Shadowing Practice: Vegan at a Steakhouse: Asking for Changes - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
Honestly, this place does the best steak in London!
2
Well... great for you. I'm not sure there's much here for me.
3
Oh, come on, they must have something without meat.
4
We'll see. I'll ask what can be done.
5
Good evening! Have you had a chance to look at the menu?
6
Actually, I was wondering if you could help me.
7
I'm vegan, so no meat, dairy or eggs.
8
Of course. Let me see what can be arranged.
9
The mushroom risotto is usually made with butter and parmesan,
10
but I'm fairly sure it could be prepared with olive oil instead.
11
Oh, that would be lovely! Would it be possible to skip the cheese too?
12
Absolutely. I'll have a word with the chef to make sure.
13
And the chips — are they cooked in the same oil as the meat?
14
Seriously? Does that really matter?
15
Hmm, I'm afraid I'm not certain. I'll check rather than guess.
16
Wow! I've never heard anyone ask that many questions.
17
Ha! Well, if you don't ask, you don't get.
18
Right, good news! The chips are fried separately.
19
And the chef has offered to make you a dish that isn't on the menu.
20
Really? That's incredibly kind of him!
21
Grilled vegetables with a herb sauce, and the risotto on the side.
22
Ugh, that looks better than my steak!
23
Sorry, Dan, but you're not getting any!
24
Thank you so much. You've really made my evening.
25
Fine, fine. Next time, you choose the restaurant!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Vegan at a Steakhouse: Asking for Changes”. This video has 25 sentences and 242 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:35. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 82% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 6 of its 25 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| risotto noun | /ɹɪˈzoʊtoʊ/ | An Italian savoury dish made with rice and other ingredients. |
| steak noun | /steɪk/ | Beefsteak: a slice of beef, broiled or cut for broiling. |
| parmesan noun | /ˈpɑːmɪˌzæn/ | A hard, full-fat Italian cheese from Parma or its neighboring province Reggio Emilia. |
| mushroom noun | /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/ | Any of the fleshy fruiting bodies of fungi typically produced above ground on soil or on their food sources (such as decaying wood). |
| herb noun | /hɜːb/ | A plant whose stem is not woody and does not persist beyond each growing season. |
| grill noun | /ɡɹɪl/ | A grating; a grid of wire or a sheet of material with a pattern of holes or slots, usually used to protect something while allowing the passage of air and… |
| fry verb | /fɹaɪ/ | To cook (something) in hot fat. |
| vegetable noun | /ˈvɛd͡ʒ.tə.bəl/ | A plant raised for some edible part of it, such as the leaves, roots, fruit or flowers, but excluding any plant considered to be a fruit, grain, herb, or spice… |
| vegan noun | /ˈviːɡən/ | A person who does not eat, drink or otherwise consume any animal products |
| arrange verb | /əˈɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | To set up; to organize; to put into an orderly sequence or arrangement. |
| separately adverb | /ˈsɛp.ɹət.li/ | In a separate manner; not together; apart. |
| olive noun | /ˈɑ.lɪv/ | A tree of species Olea europaea cultivated since ancient times in the Mediterranean for its fruit and the oil obtained from it. |
| dairy noun | /ˈdɛə.ɹi/ | (also dairy products or dairy produce) Products produced from milk. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm not sure there's much here for me.
- I'll ask what can be done.
- Have you had a chance to look at the menu?
- I'm vegan, so no meat, dairy or eggs.
- Hmm, I'm afraid I'm not certain.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | can be done · can be arranged · is usually made |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've never heard · has offered · You've really made |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | We'll see · I'll have · I'll check |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 15 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'll, don't. 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 risotto, steak, parmesan.
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.