Shadowing Practice: Why you shouldn't eat if you have a stomachache - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Why you shouldn't eat if you have a stomachache”. This video has 24 sentences and 191 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:54. The speaker talks fast, about 212 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 5 of its 24 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| stomach noun | /ˈstʌmək/ | An organ in animals that stores food in the process of digestion. |
| med noun | /mɛːd/ | Medications, especially prescribed psychoactive medications. |
| refuse verb | /ɹɪˈfjuːz/ | To decline (a request or demand). |
| monitor noun | /ˈmɑ.nɪ.tɚ/ | Someone who watches over something; a person in charge of something or someone. |
| complaint noun | /kəmˈpleɪnt/ | The act of complaining. |
| apologize verb | /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/ | To make an apology or excuse; to acknowledge some fault or offense, with expression of regret for it, by way of amends |
| medication noun | /mɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/ | A medicine, or all the medicines regularly taken by a patient. |
| coke noun | /koʊk/ | Solid residue from roasting coal in a coke oven; used principally as a fuel and in the production of steel and formerly as a domestic fuel. |
| soda noun | /ˈsoʊdə/ | Sodium bicarbonate. |
| sincerely adverb | /sɪnˈsɪɹli/ | In a sincere or earnest manner; honestly. |
| abdominal adjective | /æbˈdɑm.ə.nl̩/ | Of or pertaining to the abdomen; ventral. |
| cheese noun | /t͡ʃiz/ | A dairy product made from curdled or cultured milk. |
| recommend verb | /ˌɹɛkəˈmɛnd/ | To bestow commendation on; to represent favorably; to suggest, endorse or encourage as an appropriate choice. |
| diet noun | /ˈdaɪət/ | The food and beverage a person or animal consumes. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Can you make it a large?
- What are you doing?
- Ma 'am, you shouldn't be eating anything.
- What do you mean if I'm actually in pain?
- Do you think I'm lying about my pain, idiot?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are you doing · I'm ordering · are doing |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna get · gonna make |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll take · We'll continue |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 14 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, medication /mɛdɪˈkeɪʃən/
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 stomach, med, refuse.
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.