Shadowing Practice: KS3 Chemistry - The periodic Table - Learn English Speaking with Video
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In this video we're going to learn about the periodic table.
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So we'll cover what the periodic table tells us about the structure of atoms in different elements, how the table organises elements into metals and non-metals,
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what groups and periods are, and then also how patterns in reactions can be predicted using the periodic table.
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Let's begin by looking at what the periodic table tells us about different elements.
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Now the periodic table organises all of the known elements, and everything in the universe is created from different combinations of the elements in this table.
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Each element is shown in a separate box, so for instance this box shows copper and this one shows oxygen.
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If we use sodium as an example, we can see that every box contains three pieces of key information.
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Firstly we can see the one or two letter symbol for each element, in this case it's Na which stands for sodium.
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Next we can also see the number of protons each atom of that element has.
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Then lastly we can see this larger number here
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which tells us the total number of protons plus neutrons in an atom of that element.
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So now let's move on to see how the periodic table organises elements.
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Just like a book the periodic table is read from left to right and from top to bottom, with the elements arranged in order of an increasing number of protons.
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Sometimes you might see a zigzag line running along here, and this line separates the metals, shown here in orange, from the non-netals here on the right, shown in blue.
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Now the table's organised into vertical columns called groups and horizontal rows called periods.
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So starting on the far left, we have group 1, then groups 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7.
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And then at the end, rather than group 8, it goes to group 0.
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Group 1 elements are known as the alkali metals, whilst group 7 are the halogens, and group 0 are the noble gases.
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This block in the middle here are all metals, but you don't need to worry about their group numbers, so just remember to skip them when you're counting your groups.
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Then to finish up, let's take a look at how patterns in reactions can be predicted using the periodic table.
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The first thing to know is that the elements within a group usually all have similar chemical properties.
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As an example, all the elements in group 1 here react strongly with water, and they're all soft and shiny.
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Meanwhile, all the elements in group 0 are really unreactive, which basically means that they're very unlikely to react with anything else.
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There are also patterns within groups though.
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In the case of group 1, they become more reactive as you go down the group.
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What this means is that even though all the elements are reactive, the elements lower down in group 1 react much more strongly than those higher up in the group.
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For instance, when lithium reacts with water it just fizzes a bit, but when rubidium reacts with water it explodes violently.
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On the other hand, if we look at group 7, the elements become less reactive as you go down the group.
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So fluorine is the most reactive while astartine is the least reactive.
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If you haven't heard yet you can find all of our videos on our website cognito.org.
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You'll also find questions, flashcards, exam style questions and past papers.
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And we track all of your progress so that you always know what to study next.
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sign up for free by clicking here or browse our playlist here on YouTube.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “KS3 Chemistry - The periodic Table”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: element, table, periodic, reactive, metals. This video has 33 sentences and 599 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:42. The speaker talks at a natural 162 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| periodic adjective | /ˌpɪɹiˈɑdɪk/ | Relative to a period or periods. |
| reactive adjective | /ɹiːˈæktɪv/ | That reacts or responds to a stimulus. |
| organise verb | Non-Oxford British standard spelling of organize. | |
| proton noun | /ˈpɹoʊ.tɑn/ | A positively charged subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom and determining the atomic number of an element, composed of two up quarks and a… |
| atom noun | /ˈætəm/ | The smallest possible amount of matter which still retains its identity as a chemical element, now known to consist of a nucleus surrounded by electrons. |
| sodium noun | /ˈsəʊ.di.əm/ | The chemical element (symbol Na) with an atomic number of 11 and atomic weight of 22.990. It is a soft, waxy, silvery, reactive alkali metal that is never… |
| predict verb | /pɹɪˈdɪkt/ | To make a prediction: to forecast, foretell, or estimate a future event on the basis of knowledge and reasoning; to prophesy a future event on the basis of… |
| alkali noun | /ˈæl.kəˌlaɪ/ | One of a class of caustic bases, such as soda, soda ash, caustic soda, potash, ammonia, and lithia, whose distinguishing characteristics are dissolving in… |
| flashcard noun | /ˈflæʃˌkɑɹd/ | A card used to aid rote memorization. One side of the card contains data of one kind, or a question, and the other side contains the associated response which… |
| fluorine noun | /ˈflʊ(ə)ɹˌin | The chemical element (symbol F) with an atomic number of 9. It is the lightest of the halogens, a pale yellow-green, highly reactive gas that attacks all… |
| halogen noun | /ˈhæl.ə.d͡ʒən/ | Any element of group 17, i.e. fluorine, chlorine, bromine, iodine, astatine and tennessine. |
| neutron noun | /ˈnu.tɹɑn/ | A subatomic particle forming part of the nucleus of an atom and having no charge; it is a combination of an up quark and two down quarks. |
| rubidium noun | /ˌɹuːˈbɪd.i.əm/ | The chemical element (symbol Rb) with an atomic number of 37. It is a soft, highly reactive alkali metal. |
| unreactive adjective | Not reactive; relatively inert. | |
| zigzag noun | /ˈzɪɡ.zæɡ/ | A line or path that proceeds by sharp turns in alternating directions. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go down verb | To descend; to move from a higher place to a lower one. |
| finish up verb | To complete the last details of a task. |
| run along verb | To leave; to make one's way somewhere else. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 8 contractions and reduced forms, such as they're, don't, haven't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: flashcard /ˈflæʃˌkɑɹd/, combinations /kɑmbɪˈneɪʃənz/
- Long words — get the stress right: periodic /ˌpɪɹiˈɑdɪk/, rubidium /ˌɹuːˈbɪd.i.əm/, violently /ˈvaɪ(ə)ləntli/, combinations /kɑmbɪˈneɪʃənz/, horizontal /ˌhoɹəˈzɑn.təl/
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 periodic, reactive, organise.
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.