Shadowing Practice: Stop Watching Friends to Learn English. Watch These Instead. - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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The best way to learn English is to use English to learn something that you're genuinely interested in.
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Use it to learn history, economics, and entertainment to understand how the world is working and how the whole social fabric is built.
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So, in this video, I will give you three documentaries which are my favorites, and I say they're even better than TV series.
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Watching this will open up a whole new wave of learning English for you.
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So, the first one is Explained.
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It's made by Netflix, and every episode is only about 20 minutes.
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It's very short.
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It's not like a traditional documentary where we need to spend one or two hours per episode.
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Very easy to follow, very clearly explained.
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The best thing about this documentary is that it covers all kinds of different topics each episode.
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Esports, K-pop, astrology, the stock market.
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It includes social economics, politics, entertainment, all kinds of different sectors.
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It will give you a whole new world view, even if you're still a student or you're trying to build up your perspective on the world.
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It fills in so many different pieces of knowledge
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that you need to become a more well-rounded person
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so i highly recommend explain to everybody whether you're still a
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student already working as long as you want to learn more about the world expand your knowledge
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and train english at the same time you should watch this
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pronunciation in this episode is super clear everything is backed up with evidence and data
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and you can even use these topics to build a speech
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the second one is formula one try to survive this one is huge it's
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so crazy i had absolutely no idea about formula one before
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i watched this i feel like something very far away from my world.
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But now, I have a much clearer picture of this whole industry.
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And it's not just about becoming a Formula 1 fan.
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Learning about a completely different industry gives you a more complete picture of how the world works.
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There are multiple seasons.
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I started from that one in 2019, and every episode hits
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because it's like a roller coaster formula one is very very
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unpredictable nobody knows who will win the championship until the very end of the competition
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and watching this documentary you got to see how this money-consuming it's talent-driven industry actually operates the story is
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so tight and the plot keeps pulling you in
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and the best part for learning english is that
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so many of the drivers and people being interviewed are not originally from english-speaking cultures
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so you gotta hear all kinds of different accents
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and it really shows you
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that accent is not important what matters most is whether you
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can get your ideas across clearly the third one is oj
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made in america this is a very very classic case a murder case i'd say
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and you will not want to stop once you stop watching
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even though each episode is around one hour the episodes are
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so tightly connected to each other and you just keep going
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if you're a big fan of suspense or true crime movies
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and tv series like me i highly recommend this documentary not only
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because it's something that really happened many many years ago
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but also because it gives you a deep look into how american society actually works
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and you will have so many moments watching this or just stop
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and reflect so this documentary will give you a huge insight into social problems both historical
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and current in the us and you'll find yourself reflecting a lot of celebrity culture
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and how fame operates in that society
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so what i would just say is beyond just learning english
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i really want to encourage everybody to watch more documentaries in english it's not
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because english documentaries are necessarily better than chinese ones that's not the point the point is
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if you want to learn a language well you need to
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actually use it to learn things you need to put yourself inside that language from the very beginning

Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with documentaries like the ones featured in this video can significantly enhance your English speaking skills. By choosing content that aligns with your interests, such as history, economics, or entertainment, you can practice speaking while deepening your understanding of the world. This dual benefit ensures that your learning feels relevant and personalized.

Using a shadowing app or a shadowing site can further amplify your practice. You can listen to the documentary clips, pause them, and repeat phrases, which mimics real conversation and helps solidify your vocabulary and pronunciation. Such methods are particularly beneficial for preparing for the IELTS speaking practice, as they reinforce how to convey ideas clearly.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the video transcript, several structures and expressions illustrate how to articulate thoughts effectively:

  • "It covers all kinds of different topics" – This phrase demonstrates the use of general vocabulary that is applicable in various contexts, essential for building fluency.
  • "You got to see how this money-consuming industry actually operates" – The phrase "got to see" indicates a conversational tone, making it relatable for everyday discussions.
  • "You will find yourself reflecting a lot" – The future simple tense here helps express predictions or assumptions, a crucial structure for discussing hopes or expectations.

Using expressions like these can enhance your ability to engage in discussions, making your speech more dynamic and fluent.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When watching the featured documentaries, pay close attention to certain words and accents that may pose challenges:

  • "Formula 1" – Watch out for the pronunciation of "Formula," as it often sounds faster in conversation.
  • "Industry" – The distinction between "in-dus-tree" and "in-struh-ree" can vary by accent, which is common among international speakers featured in these videos.
  • Accents – Expect a variety of accents throughout the documentaries, especially from drivers and interviews. This is an excellent opportunity to practice listening and speaking skills, as you will hear expressions from non-native speakers that enrich your understanding of English.

Utilizing tools like shadowspeak can help you practice these tricky pronunciations and improve your accent over time, making you a more confident speaker.

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.