Shadowing Practice: Speak English with me | English Speaking Practice with Listen and Answer Method - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 150 sentences and 1134 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:10. The speaker talks slowly, about 86 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% 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 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• chew /tʃuː/ (verb) — To crush with the teeth by repeated closing and opening of the jaws; done to food to soften it and break it down by the action of saliva before it is swallowed.
• underestimate /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.meɪt/ (verb) — To estimate too low; to perceive (someone or something) as having a lower value, quantity, worth, etc., than what he/she/it actually has.
• assign /əˈsaɪn/ (verb) — To designate or set apart (something) for some purpose.
• tackle /ˈtækəl/ (verb) — To force a person to the ground with the weight of one's own body, usually by jumping on top or slamming one's weight into them.
• shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/ (noun) — A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object.
• skill /skɪl/ (noun) — A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate.
• rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/ (noun) — The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter.
• tone /ˈtəʊn/ (noun) — A specific pitch.
• curious /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ (adjective) — Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying.
• participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/ (verb) — To join in, to take part, to involve oneself (in something).
• boost /buːst/ (verb) — To lift or push from behind (one who is endeavoring to climb); to push up.
• regret /ɹɪˈɡɹɛt/ (verb) — To feel sorry about (a thing that has or has not happened), afterthink: to wish that a thing had not happened, that something else had happened instead.
• engage /ɪnˈɡeɪd͡ʒ/ (verb) — To engross or hold the attention of; to keep busy or occupied.
• stretch /stɹɛt͡ʃ/ (verb) — To lengthen by pulling.
• remarkable /ɹɪˈmɑɹ.kə.bl̩/ (adjective) — Worthy of remark; notable; interesting.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
• figure out (verb) — To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
• step back /stɛp ˈbæk/ (verb) — To stop what one is doing and evaluate the current situation.
• get through /ɡɛt ˈθɹu/ (verb) — To overcome; to endure.
• break down (verb) — To stop functioning.
• take on (verb) — To acquire, bring in, or introduce.
• speak out (verb) — To assert or promote one's opinion; to make one's thoughts known.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 24 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you'll, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/, shine /ʃaɪn/, dedication /ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
• Long words — get the stress right: underestimate /ʌndɚˈɛs.tɪ.meɪt/, participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/, repeatedly /ɹɪˈpiːtɪdli/, dedication /ˌdɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/, notification /ˌnoʊtɪfɪˈkeɪʃn̩/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like chew, underestimate, assign.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video: