Shadowing Practice: MY SKINCARE ROUTINE! #2 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 6 sentences and 686 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:58. The speaker talks slowly, about 86 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| routine noun | /ɹuˈtin/ | A course of action to be followed regularly; a standard procedure. |
| acne noun | /ˈækni/ | A skin condition, usually of the face, that is common in adolescents. It is characterised by red pimples, and is caused by the inflammation of sebaceous glands… |
| towel noun | /ˈtaʊ̯əl/ | A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, such as a person after a bath. |
| clinic noun | /ˈklɪn.ɪk/ | A medical facility, such as a hospital, especially one for the treatment and diagnosis of outpatients. |
| lip noun | /lɪp/ | Either of the two fleshy protrusions around the opening of the mouth. |
| facial adjective | /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/ | Of or affecting the face. |
| wash verb | /wɑʃ/ | To clean with water. |
| organic adjective | /ɔːˈɡænɪk/ | Pertaining to or derived from living organisms. |
| cotton noun | /ˈkɑt.n̩/ | A soft, fibrous, usually white substance consisting of fine hairs, especially the substance around the seeds of a plant of genus Gossypium. |
| lifestyle noun | /ˈlaɪfˌstaɪl/ | A style of living that reflects the attitudes and values of a person or group. |
| dirt noun | /dɝt/ | Soil or earth. |
| gentle adjective | /ˈd͡ʒɛntl̩/ | Tender and amiable; of a considerate or kindly disposition. |
| nutrition noun | /njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ən/ | The organic process by which an organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and maintenance. |
| rub verb | /ɹʌb/ | To move (one object) while maintaining contact with another object over some area, with pressure and friction. |
| gel noun | /d͡ʒɛl/ | A semi-solid to almost solid colloid of a solid and a liquid, such as jelly, cheese or opal. |
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 | has remained |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is left |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should use |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: facial /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/, wash /wɑʃ/, nutrition /njuːˈtɹɪʃ.ən/, lotion /ˈloʊʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: economical /ˌiː.kəˈnɒm.ɪ.kəl/, hypoallergenic /haɪ.poʊ.æl.ɚˈd͡ʒɛn.ɪk/
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 routine, acne, towel.
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.


















