Shadowing Practice: Living and Non-living Things – Can you tell the difference? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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46 sentences
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Today, we're going on an adventure to explore the amazing world of living and non-living things.
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By the end of this video, you'll become experts at spotting the differences between them.
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So, let's get started.
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First, let's talk about living things.
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Living things are all around us, from the tiniest ant to the tallest tree.
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But what makes something a living thing?
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Well, there are some special characteristics that all living things share.
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Let's go through them one by one.
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Living things grow and change.
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Think about when you were a baby.
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You've grown a lot since then, right?
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Just like you, all living things grow and change throughout their lives.
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Living things need food, water, and air.
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You know how you feel hungry and thirsty sometimes?
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That's because your body needs food and water to stay healthy and strong.
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And just like you need air to breathe, all living things need air to survive.
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Living things can move on their own.
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Animals, like birds and cats, can move from one place to another.
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Even plants can move their leaves and branches toward sunlight.
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Living things can reproduce.
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This means that they can create new living things, just like them.
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You've seen baby animals or new plants growing from seeds, right?
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That's reproduction in action.
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Now that we know what makes something a living thing, let's talk about non-living things.
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Non-living things are objects that don't have the characteristics we just talked about.
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Some examples of non-living things are rocks, water, and toys.
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Non-living things don't grow, change, or need food, water, and air.
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They also don't move on their own or reproduce.
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So if you see a toy car, you know it's a non-living thing because it doesn't have any of the special characteristics that living things have.
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Let's do a quick game to test your skills.
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I'll say a few things, and you have to decide if they're living or non-living.
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Ready?
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Here we go!
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A tree in your backyard.
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That's right, it's a living thing.
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Your favorite book.
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Good job, it's a non-living thing.
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A butterfly flying around a garden.
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Yep, it's a living thing.
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A glass of water.
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You got it.
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It's a non-living thing.
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Great job, everyone!
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Now you know the differences between living and non-living things.
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Next time you go outside, try to spot some living and non-living things around you.
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You'll You'll be amazed at how many you can find.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Living and Non-living Things – Can you tell the difference?”. This video has 46 sentences and 418 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:31. The speaker talks at a steady 119 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| characteristic noun | /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/ | A distinguishing feature of a person or thing, a part of mental or physical behavior. |
| reproduce verb | /ˌɹi.pɹəˈdus/ | To produce an image or copy of. |
| adventure noun | /ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/ | A feeling of desire for new and exciting things. |
| hungry adjective | /ˈhʌŋ.ɡɹi/ | Affected by hunger; having the physical need for food. |
| 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. |
| seed noun | /siːd/ | Any propagative portion of a plant which may be sown, such as true seeds, seed-like fruits, tubers, or bulbs. |
| explore verb | /ɪkˈsploɹ/ | To examine or investigate something systematically. |
| toy noun | /tɔɪ/ | Something to play with, especially as intended for use by a child. |
| breathe verb | /bɹiːð/ | To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases. |
| leaf noun | /lif/ | The usually green and flat organ that represents the most prominent feature of most vegetative plants. |
| butterfly noun | /ˈbʌ.tə(ɹ).flaɪ/ | A flying insect of the order Lepidoptera, distinguished from moths by their diurnal activity and generally brighter colouring. |
| backyard noun | /bækˈjɑːd/ | A yard to the rear of a house or similar residence. |
| sunlight noun | /ˈsʌnˌlaɪt/ | All the electromagnetic radiation given off by the Sun; especially, that in the visible spectrum and that bathes the Earth. |
| reproduction noun | /ˌɹiːpɹəˈdʌkʃən/ | The act of reproducing new individuals biologically. |
| thirsty adjective | /ˈθɝs.ti/ | Needing to drink water or any liquid that can supply water. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- First, let's talk about living things.
- Let's go through them one by one.
- You've grown a lot since then, right?
- You know how you feel hungry and thirsty sometimes?
- Let's do a quick game to test your skills.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | You've grown · You've seen |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll become · I'll say · You'll You |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | we're going · they're living |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you'll, you've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, thirsty /ˈθɝs.ti/
- Long words — get the stress right: characteristic /ˌkæɹ(ə)ktəˈɹɪstɪk/, reproduction /ˌɹiːpɹəˈdʌkʃən/
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 characteristic, reproduce, adventure.
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.