Shadowing Practice: London Grammar - Strong [Official Video] - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “London Grammar - Strong”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: speak, seem, middle, strong, caught. This video has 32 sentences and 244 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:37. The speaker talks slowly, about 67 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
10 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| coat noun | /ˈkoʊ̯t/ | An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms. |
| stare verb | /stɛɚ/ | To look fixedly (at something). |
| wander verb | /ˈwɑndɚ/ | To move without purpose or specified destination; often in search of livelihood. |
| excuse verb | /ɪksˈkjuz/ | To forgive; to pardon; to overlook. |
| blind adjective | /ˈblaɪ̯nd/ | Unable to see, or only partially able to see. |
| catch verb | /kæt͡ʃ/ | To capture or snare (someone or something which would rather escape). |
| alive adjective | /əˈlaɪv/ | Having life; living; not dead. |
| cross noun | /kɹɑs/ | A geometrical figure consisting of two straight lines or bars intersecting each other such that at least one of them is bisected by the other. |
| wonder noun | /ˈwʌndɚ/ | A sense of awe, astonishment and curiosity, inspired by unexpected events, novel experiences and inexplicable circumstances, sometimes accompanied by surprise… |
| rise verb | /ɹaɪz/ | To move upwards. |
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 | I've excused · I've never been · Have you wandered |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | Might have |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, you're. 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 coat, stare, wander.
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.