Shadowing Practice: Shadowing English with Suits | Speak like a Native Ep.46 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Shadowing English with Suits”. This video has 184 sentences and 1816 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:13. The speaker talks at a steady 119 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 35 of its 184 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| slaughter noun | /ˈslɔːtə/ | The killing of animals, generally for food. |
| diary noun | /ˈdaɪ.ə.ɹi/ | A daily log of experiences, especially those of the writer. |
| afar adverb | /əˈfɑɹ/ | At, to, or from a great distance; far away. |
| intolerant adjective | /ɪnˈtɑləɹənt/ | Unable or indisposed to tolerate, endure or bear. |
| lactose noun | /ˈlæk.toʊs/ | The disaccharide sugar of milk and dairy products, C₁₂H₂₂O₁₁, a product of glucose and galactose used as a food and in medicinal compounds. |
| muffin noun | /ˈmʌf.ɪn/ | A type of flattish bun, usually cut in two horizontally, toasted and spread with butter, etc., before being eaten. |
| salmonella noun | /ˌsæl.məˈnɛ.lə/ | Any of the serotypes of the two species of rod-shaped bacteria, of the genus Salmonella, especially Salmonella enterica, that cause typhoid fever and… |
| tempt verb | /tɛmpt/ | To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice. |
| vindicate verb | /ˈvɪndɪˌkeɪ̯t/ | To clear of an accusation, suspicion or criticism. |
| sympathy noun | /ˈsɪm.pəθ.i/ | A feeling of pity or sorrow for the suffering or distress of another. |
| crush verb | /kɹʌʃ/ | To press between two hard objects; to squeeze so as to alter the natural shape or integrity, or to force together into a mass. |
| scenario noun | /sɪˈnɛəɹioʊ/ | An outline or model of an expected or supposed sequence of events. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| get down verb | /ɡɛt ˈdaʊn/ | To bring or come down; to descend; to cause to bring or come down. |
| get down to verb | To start focusing on doing something serious |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Are you trying to out -name -drop me?
- I don't really care about names that much.
- Did you give someone salmonella with your stupid muffins?
- Lois, I know what you're doing.
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 | i've been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | friend which is · meant, which is |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 87 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: intolerant /ɪnˈtɑləɹənt/, salmonella /ˌsæl.məˈnɛ.lə/
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 slaughter, diary, afar.
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.






























