Shadowing Practice: Motivating career advice from #obama - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 12 sentences and 158 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:59. The speaker talks at a natural 160 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 91% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| nail noun | /neɪl/ | The horny plate or appendage at the ends of the digits of various animals, including most reptiles, birds, and mammals (both nonhuman and human). |
| sophisticated adjective | Of a person: having obtained worldly experience, and lacking naiveté; cosmopolitan, worldly-wise. | |
| assign verb | /əˈsaɪn/ | To designate or set apart (something) for some purpose. |
| describe verb | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ | To represent in words. |
| somebody | /ˈsʌmˌbədi/ | Some unspecified person. |
| computer noun | /kəmˈpju.tɚ/ | A programmable electronic device that performs mathematical calculations and logical operations, especially one that can process, store and retrieve large… |
| successful adjective | /səkˈsɛs.fəl/ | Resulting in success; assuring or promoting success; accomplishing what was proposed; having the desired effect. |
| notice verb | /ˈnoʊ.tɪs/ | To become aware of; to observe. |
| explain verb | /ɪkˈspleɪn/ | To make plain, manifest, or intelligible; to clear of obscurity; to illustrate the meaning of. |
| advice noun | /ədˈvaɪs/ | An opinion offered to guide behavior in an effort to be helpful. |
| worry verb | /ˈwʌ.ɹi/ | To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. |
| fix verb | /ˈfɪks/ | To attach; to affix; to hold in place or at a particular time. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| end up verb | To bring to a conclusion. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who are · somebody who says · somebody who can |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is assigned |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, I've. 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.
- 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 nail, sophisticated, assign.
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.