Shadowing Practice: THIS MY FAVORITE SHOW .# THE MIDDLE - 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 “THIS MY FAVORITE SHOW .# THE MIDDLE”. This video has 15 sentences and 89 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:36. The speaker talks at a steady 147 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 3 of its 15 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 9 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| glow verb | /ɡloʊ/ | To emit heat and light without a flame. |
| whoa | /woʊ/ | Stop (especially when commanding a horse or imitative thereof); calm down; slow down. |
| geek noun | /ɡiːk/ | A person who is intensely interested in a particular field or hobby and often having limited or nonstandard social skills. Often used with an attributive noun. |
| chain noun | /ˈt͡ʃeɪn/ | A series of interconnected rings or links usually made of metal. |
| notice verb | /ˈnoʊ.tɪs/ | To become aware of; to observe. |
| lucky adjective | /ˈlʌki/ | Favoured by luck; fortunate; having good success or good fortune. |
| mention verb | /ˈmɛnʃən/ | To make mention of; to speak of; to refer to; to name; to specify |
| reaction noun | /ɹiˈækʃən/ | An action or statement in response to a stimulus or other event. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna go |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | need to know |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as gonna, isn't, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: mention /ˈmɛnʃən/, reaction /ɹiˈækʃən/
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 phrase, glow, whoa.
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.