Shadowing Practice: Study with Me | Slow British English - Learn English Speaking with Video

This is a video in slow English to help you practice your listening comprehension. Be out here.

Working online.

I'm going to try and work on the four skills of a language today.

That is speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Little Wilson is going to be joining me all day.

We will go for a walk too.

I am from the UK, but I also really enjoy studying languages.

I am studying Spanish at the moment.

I have been studying Spanish for about a year and a half.

I think, honestly, the first year of studying Spanish, I was obsessed.

Like every single day, I was studying for two to four hours every day.

Nowadays, I honestly, I have not been studying very much.

I'm quite busy.

So I don't have a lot of time to study.

Today, I want to get back on track.

I want to start studying again.

I want to actually take my language learning seriously because I want to be C1.

I want a C1 in Spanish, okay?

I am obviously going to study Spanish,

but I will translate all of my exercises into English and I will put everything in the description.

So if you want to study with me, then you can.

We are going to start the day with speaking so let's go.

He always tries to find the spot with the sun.

We should probably feed Wilson.

He needs to eat.

So I think for many people that speaking is probably the hardest part about learning a language.

It's normal to understand more than you can say in a language.

I try and have Spanish class about once a week.

Ideally, I would do more, but I'm quite busy.

So yeah, for me, it's about once a week.

For the speaking portion of our video today,

I am going to be having my class on italki and italki are the sponsor of this video.

Italki is a language learning platform where you can have one-to-one lessons.

So lessons that are personalised to you.

You can speak with a real native speaker and you can practice both your speaking and listening skills.

Today I am going to be having class with Marisha from Spain.

I'm really excited.

It's my first class with her, so let's go.

Have you taken lessons once?

At university I did a beginner course, but since then I have done like a few conversation classes,

but I don't like, I don't study.

Obviously in Castellano.

And tell me, how did you get into the language?

Or do you know if you lived in Spain?

Yes, well I started learning Spanish a little more than a year and a half, because my husband is Spanish.

This.. yes.

Italki has over 30,000 teachers and over 150 languages to choose from.

So you can find a teacher who also speaks your native language if you are a beginner.

It is pay per lesson, so no subscription, and you can find a time that works for you and your schedule.

If you buy $10, you get $5 off your first class by using my code EV.

These discounts are only available to the first 50 users, so if you want to improve your speaking skills,

click through the link in the description to start your language learning journey.

I don't know why, but every time I speak to somebody new, I get so nervous.

But Marishia was so nice to me.

She was so nice.

So she speaks like, how many languages?

Like four or five, maybe even six languages.

So I think she really understood what I was trying to explain

and the problems I'm having at this sort of upper intermediate level.

One of the things I always like put off in my language learning,

so if I put it off I avoid doing it, is writing.

So I think really I should focus on some writing skills.

I'm gonna drink a kombucha with ice some ice cubes

cheers we are now in the office I am at my desk honestly I think writing is probably my weakest,

my weakest skill.

Honestly, if I need to write something important,

I feel like it's really easy for me to just use a translator or use AI, honestly.

So it means that I don't write.

I don't write very often.

I'm going to ask AI to give me some prompts.

In general, in life, I try not to use AI very often because it's very bad for the environment.

I also, I try and use my brain.

I try and actually think as much as much as possible

but in this instance for learning I am going to use it to give me some questions to try and practice answering.

I have just typed give me three questions to answer in Spanish.

I also have here a timer.

I have a timer set for 25 minutes.

I am going to try and write for

that entire time I will then take a five minute break I'm going to use pen

and paper the first question I'm going to answer is

if you had the opportunity to live in any country where would you live

and what would you do

when you get there I will leave these questions down below in case you want to try as well,

but the timer is going to start now, so let's go.

My camera just turned off for no reason.

I still would love to live in a Spanish-speaking country one day.

Yeah, and what would I do when I get there?

I said work online.

Next. For f*s sake.

That means I've got to start again, okay?

It's time to lock in.

we're gonna answer should the government um limit

the use of social

media let's go

another one

done and that that is the end of my that is the end of my my writing practice.

And yes, by the way, Wilson is with me.

He's here.

So the next plan is we need to practice our reading skills

100

and I think I want to go outside to do this.

101

I'm going to head to a cafe.

102

Let's go.

103

Me and Wilson have just arrived to the cafe and I think here we're going to do some reading.

104

I've brought my Kindle with me.

105

I can grab it here.

106

Here it is.

107

I actually, I really enjoy

108

using my Kindle for reading in Spanish because it has a feature where

109

if you do not understand a word you can just click on it and it will give you the translation,

110

it will give you the translated version and it helps

111

because it means that I don't have to stop and get my phone out and google the translation of a word.

112

Right now I have started reading A Court of Thorns and Roses in Spanish.

113

This is a book that I have read in English.

114

It's good to try and read a book that you have already read, it just helps you know the story.

115

This is going to be my first time reading a fantasy book.

