Shadowing Practice: Stop comparing yourself to other people - Oprah Winfrey - 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 comparing yourself to other people - Oprah Winfrey”. This video has 6 sentences and 63 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:33.
Key vocabulary in this video
11 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
| compare verb | /kəmˈpɛɚ/ | To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it… |
| skill noun | /skɪl/ | A capacity to do something well; a technique, an ability, usually acquired or learned, as opposed to abilities that are regarded as innate. |
| dismiss verb | /dɪsˈmɪs/ | To discharge; to end the employment or service of. |
| imitation noun | /ɪmɪˈteɪ̯ʃən/ | The act of imitating. |
| vigilant adjective | /ˈvɪd͡ʒɪlənt/ | Watchful, especially for danger or disorder; alert; wary |
| planet noun | /ˈplænɪt/ | A body which is massive enough to be in hydrostatic equilibrium (generally resulting in being an ellipsoid) but not enough to attain nuclear fusion and, in IAU… |
| concern noun | /kənˈsɝn/ | That which affects one’s welfare or happiness. A matter of interest to someone. |
| talent noun | /ˈtæl.ənt/ | A marked natural ability or skill. |
| flat adjective | /ˈflæt/ | Having no variations in height. |
| fantastic adjective | /fænˈtæs.tɪk/ | Wonderful; marvelous; excellent; extraordinarily good or great (used especially as an intensifier). |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | cannot be dismissed |
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 lesson, compare, skill.
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.