Shadowing Practice: The Ocean - Learn English Speaking with Video
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20 sentences
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1
When viewed from space, the Earth looks like a giant blue ball.
2
The reason...
3
The ocean!
4
The ocean is a massive body of salt water that covers more than 70% of the Earth's surface.
5
Technically, there is only one ocean that is divided into different areas.
6
There's the Southern Ocean, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean and the Arctic Ocean.
7
The ocean is a very diverse environment with many different habitats.
8
From deep and icy Arctic seas to warm and shallow coral reefs.
9
At first glance there doesn't appear to be many plants in the ocean.
10
But if you look closely, really closely, you'll see the ocean is filled with tiny, one-celled plants called phytoplankton.
11
There's also plants like seagrass that grow close to the surface of the water.
12
Plant like seaweed, which is a type of algae, lives in the ocean too.
13
Millions of different kinds of animals live in the ocean,
14
from tiny shrimp like krill to ocean giants like sharks, rays and whales.
15
In shallow parts of the ocean you'll find coral reefs.
16
These amazing underwater jungles are the most diverse ecosystems on the planet.
17
There's a huge diversity of fish, crabs, squid, turtles and even snakes.
18
You won't find birds living in the ocean but plenty of them use it for finding dinner.
19
Speaking of dinner, I gotta go.
20
Where should I head off to in the next video?
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 20 sentences and 233 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:06. The speaker talks at a steady 111 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| reef noun | /ɹiːf/ | A chain or range of rocks, sand, or coral lying at or near the surface of the water. |
| coral noun | /ˈkɔɹəl/ | Any of many species of marine invertebrates in the class Anthozoa, most of which build hard calcium carbonate skeletons and form colonies, or a colony… |
| shallow adjective | /ˈʃæloʊ/ | Having little depth; significantly less deep than wide. |
| diverse adjective | /daɪˈvɜːs/ | Consisting of different elements; various. |
| phytoplankton noun | /ˌfaɪ.təˈplæŋk.tən/ | Plankton, especially those small in size, that obtain energy by photosynthesis. |
| seagrass noun | /ˈsiˌɡɹæs/ | Any of various grass-like marine plants that grow underwater in salt water. |
| seaweed noun | /ˈsiwid/ | Any of numerous marine algae, such as a kelp. |
| crab noun | /kɹæb/ | Any crustacean of the infraorder Brachyura, having five pairs of legs, the foremost of which are in the form of claws, and a carapace. |
| ecosystem noun | /ˈikoʊˌsɪstəm/ | A system formed by an ecological community and its environment that functions as a unit. |
| shrimp noun | /ʃɹɪmp/ | Any of many swimming, often edible, crustaceans, chiefly of the infraorder Caridea or the suborder Dendrobranchiata, with slender legs, long whiskers and a… |
| turtle noun | /ˈtɝtl̩/ | Any land, aquatic, or semi-aquatic reptile of the order Testudines, characterised by a protective shell enclosing its body. See also tortoise. |
| glance verb | /ɡlæns/ | To turn (one's eyes or look) at something, often briefly. |
| underwater adjective | /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/ | Beneath the surface of the water; of or pertaining to the region beneath the water surface. |
| whale noun | /ˈweɪl/ | Any large cetacean, usually with the exclusion of dolphins and porpoises. |
| habitat noun | /ˈhæb.ɪ.tæt/ | Conditions suitable for an organism or population of organisms to live. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is divided · is filled |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | you'll see · you'll find · won't find |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 5 contractions and reduced forms, such as you'll, doesn't, gotta. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shallow /ˈʃæloʊ/, shrimp /ʃɹɪmp/
- Long words — get the stress right: phytoplankton /ˌfaɪ.təˈplæŋk.tən/, ecosystem /ˈikoʊˌsɪstəm/, underwater /ʌndɚˈwɔtəɹ/, technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/, diversity /daɪˈvɜː(ɹ)sɪti/
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 reef, coral, shallow.
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.