Shadowing Practice: STOP Saying "My Name Is…" When Someone Asks About You in English - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “STOP Saying "My Name Is…" When Someone Asks About You in English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: ring, response, word, English, detail. This video has 353 sentences and 3482 words to shadow. The speech runs for 25:55. The speaker talks at a steady 134 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| oversee verb | /ˌəʊ.vəˈsiː/ | To survey, look at something in a wide angle. |
| fluency noun | /ˈfluːənsi/ | The quality of smoothness of flow. |
| stutter noun | /ˈstʌtɚ/ | A speech disorder characterized by stuttering. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| idiom noun | /ˈɪdiəm/ | A manner of speaking, a mode of expression peculiar to a language, language family, or group of people. |
| shipment noun | /ˈʃɪpmənt/ | A load of goods that is transported by any method (not just by ship). |
| classmate noun | /ˈklæs.meɪt/ | A student who is in the same class at school. |
| learner noun | /ˈlɜɹnəɹ/ | One who is learning; one receiving instruction. |
| forgettable adjective | Possible to be forgotten. | |
| valedictorian noun | /ˌvæl.ə.dɪkˈtoɹ.i.ən/ | The individual in a graduating class who delivers the farewell or valedictory address, often the person who graduates with the highest grades. |
| logistics noun | /ləˈd͡ʒɪstɪks/ | The process of planning, implementing, and controlling the efficient, effective flow and storage of goods, services and related information from their point of… |
| wax noun | /waks/ | Beeswax. |
| embarrass verb | /ɪmˈbæɹəs/ | To disrupt someone's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely. |
| grandparent noun | /ˈɡɹæn(d)pɛəɹənt/ | The parent of someone's parent. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| push through verb | To force (legislation or a plan) to be passed or agreed to or a decision to be reached. | |
| ring around verb | To call a number of people by phone, usually a circle of friends, to organise something. | |
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. | |
| check off verb | To mark items on a list (with a checkmark or by crossing them out) that have been chosen for keeping or removal or that have been dealt with (for example… | |
| fill out verb | /fɪl ˈaʊt/ | To complete a form or questionnaire with requested information. |
| fill up verb | To make (something) completely full. | |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You see, here's what nobody tells you.
- Can you tell me a little about yourself?
- What is the person asking you?
- This is what you're going to do.
- You're inviting the listener in.
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 | been asked · was stated · was said |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have probably been asked · you've actually started · has been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | kids who keep |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 53 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shipment /ˈʃɪpmənt/, audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: valedictorian /ˌvæl.ə.dɪkˈtoɹ.i.ən/, autobiography /ˌɔː.tə.baɪˈɒɡ.ɹə.fi/, visually /ˈvɪzju.əli/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/
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 fluent, oversee, fluency.
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.





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