Shadowing Practice: Nico - These Days (Visualizer) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Nico - These Days”. This video has 15 sentences and 165 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:20. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lover noun | /ˈlʌvɚ/ | One who loves and cares for another person in a romantic way; a sweetheart, love, soulmate, boyfriend, girlfriend, or spouse. |
| scream verb | /skɹiːm/ | To cry out with a shrill voice; to utter a sudden, sharp outcry, or shrill, loud cry, as in fright or extreme pain; to screech, to shriek. |
| gambling noun | /ˈɡæm.bl̩.ɪŋ/ | An activity characterized by a balance between winning and losing that is governed by skill and/or chance, usually with money wagered on the outcome. |
| confront verb | /kənˈfɹʌnt/ | To stand or meet facing, especially in competition, hostility or defiance; to come face to face with. |
| cornerstone noun | /ˈkɔɹ.nɚ.stoʊn/ | A stone forming the base at the corner of a building. |
| ramble verb | /ˈɹæmbəl/ | To move about aimlessly, or on a winding course. |
| highway noun | /ˈhaɪweɪ/ | A main public road, especially a multi-lane, high-speed thoroughfare. |
| wonder noun | /ˈwʌndɚ/ | A sense of awe, astonishment and curiosity, inspired by unexpected events, novel experiences and inexplicable circumstances, sometimes accompanied by surprise… |
| dream verb | /ˈdɹim/ | To see imaginary events in one's mind while sleeping. |
| count verb | /kaʊnt/ | To recite numbers in sequence. |
| failure noun | /ˈfeɪ.ljə/ | State or condition of not meeting a desirable or intended objective, opposite of success. |
| quarter noun | /ˈk(w)ɔɹ.tɚ/ | Each of four equal parts into which something can be divided; a fourth part. |
| afraid adjective | /əˈfɹeɪd/ | Impressed with fear or apprehension; in fear. |
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 losing |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've been · have made |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll risk · I'll stop |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'll, 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.
- 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 lover, scream, gambling.
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.