Shadowing Practice: The Most Powerful Spells in Harry Potter - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 60 sentences and 227 words to shadow. The speech runs for 7:39. The speaker talks slowly, about 30 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 75% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• scary /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ (adjective) — Causing fear or anxiety
• curse /kɝs/ (noun) — A supernatural detriment or hindrance; a bane.
• bother /ˈbɑðɚ/ (verb) — To annoy, to disturb, to irritate; to be troublesome to, to make trouble for.
• spell /spɛl/ (noun) — Words or a formula supposed to have magical powers.
• explore /ɪkˈsploɹ/ (verb) — To examine or investigate something systematically.
• clue /kluː/ (noun) — Information which may lead one to a certain point or conclusion.
• boundary /ˈbaʊndɹi/ (noun) — The dividing line or location between two areas.
• charm /t͡ʃɑɹm/ (noun) — An object, act or words believed to have magic power (usually carries a positive connotation).
• unfortunate /ʌnˈfɔː.t͡ʃə.nɪt/ (adjective) — Not favored by fortune.
• threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/ (verb) — To make a threat against someone; to use threats.
• pier /pɪɹ/ (noun) — A raised platform built from the shore out over water, supported on piles; used to secure, or provide access to shipping; a jetty.
• backfire /bækˈfaɪə(ɹ)/ (verb) — Of a gun, cannon, Bunsen burner, etc., to fire in the opposite direction, for example due to an obstruction in the barrel.
• locomotor (adjective) — Of or pertaining to movement or locomotion.
• totem /ˈtoʊtəm/ (noun) — Any natural object or living creature that serves as an emblem of a tribe, clan or family; the representation of such an object or creature.
• unforgivable (adjective) — Not forgivable; inexcusable.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• get back (verb) — Return to where one came from.
• sit in (verb) — To attend a class, educational presentation, meeting, etc. for one time, as a visitor.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

• The “th” sounds: bother /ˈbɑðɚ/, threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like scary, curse, bother.

Grammar in this video

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