Shadowing Practice: [MSU] My First Love at the University - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

438 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

Let's get started.

Welcome to the life at MSU The story's changing and the lead is you

Yeah, the story's changing and the lead is you

Welcome to the life at MSU

My heart jumped all the way to my toes when I finally reached the huge MSU gate.

For a hopeless romantic introvert like me, the first day of high school was both super scary and a little exciting.

New year, new school, a whole new vibe.

Would I make any friends here?

Or maybe find love?

Wait, what was I thinking?

I worked so hard to get a scholarship to be here.

I should focus on my studies, not boys.

I quickly spotted my fellow freshmen gathered near the gate, all waiting for the tour to start.

All right, Candy, this is it.

We walked through the school hallway, and I was amazed by the surroundings.

Everything was clean and neat, and I could even smell the natural scent of bamboo and flowers.

The ambience was peaceful.

Despite the usual school noise, I could still hear the leaves rustling and the soft stream of water from the river.

It would help a lot with studying.

Suddenly, something caught my attention.

Was that a squirrel wearing a freaking hoodie?

Where did it even find those tiny clothes?

I got distracted for two seconds, and when I blinked again, my tour group was gone.

Oh my god, where'd they go?

I was about to break down in the middle of the way when a smooth voice sounded behind me.

Need some help?

You look a little lost.

I spun around, and time completely froze when I found myself face to face with the most gorgeous guy I'd ever seen.

He looked like he'd stepped out of a dream.

Perfect hair, perfect smile, practically glowing like an angel.

I swear, I felt like I was floating.

Which I actually was, because I was this close to passing out.

Before I hit the ground, his arms shot out, grabbing me by the waist, steadying me.

And for a second, I felt like my heart stopped beating.

Uh, are you okay?

Oh, uh, yeah.

I'm so sorry about that.

I was with the tour group with the new students, and we were on our way to the auditorium to, you know, some orientation thing,

and I lost them because I lost them.

Brain, work with me here, please.

He gave a small smile, and I swear the sun came out just to make him look even better.

Well, you're not far off.

The auditorium's this way.

I can walk you there if you'd like.

Oh my god, uh, I mean, oh my god, um, you really don't have to.

I don't want to waste your time and...

I insist. But...

Please.

Okay.

He started walking, and I followed him like a lost and completely mesmerized kitten, sneaking glances at him every few steps.

Is this really happening?

A cute guy is helping me?

How did I get this lucky on my first day?

Is this fate?

Are we gonna date later on?

Is he gonna be my first love?

My first boyfriend?

My future husband?

Here you go.

Huh?

We're here.

The auditorium.

And I think the freshman orientation is about to start.

Oh, right.

Thank you so much.

No problem.

I'm happy to help.

Anytime.

He then reached into his pocket and pulled out something small.

Here.

A little good luck for your first day.

A candy?

I stared at it like he'd just handed me a diamond.

I swear, I will never eat this.

This candy is sacred now.

I'm keeping it forever.

Maybe I'll even build a shrine for it.

Oh, thank you for this.

This looks sweet.

I mean, this is a candy, right?

Good luck.

I just stood there, frozen, clutching my new good luck charm.

By the time I snapped out of it, he was already gone.

Panicking, I took a few steps forward, scanning the crowd.

Where did he go?

I should have at least gotten his name!

Soon enough, the ceremony wrapped up, and I followed my fellow freshmen toward our building,

my eyes darting around like I was on a secret mission to spot my crush.

When we finally got to our homeroom class, I headed straight to the back.

I then glanced at my seatmate, only to find her glaring at me.

She's really pretty, but she looks like a meanie.

What was her problem?

Do I know her?

Did I accidentally steal her seat or something?

She kept up the death glares all through our next classes without saying a single word.

And it was driving my paranoid butt crazy.

By lunchtime, I was on edge.

So I slipped into the cafeteria, found a quiet corner, and started eating, hoping she'd forget I existed.

Just then, someone slammed a tray down right across from me.

100

I looked up to see none other than her.

101

Mind if I sit here?

102

She sat down right next to me, staring at me like I was her next meal.

103

Yeah, sure.

104

I mean, it wasn't like she gave me much of a choice.

105

Oh, so you do talk.

106

Thought you were mute or something.

107

I'm Trixie, by the way.

108

You're not mad at me?

109

What do you mean?

110

You kept glaring at me all day.

