Shadowing Practice: sombr - back to friends (official video) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 16 sentences and 167 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:38. The speaker talks slowly, about 63 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- pretend /pɹəˈtɛnd/ (verb) — To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
- steal /stiːl/ (verb) — To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it.
- deny /dəˈnaɪ/ (verb) — To disallow or reject.
- devil /ˈdɛvəl/ (noun) — An evil creature, the objectification of a hostile and destructive force.
- breathe /bɹiːð/ (verb) — To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
- ceiling /ˈsilɪŋ/ (noun) — The overhead closure of a room.
- tender /ˈtɛn.dɚ/ (adjective) — Sensitive or painful to the touch.
- scare /skɛɚ/ (verb) — To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
- weak /wi(ː)k/ (adjective) — Lacking in force (usually strength) or ability.
- sight /saɪt/ (noun) — The ability to see.
- chest /t͡ʃɛst/ (noun) — A box, now usually a large strong box with a secure convex lid.
- touch /tʌt͡ʃ/ (verb) — To make physical contact with; to bring the hand, finger or other part of the body into contact with.
- lie /laɪ̯/ (verb) — To rest in a horizontal position on a surface.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
- go back to (verb) — To stem from; to originate in.
- kick up (verb) — To rear back; to become more active or restless; to speed up.
- live on (verb) — To endure.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, didn't, won'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 pretend, steal, deny.
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 | you've never met |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | were living |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | you're looking · I'm holding |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | won't deny |
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.