Shadowing Practice: Tom Holland Reveals The Real Reason He Was Drinking - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
375 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
I think for so many of us, you know, getting bad reviews, perceptions, people talking about us,
2
whatever that may be, whatever scale we live at can actually affect us.
3
Do you think that you've been able to create a bit more of a skill around that now?
4
Or is it something that happens naturally for you?
5
Because I'm guessing that there's a lot of people who are listening and watching going, Tom, that's pretty amazing that you can do that at your scale and your level.
6
But you know, I'm still affected by that.
7
The number one thing I hear is like, most people don't chase their dreams because they're scared of what their mates will say, let alone what the world will say.
8
Yeah, I guess, have you kind of figured out a little formula for it?
9
Or is it just natural because you saw your dad and it's become easier that way?
10
I think it's a little bit of both, really.
11
You know, I think it's something you definitely get better at.
12
I live by this really...
13
I don't actually know if Christian Bale did say this, but I think he did.
14
I love Christian Bale.
15
I absolutely love Christian Bale.
16
We'll say he said it, yeah.
17
But I think the quote is, if you have a problem with me, text me.
18
And if you don't have my number, you don't know me well enough to have a problem with me.
19
That is so good.
20
And I think that that is such a great piece of advice.
21
Because as a celebrity, you live on this stage.
22
You live out there.
23
You kind of give out a version of yourself that you want people to see.
24
And that can be the version of yourself that they can have a problem with or they can love.
25
And there is a, you know, I feel like I'm quite authentic in my public persona, but I just try to really care about what my family thinks,
26
what my friends think, what the people in my local community think.
27
I live in Kingston.
28
I know everyone that lives there.
29
I can't walk five feet without bumping into one of my mum's friends.
30
So, yeah, so it's something I've been working on.
31
I try my best to not let that stuff affect me.
32
It does.
33
Yeah, of course.
34
I'm not cold-hearted or anything like that.
35
It does affect me, but I just try to move on and focus on the positives.
36
Yeah.
37
And was there ever a piece of feedback or a rumor
38
or something you saw that did affect you where you actually thought, or at least made you stop and go, God, I'm trying to see the positives, but this one's tough.
39
Like this actually made me have to pause and figure it out.
40
Something that did really upset me, I was in New York.
41
I was shooting the crowded room
42
and I was having a really hard time with the job just because of how taxing it was, the emotional capacity that I was having to get to every day.
43
And I decided to delete my Instagram because I just felt like I was
44
so addicted to this kind of false version of my life that it was just taking over.
45
I would be on set working.
46
I'd come and sit in my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll.
47
And it was it was becoming a problem.
48
I was just obsessed with it.
49
And I was obsessed to find out what people were saying and how people, what they thought about me.
50
So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do and say that I'm taking a break from social media.
51
And I tried to position myself and say, like, I'm taking a break from social media because I feel like my mental health will benefit from it.
52
And the thing that really upset me is the press ran with that.
53
And they tried to make out that I was having this mental breakdown.
54
And what upset me was, if I was having a mental breakdown, that's not for you to report on.
55
They took the story in the wrong direction.
56
And they painted again, this negative light on mental health, rather than saying, oh, he's doing it.
57
It's okay that he's doing it.
58
So we should all feel okay to do it too.
59
They were saying, oh, look, he's not the perfect happy go lucky kid you think he is.
60
He's having a nervous breakdown in New York.
61
and I think that that was a really unfair line of journalism let's say
62
because I just think it again kind of painted people looking for help in the wrong light
63
if you know what I mean yeah like the message of our show is
64
that asking for help should be something that we celebrate yeah
65
if you're struggling if you need help if you feel bad
66
and you wake up and and you go to a friend a therapist a teacher, an employee or a colleague and say, I'm really struggling, I need some help.
67
That should be something that we give you a pat on the back.
68
Like, I would love to help you.
69
I'm delighted that you asked me.
70
And that for me, that announcement was kind of my olive branch
71
and the press ran with it how they ran with it.