111

Oh, sorry about that.

112

That's just my resting witch face.

113

But hey, maybe I do want to eat you alive.

114

You look like a cute little candy.

115

Funny you say that.

116

My name is actually Candy.

117

Wait, let me guess.

118

Your last name is Krush?

119

I laughed and just like that, all the awkwardness melted away.

120

I usually have a hard time making friends because I was always scared to make the first move.

121

But Trixie and I clicked instantly.

122

It felt like I'd won the friends lottery on my first day.

123

I guessed my lucky charm was already working.

124

And as an introvert, one solid friend was all I needed.

125

Soon enough, we were already talking about our crushes and dark secrets.

126

So, have any cute guys caught your eye yet?

127

Trixie, it's only been a week. So what?

128

The lower campus is filled with hot nerds and athletes.

129

You could collect at least five crushes in an hour.

130

I assume you already have one?

131

Oh, please, I'm already eyeing one, just testing the waters to see if he's just a crush of the day material or,

132

you know, crush to marry potential.

133

Like I told you, I easily lose interest if they crush me back.

134

It just gets boring after that.

135

I'll spill the details once I'm sure about him.

136

How about you?

137

Well, there's this one guy.

138

I continue to tell her about my encounter with Mr. Nice Guy, complete with all the details, and she started screaming.

139

Girl, we need to hunt him down.

140

Hey, let's take it easy, okay?

141

It's just a harmless little crush.

142

And who knows, he might be taken already.

143

Just please don't do anything stupid.

144

Oh, don't worry about it.

145

I got you.

146

But telling Trixie about him was a huge mistake.

147

She immediately spilled it to Cass, the ridiculously gorgeous, effortlessly classy girl sitting on her other side in class.

148

Yes, that one that looked like a princess.

149

Hey, Cass, guess what?

150

Our girl Candy here is crushing on some cute guy on our first day of school, but she hasn't seen him since.

151

Want to help us hunt him down?

152

We need more woman power.

153

That's adorable.

154

So what's he like?

155

Did you at least get his name?

156

To my surprise, Cass didn't laugh, roll her eyes, or get up and leave to call her driver or something.

157

Unfortunately, no. Candy here is a total amateur.

158

Like, she's already planned their wedding, but she forgot step one, basic introductions.

159

That's why she needs our help.

160

I'm in.

161

Ugh, this is so embarrassing.

162

Thankfully, Cass was busy babysitting her little sister over at the grade school campus in between our classes, so she wasn't all up in this drama.

163

Meanwhile, Trixie was out here trying like her life depended on it.

164

Every day, she'd literally drag me around campus, turning every walk into a full -on stakeout.

165

We'd scan buildings, gardens, and parks, peeking around corners like wannabe detectives trying to find a freaking serial killer.

166

Then one day, we finally spotted him.

167

He was tall, standing by the fountain with the same blue hoodie I'd mentioned he'd wore the first day.

168

Oh, that's him.

169

Go say something.

170

Before I could even think, she suddenly shoved me towards the guy, catching him completely off guard.

171

My heart was racing as he slowly turned around.

172

Only to reveal a face that was the exact opposite of what I remembered.

173

Whoa, back off, baby girl.

174

You're not my type.

175

The audacity of you to say that with a face like that, you ugly, delusional lobster cracker.

176

Trixie, calm down.

177

Maybe he's just going through something.

178

Sorry about that.

179

We just mistook you for someone else.

180

What a lame excuse just to get my attention.

181

Trixie was ready to go full berserk, but before she could pounce at him, I yanked her away.

182

After we escaped the crime scene, a depressing thought hit me like a truck.

183

What if he's actually from the upper campus?

184

Just thinking he might be someone super rich makes my heart sink.

185

If that's true, then he's way out of my league.

186

Nah, I think he's from here.

187

I can literally sense it.

188

Trixie was so determined to find him without even knowing his name or what he looked like.

189

One time, she even collected cute guys and made them line up in front of me.

190

Jesus, Trixie, what are you doing?

191

Is this him?

192

No. Okay, move.

193

How about this cutie?

194

No, please, stop this.

195

I don't think he's here.

196

Are you sure?

197

Yes, jeez.

198

You're embarrassing me.

199

All right, boys, bounce away.

200

Later that day, during history class, she was still onto it.

