Shadowing Practice: The Sorting Hat | Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone - Learn English Speaking with Video
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48 sentences
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1
It's not real, the ceiling.
2
It's just bewitched to look like the night sky.
3
I read about it in Hogwarts.
4
A history.
5
will you wait along here please
6
now before we begin professor dumbledore would like to say a few words
7
i have a few start of term notices i wish to announce
8
the first years please note that the dark forest is strictly forbidden to all students
9
also our caretaker Mr Filch has asked me to remind you
10
that the third floor corridor on the right hand side is
11
out of bounds to everyone who does not wish to die a most painful death thank you
12
When I call your name, you will come forth.
13
I shall place the sorting hat on your head, and you will be sorted into your houses.
14
Hermione Granger?
15
Oh, no. Okay, relax.
16
Mental, that one.
17
I'm telling you.
18
Ah, right then.
19
Right.
20
Okay.
21
Gryffindor!
22
Draco Malfoy.
23
Slytherin!
24
There's not a witch or a wizard who went bad who wasn't in Slytherin.
25
Susan Bones!
26
Harry, what is it?
27
Nothing.
28
Nothing I'll find.
29
I know!
30
Hufflepuff!
31
Ronald Weasley.
32
Ha!
33
Another Weasley.
34
I know just what to do with you.
35
Gryffindor!
36
Harry Potter?
37
Hmm.
38
Difficult.
39
Very difficult.
40
Plenty of courage, I see not a bad mind either there's talent oh yes
41
and a thirst to prove yourself
42
but where to put you not Slytherin not Slytherin not Slytherin eh are you sure
43
you could be great you know it's all here in your head and Slytherin will help you on the way to greatness.
44
There's no doubt about that.
45
No?
46
Well, if you're sure, better be...
47
Gryffindor!
48
your attention please let the feast begin
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “The Sorting Hat”. This video has 48 sentences and 278 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:35. The speaker talks slowly, about 61 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 77% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| bound adjective | /ˈbaʊ̯nd/ | Obliged (to). |
| remind verb | /ɹəˈmaɪnd/ | To cause one to experience a memory (of someone or something); to bring to the notice or consideration (of a person). |
| courage noun | /ˈkʌ.ɹɪd͡ʒ/ | The quality of being confident, not afraid or easily intimidated, but without being incautious or inconsiderate. |
| painful adjective | /ˈpeɪn.fl̩/ | Causing pain or distress, either physical or mental. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| announce verb | /əˈnaʊn(t)s/ | To give public notice of, especially for the first time; to make known. |
| ceiling noun | /ˈsilɪŋ/ | The overhead closure of a room. |
| strictly adverb | /ˈstɹɪktli/ | In a strict manner. |
| feast noun | /ˈfiːst/ | A holiday, festival, especially a religious one |
| wizard noun | /ˈwɪzɚd/ | Someone, usually male, who uses (or has skill with) magic, mystic items, and magical and mystical practices. |
| corridor noun | /ˈkɒɹɪdɔː/ | A narrow hall or passage with rooms leading off it, as in a building or in a railway carriage. |
| greatness noun | /ˈɡɹeɪtnəs/ | The state, condition, or quality of being great |
| forbid verb | /fɚˈbɪd/ | To disallow; to proscribe. |
| thirst noun | /θɝst/ | A sensation of dryness in the throat associated with a craving for liquids, produced by deprivation of drink, or by some other cause (such as fear, excitement… |
| bewitch verb | /bəˈwɪt͡ʃ/ | To cast a spell upon. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, wasn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
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 bound, remind, courage.
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.