Shadowing Practice: You're Running 6 Businesses and That's Your Problem - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video has 22 sentences and 324 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:22. The speaker talks fast, about 237 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

• profitable /ˈpɹɑ.fɪ.tə.bl̩/ (adjective) — Producing a profit.
• suck /sʌk/ (verb) — To use the mouth and lips to pull in (a liquid, especially milk from the breast).
• resource /ɹɪˈzɔːs/ (noun) — Something that one uses to achieve an objective, e.g. raw materials or personnel.
• ongoing /ɒnˈɡəʊ.ɪŋ/ (adjective) — Continuing, permanent, lasting.
• generate /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ə.ɹeɪt/ (verb) — To bring into being; give rise to.
• technically /ˈtɛk.nɪˌkəl.i/ (adverb) — Based on precise facts, which, however, may be contrary to common belief or casual terminology.
• bucket /ˈbʌkɪt/ (noun) — A container made of rigid material, often with a handle, used to carry liquids or small items.
• runway /ˈɹʌnweɪ/ (noun) — A defined, narrow section of land or an artificial structure used for access.
• verge /vɜːd͡ʒ/ (noun) — A rod or staff of office, e.g. of a verger.
• allocate /ˈæl.ə.keɪt/ (verb) — To set aside for a purpose.
• complicate /ˈkɑmplɪkeɪt/ (verb) — To make complex; to modify so as to make something intricate or difficult.
• fail /feɪl/ (verb) — To be unsuccessful.
• split /splɪt/ (verb) — To divide fully or partly along a more or less straight line.
• phase /feɪz/ (noun) — A distinguishable part of a sequence or cycle occurring over time.
• strange /stɹeɪnd͡ʒ/ (adjective) — Not normal; odd, unusual, surprising, out of the ordinary, often with a negative connotation.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

• think about /ˈθɪŋk əˌbaʊt/ (verb) — To ponder.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 16 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

How to practise with this video

1. Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
2. Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
3. Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like profitable, suck, resource.