Shadowing Practice: Teaching Grandma to Make a Video Call - Learn English Speaking with Video
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34 sentences
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1
Right, Gran! Are you ready for your first video call?
2
Well, I think so. I've never done this before, you know.
3
Don't worry, it's much easier than it looks.
4
Lily said she'd be online at four o'clock.
5
Perfect! That gives us ten minutes to practise.
6
First, find the green button with the little camera on it.
7
This one? Oh! Now the whole screen has gone black!
8
Ha, you've just turned the phone off, Gran.
9
Oh dear... I only touched it for a second!
10
It's fine. Just hold this button on the side.
11
Now tap Lily's name, and it'll start ringing.
12
It's ringing! Oh, how exciting!
13
Wait, Gran! The camera is pointing at the ceiling!
14
The ceiling? Well, how was I supposed to know that?
15
Ha! If you hold it up in front of your face, she'll see you.
16
Hello, Lily! Hello! Can you hear me, darling?
17
Hmm, she keeps pointing at her ear. Can't she hear me?
18
I think you've muted the microphone by mistake.
19
Muted? But I haven't touched anything!
20
Your thumb is on the button, Gran. Just lift it up.
21
Oh, there she is! Lily, can you hear me now?
22
She says she can, but she can only see your eye!
23
Oh, for goodness' sake! Is that better?
24
Much better. Move it back a little more... perfect!
25
I've been holding phones wrong for years, haven't I?
26
Lily, darling, you look wonderful! How's the weather in Canada?
27
Snow already? Goodness, it's still sunny here!
28
See, Gran? You've done it all by yourself!
29
Well, not quite by myself. You helped a lot, love.
30
Oh... I haven't seen her face in nearly a year.
31
Now you can call her whenever you like, Gran.
32
Really? Then could you show me again tomorrow?
33
Of course! But next time, you'll press all the buttons.
34
Deal! But if I turn it off again, it's your fault!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Teaching Grandma to Make a Video Call”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Gran, Lily, button, hear. This video has 34 sentences and 311 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:12. The speaker talks at a steady 141 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 15 of its 34 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ceiling noun | /ˈsilɪŋ/ | The overhead closure of a room. |
| goodness noun | /ˈɡʊdnəs/ | The state or characteristic of being good. |
| darling noun | /ˈdɑɹlɪŋ/ | Often used as an affectionate term of address: a person who is very dear to one. |
| mute adjective | /mjut/ | Not having the power of speech; dumb. |
| sake noun | /ˈseɪ̯k/ | Cause, interest or account. |
| sunny adjective | /ˈsʌni/ | Featuring a lot of sunshine. |
| thumb noun | /ˈθʌm/ | The shortest and thickest digit of the hand that for humans has the most mobility and can be made to oppose (moved to touch) all of the other fingers. |
| microphone noun | /ˈmaɪ.kɹəˌfəʊn/ | A device (transducer) used to convert sound waves into a varying electric current; normally fed into an amplifier and either recorded or transmitted over radio. |
| excite verb | /ɪkˈsaɪt/ | To stir the emotions of; to cause to feel excitement. |
| button noun | /ˈbʌtən/ | A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener. |
| mistake noun | /mɪˈsteɪk/ | An error. |
| snow noun | /snoʊ̯/ | The partly frozen, crystalline state of water that falls from the atmosphere as precipitation in flakes; also, the falling of such flakes; and the accumulation… |
| fault noun | /fɔlt/ | Culpability; the responsibility for a blameworthy event. |
| whenever | /wəˈnɛvɚ/ | At any time that. |
| suppose verb | /səˈpoʊz/ | To take for granted; to conclude, with less than absolute supporting data; to believe. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Are you ready for your first video call?
- Can you hear me, darling?
- Can't she hear me?
- Lily, can you hear me now?
- I've been holding phones wrong for years, haven't I?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've never done · has gone · you've just turned |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start ringing · keeps pointing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | it'll start · she'll see · you'll press |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as haven't, you've, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 ceiling, goodness, darling.
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.