116

I think fantasy is one of the hardest genres, one of the hardest types of books

117

to read in another language because there are so many made-up words

118

and difficult expressions like how how often do you hear the word dagger in English

119

but in books in fantasy books

120

that word is super common I am gonna head into the cafe now with Wilson

121

and we're going to have a coffee and read for a little bit.

122

I'm with Wilson right now.

123

We are going for a walk and this is another really good time to practice listening.

124

When you have a level that is more intermediate,

125

you can start listening to things in English without like visual cues,

126

without having a screen in front of you to help you know what the discussion is.

127

Right now, for example, I am going to listen to an audiobook.

128

I'm going to throw the wall for Wilson.

129

Wilson!

130

I have been listening to Sunrise on the Reaping, which is the new Hunger Games book,

131

and I actually have bought it in Spanish as well

132

so I'm going to listen to sunrise on the reaping in

133

Spanish where is it that's what I'm going to listen to oh

134

it's very windy I have with me my headphones my little headphones they're little earbuds and and Wilson has lost his ball.

135

Audiobooks are also really good because you can change the speed.

136

So sometimes I listen at like 0.8 speed to help me understand.

137

On the way here too, honestly, i was speaking spanish in the car by myself um i

138

know often it's easy to think oh i i need a teacher to speak the language i'm learning

139

but try practice speaking try and practice speaking by yourself you know i speak in the car i imagine

140

scenarios and just speak to myself

141

and honestly it's a good way to to practice um your fluency

142

and your confidence and i can try and discuss things

143

that i'm not a hundred percent sure i know how to

144

say it's a good way it's a good way to uh to practice it's super windy today it's really cold.

145

I've managed to find a little corner, a little corner of this field that's a bit more sheltered,

146

there is less wind but I don't think we will be out here for long today.

147

Wilson loves it though.

148

I'm going to throw the ball again.

149

We are playing fetch.

150

When the dog chases the ball and brings it back that's fetch playing fetch good boy

151

OMG.

152

We've just got back from the walk.

153

It is 5pm.

154

I feel good about today.

155

I'm now feeding Wilson his dinner.

156

Kind of gross.

157

But I feel like I've been really productive today.

158

And I definitely feel like.

159

I feel like I know now the things I have to work on in particular.

160

So definitely for me the most difficult part of today was when I was trying to write the more complex answers,

161

like when I was writing.

162

OMG, it was so hard.

163

I'm now giving Wilson his dinner and I'm gonna go and watch some YouTube or maybe even Netflix in Spanish.

164

One of the best language learning tips I have is honestly you need to see YouTube and TV series as studying.

165

So for me watching YouTube that counts that counts as studying okay.

166

There's lots of things that I enjoy watching in Spanish.

167

i like watching vlogs

168

so one of the channels i really love in spanish is

169

this girl mariana zamora zamora i don't know i love her she is

170

so beautiful and she is from mexico

171

but she lives in salt lake city in the US

172

and I just I love her videos I love her I

173

think she's just gorgeous love another thing I like watching is I've been watching love is blind

174

which is a series on Netflix

175

which I I really enjoy I watched love is blind Argentina

176

and now I'm watching love is blind Mexico difficult cool content is.

177

Wilson has a ramp so he can get on the sofa with me.

178

We are now sat in the living room together.

179

I think I'm going to watch YouTube.

180

I'm going to watch Mariana.

181

Here she is.

182

It was really, really cold on the walk with all of that wind.

183

So I'm going to warm up and watch some YouTube.

184

I mean, when I listen to YouTube videos, when I watch YouTube videos, I do not have subtitles.

185

I never, ever use subtitles and I don't look up words that I don't understand.

186

I just, you know, try and understand from the rest of the sentence.

187

I have definitely hit like two or three hours of listening to Spanish today and reading and speaking.

188

So honestly, I'm feeling I'm feeling good.

189

I think I needed this to, I don't know, feel feel motivated about Spanish again.

190

I needed this to feel motivated again.

191

And yeah, you know, next stop, C1.

192

Honestly, I'm not sure I have B2, but I'm going to keep going.

193

You know, language learning is such a long process.

194

I actually don't know if it ever really ends um

195

so I always say the most important thing is to enjoy

196

it hopefully you can fall in love with the language

197

that you're learning I have another video on my channel where

198

I recommend um my favorite YouTube channels in English I will link

199

that at the end of this video in case you need some inspiration for channels to to watch

200

but yeah that just leaves me to say thank you

201

so much for watching this video and I will see you in the next one bye

📺 Same Channel

✨ Recommend Video

199 sentences

How to study English as a busy person | The English Podcast

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

352 sentences

+20 MINUTOS de CONVERSAÇÃO BÁSICA em inglês para praticar | Diálogos para iniciantes

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

67 sentences

ENGLISH STUDY PLAN: Study English Effectively with this ROUTINE!!