72
But to be fair, it kind of gave me a great drive to finish the crowded room in the way
73
that we did to like, if you're not going to listen to my personal message, then you have to listen to the message of my show.
74
So it kind of went hand in hand.
75
I want to go back a little bit
76
because there's a lot of interviews that you've done and I've watched a lot of stuff over the time, but like we're talking about, a lot of it's sound bites because it's quick and short and like these entertainment, you know, interviews.
77
And that's why I was really grateful that you took out the time to do this.
78
But you were diagnosed as far as I read with dyslexia at age seven.
79
Yes.
80
And I was wondering how, you know, a lot of our community and our audience is diagnosed as well, or some of them are not, but they're finding out later on in life.
81
How did that affect you?
82
Or how were you set up for success with that?
83
Because as an actor, you've got to learn lines, you've got to read lines.
84
There's a lot of activities that people would assume are quite challenging, but you found a way and walk us through that a little bit.
85
I don't know.
86
My mum has always been really hands-on with our education.
87
She, you know, really wanted us to just do our best our dad always
88
said like look I don't care what grades you get as
89
long as you try your best you try your best
90
and that's all that we can ask for
91
but yeah my dyslexia my spelling was really the biggest hurdle
92
um I worked really hard at school I didn't do particularly well
93
but again my parents said as long as you try your best then that's all we can ask for yeah
94
and acting you started early too age nine right like
95
that was something that you started pursuing really early on in life
96
and I feel was that something that you were always sure about there's
97
that there's that famous viral TikTok that always goes around of you, you know, I don't know how old you were being asked, you know, what superhero would you play when you're older?
98
And you say, oh, maybe Spider-Man, right?
99
I quite fancy being like a superhero.
100
Oh, yeah.
101
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
102
I don't know.
103
What kind of superhero would I want to play?
104
Maybe, maybe Spider-Man in like 10 years time.
105
How much of your acting career do you feel like you've manifested
106
or there was a vision or a focus
107
or is it more just like this was naturally what you were into
108
and it grew where where did
109
that come from i do believe in manifesting actually i really
110
do i think what's interesting about my career is this was
111
never something i wanted i just was a young kid i
112
loved dancing my mum would take me to a dance class every saturday
113
and i got spotted through
114
that dance class to audition for a show on the west
115
end i ended up doing the show i loved it billy elliott it was the time of my life You know, it was such a cool experience.
116
I'm just by complete fluke.
117
An agent came to see the show the night that I was on.
118
She signed me.
119
She sent me to an audition for a film.
120
I was lucky enough to get the part.
121
All of a sudden I was on set with Ewan McGregor and Naomi Watts and we made the impossible.
122
And to be perfectly honest with you, it was it was just a hobby.
123
It was something that my mum would let me do on the summer holidays.
124
She was very keen that I kept my schooling up.
125
and there sort of came that time in england where you're in between gcses
126
and a levels and you're trying to figure out
127
when i was going through
128
that you could still drop out at a levels obviously now you have to do a levels
129
and i had that moment where i was like what do i want to do i could try
130
and stay at school and figure out what i want to do or this thing that's been a hobby
131
but my sort of summer holiday activity which is acting i could try and do that for a living
132
and I've been so lucky that I've been you know offered jobs
133
and all that sort of stuff I decided to go with it I joined the Brit school
134
because you know my mum was keen
135
that I didn't go for school for an education
136
but went to school to expand my social skills
137
and meet kids my own age all my friends
138
when I was 15 were like 30 year old people
139
because they're all adults from the business so I think my mum was keen
140
that I had some friends that are my age who are now my best friends today.
141
So I never really wanted this.
142
I just sort of never stopped doing it.
143
And I love it.
144
I absolutely love it.
145
I love the creativity.
146
I love the building blocks that are required to put a film together.
147
I love the collaboration on set between people from all different walks of life.
148
A film set is a melting pot of all sorts of different people.
149
So I love it.
150
I absolutely love it.
151
Yeah.
152
Wow.
