Shadowing Practice: You don't know where I've been - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “You don't know where I've been”. This video has 51 sentences and 218 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:54. The speaker talks slowly, about 75 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| assignment noun | /əˈsaɪn.mənt/ | The act of assigning; the allocation of a job or a set of tasks. |
| basement noun | /ˈbeɪsmənt/ | A floor of a building below ground level. |
| homework noun | /ˈhoʊmˌwɝk/ | Exercises assigned by a teacher to a student which review concepts studied in class. |
| unbelievable adjective | /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/ | Not to be believed. |
| burger noun | /ˈbɝ.ɡɚ/ | A hamburger. |
| skinny adjective | /ˈskɪni/ | Thin, generally in a negative sense (as opposed to slim, which is thin in a positive sense). |
| fry verb | /fɹaɪ/ | To cook (something) in hot fat. |
| trim verb | /ˈtɹɪm/ | To reduce slightly; to cut; especially, to remove excess. |
| fingernail noun | /ˈfɪŋɡɚˌneɪl/ | The hard, flat translucent covering near the tip of a human finger, useful for scratching and fine manipulation. |
| strange adjective | /stɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ | Not normal; odd, unusual, surprising, out of the ordinary, often with a negative connotation. |
| vision noun | /ˈvɪʒ.ən/ | The sense or ability of sight. |
| everybody | /ˈɛvɹi(ˌ)bədi/ | All people. |
| join verb | /ˈd͡ʒɔɪn/ | To connect or combine into one; to put together. |
| reach verb | /ɹiːt͡ʃ/ | To extend, stretch, or thrust out (for example a limb or object held in the hand). |
| stupid adjective | /ˈstjuːpɪd/ | Lacking in intelligence. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| fall apart verb | To disintegrate, to break into pieces. |
| go out verb | To leave, especially a building. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Did you hear what I just said?
- You hear me now?
- You're gonna start a fight, and you're gonna lose.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 16 contractions and reduced forms, such as gonna, you're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: unbelievable /ˌʌnbɪˈliːvəbl̩/, everybody /ˈɛvɹi(ˌ)bədi/, historical /hɪˈstɔɹɪkəl/
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 assignment, basement, homework.
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.