Shadowing Practice: This Reveals Your True Value... - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “This Reveals Your True Value..”. This video has 24 sentences and 238 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:06. The speaker talks fast, about 217 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 90% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 4 of its 24 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| insane adjective | /ɪnˈseɪn/ | Exhibiting unsoundness or disorder of mind; not sane; utterly mad. |
| tear verb | /tɛɹ/ | To rend (a solid material) by holding or restraining in two places and pulling apart, whether intentionally or not; to destroy or separate. |
| advocate noun | /ˈæd.və.kət/ | Someone whose job is to speak for someone's case in a court of law; a counsel. |
| inspire verb | /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ | To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by… |
| specifically adverb | /spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/ | In a specific manner, applying to or naming a particular thing or things, expressly, explicitly. |
| describe verb | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ | To represent in words. |
| emotional adjective | /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/ | Of or relating to the emotions. |
| definition noun | /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/ | A statement of the meaning of a word, word group, sign, or symbol; especially, a dictionary definition. |
| anybody | /ˈɛn.i.bə.di/ | Any one out of an indefinite number of persons; anyone; any person. |
| minute noun | /ˈmɪnɪt/ | A unit of time which is one sixtieth of an hour (sixty seconds). |
| hurt verb | /hɝt/ | To cause (a person or animal) physical pain and/or injury. |
| eventually adverb | /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.ə.li/ | In the end; at some later time, especially after a long time, a series of problems, struggles, delays or setbacks. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You start asking what?
- You're always there for me.
- They're gonna hate you, it's gonna hurt sometimes.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start asking · start describing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | they'll start · they'll go · will give |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | they're going to look · gonna hate |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 16 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, you're, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: emotional /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/, definition /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/
- Long words — get the stress right: specifically /spɪˈsɪf.ɪ.kli/, emotional /ɪˈmoʊʃənəl/, definition /ˌdɛf.ɪˈnɪʃ.ən/, anybody /ˈɛn.i.bə.di/, eventually /ɪˈvɛn.t͡ʃu.ə.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like insane, tear, advocate.
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.