Shadowing Practice: S1 50 My Birthday Party - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 107 sentences and 448 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:56. The speaker talks slowly, about 91 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 72% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• trick /ˈtɹɪk/ (noun) — Something designed to fool, dupe, outsmart, mislead or swindle.
• introduce /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ (verb) — To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else).
• gentleman /ˈd͡ʒɛn.təl.mən/ (noun) — Any well-bred, well-mannered, or charming man.
• clock /klɑk/ (noun) — A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day.
• silly /ˈsɪl.i/ (adjective) — Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.
• asleep /əˈsliːp/ (adjective) — In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting.
• candy /ˈkæn.di/ (noun) — Crystallized sugar formed by boiling down sugar syrup.
• colours (noun) — Flag denoting the nationality of a vessel, flown from the stern.
• secretly /ˈsiː.kɹɪt.li/ (adverb) — In secret, covertly.
• banana /bəˈnænə/ (noun) — An elongated curved tropical fruit of a banana plant, which grows in bunches and has a creamy flesh and a smooth skin.
• candle /ˈkæn.dəl/ (noun) — A light source consisting of a wick embedded in a solid, flammable substance such as wax, tallow, or paraffin.
• practise /ˈpɹæktɪs/ (verb) — To repeat (an activity) as a way of improving one's skill in that activity.
• abracadabra /ˌæbɹəkəˈdæbɹə/ (noun) — A use of the mystical term ‘abracadabra’, supposed to work as part of a healing charm or a magical spell; any spell or incantation making use of the word.
• yippee /ˌjɪˈpi/ — Used to express excitement or joy.
• helper /ˈhɛlpɚ/ (noun) — One who helps; an aide; assistant; auxiliary.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• wake up /ˌweɪk ˈʌp/ (verb) — To stop sleeping; to awake.
• come for (verb) — To search for someone with the intent to apprehend or cause harm.
• come on /ˌkʌm ˈɒn/ — Come along with me; join me in going.
• hand up (verb) — To deliver an indictment (e.g. to a judge).

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 7 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like trick, introduce, gentleman.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video: