Shadowing Practice: POLICE HELICOPTER CAME FOR US! *WE GOT AWAY* - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “POLICE HELICOPTER CAME FOR US! *WE GOT AWAY*”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: boy, window, heli. This video has 235 sentences and 2018 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:13. The speaker talks at a steady 111 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| helicopter noun | /ˈheliːˌkɔptə(ɹ)/ | An aircraft that is borne along by one or more sets of long rotating blades which allow it to hover, move in any direction including reverse, or land; and… |
| boom verb | /bum/ | To make a loud, hollow, resonant sound. |
| potentially adverb | /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/ | In a manner showing much potential; with the possibility of happening in a given way. |
| upload verb | /ˈʌpˌloʊd/ | To transfer data to a computer on a network, especially to a server on the Internet. |
| alright | /ɔlˈɹaɪt/ | Used to indicate acknowledgement or acceptance; OK. |
| rude adjective | /ɹuːd/ | Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous. |
| chill verb | /tʃɪl/ | To lower the temperature of something; to cool. |
| bolt noun | /boʊlt/ | A (usually) metal fastener consisting of a cylindrical body that is threaded, with a larger head on one end. It can be inserted into an unthreaded hole up to… |
| donate verb | /ˈdoʊˌneɪt/ | To make a donation; to give away something of value to support or contribute towards a cause or for the benefit of another. |
| undercover adjective | /ˌʌndə(ɹ)ˈkʌvə(ɹ)/ | Performed or happening in secret. |
| reckon verb | /ˈɹɛkən/ | To count; to enumerate; to number; also, to compute; to calculate. |
| unreal adjective | /ʌnˈɹi.əl/ | Not real or substantial; having no actual presence in reality; lacking the characteristics of reality. |
| gate noun | /ˈɡeɪ̯t/ | A doorlike structure outside a house. |
| insane adjective | /ɪnˈseɪn/ | Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad. |
| sake noun | /ˈseɪ̯k/ | Cause, interest or account. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| get away verb | To move away (from). | |
| get off verb | To move from being on top of (something) to not being on top of it. | |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. | |
| walk down verb | To continually advance (on an opponent) and punch (the opponent) in order to control the fight and dominate the opponent, while shrugging off the opponent's… | |
| fall back verb | To retreat. | |
| go over verb | To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze. | |
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Can you see it?
- It's not for us, is it?
- There's another one above us.
- There's a heli above us.
- Have you speak to them?
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 | have been camping · we've been going |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've ever done · You've been busted · have you seen |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | You've been busted · We've been camped · been spotted |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 93 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, I'm, they're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, shore /ʃɔɹ/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/, shopper /ˈʃɑ.pɚ/
- Long words — get the stress right: helicopter /ˈheliːˌkɔptə(ɹ)/, potentially /pəˈtɛnʃ(ə)li/, undercover /ˌʌndə(ɹ)ˈkʌvə(ɹ)/, accidentally /ˌæk.sɪˈdɛnt(ə)li/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/
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 helicopter, boom, potentially.
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.













