Shadowing Practice: Why Does Tickling Make Me Laugh? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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37 sentences
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Gosh, you’re so ticklish, Squeaks!
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Are you ticklish?
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If you are, you know it!
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And if you’re not, then you probably wonder what all the fuss is about.
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Either way, tickling is pretty strange!
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Lots of things make us laugh, but that’s usually because we think they’re funny.
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Tickling is different!
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It has to do with your sense of touch, which helps you learn more about the world.
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When you sense a touch, the part of your body that feels something touching you sends a message to your brain.
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Then, your brain decides how to respond to the feeling.
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So when Squeaks gives me a high five...
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... my hand sends a signal to my brain, which figures out that what I’m feeling is my favorite robot rat's hand!
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Well, the same kind of thing happens when someone tickles you!
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The body part that’s being tickled sends a message to your brain, which figures out what’s happening and tells your body what to do.
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For me, that’s usually to start giggling and squirming!
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Scientists aren’t completely sure why we’re ticklish.
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But they’ve studied the problem very carefully, and have some good ideas.
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Squeaks, where are you ticklish?
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Oh, your belly?
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I'm ticklish in my armpits!
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In fact, most people are ticklish on and around body parts like their bellies and under their arms.
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Now, think about where you are ticklish, and think about what you do when you get tickled there.
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Most of us kind of curl up, or hug our middles, or squirm away as we try to stop being tickled, even if we’re laughing at the same time.
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And under these very ticklish outside body parts are some pretty important inside body parts, like our hearts and stomachs.
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So scientists think that when we’re tickled in those places, we cover them up and try to get away because we’re sort of trying to protect the important body parts underneath from getting hurt — even if we don’t really think about it.
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That can also explain why tickling makes us laugh.
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Scientists think we laugh as a message to the person that’s tickling us — again, even if we’re not really doing it on purpose.
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And that message is: stop, you win!
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That may sound kind of … well, funny … but it’s like we’re practicing doing things that might keep us safe.
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And, scientists also think this is part of why we can’t really tickle ourselves.
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Go ahead and try!
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You just can’t tickle yourself — at least not in the same way someone else can.
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That’s because when your brain gets the message that you’re being tickled, say from your belly, it also realizes that another part of your body — your own hand — is what’s doing the tickling.
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But if the tickle comes from someone else, we definitely feel it!
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Ah! Stop it, Squeaks!
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Thanks for joining us!
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If you want to keep learning and having fun with Squeaks and me, hit the subscribe button, and we’ll see you next time here at the Fort!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 37 sentences and 502 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:46. The speaker talks fast, about 182 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| scientist noun | /ˈsaɪəntəst/ | One whose activities make use of the scientific method to answer questions regarding the measurable universe. A scientist may be involved in original research… |
| belly noun | /ˈbɛli/ | The abdomen (especially a fat one). |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| stomach noun | /ˈstʌmək/ | An organ in animals that stores food in the process of digestion. |
| robot noun | /ˈɹoʊ.bɑt/ | An intelligent mechanical being designed to look like a human or other creature, and usually made from metal. |
| underneath adverb | /ˌʌndɚˈniθ/ | Below; in a place beneath. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| gosh | /ɡɑːʃ/ | A mild expression of surprise or enthusiasm. |
| fuss noun | /fʌs/ | Excessive activity, worry, bother, or talk about something. |
| curl noun | /kɜɹl/ | A curving piece or lock of hair; a ringlet. |
| tickle verb | /ˈtɪkl̩/ | To touch repeatedly or stroke delicately in a manner which typically causes laughter, pleasure and twitching. |
| ticklish adjective | /ˈtɪk(ə)lɪʃ/ | Sensitive or susceptible to being tickled. |
| squirm verb | /skwɝm/ | To twist one's body with snakelike motions. |
| giggle verb | /ˈɡɪɡl̩/ | To laugh gently in a playful, nervous, or affected manner. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| figure out verb | To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce. | |
| get away verb | To move away (from). | |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
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 | being tickled |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start giggling · keep learning |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | we're laughing · we're not really doing · we're practicing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 18 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, you're, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: gosh /ɡɑːʃ/, ticklish /ˈtɪk(ə)lɪʃ/
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 scientist, belly, carefully.
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.