Shadowing Practice: "The hardest choices require the strongest will." - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “"The hardest choices require the strongest will."”. This video has 10 sentences and 57 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:31.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| finger noun | /ˈfɪŋɡɚ/ | A slender jointed extremity of the human hand, (often) exclusive of the thumb, and the corresponding part, irrespective of including a thumb, in many other… |
| congratulations | /kənˌɡɹæt͡ʃəˈleɪʃ(ə)nz/ | Expressing praise and approval, expressing approbation. |
| mercy noun | /ˈmɝsi/ | Relenting; forbearance to cause or allow harm to another. |
| snap verb | /snæp/ | To fracture or break apart suddenly. |
| cease verb | /sis/ | To stop. |
| survivor noun | /sɚˈvaɪvɚ/ | One who survives, especially one who survives a traumatic experience. |
| prophet noun | /ˈpɹɑ.fɪt/ | Someone who speaks by divine inspiration. |
| universe noun | /ˈjunəˌvɝs/ | The sum of everything that exists in the cosmos. |
| murder noun | /ˈmɝ.dɚ/ | An act of killing a person unlawfully, especially with predetermination. |
| rise verb | /ɹaɪz/ | To move upwards. |
| stone noun | /stoʊ̯n/ | A hard earthen substance that can form rocks; especially, such substance when regarded as a building material. |
| require verb | /ɹɪˈkwaɪɹ/ | To demand, to insist upon (having); to call for authoritatively. |
| exist verb | /ɪɡˈzɪst/ | to be; have existence; have being or reality |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | The hardest |
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 finger, congratulations, mercy.
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.