Shadowing Practice: Pray, hope, and don't worry. - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Same Channel
C1Theology of the Body Crash Course w/ Fr. Mike Schmitz — Session One: From the Beginning
B1Turn To the Sign Of the Cross #shorts
C1Why Be Catholic and Not Just Christian?
B1How to Pray for Your Future Spouse
B2How Do I Know if I Made the Wrong Choice?
Recommend Video
C1The Biblical Cure for Anxiety (Philippians 4 Explained)
B2Stop Trying to “Let Go” of Anxiety. Do This Instead
B2Reflection 268: Pondering Death
B2God Has The Answer | Joel Osteen
B2Louise Hay: Choose Yourself First & Stay Peaceful | Learn To Act As If Nothing Bothers You
B2Psalm 65:9 || Reflection
B2No Fear | Ajahn Brahm | 20-05-2011
B2Как перестать стесняться? Как побороть зажатость и тревожность? Джордан Питерсон лекция!
B2The Incredible Practice of Focusing on What You Really Want
B2God says ignore your reality.
B2Christ Offers Hope for ADHD Struggles (And Distracted Christians)
B1I talk to God every day#padtor nick vujicic🙏
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Pray, hope, and don't worry”. This video has 12 sentences and 161 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:46. The speaker talks fast, about 210 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 2 of its 12 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| anxiety noun | /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/ | An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event. |
| pray verb | /pɹeɪ/ | To direct words, thoughts, or one's attention to a deity or any higher being, for the sake of adoration, thanks, petition for help, etc. |
| remedy noun | /ˈɹɛmədi/ | Something that corrects or counteracts. |
| prayer noun | /pɹɛɚ/ | A practice of communicating with one's God, or with some spiritual entity. |
| petition noun | /pəˈtɪʃ.ən/ | A formal written request made by an individual or a group of people to a sovereign or political authority, often containing many signatures, soliciting some… |
| anxious adjective | /ˈæŋkʃəs/ | Nervous and worried. |
| thanksgiving noun | /ˌθæŋksˈɡɪv.ɪŋ/ | The expression of gratitude. |
| concern noun | /kənˈsɝn/ | That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone. |
| basically adverb | /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/ | In a fundamental, essential or basic manner. |
| tend verb | /ˈtɛnd/ | To look after (e.g. an ill person.) |
| noise noun | /ˈnoɪ̯z/ | Various sounds, usually unwanted or unpleasant. |
| somehow adverb | /ˈsʌmhaʊ/ | In one way or another; in a way not yet known or explained; by some means |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
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 | has become |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: petition /pəˈtɪʃ.ən/, anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/
- Long words — get the stress right: anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, basically /ˈbeɪ.sɪk.(ə.)li/
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 anxiety, pray, remedy.
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.