Shadowing Practice: Seven | Full Episode - S2 E2 | Numberblocks (Level 2 - Orange 🟠) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
The speaker keeps coming back to these words: seven, block, lucky, unlucky, rainbow. This video has 63 sentences and 436 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:57. The speaker talks slowly, about 88 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| unlucky adjective | /ʌnˈlʌki/ | Unfortunate, marked by misfortune. |
| picnic noun | /ˈpɪknɪk/ | An informal social gathering, usually in a natural outdoor setting, to which the participants bring their own food and drink. |
| pants noun | /pænts/ | An outer garment that covers the body from the waist downwards, covering each leg separately, usually as far as the ankles; trousers. |
| fortune noun | /ˈfɔːtjuːn/ | Destiny, especially favorable. |
| alarm noun | /əˈlɑɹm/ | A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. |
| duck noun | /dʌk/ | Any of certain aquatic birds of the family Anatidae, having a flat bill and webbed feet, distinguished from swans and geese by generally being smaller and… |
| shine verb | /ʃaɪn/ | To emit or reflect light so as to glow. |
| charm noun | /t͡ʃɑɹm/ | An object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation). |
| penny noun | /ˈpɛni/ | In the United Kingdom, a unit of currency worth ¹⁄₁₀₀ of a pound sterling, or a copper coin worth this amount. Abbreviation: p. |
| minus | /ˈmaɪ.nəs/ | Made less or reduced by (followed by an expression of number or quantity). |
| tricky adjective | /ˈtɹɪk.i/ | Hard to deal with, complicated. |
| luckily adverb | /ˈlʌk.ɪ.li/ | In a lucky manner; by good fortune; fortunately. |
| umbrella noun | /ʌmˈbɹɛl.ə/ | A cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun. |
| sock noun | /sɑk/ | A knitted or woven covering for the foot. |
| indigo noun | /ˈɪndɪˌɡoʊ/ | A purplish-blue color. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You're gonna count on us with a number block!
- Let's get stuck in, shall we?
- Am I in heaven?
- I'm all the colors of the rainbow.
- I'm the luckiest number block in the world.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the luckiest · the best |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll help · will work · I'll be |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is always shining · is falling |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna count · gonna stop |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 26 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I've, you're. 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 unlucky, picnic, pants.
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.





























