Shadowing Practice: Smart Phones - www.esl-lab.com - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Smart Phones - www.esl-lab.com”. This video has 14 sentences and 153 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:48. The speaker talks fast, about 189 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.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pocket noun | /ˈpɑ.kɪt/ | A bag stitched to an item of clothing, used for carrying small items. |
| frustrate verb | /ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/ | To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of something expected or desired. |
| tempt verb | /tɛmpt/ | To provoke someone to do wrong, especially by promising a reward; to entice. |
| communication noun | /kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | The act or fact of communicating anything; transmission. |
| restaurant noun | /ˈɹɛst(ə)ˌɹɑnt/ | An eating establishment in which diners are served food, usually by waiters at their tables but sometimes (as in a fast food restaurant) at a counter. |
| cell noun | /sɛl/ | A single-room dwelling for a hermit. |
| pull verb | /pʊl/ | To apply a force to (an object) so that it comes toward the person or thing applying the force. |
| text noun | /tɛkst/ | A writing consisting of multiple glyphs, characters, symbols or sentences. |
| nature noun | /ˈneɪ̯.t͡ʃəɹ/ | The way things are, the totality of all things in the physical universe and their order, especially the physical world in contrast to spiritual realms and… |
| improve verb | /ɪmˈpɹuːv/ | To make (something) better; to increase the value or productivity (of something). |
| dinner noun | /ˈdɪnɚ/ | The main meal of the day, often eaten in the evening. |
| conversation noun | /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/ | Expression and exchange of individual ideas through talking with other people; also, a set instance or occasion of such talking. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pull out verb | To withdraw; especially of military forces; to retreat. |
| put away verb | To put (something) in its usual storage place; to place out of the way, clean up. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might turn |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | you're going · they're pulling · you're listening |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, they're, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: communication /kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, conversation /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: communication /kəˌmjuː.nɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, conversation /ˌkɑn.vəɹˈseɪ.ʃən/
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 pocket, frustrate, tempt.
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.