Shadowing Practice: Two Men Took the DNA Test and Neither Was the Father - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Two Men Took the DNA Test and Neither Was the Father”. This video has 13 sentences and 150 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:53. The speaker talks at a natural 171 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 3 of its 13 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| biological adjective | /ˌbaɪ.əˈlɑ.d͡ʒɪ.kəl/ | Of or relating to biology. |
| affair noun | /əˈfɛɹ/ | Something which is done or is to be done; business of any kind, commercial, professional, or public. |
| loyal adjective | /ˈlɔɪəl/ | Having or demonstrating undivided and constant support for someone or something. |
| cheater noun | /ˈt͡ʃiːtɚ/ | Someone who cheats; something that cheats. |
| flaunt verb | /flɑnt/ | To parade, display with ostentation. |
| fling noun | /ˈflɪŋ/ | An act of throwing, often violently. |
| determine verb | /dɪˈtɜː(ɹ).mɪn/ | To set the boundaries or limits of. |
| prepare verb | /pɹɪˈpɛ(ə)ɹ/ | To make ready for a specific future purpose; to set up; to assemble or equip; to forearm. |
| husband noun | /ˈhʌzbənd/ | A man in a marriage or marital relationship, especially in relation to his spouse. |
| none | /noʊn/ | Not any of a given number or group. |
| doubt noun | /daʊt/ | Disbelief or uncertainty (about something); (countable) a particular instance of such disbelief or uncertainty. |
| correct adjective | /kəˈɹɛkt/ | Free from error; true; accurate. |
| prove verb | /ˈpɹuv/ | To demonstrate that something is true or viable; to give proof for; to bear out; to testify. |
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 | has flaunted · have caused · He's been proven |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been proven · being played |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as gonna, wasn't, we're. 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.
- 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 biological, affair, loyal.
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.