Shadowing Practice: Speak Now 1 - Unit 1 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Same Channel
Recommend Video
B1The New Flatmate
A2Tổng hợp luyện nghe phản xạ hội thoại Tiếng Nhật N5 (quá hay) Video 8 - Script Nhật Việt
A2Pronunciation Pairs CD Unit 13 too
A2Introducing Neighbours - English Conversation Practice
A2Top Notch TV 1 Unit 1 Scene 1
A2English Listening Practice (A1-A2) | I'll Tell Tom Tonight
A2Mỗi tuần học một video | #3 Do you remember me
A2Object Pronouns
A2Tiếng Anh cơ bản bài 2: Xin chào, tôi là Anna! (VOA)
A201 Gap go gia dinh nha Jones
A2Speak Out 2ND Edition - Starter Class Audio CD - Unit 10 (plans) + Full Book Pack Free Download
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Speak Now 1 - Unit 1”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: broom, Jill, pasta, Eric, Tom. This video has 55 sentences and 242 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:09. The speaker talks at a steady 113 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 12 of its 55 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pasta noun | /ˈpɑ.stə/ | Dough made from wheat and water and sometimes mixed with egg and formed into various shapes; often sold in dried form and typically boiled for eating. |
| tomato noun | /təˈmeɪ.toʊ/ | A widely cultivated plant, Solanum lycopersicum, having edible fruit. |
| roommate noun | /ˈɹu(m)ˌmeɪt/ | A person with whom one shares a room, as in a dormitory, barracks, rooming house, or apartment. |
| hungry adjective | /ˈhʌŋ.ɡɹi/ | Affected by hunger; having the physical need for food. |
| bother verb | /ˈbɑðɚ/ | To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for. |
| refrigerator noun | /ɹɪˈfɹɪd͡ʒ.əˌɹeɪ.tɚ/ | A household or commercial appliance used for keeping food fresh by refrigeration (short form fridge). |
| broom noun | /bɹum/ | A domestic utensil with fibers bound together at the end of a long handle, used for sweeping. |
| apartment noun | /əˈpɑɹt.mənt/ | A complete domicile occupying only part of a building, especially one for rent; a flat. |
| empty adjective | /ˈɛm(p).ti/ | Devoid of content; containing nothing or nobody; vacant. |
| excuse verb | /ɪksˈkjuz/ | To forgive; to pardon; to overlook. |
| repeat verb | /ɹɪˈpiːt/ | To do or say again (and again). |
| smell verb | /smɛl/ | To sense a smell or smells. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I hate to ask, but do you have a broom?
- Tom, where is our broom?
- I'll text you when it's ready.
- Can I get you a number?
- Can you repeat that?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'll, we'll. 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 pasta, tomato, roommate.
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.