Shadowing Practice: Michelle Obama: he can't be everything - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Michelle Obama: he can't be everything”. This video has 15 sentences and 191 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:02. The speaker talks fast, about 186 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| happiness noun | /ˈhæpinɪs/ | The emotion of being happy; joy; elation. |
| define verb | /dɪˈfaɪn/ | To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly. |
| mature adjective | /məˈt͡ʃʊ(ə)ɹ/ | Fully developed; grown up in terms of physical appearance, behaviour or thinking; ripe. |
| notion noun | /ˈnoʊʃən/ | Mental apprehension of whatever may be known, thought, or imagined; idea, concept. |
| independence noun | /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/ | The quality or state of being independent; lack of dependence; the state of not being reliant on, or controlled by, others. |
| achieve verb | /əˈt͡ʃiv/ | To carry out or conclude (something, as a task) successfully; to accomplish. |
| suppose verb | /səˈpoʊz/ | To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe. |
| marriage noun | /ˈmæɹɪd͡ʒ/ | The state of being married. |
| responsible adjective | /ɹɪˈspɑn.sə.bəl/ | Having the duty of taking care of something; answerable for an act performed or for its consequences; accountable; amenable, especially legally or politically. |
| husband noun | /ˈhʌzbənd/ | A man in a marriage or marital relationship, especially in relation to his spouse. |
| definitely adverb | /ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/ | Without question and beyond doubt. |
| partner noun | /ˈpɑːt.nə(ɹ)/ | Either of a pair of people or things that belong together. |
| realize verb | /ˈɹi(.ə)ˌlaɪz/ | To become aware of, understand, or appreciate (a fact or situation, especially something which has been true for some time). |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should call · should talk · should be |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to be · have to define · have to learn |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: independence /ˌɪn.dɪˈpɛn.dəns/, responsible /ɹɪˈspɑn.sə.bəl/, definitely /ˈdɛf.ɪ.nɪt.li/
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 happiness, define, mature.
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.