Shadowing Practice: New headway series 17 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Hi.
2
Hello.
3
See you in a bit.
4
Hi, Helen.
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I'm so sorry I'm late.
6
It's all right.
7
Your hair looks wet.
8
I didn't know it was raining.
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It's not.
10
I had a bit of an accident. Are you okay?
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Yeah, I'm fine.
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It's a long story.
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I'll tell you later.
14
What about you?
15
You sounded really worried on the phone.
16
What's wrong?
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Everything.
18
Why?
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Matt's changed since you left.
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He used to be so quiet.
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Asleep most of the time, half asleep the rest of it.
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But now, he's taken up the guitar.
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Yeah.
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He's joined some kind of band, hasn't he?
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What are they like?
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I haven't heard them, but he's appalling.
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And I don't know what to do about Simon.
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It's getting worse.
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He's just not interested in me anymore.
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He's always doing something else.
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Take last Tuesday.
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I'd been waiting outside the cinema for over half an hour before he turned up.
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Hi, Preston.
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Everything all right?
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I was really looking forward to seeing this film, but it had only just started when his mobile ran.
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I'm back, Matthew.
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It was a mistake between us.
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A moment of madness.
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Hello, mate.
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I love you.
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Wow.
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Okay.
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Yeah.
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I'm really sorry, Pet, but I've got to go.
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But what about the film?
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Tell me how it ends.
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I'll call you later.
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I love you too, but not like that.
49
It's been like this for weeks.
50
I think he's seeing someone else. Are you listening?
51
What?
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That's terrible.
53
You should tell him to turn down the volume. Who?
54
Matt.
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Matt!
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Thanks.
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That's really helpful.
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So what happened to you?
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You said you had some sort of accident.
60
Well, it involves our new neighbour.
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Bill the American?
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Yep.
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Gosh.
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Got to hear this.
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I'll be right back.
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Ali had gone to work when I got home.
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I fancied a relaxing evening.
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So I made the flat nice and decided to have a shower.
69
Are you okay in there?
70
Hang on!
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Ah!
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Hello? Is anybody there?
73
Can you hear me? Is everything all right?
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Yes, thank you.
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I stubbed my toe.
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we haven't been formally introduced my name is bill bill fisher
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and i'm jane jane wilson good to meet you look i'm uh i'm sorry about the door
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but i uh i heard a scream yeah it was me
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when i got in the shower the water was freezing i
80
think the water heater's broken down you're not an electrician by any chance.
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Well, I am a scientist, although I work in pharmaceuticals, actually.
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Have you got a screwdriver and a flashlight?
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Oh, you mean a torch?
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Is that what they call it over here?
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Yeah, but I haven't got one.
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Okay, I'll go get mine.
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This is appalling.
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It was put in years ago.
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Can you turn off the main switch?
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Oh, yeah.
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it's probably in the hall yeah right of course
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next to the fuse box under the stairs okay just as
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i was going to look for the main switch the phone
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rang again it was you hi helen what are you up to i'm standing outside freud
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and waiting for simon can we talk of course shall i come
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and meet you there at say in half an hour
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i'm a bit busy at the moment thanks jane okay bye
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are you done out there yep i think i can see
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the problem there's a loose wire can you hold the torch for me unfortunately
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the electricity hadn't been turned off what do you mean the
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electricity hadn't been turned off you hadn't turned it off I know and I felt terrible is Bill okay well
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hey take it easy I am so sorry about this Accidents happen.
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It's no big deal.
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But just wait till I talk to Eddie Usher.
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That wiring is a disgrace.
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Ow!
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What is that stuff?
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It's a homeopathic cure.
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Hmm.
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Unscientific.
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But it's good.
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I guess you really like TV.
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Not especially.
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Why?
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well that's a pretty impressive screen oh
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that it was given to me by Matt is
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that the guy I saw you with last Sunday yeah is he your boyfriend no ex -boyfriend
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and then what happened nothing I came here and left him to mend the door.
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You didn't.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 119 sentences and 713 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:13. The speaker talks slowly, about 99 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 |
|---|---|---|
| jane noun | /d͡ʒeɪn/ | A female client of a prostitute. |
| electricity noun | /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/ | Originally, a property of amber and certain other nonconducting substances to attract lightweight material when rubbed, or the cause of this property; now… |
| wire noun | /ˈwaɪɚ/ | Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die. |
| asleep adjective | /əˈsliːp/ | In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting. |
| torch noun | /ˈtɔːtʃ/ | A stick of wood or plant fibres twisted together, with one end soaked in a flammable substance such as resin or tallow and set on fire, which is held in the… |
| guitar noun | /ɡɪˈtɑɹ/ | A stringed musical instrument, of European origin, usually with a fretted fingerboard and six strings, played with the fingers or a plectrum (guitar pick). |
| impressive adjective | /ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/ | Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress. |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| introduce verb | /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ | To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else). |
| fancy noun | /ˈfæn.si/ | The imagination. |
| cure verb | /kjɔː/ | To restore to health. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| involve verb | /ɪnˈvɑlv/ | To have (something) as a component or a related part; to comprise, to include. |
| scientist noun | /ˈsaɪəntəst/ | One whose activities make use of the scientific method to answer questions regarding the measurable universe. A scientist may be involved in original research… |
| cinema noun | /ˈsɪn.ə.mə/ | A movie theatre, a movie house. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| turn off verb | To power down, to switch off, to put out of operation, to deactivate (an appliance, light, mechanism, functionality etc.). |
| break down verb | To stop functioning. |
| do out verb | To decorate, tidy, or clean (a place). |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| take up verb | To pick up. |
| turn down verb | To refuse, decline, or deny. |
| turn up verb | To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was put · been turned · was given |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | haven't heard · haven't been |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was raining · was really looking · was freezing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll tell · I'll call · I'll be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'll, hadn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: fisher /ˈfɪʃɚ/, gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, electrician /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪʃən/, flashlight /ˈflæʃˌlaɪt/
- Long words — get the stress right: electricity /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪsɪti/, pharmaceutical /ˌfɑː.məˈs(j)uː.tɪ.kl̩/, electrician /ɪˌlɛkˈtɹɪʃən/
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 jane, electricity, wire.
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.