153
And I read something that you said you were bullied for like doing ballet, yeah right which obviously got you into the playing the role of billy ellick
154
because it's ballet and tap right it's both so was was
155
that was that tough at the time
156
or like were you trying to hide it
157
and then you end up on you know you end up at the west end
158
and you're on the main stage and everyone's seeing it
159
or was it kind of easy to navigate and how did
160
that go down because i feel like as a kid doing ballet
161
and tap must have been a little challenging yeah i mean it was it wasn't easy
162
but it also wasn't tough you know i went to a rugby school
163
so you can imagine like the one kid in the school
164
that does ballet there's going to be comments here
165
and there it wasn't the easiest thing in the world there were kids
166
that didn't understand why i was doing it
167
or what i was doing it for no matter how many
168
times i explained like i'm the only guy in a class
169
of 30 girls in tights i was like guys this is
170
what you want to be doing like rugby is not it
171
but i no it was tough
172
but again like it goes back to what we were saying about resilience
173
and keeping your head down
174
and crowded room was the hardest job i've ever had for all sorts of different reasons
175
and there was a point in time where we were talking about, do we shut this down and walk away from it because of how challenging it was.
176
And, you know, I dug my heels in, I put my head down and was like, no, I'm going to finish this.
177
I'm going to see it through.
178
And I think, you know, you learn from past experiences like that.
179
So I really am proud of the way we everyone handled the crowded room.
180
And I think that stems from my childhood, my dad's experiences and all that sort of stuff.
181
Yeah.
182
One of the things that you mentioned recently was that you gave up drinking about a year and a half ago.
183
Yes.
184
And you said it was the hardest thing you ever did.
185
Yes.
186
And I wanted to know what was so hard about it for you?
187
Why was it so hard?
188
It's interesting.
189
I didn't one day wake up and say, I'm giving up drinking.
190
I just, like many Brits had had a very, very boozy December, Christmas time.
191
I was on vacation.
192
I was drinking a lot and I've always been able to drink a lot.
193
I think I get my genes from my mum's side in that thing that I can, I can drink.
194
And I decided to just give up for January.
195
I just wanted to do dry January.
196
And all I could think about was having a drink.
197
It's all I could think about.
198
I was waking up thinking about it.
199
I was checking the clock.
200
When's it 12?
201
and it just really scared me.
202
I just was like, wow, maybe, maybe I have a little bit of an alcohol thing.
203
So I sort of decided to punish myself and say, I'll do February as well.
204
I'll do two months off.
205
If I can do two months off, then I can prove to myself I don't have a problem.
206
Two months go by and I was still really struggling.
207
I felt like I couldn't be social.
208
I felt like I couldn't go to the pub and have a lime soda.
209
I couldn't go out for dinner.
210
I was really, really struggling.
211
And I started to really worry that maybe I had an alcohol problem.
212
So I decided that I would wait until my birthday, which is June 1st. I said to myself, if I can do six months without alcohol, then I can prove to myself that I don't have a problem.
213
And by the time I had got to June 1st, I was the happiest I've ever been in my life.
214
I could sleep better.
215
I could handle problems better.
216
Things that would go wrong on set that would normally set me off.
217
I could take in my stride.
218
I had so much, such better mental clarity.
219
I felt healthier.
220
I felt fitter.
221
And I just sort of said to myself, like, why, why am I enslaved to this drink?
222
Why am I so obsessed by the idea of having this drink?
223
And I would look back and recognize that I would go to events for work and be like, I can't enjoy myself until I've had a few beers.
224
And I just felt so much pressure.
225
And this is one of the things why I've sort of distanced myself from the rugby community
226
because so much of it is about how much can you drink?
227
Let's get you as drunk as possible.
228
And it's honestly been the best thing I've ever done.
229
I'm a year and a half into it now.
230
It doesn't even cross my mind.
231
I found amazing replacements that I think are fantastic.
232
Ones that are also really healthy.
233
I found this one beer that is full of electrolytes and it's, you know, the carbohydrates in it are long lasting energy.
234
So like having a beer is now actually like a really healthy thing.
235
I'm really lucky that all my friends are super supportive about it.
236
I've never run into that scenario where my friends are like, oh, go on, just have a beer.