201

I swear, if I have to keep staring at Mr. Olden's prehistoric dentures, I'm gonna pass out.

202

Shh!

203

Behave!

204

Remember, he could see and hear everything.

205

Whatever.

206

Why don't you sketch a crush for me?

207

At least I would have a clearer picture of who we're looking for.

208

She was actually serious about ditching class just to hunt Mr. Nice Guy down.

209

And knowing her, at this point, she'd really do it.

210

Eventually, I found myself giving in.

211

But unfortunately, art isn't my thing.

212

I showed her my sketch, and she suddenly snorted in laughter.

213

Suddenly, a shadow loomed over us.

214

We both looked up to see Mr. Olden glaring down with his infamous squinty -eyed stare, one hand gripping his ancient cane.

215

He looked older than time itself, but somehow built like a tank.

216

He leaned forward, close enough that I could count the wrinkles on his forehead.

217

So, you two think my class is a comedy show, eh?

218

You know, I've been teaching since the dinosaurs roamed the Earth, seen your kind come and go.

219

And none of them made it out unscathed after disrupting my class.

220

I felt like pooping from the nervousness.

221

The whole class had gone dead silent as he suddenly straightened up with a loud crack of his spine,

222

then effortlessly hoisted the nearest desk into the air with one hand.

223

Next time, I might just lift you two for a little history lesson on manners.

224

Um, sorry, Mr. Olden.

225

Candy here was just showing me ancient drawings for historical purposes.

226

Oh, there you go, then.

227

Thankfully, he eventually calmed down and continued his lesson.

228

Days have passed, and still, I haven't bumped into Mr. Nice Guy again.

229

Maybe he was just some random outsider.

230

Or maybe he was indeed from the upper campus.

231

I started hanging out at the big central library where both campuses mix, hoping for a chance encounter.

232

And just as I pulled out a book from a shelf, my world suddenly stopped when a familiar face suddenly appeared from the other side.

233

It's him, my Mr. Nice Guy.

234

I just stood there, totally frozen, and staring at him with my heart pounding like crazy.

235

But as his eyes lifted, I panicked and dropped down, hiding behind a book like it had the power to turn me invisible.

236

After finally calming down, I slowly stood up and peeked around the other side of the shelf, but he was already gone,

237

and it was both relieving and disappointing at the same time.

238

The next morning, as I walked through the school gate, a familiar little flutter filled my chest.

239

I glanced back, and there he was again, just a few steps behind me.

240

Oh my freaking god!

241

My heart practically back -flipped out of my chest.

242

I could feel each of his steps getting closer, and soon, we ended up side by side.

243

I could barely breathe, trying to act normal, only to end up walking like a limping dog.

244

From the corner of my eye, I could feel just how tall and handsome he was.

245

Every step was pure torture, in the best way possible.

246

I finally managed to breathe normally again when he changed direction and headed into the sophomore building.

247

So, he's a sophomore, huh?

248

Later, I told Trixie all about it.

249

And of course, she was immediately scheming.

250

Let's go check out the sophomore building.

251

Come on, he could still be around.

252

We lurked into the lobby, trying to look casual.

253

A few minutes later, Trixie went to the restroom.

254

And I was left yawning, thanks to my all -nighter study session.

255

Coffee was calling my name.

256

And thank heavens, a cute little vending machine was right there waiting for me.

257

Just as I shuffled over, an unexpected thing happened again.

258

There he was, right next to me.

259

Holy goodness, why does he keep popping up out of nowhere?

260

He could at least give a poor innocent girl some warning.

261

With a trembling hand, I reached for the button, but he beat me to it.

262

You go first.

263

No, no, it's fine.

264

You go ahead.

265

Please, I insist.

266

My mind was racing.

267

I could ask his name, maybe mention that I still had the candy he'd given me.

268

But my courage totally bailed on me.

269

Come on, Candy, you've got this.

270

I took a deep breath, preparing to say something, anything.

271

But he'd already disappeared down the hall.

272

But what about his coffee?

273

Just in time, Trixie returned, her eyes lighting up.

274

OMG, guess what?

275

I had the cutest moment with my crush in the hallway!

276

Is this the same crush you told me about last time?

277

I wish I'd seen it!

278

I'll point him out to you next time I see him.

279

Okay!

280

Anyway, while you were off having your rom -com moment, I kinda had a cute encounter with my own crush at the vending machine.

281

While I was away?

