Shadowing Practice: Under the Weather - Learn English Speaking with Video
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21 sentences
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1
Morning, Ollie. You don't look very well.
2
I'm fine, honestly. I just didn't sleep much.
3
You're shaking. Are you sure you're okay?
4
I have to be. I've got a big meeting at ten.
5
Not so fast. I could hear you coughing all night.
6
Right, have you got a temperature?
7
Maybe. I'm boiling one minute and freezing the next.
8
And your throat? Is it sore when you swallow?
9
Really sore. Is it serious, Doctor?
10
It's just a bad cold. You'll live.
11
But you need to stay in bed and drink lots of water.
12
But the meeting! My boss is counting on me.
13
Ollie, you can't even stand up properly.
14
Fine. I'll email my boss and say I'm off sick.
15
Good. And no laptop. You need a proper rest.
16
Soup delivery! Kwame told me someone's poorly.
17
Chicken soup, straight from the pub kitchen.
18
Rob, you're a hero! Thank you so much.
19
Eat it all, then straight back to bed.
20
Actually, I feel better already. Maybe I'll go in after all!
21
Nice try, Ollie. Back to bed!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Under the Weather”. This video has 21 sentences and 174 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:21. The speaker talks at a steady 129 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 80% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 5 of its 21 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| soup noun | /sup/ | Any of various dishes commonly made by combining liquids, such as water or stock, with other ingredients, such as meat and vegetables, that contribute the food… |
| sore adjective | /soɹ/ | Causing pain or discomfort; painfully sensitive. |
| shake verb | /ˈʃeɪk/ | To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly. |
| throat noun | /ˈθɹoʊt/ | The front part of the neck. |
| laptop noun | /ˈlæp.tɑp/ | A laptop computer. |
| freeze verb | /ˈfɹiːz/ | Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature. |
| poorly adverb | /ˈpʊɹ.li/ | In a poor manner or condition; without plenty, or sufficiency, or suitable provision for comfort. |
| cough verb | /kɔf/ | Sometimes followed by up: to force (something) out of the lungs or throat by pushing air from the lungs through the glottis (causing a short, explosive sound)… |
| swallow verb | /ˈswɑ.loʊ/ | To cause (food, drink etc.) to pass from the mouth into the stomach; to take into the stomach through the throat. |
| boil verb | /bɔɪ(ə)l/ | To heat to the point where it begins to turn into a gas. |
| email noun | /ˈiˌmeɪl/ | A system for sending messages and datas by means of a computer network, primarily the Internet, using the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and the Internet… |
| hero verb | /ˈhɪɹ.oʊ/ | To act as a hero (brave person; role model; or protagonist). |
| kitchen noun | /ˈkɪt͡ʃ(ə)n/ | A room or area for preparing food. |
| properly adverb | /ˈpɹɑpɚli/ | In a proper manner, appropriately, suitably; correctly, justifiably |
| temperature noun | /ˈtɛm.p(ə.)ɹə.t͡ʃə/ | A measure of cold or heat, often measurable with a thermometer. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You don't look very well.
- I just didn't sleep much.
- Are you sure you're okay?
- Right, have you got a temperature?
- Is it sore when you swallow?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | You're shaking · I'm boiling · is counting |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | You'll live · I'll email · I'll go |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to be · need to stay |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 13 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: temperature /ˈtɛm.p(ə.)ɹə.t͡ʃə/, delivery /dɪˈlɪv.(ə.)ɹi/
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 soup, sore, shake.
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.