Shadowing Practice: What All Philosophers Agrees With - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “What All Philosophers Agrees With”. This video has 9 sentences and 132 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:35. The speaker talks fast, about 228 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds.
Key vocabulary in this video
13 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| discipline noun | /ˈdɪsəplɪn/ | A controlled behaviour; self-control. |
| universal adjective | /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/ | Of or pertaining to the universe. |
| deeply adverb | /ˈdi(ː)pli/ | To a deep extent or degree; very greatly. |
| whereas | /(h)wɛɹˈæz/ | In contrast; whilst on the contrary; although. |
| inquiry noun | /ɪnˈkwaɪ(ə)ɹi/ | The act of inquiring; a seeking of information by asking questions; interrogation; a question or questioning. |
| productive adjective | /pɹəˈdʌk.tɪv/ | Capable of producing something, especially in abundance; fertile. |
| infinite adjective | /ˈɪnfɪnɪt/ | Indefinably large, countlessly great; immense. |
| disagree verb | /dɪsəˈɡɹi/ | To fail to agree; to have a different opinion or belief. |
| philosophical adjective | /ˌfɪl.əˈsɑ.fɪ.kl̩/ | Of, or pertaining to, philosophy. |
| finite adjective | /ˈfaɪ.naɪt/ | Having an end or limit; (of a quantity) constrained by bounds; (of a set) whose number of elements is a natural number. |
| philosopher noun | /fəˈlɑsəfɚ/ | A lover of wisdom. |
| monofocus noun | A narrow, intense, singular focus. | |
| unequal adjective | /ʌnˈiːkwəl/ | Not the same. |
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 read · I've drawn |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are monofocused |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who almost |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as I've, isn't, you've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, inquiry /ɪnˈkwaɪ(ə)ɹi/, philosophical /ˌfɪl.əˈsɑ.fɪ.kl̩/, philosopher /fəˈlɑsəfɚ/
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 discipline, universal, deeply.
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.