Shadowing Practice: Kotaro's make you cry scene - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Kotaro's make you cry scene”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: balloon, color, younger, kid, sir. This video has 62 sentences and 351 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:59. The speaker talks at a steady 118 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 23 of its 62 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| balloon noun | /bəˈlun/ | An inflatable buoyant object, often (but not necessarily) round and flexible. |
| muscle noun | /ˈmʌs.əl/ | A contractile form of tissue which animals use to effect movement. |
| skill noun | /skɪl/ | A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate. |
| hire verb | /ˈhaɪɹ/ | To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment. |
| folk noun | /foʊk/ | People, persons. |
| outfit noun | /ˈaʊtfɪt/ | A set of clothing (with accessories). |
| insist verb | /ɪnˈsɪst/ | To hold up a claim emphatically. |
| distribute verb | /dɪˈstɹɪbjuːt/ | To divide into portions and dispense. |
| irresponsible adjective | /ˌɪɹ.əˈspɑn.sə.bəl/ | Lacking a sense of responsibility; performed or acting as though without responsibility; negligent. |
| sibling noun | /ˈsɪb.lɪŋ/ | A person who shares a parent; one's brother or sister who one shares a parent with. |
| livelihood noun | /ˈlaɪvlihʊd/ | A means of providing the necessities of life for oneself (for example, a job or income). |
| excuse verb | /ɪksˈkjuz/ | To forgive; to pardon; to overlook. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get past verb | To continue around a blockage; to get around (something); to surpass something that is in the way. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you want a balloon yourself, too?
- What color do you want?
- Hey, weren't you here before?
- What were you talking about?
- Didn't you get a balloon earlier?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 11 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, gotta, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 balloon, muscle, skill.
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.