Shadowing Practice: you will see this 4 hours before it happens - Learn English Speaking with Video
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “you will see this 4 hours before it happens”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: manifestation, energy, sense, stressing, happening. This video has 72 sentences and 884 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:37. The speaker talks fast, about 191 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 91% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| manifestation noun | /ˌmænɪfɛˈsteɪʃən/ | The act or process of becoming manifest. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| blessing noun | /ˈblɛs.ɪŋ/ | Some kind of divine or supernatural aid, or reward. |
| tarot noun | /ˈtæ.ɹoʊ/ | A card game played in various different variations. |
| manifest noun | /ˈmæn.ɪ.fɛst/ | A list or invoice of the passengers or goods being carried by a commercial vehicle or ship. |
| miracle noun | /ˈmɪɹ.ə.kəl/ | An event that appears inexplicable by the laws of nature and so is held to be supernatural in origin. |
| impactful adjective | /ˈɪmpæktfəl/ | Having impact. |
| unfold verb | /ʌnˈfoʊld/ | To undo a folding. |
| subscriber noun | /səbˈskɹaɪbɚ/ | A person who subscribes to a publication or a service. |
| congratulate verb | /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒ.ʊˌleɪt/ | To express one’s sympathetic pleasure or joy to the person(s) it is felt for |
| accomplishment noun | /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ.mənt/ | The act of accomplishing; completion; fulfilment. |
| stressful adjective | /ˈstɹɛsfəl/ | Irritating; causing stress. |
| pointless adjective | /ˈpɔɪntləs/ | Having no point or sharp tip; terminating squarely or in a rounded end. |
| inspire verb | /ɪnˈspaɪə(ɹ)/ | To infuse into the mind; to communicate to the spirit; to convey, as by a divine or supernatural influence; to disclose preternaturally; to produce in, as by… |
| creator noun | /kɹiːˈeɪ̯təː/ | Something or someone which creates or makes something. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| come through verb | To come into a room or other space through a door or passageway. | |
| come together verb | /ˈkʌm tʊˈɡɛðɚ/ | To assemble; to congregate; to combine. |
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| look up to verb | To show respect or admiration for (someone); to see (someone) as a role model. | |
| put out verb | To blind (eyes). | |
| turn around verb | To physically rotate (usually around a vertical axis) for a half turn (180 degrees), a whole turn (360 degrees), or an indefinite amount. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Everything's about to make sense for you.
- I've helped millions of people manifest their dream life.
- It's leading you right now.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | have been wishing · you've been wanting · you've been struggling |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are subscribed · must be subscribed · be celebrated |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've been · has been · haven't met |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | wasn't happening · were stressing |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, you've, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: manifestation /ˌmænɪfɛˈsteɪʃən/, accomplishment /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ.mənt/, celebration /ˌsɛl.ɪˈbɹeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: manifestation /ˌmænɪfɛˈsteɪʃən/, congratulate /kənˈɡɹæd͡ʒ.ʊˌleɪt/, accomplishment /əˈkɑm.plɪʃ.mənt/, celebration /ˌsɛl.ɪˈbɹeɪ.ʃən/
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 manifestation, subscribe, blessing.
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.














