Shadowing Practice: Michael’s first therapy session [PS4] - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 34 sentences and 218 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:41. The speaker talks at a steady 130 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| dope noun | [doʊp] | Any viscous liquid or paste, such as a lubricant, used in preparing a surface. |
| vital adjective | /ˈvaɪtəl/ | Relating to or characteristic of life. |
| achievement noun | /əˈt͡ʃiːv.mənt/ | The act of achieving or performing; a successful performance; accomplishment. |
| rob verb | /ɹɑb/ | To steal from, especially using force or violence. |
| embrace verb | /ɛmˈbɹes/ | To clasp (someone or each other) in the arms with affection; to take in the arms; to hug. |
| goodness noun | /ˈɡʊdnəs/ | The state or characteristic of being good. |
| futility noun | /fjuˈtɪləti/ | The quality of being futile or useless. |
| override verb | /oʊ.vɚˈɹaɪd/ | To ride across or beyond something. |
| smuggle verb | /ˈsmʌɡəl/ | To import or export, illicitly or by stealth, without paying lawful customs charges or duties |
| smoke verb | /sməʊk/ | To inhale and exhale the smoke from a burning cigarette or cigar, burning material in a pipe, etc. |
| opportunity noun | /ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.tɪ/ | A chance for advancement, progress or profit. |
| dream verb | /ˈdɹim/ | To see imaginary events in one's mind while sleeping. |
| consider verb | /kənˈsɪd.ə/ | To think about seriously. |
| wonder noun | /ˈwʌndɚ/ | A sense of awe, astonishment and curiosity, inspired by unexpected events, novel experiences and inexplicable circumstances, sometimes accompanied by surprise… |
| sit verb | /sɪt/ | To move oneself into such a position. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 6 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, ain't, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: futility /fjuˈtɪləti/, opportunity /ˌɒp.əˈtjuː.nɪ.tɪ/
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 dope, vital, achievement.
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.