237
Like you're fine.
238
They've always sort of really supported me.
239
And I don't want to be that person that's saying to people, you should get sober.
240
You should get sober.
241
If I could encourage someone to drink less, then that's great.
242
But I don't want to start getting into the world of you need to stop drinking because I just, it's not for me to say.
243
I went on my own little journey.
244
I'm really enjoying it.
245
I'm delighted that my mum has also given up.
246
She's loving it.
247
And it's been amazing.
248
I can't believe the difference that I feel from not drinking.
249
I feel amazing.
250
Yeah.
251
For anyone who is listening right now and is going, Tom, I love that for you.
252
I want to do it too.
253
Like they're listening going, I'm having too much every day.
254
I can notice some of those things, but I'm just stuck.
255
And it's hard because we know that addiction's that way.
256
We know that this is heavy, it's not easy.
257
But if someone is watching going, Tom, tell me like, what did you do to even get started?
258
How did you have that courage to say, I'm gonna do January, I'm gonna stick at it.
259
Were there any moments where you actually fell back and then had to get back on the horse again?
260
Like, just walk us through that a little bit more for anyone who is watching going, Tom, mate, I wanna be in your position in like six months.
261
I didn't fall back on it.
262
I have done in the past.
263
Like I've had periods of my life where I'd given up drinking and then gone back to drinking.
264
But this time, I don't know.
265
It was just different.
266
I really worked to sort of change my mindset.
267
I really asked myself, like, why do you drink?
268
Why are you drinking?
269
And a lot of the time, my answer would be to feel more comfortable in the social environment.
270
And I just put myself in those environments and just would force myself to be there.
271
I'd force myself to hang out and go to a club or go to a bar, go to a dinner.
272
Yeah, so you weren't avoiding those places.
273
I was at the beginning because I didn't feel like I could go
274
and not have a drink because of the But then after a while, I sort of was like, mate, you've got to pull your socks up here and you can't just live in your house all the time.
275
You've got to go out and enjoy yourself.
276
And if you're only enjoying yourself because you're drinking, then you really do have a problem.
277
But I just changed my mindset.
278
I just, I found really good replacements, things that I could sort of attribute to having a beer.
279
I often found with me, most of it is just the ritual of cracking something open and sharing it with friends and drinking it.
280
Whether it's sparkling water or a beer, I now can't, I don't associate like, I don't see a difference.
281
But I think it's different for everyone.
282
I had a great support system.
283
Jack is one of my best mates and we travel all over the world.
284
He doesn't drink and doing it with him was a really helpful experience for me.
285
My brother is always on the road with me.
286
He was very supportive.
287
And yeah, I just really set my mind to it.
288
I was like, I really want to do this.
289
I want to prove to myself I can do it.
290
And then once I'd felt the health benefits and started really feeling like my full self, I was like, oh my God, this is the best.
291
I honestly cannot believe the amount of times I've sat down with an actor
292
that I've really admired or sat down with a producer or director and been like, oh, you know, well, I don't drink anymore.
293
And they go, oh, I don't drink 10 years.
294
And you're like, oh my God.
295
And I've had so many insightful conversations with people like yourself where you've heard their story, their reason for giving up.
296
And there is a wonderful community of people.
297
And I love it.
298
I love being a part of that community.
299
I'm really proud to be a part of it.
300
I hope that, you know, I can meet other people and chat to them about it because it's really nice.
301
It's lovely to be like, let's go get a lime soda together.
302
You know, we ask everyone the final five.
303
And so these are the fast five questions, which means answers have to be one word to one sentence maximum.
304
Okay.
305
No more than that.
306
Done.
307
Okay.
308
And you don't have to write or spell them out.
309
So no, no, no problem.
310
That'll be a long, a long segment.
311
None of that.
312
All right.
313
So Tom Holland, this is your final five.
314
Question one, what is the best advice you've ever received?
315
To turn your nerves into excitement.
316
I like that.
317
That we've never had that on the show.
318
I love that.
319
All right.
320
Second question.
321
What is the worst advice you've ever received?