282

How rude!

283

How did I miss that?

284

Did you at least take a picture of him?

285

Uh, no. It's not exactly nice to take photos without permission, you know.

286

Okay, but what if you, like, took a selfie and just accidentally got him in the background?

287

Trixie's idea came in handy later in the cafeteria during lunch, because the moment she got up to grab more food,

288

I saw Mr. Nice Guy pass by again.

289

I quickly lifted my phone, pretending to take a selfie, and managed to catch him in the background.

290

Trixie, look!

291

I finally caught him!

292

Her eyes went wide, excitement all over her face.

293

But then, strangely, her expression shifted.

294

Oh, good for you.

295

That was weird.

296

For the next few hours, Trixie seemed distant until finally, she excused herself to leave early.

297

I watched her go, wondering what exactly ruined her mood.

298

I spent the rest of the evening obsessing over the picture I took.

299

He's so handsome and cute.

300

I was grinning like an idiot,

301

replaying every fantasy in my head while playing with the candy and eventually falling asleep with my phone clutched in my hand.

302

His face, the last thing I saw before drifting off to dreamland.

303

The next day, Trixie didn't go to school.

304

She'd mentioned she was sick, but her replies to my messages were short.

305

I kept thinking how weird her replies were, and the realization hit me like a freight train.

306

What if, what if we actually have the same crush?

307

They both were in the sophomore lobby that day.

308

The thought made my stomach twist.

309

Trixie still hadn't come to school for a few more days, and I was really worried now.

310

Cass told me she saw her at MSH Hospital.

311

It turned out she was sick enough to be admitted.

312

I decided to skip our last class to check on her.

313

I hopped on the school bus and told the driver to drop me off at the hospital.

314

After showing my visitation card to the information desk, they gave me Trixie's hospital room number.

315

As I made my way to the door, a nurse came out of the room,

316

and I caught a glimpse of a sight that shattered my world to pieces.

317

Mr. Nice Guy was sitting by her bedside, taking care of her.

318

So, we were indeed sharing the same crush all this time.

319

Hurt and confused, I turned around and ran back to the elevator.

320

Alone inside, I fought the tears from spilling out of my eyes.

321

When the elevator slid open, I hurried out and accidentally bumped into some guy.

322

Sorry, I needed to be anywhere but there.

323

The next day was the weekend, and I spent it sulking, replaying that scene in my head over and over.

324

I ignored Trixie's texts, especially the one asking why I'd left so quickly when I'd come to visit her.

325

I didn't know what to say, or how to explain the pain in my chest that I didn't even fully understand.

326

Monday came, and I went to school early just to clear my head and nurse my broken heart a little bit more, before facing Trixie.

327

Hello, candy to earth.

328

I blinked my eyes and looked up to see her.

329

Trixie.

330

Sorry, I was just daydreaming.

331

How are you feeling?

332

Oh, better now.

333

I tend to get sick easily.

334

I know it doesn't match with my strong attitude and demonist face.

335

Anyways, Candy, I have something to confess.

336

Please don't be mad, okay?

337

I already know, Trixie.

338

Your crush, he visited you at the hospital.

339

Wait, how did you know he visited me.

340

Look, I get it.

341

If he likes you, I understand.

342

You're prettier and more charming than I'll ever be, so it only makes sense.

343

As I rambled on, her expression shifted.

344

She suddenly grabbed her phone and dialed a number.

345

Get over here now.

346

I don't care what you're doing.

347

Not even a few minutes later, the most unexpected person suddenly showed up, looking a bit confused and slightly out of breath.

348

Hey, why are you crying?

349

Why does he look so worried about me?

350

Okay, confession time.

351

This guy's name is Drew, and newsflash, he's my brother.

352

Huh?

353

This guy, your crush, Mr. Nice Guy, is my brother, and his name is Joe.

354

Drew, Mr. Nice Guy, your crush, my brother.

355

Is that clear enough for you now?

356

Wait, what?

357

You never mentioned to me that you have a brother?

358

We've been friends for months.

359

I've literally told you like 23 times by now

360

but you were always too busy studying or you know obsessing over your crush who just happens to be him too.

361

I froze trying to process what she just said.

362

The reason I didn't say anything earlier was because as your protective

363

and very pretty best friend I wanted to make sure that he was serious about whoever he was crushing on at school.

364

He mentioned he had a crush but didn't give me details.

