Shadowing Practice: never ever put me in a position where I have to show you how ruthless I can bebe #denzelwashington - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 11 sentences and 156 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:59. The speaker talks at a natural 158 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. Only 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| patience noun | /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/ | The quality of being patient. |
| defend verb | /dɪˈfɪnd/ | To ward off attacks against (something or someone). |
| mutual adjective | /ˈmjuːt͡ʃuəl/ | Having the same relationship, each to each other. |
| bless verb | /blɛs/ | To make something holy by religious rite, sanctify. |
| boundary noun | /ˈbaʊndɹi/ | The dividing line or location between two areas. |
| harmony noun | /ˈhɑ̟ɹ.mə.ni/ | Agreement or accord. |
| consequence noun | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | An effect; something that follows a cause as a result. |
| kindness noun | /ˈkaɪnd.nəs/ | The state of being kind. |
| lightly adverb | /ˈlaɪtli/ | In a light manner. |
| compassion noun | /kəmˈpæʃ.ən/ | Deep awareness of the suffering of others that people have to the point of them being motivated to relieve such states. |
| ruthless adjective | /ˈɹuːθləs/ | Without pity or compassion; cruel, pitiless. |
| disrespect noun | /dɪsɹɪˈspɛkt/ | A lack of respect, esteem or courteous behavior. |
| hesitation noun | /ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən/ | An act of hesitating |
| resolute adjective | /ˈɹɛ.zəˌl(j)uːt/ | Firm, unyielding, determined. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| back down verb | To take a less aggressive position in a conflict than one previously had, or has planned to have. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 8 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you'll, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, compassion /kəmˈpæʃ.ən/, hesitation /ˌhɛzɪˈteɪʃən/
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 patience, defend, mutual.
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 | I've reached |
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.