Shadowing Practice: Your Contract With The Future - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Your Contract With The Future”. This video has 8 sentences and 119 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:45. The speaker talks at a natural 160 words per minute, close to everyday conversation.
Key vocabulary in this video
12 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| reputation noun | /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/ | What somebody or something is known for. |
| sacrifice noun | /ˈsæk.ɹɪ.faɪs/ | Originally, the killing (and often burning) of a human being or an animal as an offering to a deity; later, also the offering of an object to a deity. |
| invest verb | /ɪnˈvɛst/ | To spend money, time, or energy on something, especially for some benefit or purpose; used with in. |
| productive adjective | /pɹəˈdʌk.tɪv/ | Capable of producing something, especially in abundance; fertile. |
| genuinely adverb | /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/ | In a genuine manner; truthfully, truly. |
| consequence noun | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | An effect; something that follows a cause as a result. |
| hospitality noun | /ˌhɑ.spɪˈtæl.ə.ti/ | The act or service of welcoming, receiving, hosting, or entertaining guests; an appropriate attitude of openness, respect, and generosity toward guests. |
| generosity noun | /ˌd͡ʒɛn.əˈɹɑ.sə.ti/ | The trait of being willing to donate money, resources, or time. |
| gratification noun | /ˌɡɹætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/ | The act of gratifying or pleasing, either the mind, or the appetite or taste. |
| hedonic adjective | /ˈhiːdənɪk/ | Of or relating to pleasure |
| sacrificial adjective | /ˈsæk.ɹɪ.fɪʃ.əl/ | Relating to sacrifice. |
| storehouse noun | /ˈstɔː(ɹ)haʊs/ | A building for keeping goods of any kind, especially provisions. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| give up verb | To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone). | |
| pay off verb | To bribe, especially to deter oversight. | |
| set up verb | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | To make ready for use. |
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 | are banked |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, gratification /ˌɡɹætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/, sacrificial /ˈsæk.ɹɪ.fɪʃ.əl/
- Long words — get the stress right: reputation /ˌɹɛpjʊˈteɪʃən/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, hospitality /ˌhɑ.spɪˈtæl.ə.ti/, generosity /ˌd͡ʒɛn.əˈɹɑ.sə.ti/, gratification /ˌɡɹætɪfɪˈkeɪʃən/
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 reputation, sacrifice, invest.
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.