365

Then last weekend I caught him scrolling through your instagram he already knew we were best friends

366

but was too shy to tell you he he knew all this time trixie smirked

367

and gave her brother a little shove toward me

368

he just got a little too shy

369

but trust me i've been pushing him to confess since he's the guy here wait

370

so who was your crush that visited you that's a story for another time right now

371

Well, you better do this right, bro.

372

With that, she walked off, leaving me alone with Drew.

373

I fiddled with my finger, sneaking glances at him, waiting for him to make the first move.

374

Please, say something.

375

Soon enough, he finally cleared his throat.

376

Um, sorry about my sister.

377

She can be kinda.. intense sometimes.

378

Intense?

379

Right.

380

You're right.

381

She's indeed intense.

382

Another stretch of silence fell over us, and I found myself awkwardly staring at the river.

383

After a bit of shuffling, he sat down beside me, but there was a good two inches between us,

384

like he was trying not to get too close.

385

I glanced over, catching him looking at me, and he quickly looked away.

386

He took a deep breath, staring down at his hands.

387

I'm sorry.

388

I don't really know how to do this.

389

Do what, exactly?

390

This romance thing.

391

Me too.

392

This is my first time.

393

I...

394

I actually like you.

395

Since the first time I saw you.

396

You.. you liked me?

397

Like, since the beginning?

398

Every time I saw you were on campus, I didn't know what to say.

399

I tried to act cool, but I just felt like melting because you're just too.. cute.

400

Me?

401

Cute?

402

He then inched closer, and eventually our hands brushed.

403

The little spark that shot through me made me dizzy.

404

Is it okay if I hold your hand?

405

I nodded, hardly able to breathe as he gently took my hand in his.

406

You've got soft hands.

407

And cute nails.

408

Oh god help me.

409

I felt like an ice cream cone fresh out of the freezer right now.

410

Melting fast and hard.

411

I still have that candy you gave me.

412

I took it from my wallet and showed it to him.

413

You kept it?

414

I kinda thought of it as my lucky charm.

415

The way he smiled at me as I said that sent another army of butterflies in my tummy.

416

Wait, how about...

417

He was looking at my lips.

418

Is he gonna kiss me?

419

Oh my god.

420

After holding hands, kissing is usually the next step.

421

Right?

422

The anticipation is killing me.

423

My heart was racing so fast, I thought it might just stop.

424

I wanted to scream.

425

But instead, when a gentle squeeze on my hand snapped me out of it.

426

Candy, are you okay?

427

Here, you can have the other half Oh!

428

Thank you!

429

Wow, this is so good

430

So, you like sweet stuff, huh?

431

Yeah, I like sweets I know this cafe in town I mean, I'd like to get to know more about you.

432

Well, would you like to go on a date with me this weekend? Of course.

433

First step to romance, first date.

434

We both laughed, and suddenly, everything didn't feel so tense anymore.

435

I felt his fingers intertwining mine.

436

And I felt the sweetness, sweeter than the candy melting in my heart.

437

I couldn't wait for a first date of thousands more to come.

438

Thank you.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

70 sentences

First Day at a New School: Where's the Science Room?

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

337 sentences

Ugly Girl FAKES PRETTY To Find Love | Dhar Mann Studios

TeensDaily Conversation

361 sentences

Huge Werewolf Boyfriend Learns To Touch You Softly~ [M4A]{ASMR RP}[Accidently Hurting You](Part 2)

TeensDaily Conversation

316 sentences

Philip & Lukas || Sleeping at Last

TeensDaily Conversation

319 sentences

BEST FRIENDS Expose Girl In Group Chat | Dhar Mann Studios

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

519 sentences

MULTISUB【当我飞奔向你 When I Fly Towards You】EP01 | 张淼怡直球追爱高冷学霸周翊然 | 周翊然/张淼怡/边天扬 | 校园爱情片 | 优酷YOUKU