322
Move to LA, get a marijuana license and buy a hot tub.
323
Who told you that?
324
Mark Wahlberg.
325
That's brilliant.
326
No, he told me that on a chat show, so I don't know if that was legit advice, but I didn't take his advice.
327
Okay, good.
328
Who would you have been if you took that advice? Who knows? Who knows?
329
All right, question number three.
330
What's the first thing you do every morning and the last thing you do every night?
331
Make my bed.
332
It's the first thing I do.
333
And the last thing I do before I go to bed, admittedly, is I check my emails, which I shouldn't do.
334
But that is what I do.
335
Yeah, it's bad.
336
Yeah, we ask that just to make you aware of what you need to change.
337
I do need to change that.
338
Making my bed is a good start used to never do that
339
and now like my first thing I do is I make
340
my bed that's like my first challenge of the day it's
341
a good it's an easy one to get done question four
342
what's something you're trying to learn at the moment I'm currently taking golf lessons
343
and we see a trend it's not going very well where
344
are you at at the moment thing is with golf is
345
that the golf swing is a very very particular thing
346
so in order to get better you do have to take quite a few steps backwards I've taken maybe 25 sets backwards, but I will benefit from it eventually.
347
Fifth and final question.
348
If you could create one law that everyone else in the world had to follow, what would it be?
349
I don't know.
350
I don't know what one law would solve the most amount of problems.
351
What would you say?
352
Curious.
353
I'd probably go to something you said earlier, if I'm giving a genuine answer, like a real answer, is I really wish there was a life school.
354
Oh, man.
355
Like I, that would be it because I'm not saying that would solve all the problems in the world, but it would set people up.
356
And when I say life school, I mean, emotional mastery.
357
I mean, 100% ego master.
358
I mean, the ability to be kind and empathetic and vulnerable and compassionate and create safe spaces.
359
I think a life school that taught you how to be nonjudgmental and non-critical of others without understanding them.
360
I think that's what I mean by life school.
361
So not just the like paying taxes and bills and stuff yeah
362
but the life school of like well what if what
363
if we didn't have to live in a world where we just said everything we wanted to
364
and did everything we wanted to and got away with it
365
and you know but i think life the life lesson for me should be basic health and cpr
366
and basic first aid training it should be like you said
367
creating an environment at school where young people feel more comfortable talking about themselves what they're going through through,
368
you know, things that might be happening at home or things that are happening at school.
369
Like, I think that that would be an amazing way for us to be more expressive and more comfortable expressing.
370
And again, like, I know I keep going back to it, but it's about what my show is about, which is you should feel empowered when asking for help.
371
It should be something that you're proud of.
372
Like you're recognizing that you have an issue.
373
It might be an internal issue.
374
It might be an external issue, but you are seeking help, which I think is very admirable.
375
you
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B1320
You're not lazy. You're the product. #jayshetty #shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B15
Real friends clap loudest when you win #jayshetty #shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
And You'll Never Let Anyone Stress You Out Again | Mel Robbins
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B18
No one is coming... #jayshetty #shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C11
8 Ways to ACTUALLY Feel Grateful, Even If Everything Is Falling Apart…
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2The Real Reason Your Habits Keep Failing and the 7 TINY Fixes That Actually Work!
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B19
How Paris Jackson defines a good friend #jayshetty #parisjackson #shorts
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B24
Watch This If You Can't Move On After a Breakup
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Kendall Jenner: I had to start saying no #jayshetty #kendalljenner #shorts
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C14
Russel Brand Shares The SECRET For Finding HAPPINESS & PURPOSE IN LIFE | Jay Shetty
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B249
Love at first sight in an INSULT #jayshetty #matthewhussey #shorts
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
If You’re Feeling Behind in Life, Watch This
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
Tom Holland lives by Christian Bale's wise words #shorts
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B224
This is one of the smartest things Tom Hanks has heard. #jayshetty #tomhanks #advice
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
Give Me 27 Minutes and I’ll End Your Perfectionism for Good (FINALLY Get Unstuck!)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B120
The years are passing #jayshetty #shorts
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
Tom Holland talks about his relationship with Hollywood #shorts #tomholland #jayshetty
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B163
When you feel like it's too good to be true. #selenagomez #jayshetty #bennyblanco
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
The 3-Boundary Rule That Will Save Your Inner Peace!
