Shadowing Practice: Stop Blindly Following Your Thoughts - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Stop Blindly Following Your Thoughts”. This video has 11 sentences and 103 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:41. The speaker talks at a natural 151 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 2 of its 11 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| nowadays adverb | /ˈnaʊ.ə.deɪz/ | At the present time; in the current era. |
| observe verb | /əbˈzɜːv/ | To notice or view, especially carefully or with attention to detail. |
| blindly adverb | /ˈblaɪndli/ | In a blind manner; without sight. |
| ultimately adverb | /ˈʌl.tɪ.mɪt.lɪ/ | Indicating the last item. |
| creation noun | /ˈkɹiˈeɪʃən/ | Something created such as an invention or artwork. |
| suppose verb | /səˈpoʊz/ | To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe. |
| link noun | /ˈlɪŋk/ | A connection between places, people, events, things, or ideas. |
| pop verb | /pɑp/ | To make a pop, or sharp, quick sound. |
| channel noun | /ˈt͡ʃænəl/ | The hollow bed of running waters; (also) the bed of the sea or other body of water. |
| profile noun | /ˈpɹəʊfaɪl/ | The outermost shape, view, or edge of an object. |
| aware adjective | /əˈwɛə/ | Vigilant or on one's guard against danger or difficulty. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| pop up verb | To come up with a "pop" sound. |
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 nowadays, observe, blindly.
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.