TeensDaily Conversation

148 sentences

Twin Flames - A Romantic Short Film

TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students

827 sentences

Opps my online ex is the Mafia Don

TeensDaily Conversation

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “[MSU] My First Love at the University”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: trixie, crush, candy. This video has 438 sentences and 3923 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:35. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 74 of its 438 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
crush verb	/kɹʌʃ/	To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass.
candy noun	/ˈkæn.di/	Crystallized sugar formed by boiling down sugar syrup.
stare verb	/stɛɚ/	To look fixedly (at something).
glance verb	/ɡlæns/	To turn (one's eyes or look) at something, often briefly.
charm noun	/t͡ʃɑɹm/	An object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation).
freeze verb	/ˈfɹiːz/	Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature.
melt verb	/mɛlt/	To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat.
sophomore noun	/ˈsɑf.mɔɹ/	A second-year undergraduate student in a college or university, or a second-year student in a four-year secondary school or high school.
gate noun	/ˈɡeɪ̯t/	A doorlike structure outside a house.
intense adjective	/ɪnˈtɛns/	Of a characteristic: extreme or very high or strong in degree; severe; also, excessive, towering.
breathe verb	/bɹiːð/	To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
encounter verb	/ɪnˈkaʊntɚ/	To meet (someone) or find (something), especially unexpectedly.
accidentally adverb	/ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/	In an accidental manner; by chance, unexpectedly.
freshman noun	/ˈfɹɛʃ.mən/	a person (of either sex) entering the first year of an institution, especially a high school (ninth grade for US, grade 9 for Canada, grade 7 for Philippines)…
confused adjective	/kənˈfjuːzd/	unable to think clearly or understand

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
calm down verb	To become less excited, intense, or angry.
look up to verb	To show respect or admiration for (someone); to see (someone) as a role model.
end up verb	To bring to a conclusion.
pass out verb	To faint; to become unconscious.
pull out verb	To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat.
sit down verb	To assume a sitting position from a standing position.
turn around verb	To physically rotate (usually around a vertical axis) for a half turn (180 degrees), a whole turn (360 degrees), or an indefinite amount.
walk through verb	To explain (something) to (someone), step by step.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Would I make any friends here?
Wait, what was I thinking?
A cute guy is helping me?
You're not mad at me?
Why don't you sketch a crush for me?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	I've been teaching · i've been pushing
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	it's only been · hasn't seen · have passed
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	was amazed · is filled · might be taken
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was I thinking · was floating · was driving

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 80 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, smooth /smuːð/, throat /ˈθɹoʊt/, gather /ˈɡæðɚ/, athlete /ˈæθ.liːt/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: crush /kɹʌʃ/, freshman /ˈfɹɛʃ.mən/, orientation /ˌɔː.ɹi.ənˈteɪ.ʃən/, shelf /ʃɛlf/, shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/
Long words — get the stress right: accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, unexpected /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/, practically /ˈpɹæk.tɪ.k(ə.)li/, orientation /ˌɔː.ɹi.ənˈteɪ.ʃən/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/

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 crush, candy, stare.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: [MSU] My First Love at the University - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

My drama is Worse than Selena Gomez& Hailey Bieber

My Experience On First Day At School At 13

it's not you, it's her

My Best Friend Stole My Castle, Literally

My Mom Never Protected Me, And I Just Found Out Why

My Problems as a Middle Child

I'm the Weird Sister

I'm a Famous Singer But No One Sees My face

I Was Hired to Protect a Clumsy Billionaire

[MSU] Secret Spice - Full

My Bully is Obsessed with ME!

I'm too Short, But It's Cute

I Made My Billionaire BF Go Bankrupt

I'm Turning Into A Vampire - Season 2 Episode 2 - Trailer

my Parents Divorced What A Mess

5,000 Miles For 10 Million Dollars, The Journey Begins

I’m too rich I get everything I want

My Millionaire Parents Adopted a Spoiled Brat

Step Mom Made Dad Hate Me

I Keep Failing School Because Of Math

THANH XUÂN NỢ 1 LỜI TỎ TÌNH

First Day at a New School: Where's the Science Room?

Ugly Girl FAKES PRETTY To Find Love | Dhar Mann Studios

Huge Werewolf Boyfriend Learns To Touch You Softly~ [M4A]{ASMR RP}[Accidently Hurting You](Part 2)

I love being unemployed

Philip & Lukas || Sleeping at Last

BEST FRIENDS Expose Girl In Group Chat | Dhar Mann Studios

MULTISUB【当我飞奔向你 When I Fly Towards You】EP01 | 张淼怡直球追爱高冷学霸周翊然 | 周翊然/张淼怡/边天扬 | 校园爱情片 | 优酷YOUKU

Twin Flames - A Romantic Short Film

Opps my online ex is the Mafia Don

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?