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B24
I Read 10 Books That Changed My Life. Here’s What Will Change Yours..
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B28
135 sentences
The Mindset That Saved Tom Holland...
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
558 sentences
Bright Vachirawit | Fame, F4 Thailand, 2gether, Sleepin' Pill
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
627 sentences
Michael B. Jordan on Being Loved Isn't Enough to Make It Work
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
148 sentences
Timothée Chalamet & Zendaya on Friendship, Mental Health & Feeling Different | GLAMOUR UK
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2637
38 sentences
Stop introducing yourself like this.
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B22
412 sentences
PT 2 - Justin Bieber Opens Up And Gets Raw With Us
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
678 sentences
Central Cee: Apple Music Live and Can't Rush Greatness | Apple Music
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
30 sentences
Finally Sending a Text She Put Off for 15 Years
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B210
23 sentences
Talks at GS – David Beckham on the Secret to His Success
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
114 sentences
Emma Watson: “Fame Made Me Forget Myself — Here’s Why I Walked Away”
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
144 sentences
The Power of LOVE: Childhood Memories and Building a Strong Family Unit with Tom Holland ❤️
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 375 sentences and 4273 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:18. The speaker talks fast, about 221 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- scroll /skɹoʊl/ (noun) — A roll of paper or parchment; a writing formed into a roll.
- ballet /bælˈeɪ/ (noun) — A classical form of dance.
- rugby /ˈɹʌɡbi/ (noun) — A form of football in which players can hold or kick an ovoid ball; rugby football. The ball cannot be handled forwards and points are scored by touching the…
- keen /kin/ (adjective) — Often with a prepositional phrase, or with to and an infinitive: showing a quick and ardent responsiveness or willingness; eager, enthusiastic, interested.
- breakdown /ˈbɹeɪkˌdaʊn/ (noun) — A failure, particularly one which is mechanical in nature.
- superhero /ˈs(j)upɚhɪɹoʊ/ (noun) — Any fictional crime-fighting character, often with supernatural powers or equipment, in popular children's and fantasy literature; a fictional hero who does…
- naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ (adverb) — In a natural manner.
- lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (noun) — A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
- replacement /ɹɪˈpleɪsmənt/ (noun) — A person or thing that takes the place of another; a substitute.
- solve /sɒlv/ (verb) — To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out.
- billy /ˈbɪli/ (noun) — A highwayman's club, billy club.
- announcement /əˈnaʊns.mənt/ (noun) — An act of announcing, or giving notice.
- scare /skɛɚ/ (verb) — To frighten, terrify, startle, especially in a minor way.
- supportive /səˈpɔɹtɪv/ (adjective) — Providing support.
- soda /ˈsoʊdə/ (noun) — Sodium bicarbonate.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- give up (verb) — To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone).
- ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
- talk about (verb) — Used to draw attention to the speaker's characterization of someone or something.
- figure out (verb) — To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
- live in (verb) — To reside on the premises of one's employer (used especially of domestic staff such as nannies, cooks, maids, etc.)
- run with (verb) — To be streaming with a fluid.
- break from (verb) — To leave the cover of (a crowd, shelter, etc.).
- find out (verb) — To discover, as by asking or investigating.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 129 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: authentic /ɔˈθɛn.tɪk/, therapist /ˈθɛɹəpɪst/, empathetic /ˌɛmpəˈθɛtɪk/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/, perception /pɚˈsɛpʃ(ə)n/
- Long words — get the stress right: superhero /ˈs(j)upɚhɪɹoʊ/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, associate /əˈsoʊʃi.ət/, celebrity /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/, collaboration /kəˌlæbəˈɹeɪʃən/
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 scroll, ballet, rugby.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've been · you've done · has always been |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | people who are · activity which is · birthday, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | were diagnosed · is diagnosed · being asked |
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.