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

183 sentences

how I would study Spanish (if I could start over) ⊹ resources & tips

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

511 sentences

Improve your English with SHORT STORIES | British English Podcast

Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation

420 sentences

Speak With Me: Realistic English Speaking Practice

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

18 sentences

The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Students (Part 1) ✅

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

107 sentences

How to actually improve your Everyday English Speaking Skills: English conversation practice

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

113 sentences

12 Ways to Improve English Listening Skills & Understand Native Speakers

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

88 sentences

Lesson 2 - Speak English Clearly! The Imitation Technique

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

143 sentences

Why Studying More Isn't Making You Fluent

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

19 sentences

Slow English Podcast

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Study with Me”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: spanish, language, Wilson, speaking, learning. This video has 201 sentences and 2150 words to shadow. The speech runs for 21:05. The speaker talks slowly, about 102 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
café noun	/ˌkæˈfeɪ/	A coffee shop; an establishment selling coffee and sometimes other non-alcoholic beverages, simple meals or snacks, with a facility to consume them on the…
fetch verb	/fɛt͡ʃ/	To retrieve; to bear towards; to go and get.
timer noun	/ˈtaɪmɚ/	A device used to measure amounts of time.
audiobook noun	/ˈɔdi.oʊbʊk/	A recording, usually made available for sale, of a reading of the full text or of an abridgement of a book.
subtitle noun	/ˈsʌbtaɪtəl/	A heading below or after a title.
beginner noun	/bəˈɡɪnɚ/	Someone who is just starting at something, or has only recently started.
reap verb	/ˈɹiːp/	To cut (for example a grain) with a sickle, scythe, or reaping machine.
windy adjective	/ˈwɪn.di/	Accompanied by wind.
motivate verb	/ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/	To provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate.
sunrise noun	/ˈsʌnɹaɪz/	The time of day when the sun appears above the eastern horizon.
headphones noun	/ˈhɛdfoʊnz/	A pair of cushioned speakers worn over or in the ears so only the wearer can hear the sound.
translate verb	/tɹænzˈleɪt/	To change spoken words or written text (of a book, document, movie, etc.) from one language to another.
intermediate adjective	/ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/	Being between two extremes, or in the middle of a range.
earbud noun	/ˈiɹ.bʌd/	A small earphone designed to be placed in the ear canal for use with portable sound systems.
fluency noun	/ˈfluːənsi/	The quality of smoothness of flow.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
get off verb		To move from being on top of (something) to not being on top of it.
look up verb	/ˌlʊk ˈʌp/	To have better prospects.
make up verb	/ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/	To constitute, to compose.
warm up verb	/ˌwɔː(ɹ)m ˈʌp/	To become warmer.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Ideally, I would do more, but I'm quite busy.
It's my first class with her, so let's go.
Have you taken lessons once?
I don't write very often.
That means I've got to start again, okay?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	have been studying · have not been studying · have been listening
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have done · have just typed · have just arrived
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	was obsessed · are personalised · are now sat
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	teacher who also · Reaping, which is

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 56 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: comprehension /ˌkɑmpɹɪˈhɛnʃn̩/, subscription /səbˈskɹɪpʃən/, genre /ˈ(d)ʒɑnɹə/, shelter /ˈʃɛltə/
Long words — get the stress right: audiobook /ˈɔdi.oʊbʊk/, intermediate /ɪn.tə(ɹ)ˈmi.di.ət/, ideally /aɪˈdi.ə.li/

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 café, fetch, timer.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: Study with Me | Slow British English - Learn English Speaking with Video

pack with me to move abroad 🇨🇦

Should you choose an English name? | The English Podcast

I'm moving to Canada

Set Up My iPad with Me | Unboxing and Tour

A Stormy Day in England | Slow English Vlog

The best TV shows to learn English

Get Ready with Me for a Date | Slow British English

Watching the Eclipse in Spain

I Tried New Hobbies for a Week | Slow British English

A Day in The Lizard Village, UK

Is your Accent in English a Problem? | The English Podcast

Can Adults Learn a New Language?

A Summer Weekend in Cornwall, UK

a normal day at home in the UK

I stayed in a 5* hotel in London

The UK in Spring | Slow British English Vlog

A Day in London during the Heatwave

Life in a British Coastal Town | Slow British English

Do Extroverts Speak Better English? | The English Podcast

What I Eat in a Day | Slow British English

How to study English as a busy person | The English Podcast

+20 MINUTOS de CONVERSAÇÃO BÁSICA em inglês para praticar | Diálogos para iniciantes

ENGLISH STUDY PLAN: Study English Effectively with this ROUTINE!!

how I would study Spanish (if I could start over) ⊹ resources & tips

Improve your English with SHORT STORIES | British English Podcast

Speak With Me: Realistic English Speaking Practice

The 7 Habits of Highly Successful Students (Part 1) ✅

How to actually improve your Everyday English Speaking Skills: English conversation practice

12 Ways to Improve English Listening Skills & Understand Native Speakers

Lesson 2 - Speak English Clearly! The Imitation Technique

Why Studying More Isn't Making You Fluent

Slow English Podcast

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?