Shadowing Practice: How to start a presentation - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners ready to level up their presentation skills. Whether you’re prepping for a work meeting, school project, or public talk, it’s ideal if you want to move beyond boring openings and connect with your audience. It’s especially useful for those practicing shadow speak—you’ll pick up natural phrasing and rhythm to mimic.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

Here are standout phrases to add to your toolkit:

• It strikes me how: A conversational way to say "I notice that" (e.g., "It strikes me how many people skip the intro").
• Crystal clear: Extremely easy to understand (e.g., "Make your goal crystal clear from the start").
• Linking sentence: A phrase that connects ideas (e.g., "Now why do I tell you this?").

How to Get the Accent Right

The speaker uses a natural, conversational tone—great for shadowing technique practice. Focus on:

• Intonation in questions: Notice how "What are your first words?" rises at the end. Mimic this to sound engaging.
• Pausing after stories: The speaker pauses before "Now why do I tell you this?" to build curiosity. Practice pausing to emphasize key points.
• Reduced "you're": Listen for "you're" sounding like "yer" in "you're answering the wrong question." This casual reduction is common in real speech.

Use a shadowing app to replay short clips—repeat after the speaker, matching their pace and stress. This helps you internalize natural flow, making your own presentations sound more confident.

Key Takeaway for Practice

Next time you prep a presentation, skip the "Today I’m going to talk about..." start. Instead, use a short story (e.g., "Last week, I had a chat with a colleague...") and link it to why your audience should care. This not only makes you more memorable but also gives you great material for shadowspeak practice—you’ll master storytelling phrases that work in any setting.