a classroom in college, and I'll just use the US as an example, but it's probably true in most places in the world.

If you're in a classroom, there's usually some requirement that is needed for you to be there.

For example, in the US, when you go to college, you take some entrance exam and they place you in a class.

They say, OK, you can go into college algebra.

OK, you're really good at math.

We can put you in calculus.

There's a placement test and people always criticize these tests and they criticize the system and that's fine.

You can criticize it

But there exists some sort of placement where people are put into classrooms doesn't have to be perfect

But there is a system and so by some sense Everyone in that class is somehow supposed to be equal, but we all know that's not true, right?

Different people have different abilities Different talents different intellects,

but the system puts us all in this place And so the rationale is that if you work hard enough,

within two weeks, you should be able to catch up.

And I agree.

I think it's possible.

I think it's possible now.

After years of just reflecting on the statement and thinking it was just bogus, I think you can do it.

Because think about it.

Everyone is roughly equal.

If I think of all the students that I've had in all the classes I've ever taught, and I think about some of the worst students,

like the students that they were just really bad, and had some that had really, really bad issues with math, some that were just not very good,

and then I look at the best students.

could these students who were really bad actually catch up

and you know get the same grade on the test as

one of the good students absolutely yes absolutely definitely 100 i know

because i would make the tests i know that

if they knew x y

and z they could get a 100 on the test you know

and i would go over stuff in class and i would teach everything and explain everything so in theory

if they could learn everything I was teaching they could get a 100% every single time.

They just actually had to learn it which takes a lot of effort and a lot of time.

And for some people learning those things is actually going to take more time because they're so behind.

But you could do it in two weeks you could definitely do it in fact it might even take a week.

The real question is you know how bad do you want it?

Especially if you're in a situation where your math is really bad.

Let's use let's use algebra as an example.

Let's say you're really bad at algebra and you're trying to get better

and you're in a class and you're not doing well.

Right.

And there's people in your class that are doing well.

Well, maybe they had algebra before in high school.

Maybe they, you know, they saw it before.

Maybe their parents are math teachers, whatever.

The only thing you can do in situations like that is just work harder and really just grind.

You have to grind and grind and grind and you can do it.

So I just wanted to make this short video to indicate that I think it's possible.

I really do.

I think that if you're in a classroom and you're in a bad situation and you're not doing well,

you can pull yourself out of that situation if you work really hard and you just have to grind.

One idea is to just do every single homework problem multiple times.

This is what I did.

I was obsessed.

I would do so many math problems.

And that's all I did.

On weekends, too.

People would go to school, they'd do their homework, they'd finish it, they'd go out with their friends.

No, I didn't do that.

I didn't do that.

I just stayed home on weekends and studied.

Studied every afternoon after class.

It's about how bad you want it. So it's possible.

So if you're in a class and you're failing and you're thinking, oh, can I still pass?

Don't think that way.

It's not about passing.

It's about getting 100.

Aim to be the best.

Aim to score a perfect score because if you aim high and you miss, you're probably still going to do pretty well.

Two weeks, right?

Two weeks is all it takes.

100

You really can do it.

101

You really can do it.

102

And I thought about this guy's comment for years because I was thinking two weeks.

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It doesn't make sense from the perspective of, okay, you might have this friend who's in another math class.

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Like, say you're in algebra and your friend is in calculus three.

105

No, you're not going to be able to catch up to him in two weeks, right?

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But if you're in the same class

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and you're comparing yourself to another student in your class and that student is getting As and you're getting Fs,

108

you can actually rise from the ashes and do better and get an A on the next test.

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I've seen people do it.

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They completely change their study habits.

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They go from not taking notes, skipping class, to going to class every day, asking questions, doing all the homework,

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going to office hours, asking questions multiple times.

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Don't be afraid to be annoying.

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A lot of students, I feel like they're lost in class and they're scared to ask questions.

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I used to be that way.

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Don't be like me, right?

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It's funny, I'm telling you not to be like I was, but it's good advice because that's something that I should have done.

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Do I have regrets?

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No, because I don't believe in regrets.

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Regrets accomplish nothing.

