Shadowing Practice: Where did you stay? – B1 English Listening Test - Learn English Speaking with Video
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62 sentences
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1
Alex.
2
So how was Miami, Alex?
3
Did you stay in a hotel downtown?
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No, we went with a vacation rental.
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It was an apartment near the beach, really close to Ocean Drive.
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Was it okay?
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The apartment was spacious and super clean, and it had a little balcony with a sea view Sounds perfect!
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It was, mostly.
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The decor was modern and we had everything we needed.
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but the mattress was too firm and the air conditioning was a little noisy at night.
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That's annoying.
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Did it have a kitchen?
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Yep, fully equipped.
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We cooked breakfast there most days, which helped us save money.
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And what about the area?
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It was very central, close to everything.
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Restaurants, shops, even a bike rental place.
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It was a little noisy during the day, but quiet at night.
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Nice.
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Would you stay there again?
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Absolutely.
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It felt more like home than a hotel, and the host made everything really easy.
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Emily.
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So Emily, how was your trip to Edinburgh?
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Where did you stay?
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We found a small B &B just outside the city centre.
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It was a family -run place.
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very cosy and quiet.
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Sounds lovely, was the room nice?
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It was spotless and the bed was quite comfortable,
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but the room was a bit cramped and there wasn't much space for our luggage. That can be annoying.
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Were the owners friendly?
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"Very friendly and helpful.
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They gave us tips on what to see and even recommended a few local restaurants.
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What about breakfast?
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Breakfast was included and homemade, which was great.
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They didn't have loads of options, but the food was very tasty.
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Was it expensive?
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Not really.
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It was quite affordable compared to other places in the city.
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And was it easy to get around?
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Fairly.
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There was a bus into town, but it only came every thirty minutes, so we had to wait a couple of times.
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Still, Sounds better than some places I've stayed.
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Overall, it was a pleasant stay, not perfect but good value for money, Ben.
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So, where did you stay in Vegas, Ben?
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We stayed at one of the big resorts on the Strip, The place was huge.
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Restaurants, a pool, shops, everything.
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Sounds amazing.
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It was, but there were some downsides.
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The room was modern and the bed was comfortable, but it was right next to the elevator, so it was noisy at night.
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That's annoying.
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Did you ask to change rooms?
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We tried, but they were fully booked.
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Also, the food at the hotel restaurant was pretty tasteless and overpriced.
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That's disappointing.
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Yeah, and the staff were helpful, but They always seemed rushed.
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I guess the place was understaffed.
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Still, must have been exciting staying there.
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Definitely!
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The location was super convenient and there was always something to do.
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but I'd choose a quieter place next time.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 62 sentences and 473 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:25. The speaker talks at a steady 138 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| noisy adjective | /ˈnɔɪzi/ | Making a noise, especially a loud unpleasant sound |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| rental noun | /ˈɹɛntəl/ | Something that is rented. |
| rush verb | /ɹʌʃ/ | To hurry; to perform a task with great haste, often not properly or without thinking carefully. |
| compare verb | /kəmˈpɛɚ/ | To assess the similarities and differences between two or more things [“to compare X with Y”]. Having made the comparison of X with Y, one might have found it… |
| downtown noun | /ˈdaʊ̯nˌtaʊ̯n/ | The main business part of a city or town, usually located at or near its center. |
| vacation noun | /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/ | An extended trip or journey away from home for rest or pleasure. |
| thirty noun | /ˈθɝti/ | A commercial lasting 30 seconds. |
| resort noun | /ɹɪˈzɔɹt/ | A place where people go for recreation, especially one with facilities such as lodgings, entertainment, and a relaxing environment. |
| affordable adjective | /əˈfɔɹ.də.bəl/ | Able to be afforded; inexpensive or reasonably priced. |
| pleasant adjective | /ˈplɛz.ənt/ | Giving pleasure; pleasing in manner. |
| convenient adjective | /kənˈviː.niənt/ | Serving to reduce a difficulty, or accessible with minimum difficulty; expedient. |
| elevator noun | /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/ | Anything that raises or uplifts. |
| tasty adjective | /ˈteɪsti/ | Having a pleasant or satisfying flavor. |
| homemade adjective | Made at home. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get around verb | To move to the other side of (something, such as an obstruction) by deviating from a direct course or following a curved path. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as didn't, I'd, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: rush /ɹʌʃ/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, spacious /ˈspeɪʃ.əs/
- Long words — get the stress right: affordable /əˈfɔɹ.də.bəl/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/
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 noisy, helpful, rental.
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.