Shadowing Practice: Non-verbal Communication, it's types, & Importance #education - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 51 sentences and 496 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:34. The speaker talks slowly, about 108 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 73% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| cue noun | /kju/ | An action or event that is a signal for somebody to do something. |
| convey verb | /kənˈveɪ/ | To move (something) from one place to another. |
| tone noun | /ˈtəʊn/ | A specific pitch. |
| verbal adjective | /ˈvɜː.bəl/ | Of or relating to words. |
| gesture noun | /ˈd͡ʒɛs.t͡ʃɚ/ | A motion of the limbs or body, especially one made to emphasize speech. |
| facial adjective | /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/ | Of or affecting the face. |
| universal adjective | /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/ | Of or pertaining to the universe. |
| reveal verb | /ɹɪˈviːl/ | To uncover; to show and display that which was hidden. |
| vary verb | /ˈvɛəɹi/ | To change with time or a similar parameter. |
| emotion noun | /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/ | A person's internal state of being and involuntary physiological response to an object or a situation, based on or tied to physical state and sensory data. |
| enhance verb | /ɪnˈhæns/ | To augment or make something greater. |
| complement noun | /ˈkɑmpləmənt/ | The totality, the full amount or number which completes something. |
| offensive adjective | /ˈɔˌfɛnsɪv/ | Causing offense; arousing a visceral reaction of disgust, anger, hatred, sadness, or indignation. |
| refer verb | /ɹɪˈfɜː/ | To direct the attention of (someone toward something). |
| happiness noun | /ˈhæpinɪs/ | The emotion of being happy; joy; elation. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: thumb /ˈθʌm/, warmth /wɔɹmθ/, empathy /ˈɛmpəθi/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: facial /ˈfeɪ.ʃəl/, emotion /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/, conclusion /kənˈkluːʒən/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, crucial /ˈkɹuː.ʃəl/
- Long words — get the stress right: universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, significance /sɪɡˈnɪfɪkəns/, universally /ˌjunɪˈvɝsəli/, communicator /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪtə/
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 cue, convey, tone.
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.











