Shadowing Practice: Vol 1 - test 3 - section 3 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Section 3.

You will hear a sociology student called John discussing his research project about the use of public services with his tutor.

First, you have some time to look at questions 21 to 26 on page 5.

Thank you.

now listen carefully and answer questions 21 to 26

hello john come in

and sit down you're here to discuss your research project are you yes i've more

or less decided what to do

but i'd like your opinion fine you've chosen a topic yes

I want to look at how people use public services in their local area.

Things like parks and swimming pools.

Right.

Well, the kind of information you'll get is very useful for town planning, of course.

Do you have a special interest in public services?

Not really.

It's just that I found a report in the college library about an investigation that was done ten years ago, and I thought it'd be interesting to do a parallel one.

Hmm.

Ten years is a relatively short space of time.

What do you expect to find?

Do you think things will be more or less the same as before?

I think there'll be some differences.

For example, I think the number of people going to the library will have decreased.

And I'd guess that older people are using the sports centre more often than they used to.

Fine.

So those are your hypotheses now what sort of data are

you going to use i was thinking of using official records from the management

or the local council and analyzing them they should be easy to obtain

i don't think

that sort of information would be confidential yes you're probably right

there might not be as much information as you'd like

but it'd certainly be the easiest kind of data to work with

but have you considered using a questionnaire as well it's okay

to get data from more than one source absolutely it's a

bonus you've already done the module on questionnaire design haven't you

and it'll be good to get experience

because next year you'll have to do something similar for your final dissertation on a bigger scale okay

and what are the variables you'll be looking at.

Are you going to look at people's level of education?

Whether they have a degree, for example?

I hadn't planned to.

Do you think I should?

Well, you might see some interesting patterns.

Okay, and that'll tie in nicely with my plans to analyse the kind of work people do.

What about the size of your sample?

Have you got any thoughts on the number of questionnaires you might send out?

The previous study surveyed 120 people.

I don't think I can really analyse more than 50 working by myself,

so I should probably distribute about 80 questionnaires altogether to allow for wastage.

Do you think that's enough?

Definitely.

I know that your project guidelines recommend a minimum of 100, but that's an ideal number, and you're working by yourself.

And anyway, this assignment is mainly about giving you practice in research methods.

Right.

Before you hear the rest of the discussion, you have some time to look at questions 27 to 30 on page 6.

Now listen and answer questions 27 to 30.

And think of ways you can encourage people to actually complete the questionnaire.

For example, to make sure that your questions make sense, you should try them out beforehand.

OK, that's no problem.

My friends will help.

Good.

Sometimes you get unpredicted responses and you have to rephrase a question.

And I know that you usually get a better return if you deliver questionnaires in person, but there'll be too many.

But I could enclose a stamped envelope for the return post.

It's a bit expensive, but I think it'd be worth it.

Yes, good.

Some people say that another way of increasing returns is to make the questionnaires anonymous, but usually people put their names on anyway,

so I don't think that would make much difference.

OK.

And can you give me a bit more advice about the questionnaire?

Would it be a good idea to have a short paragraph at the top explaining what I'm doing and why?

Definitely.

And don't forget, you'll need to get a bit of information about your subjects, what age group they're in and perhaps how long they've lived in the area.

So you'll need questions for that.

Yes.

I suppose that'll mean it takes a bit longer to complete, but should I give them my phone number in case there's anything they're not sure about?

I wouldn't if I were you, no. OK.

And do I have to use open -ended questions as well as closed questions?

I know the books say it's better to have a mixture.

Well, it depends.

In this case, I'd stick to closed questions.

The results will be much more manageable like that.

If I draft some questions tomorrow, would it be OK to bring them to the end of

the end of the end of the end of the end of the end of the end of the end? to check your answers.

Now turn to section 4 on page 7.

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Who Is This Video For?

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners focusing on shadowing practice and conversational fluency. It features a natural academic dialogue between a student and tutor, making it ideal for those aiming to master real-world discussion skills, especially in educational or research contexts. Whether you’re prepping for exams or want to sound more confident in formal conversations, the clear, paced speech and topic-specific vocabulary (like "hypotheses" and "sample size") offer great material for shadowspeak exercises.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

Parallel one: A study that mirrors another (e.g., "I want to do a parallel one to the 10-year-old report").
Allow for wastage: Plan for unused or unreturned items (e.g., "Distribute 80 questionnaires to allow for wastage").
Tie in nicely: Connect well with other ideas (e.g., "Education level will tie in nicely with job analysis").
Relatively short space of time: A brief period (e.g., "10 years is a relatively short space of time").

These phrases add precision to academic or professional speech—perfect for shadow speak practice to sound more natural.

How to Get the Accent Right

The tutor’s clear, neutral accent is easy to follow, but focus on intonation in questions (e.g., "Do you think that’s enough?") and reduced speech in casual phrases like "more or less" (pronounced "mor-or-less"). For shadowspeaks practice, pause the video and repeat short chunks, mimicking the rhythm of phrases like "I don’t think I can really analyse more than 50." A shadowing app can help slow down the audio, letting you match the speaker’s pace. Pay attention to stress on key words ("confidential information," "interesting patterns") to sound more like a native.

Learning English with videos like this—full of realistic dialogue—builds both vocabulary and confidence. Use the conversation to practice shadowspeak daily, and you’ll notice your fluency improve in no time.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result	If I draft some questions tomorrow, would it
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	you've chosen · have decreased · you've already done

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

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