Shadowing Practice: The Better Way to Cut an Onion - Learn English Speaking with Video
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8 sentences
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1
There are two ways to go about cutting an onion.
2
The way that I was instructed in cooking school, follow the line of the onion.
3
So every onion, when you cut it in half, you'll see these natural lines.
4
With this method, if you do it correctly, should, in theory, dice pretty cleanly so that you get nicely diced onion.
5
The other method, which is what most people will show you, placing your palm on top,
6
slice towards you, and then make your knife cuts down and then right across.
7
I found that this usually yields less nice.
8
It's not as nice this way, which is why I don't do it this way.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 8 sentences and 113 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:40. The speaker talks at a natural 169 words per minute, close to everyday conversation.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| onion noun | /ˈʌn.jən/ | A monocotyledonous plant (Allium cepa), allied to garlic, used as vegetable and spice. |
| knife noun | /ˈnaɪ̯f/ | A utensil or a tool designed for cutting, consisting of a flat piece of hard material, usually steel or other metal (the blade), usually sharpened on one edge… |
| palm noun | /pɑm/ | The inner and somewhat concave part of the human hand or other primate hand that extends from the wrist to the bases of the fingers. |
| correctly adverb | /kəˈɹɛk(t).li/ | In a correct manner. |
| yield verb | /jiːld/ | To give as a result or outcome; to produce or render. |
| nicely adverb | /ˈnaɪs.li/ | Precisely; with fine discernment or judgement. |
| slice noun | /slaɪs/ | That which is thin and broad. |
| dice verb | /daɪs/ | To play dice. |
| cleanly adjective | /ˈklɛnli/ | Being habitually clean, practising good hygiene. |
| instruct verb | /ɪnˈstɹʌkt/ | To teach by giving instructions. |
| cook verb | /kʊk/ | To prepare food for eating, typically by heating it, combining it with other ingredients, seasoning it, preparing it for serving, etc. |
| method noun | /ˈmɛθəd/ | A process by which a task is completed; a way of doing something (followed by the adposition of, to or for before the purpose of the process). |
| theory noun | /ˈθɪ.ɹi/ | A description of an event or system that is considered to be accurate. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cut down verb | To cut downward. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | method, which is · way, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was instructed |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll see · will show |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “th” sounds: method /ˈmɛθəd/, theory /ˈθɪ.ɹi/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like onion, knife, palm.
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.