Shadowing Practice: 10 AMERICAN Monologues | Male - Learn English Speaking with Video

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In this video, I'm going to give you 10  contemporary male monologues spoken by American characters. They'll be perfect for American actors  or for non-American accented performers, if you're working on accent and dialect. Right let's go. Sam  from The Flick by Annie Baker. This is in act 2, scene 1. Start on page 66 at "- so the next day  we all went to see a movie." And end on page 69 at "...now I can't remember what the realization  was." Sam works at a cinema, or movie theater, and is speaking about bringing in food to watch  a movie, and he's making a shocking discovery.
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It's a comedic and conversational speech that  he thinks is more dramatic than it actually is.
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Cut out Avery's small interjections and Sam's  responses to him to make the speech work. Andy from Downstate by Bruce Norris. Start on page 100  at "Emily has to pick out my clothes." and end on page 101 at "...like she didn't even care."  Andy was abused as a child by Fred and here, after many years, he's finally confronting him.  It's a hugely emotional speech, filled with pain, trauma and sadness. Cut out Fred's small  interjections to make the speech work. Adam from The Antipodes by Annie Baker. Start on page  73 at "Once upon a time there was nothing." And end on page 75 at "And they were happy." Adam is  in a group of people confined to a conference room creating stories together. Towards the end of  the play, and after several failed attempts at success, Adam delivers this epic story about the  creation of the world. There's loads of potential in this speech. It could be conversational,  low-key and casual, or more dynamic and thrilling.
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Victor from Dirty Crusty by Clare Barron. Start  on page 110 at "So when my Grandad died..." And end on page 112 at "She made us sleep in her  room that night." In this speech, Victor recounts visiting his dead Granddad's body with his  brother. It's a simple, sweet and touching speech.
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Ken from Red by John Logan. Start on page 54 at  "Bores you!? Bores you!?" And end on page 55 at "So black swallows red." Ken is in his twenties  and is Mark Rothko, the American painter's, assistant. At this point, Ken explodes at Rothko  about Rothko's arrogant attitude and brutish treatment of him. Prior from Angels in America,  Part 1, Millennium Approaches by Tony Kushner.
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This is the second part of scene 8. Start on  page 42 at "One of my ancestors was a ship's captain..." And end on page 43 at "But it seems to  me that it lets you off scot-free." In this short speech, Prior tells a story about his ancestor to  his crying partner, Louis. Prior is sick with AIDS and Louis is struggling to come to terms with it.  Eric from The Inheritance by Matthew Lopez. This speech is in part one of the play. It's in scene  5, part 2. On page 145, start at "The car turned away..." And end on page 147 at "...mingling  together inside this house, inside him." This speech is from the end of part one of this  incredible and epic new play. Eric speaks in the third person about himself and he speaks about  visiting a house in Upstate New York, that used to be a refuge for men with AIDS in the 1980s. This  is a beautiful speech full of powerful imagery and poignancy. Toby from The Inheritance by  Matthew Lopez. This speech is in part two of the play. It's in act 2, scene 5. On page 247, start  at "The night Toby disappeared..." And end on page 251 at "...and starts to write." In this extensive  speech, Toby reflects on his troubled life and where he needs to go next. He speaks about  himself in the third person and the speech is full of pain and conflict. This is a long speech  so a couple of shorter versions are: Start at "He was seven when his father died." on page 248 and  end on "The only faggot." on page 249. Or start at "Toby Darling, raised in privilege..." On page  249 and end at the end of the speech on page 251.
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Franz from Appropriate by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.  Start on page 88 at "Okay. Where do I even start?" And end on page 90 at "I washed us clean."  In this speech, Franz has just returned from going in a lake at the family home. He speaks  passionately about the spiritual awakening he's just journeyed on. John from Now or Later by  Christopher Shinn. In Christopher Shinn, Plays 2, start on page 15 at "Okay: a couple weekends  ago..." and end on page 16 at "...and tell people they were going to burn in hell." John is  the son of the Democratic Presidential candidate and controversial photos of him are circulating,  which is threatening his father's success.
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In this speech, John recounts  a naked party that he attended, and how the damaging events unfolded. Cut out  a couple of small interjections by Jessica, as John's setting up the story. These plays are  currently available on Drama Online... Or you can order them from the publishers: Bloomsbury, which  now incorporates Methuen Drama and Oberon Books.
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Nick Hern Books. And Faber & Faber.  Or you can order them from Amazon.
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Thanks for watching till the end. If this  video helped you, please hit that like button, and check out these other videos that I think  you'll enjoy. And also hit that subscribe button to make sure that you never  miss a video. All the best.

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Master American English with 10 Dynamic Male Monologues

Looking to level up your english speaking practice? The video features 10 contemporary American male monologues—perfect for honing accent, fluency, and emotional delivery. These speeches, from plays like The Flick and Angels in America, cover everything from comedic rants to heartfelt reflections, making them ideal for realistic, engaging practice.

Top 5 Phrases to Boost Daily Communication

  • "Where do I even start?" (A natural way to begin a story—great for casual chats.)
  • "It seems to me that..." (Softens opinions, useful in debates or explanations.)
  • "Okay: a couple weekends ago..." (Sets up a narrative—perfect for sharing anecdotes.)
  • "Bores you!?" (Expresses shock, adding energy to conversations.)
  • "Once upon a time there was nothing..." (Starts a story creatively—ideal for storytelling.)

Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for Success

Use the shadowing technique to nail pronunciation and rhythm. Here's how: 1. Listen to a monologue 2-3 times, focusing on intonation and pauses. 2. Repeat immediately after, mimicking every sound—this is shadowspeak in action! 3. Record yourself and compare to the original. 4. Focus on tricky phrases (like "mingling together inside this house") to smooth out accents. For best results, practice 10 minutes daily—you’ll notice progress in weeks!

These monologues aren’t just for actors—they’re a goldmine for English learners. Dive in, use the shadowing site tips, and watch your confidence soar. Ready to improve english pronunciation and speak like a native? Start with Sam from The Flick—his conversational tone makes it easy to get started. Happy practicing!

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer trueused to be
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhas just returned
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itwas abused
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thingcirculating, which is

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →