Shadowing Practice: S140 Very Hot Day - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “S140 Very Hot Day”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Peppa, Pig, George, ice, cream. This video has 70 sentences and 504 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:56. The speaker talks slowly, about 102 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 |
|---|---|---|
| dinosaur noun | /ˈdaɪnəsoɹ/ | Those animals of the clade Dinosauria that existed during the Triassic, Jurassic and Cretaceous periods and are now extinct. |
| swim verb | /swɪm/ | To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means. |
| costume noun | /ˈkɑsˌt(j)um/ | A style of dress, including garments, accessories and hairstyle, especially as characteristic of a particular country, period or people. |
| boot noun | /but/ | A heavy shoe that covers part of the leg. |
| melt verb | /mɛlt/ | To change (or to be changed) from a solid state to a liquid state, usually by a gradual heat. |
| muddy adjective | /ˈmʌdi/ | Covered or splashed with, or full of, mud (“wet soil”). |
| silly adjective | /ˈsɪl.i/ | Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance. |
| asleep adjective | /əˈsliːp/ | In a state of sleep; also, broadly, resting. |
| coat noun | /ˈkoʊ̯t/ | An outer garment covering the upper torso and arms. |
| pump noun | /pʌmp/ | A device for moving or compressing a liquid or gas. |
| shine verb | /ʃaɪn/ | To emit or reflect light so as to glow. |
| sunny adjective | /ˈsʌni/ | Featuring a lot of sunshine. |
| puzzle noun | /ˈpʌzəl/ | The state of feeling confused or mystified because one cannot understand a complicated matter, a problem, etc.; bewilderment, confusion; (countable) often in… |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| hose noun | /hoʊz/ | A flexible tube conveying water or other fluid. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| dry up verb | To become dry (often of weather); to lose water. |
| jump up verb | To move from one position to a higher position by one jump. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Because it's so hot, you need sun cream.
- Let's get some air into this paddling pool.
- Please can I have one as well?
- What ice creams would you like?
- I'm sure he won't mind.
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 | have dried · has melted · has fallen |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should eat |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is shining · are wearing · is wearing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, can't, doesn't. 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 dinosaur, swim, costume.
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.


























![[Luyện nghe, phát âm và phản xạ Tiếng Anh cho trẻ] Peppa Pig Learns How To Make Pizza! Lunch time.](https://img.youtube.com/vi/jXzQFmzmY8Y/mqdefault.jpg)