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All you can do is change the present and hope that it affects your future.

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Because that's all we have control over is the present.

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So it's possible.

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It's possible.

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Pick yourself up and work harder.

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You could do it.

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I mean, you could do it.

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It's mathematics and it applies to other subjects as well, but I have more experience with math, so I'm speaking only here of mathematics.

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In mathematics, you know, if you're in an algebra class or a trig class, and let's say you're using this book here, Fundamentals of Algebra and Trig by Swachowski, great book.

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You know, pick up the book.

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Do all the problems from this section.

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Do all the homework.

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Go over all of your notes.

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You're gonna get better.

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You're gonna get better.

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It's possible.

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It just takes extra work, and it's about how bad do you want it.

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It really comes down to that.

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So you should know that deep down inside you can do it.

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It's just a matter of do you want to do it.

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A lot of times I think that people think they can't do it, And I believe they can.

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It's just, do they really want to?

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Do you really want to spend that much time doing math?

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I mean, there's other things in life that are important too, right?

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But if it matters to you, you can make the effort and you can succeed.

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And that's all I wanted to say in this video.

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I believe in the two-week rule.

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Two weeks.

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In two weeks, you can catch up to a classmate if you rock it.

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I think that mathematician who said that, I remember his name, but I won't mention it and I talked to him once briefly and that's no comment.

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I didn't really know him, so but he was right.

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I believe what he said, he was a smart man and he was right.

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If you want to learn mathematics, I do have courses.

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Mathsourcerer.com Please use the links on my website if you decide to buy my courses.

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They're actually on the Udemy site.

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If you're not a subscriber and you want to subscribe, consider hitting the subscribe button today.

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and it's possible.

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It's possible.

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It really is.

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I want to emphasize that I believe that you can do it.

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If you are failing your class, just from teaching so many years, it took me a long time to believe this guy.

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I was like, two weeks?

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But he was talking about people in the same class.

164

So if you're in the same class with someone and you're comparing yourself and you want to get the grades they're getting, I really think it's possible to catch up in two weeks.

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I think that's more than enough time.

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A week, maybe.

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Two weeks, I think that's a lot more realistic.

168

To catch up to them and do as well as they're doing, I think it's possible.

169

Anyways, until next time, good luck, take care, and keep doing mathematics.

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18 sentences

Who Can Benefit from This Video?

This video is a goldmine for English learners at intermediate levels, especially those prepping for IELTS speaking practice or aiming to boost confidence in classroom settings. If you’ve ever felt "behind" in a language class, wondering if you can catch up, the message here—"It only takes two weeks"—is a powerful motivator. It’s perfect for learners who want practical, mindset-shifting tips to pair with shadowspeaks or shadow speech techniques, turning self-doubt into actionable progress.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

Get right to the point: To start talking about the most important thing without delay. Example: "Let’s get right to the point—how do we improve?"
Bogus: Fake or not true. Example: "I thought his claim was bogus, but it worked."
Roughly equal: Almost the same in level or ability. Example: "In this class, we’re all roughly equal, so don’t worry."

These phrases add natural flair to your speech, critical for IELTS speaking practice where fluency and idiomatic use matter.

How to Get the Accent Right

The speaker’s tone is conversational, with a focus on clarity—ideal for shadow speech practice. To mimic their accent:

Stress on key words: Notice how "two WEEKS" and "WORK hard" are emphasized. Repeat by stressing the same syllables to sound natural.
Linking sounds: Phrases like "it only takes" flow into "it-only-takes" (no pauses). Practice linking to avoid choppy speech, a must for improve english pronunciation.
Intonation in questions: The student’s "you know?" rises at the end, showing hesitation. Copy this to sound more like a native in casual conversations.

Pair these tips with learn english with youtube videos—pause, repeat, and shadow the speaker to build muscle memory. Consistency, even for 10 minutes daily, will transform your pronunciation faster than you think.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	is needed · are put · was obsessed
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've ever taught · I've seen
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	student who I · students who were
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was talking · was saying · was teaching

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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Who Can Benefit from This Video?

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

How to Get the Accent Right

Grammar in this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?