Shadowing Practice: The 5 Second Rule: Count Down and Go - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Do you ever hit the snooze button again and again?
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Me too! Every single morning.
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Then I read The 5 Second Rule, by Mel Robbins.
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Years ago, Mel's life was falling apart.
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She had money problems, and she felt completely stuck.
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Every morning, she stayed in bed, hiding from the day.
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One night, she saw a rocket launch on TV.
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Five, four, three, two, one... lift-off!
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And suddenly, she had a crazy idea!
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The next morning, when the alarm rang, she didn't think.
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She just counted backwards. Five, four, three, two, one...
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And she got up!
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It sounds silly, but it really worked.
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So here's the rule.
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When you know you should do something, count down from five.
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Then move, before your brain can stop you.
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If you wait, your brain will find a hundred excuses.
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It works for small things, too.
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Want to speak up in a meeting? Five, four, three, two, one. Hand up!
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Want to go to the gym? Count down, and put your shoes on.
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Robbins says motivation doesn't come first. Action does.
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You'll never feel ready, so do it anyway!
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So, what will you do in the next five seconds?
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “The 5 Second Rule: Count Down and Go”. This video has 23 sentences and 195 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:29. The speaker talks at a steady 132 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. 4 of its 23 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| silly adjective | /ˈsɪl.i/ | Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance. |
| rocket noun | /ˈɹɑk.ɪt/ | A cylindrical projectile that can be fired to a great height through combustion, (specifically) a type of firework of this form, typically exploding with light… |
| alarm noun | /əˈlɑɹm/ | A summons to arms, as on the approach of an enemy. |
| shoe noun | /ˈʃu/ | A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of… |
| motivation noun | /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/ | Willingness of action especially in behavior. |
| backward adjective | /ˈbækwɚd/ | Situated toward or at the rear of something. |
| snooze verb | /snuz/ | To sleep, especially briefly; to nap, doze. |
| launch verb | /lɔːnt͡ʃ/ | To throw (a projectile such as a lance, dart or ball); to hurl; to propel with force. |
| suddenly adverb | /ˈsʌd.ən.li/ | Happening quickly and with little or no warning; in a sudden manner. |
| button noun | /ˈbʌtən/ | A knob or disc that is passed through a loop or (buttonhole), serving as a fastener. |
| excuse verb | /ɪksˈkjuz/ | To forgive; to pardon; to overlook. |
| lift noun | /lɪft/ | An act of lifting or raising. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| fall apart verb | To disintegrate, to break into pieces. |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. |
| hand up verb | To deliver an indictment (e.g. to a judge). |
| lift off verb | Synonym of take off (leave the ground and begin flight). |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, doesn't, you'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, motivation /ˈmoʊ.tə.veɪ.ʃən/
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 silly, rocket, alarm.
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.