Shadowing Practice: British Accent Shadowing | Tristram Shandy by Laurence Sterne | Accent and Intonation Practice (C2) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hello and welcome to British Accent Shadowing.
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I'm Ashley Howard, a UK voice coach, and among many things, I help people with pronunciation, intonation and accent.
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Today, we're working with an extract from Tristram Shandy by Laurence Stern, one of the most playful,
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eccentric and inventive novels in English literature.
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This passage is around C2 level, so it's a real challenge.
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The language is witty, digressive, highly stylised and full of long, twisting sentences.
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That makes it excellent material for practising standard southern British English,
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especially rhythm, timing, emphasis, irony and expressive reading aloud.
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I'll read the passage once, at a natural pace, then we'll go through it line by line, so you can shadow and repeat after me,
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building clarity, fluency and confidence as you speak.
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You can also download the free PDF of today's passage, with vocabulary notes, using the link in the description below.
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Let's begin.
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I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it,
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had minded what they were about when they begot me.
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had they duly considered how much depended upon what they were then doing?
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that not only the production of a rational being was concerned in it, but that possibly the happy formation and temperature of his body,
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perhaps, his genius and the very cast of his mind.
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And for aught they knew, to the contrary, even the fortunes of his whole house might take their turn from the humours
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and dispositions which were then uppermost.
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Had they duly weighed and considered all this,
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and proceeded accordingly, I am verily persuaded I should have made a quite different figure in the world from
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that in which the reader is likely to see me.
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Believe me, good folks, this is not so inconsiderable a thing as many of you may think it.
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You have all, I dare say, heard of the animal spirits, as how they are transfused from father to son,
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etc., etc., and a great deal to that purpose.
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Well, you may take my word that nine parts in ten of a man's sense or his nonsense,
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his successes and his miscarriages in this world,
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depend upon their motions and activity and the different tracks and trains you put them into, so that when they are once set a -going,
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whether right or wrong, 'tis not a halfpenny matter.
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Away they go, cluttering like hay -go -mad, Using the same steps over and over again,
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they presently make a road of it, as plain and as smooth as a garden walk which, when they are once used to,
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the devil himself sometimes shall not be able to drive them off it.
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"Pray, my dear," quoth my mother, Have you not forgot to wind up the clock?
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Good.
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"God !" cried my father, making an exclamation, but taking care to moderate his voice at the same time.
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Did ever a woman since the creation of the world interrupt a man with such a silly question?
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Pray...
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What was your father saying?
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Nothing.
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Now copy after me.
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If you're serious about developing a clear, contemporary standard British accent, take a look at my 12 -week Pronunciation Roadmap course.
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It's a step -by -step programme with expert guidance, practical training and simple routines to help you improve your pronunciation,
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intonation and overall accent.
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You'll find the link in the description below.
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I wish...
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either my father or my mother,
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or indeed both of them, Thank you.
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as they were in duty...
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both equally bound to it Thank you. Had minded...
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What they were about Thank you.
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when they begot me, Thank you.
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Thank you.
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had they duly considered, How much depended?
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upon what they were then doing. That not only...
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the production of a rational being, was concerned in it.
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but that possibly The happy formation and temperature.
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of his body Perhaps his genius?
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and the very caste of his mind.
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and For aught they knew,
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To the contrary, Even the fortunes... of his whole house. might take their turn.
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from the humors Thank you.
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and dispositions, which were then uppermost. Had they duly weighed?
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and considered all this, and proceeded accordingly Thank you.
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I am verily persuaded, I should have made a quite different figure. in the world.
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Thank you.
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From that, in which the reader is likely to see me.
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Believe me.
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Good folks.
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Thank you.
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This is not...
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so inconsiderable a thing As many of you may think it,
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You have all...
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I dare say.
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heard of the animal spirits, as how they are transfused,
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from father to son, etc etc. Thank you.
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and a great deal to that purpose, Thank you.
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Well, "You may take my word." that nine parts in ten of a man's sense
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or his nonsense, His successes and miscarriages In this world,
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depend upon their motions and activity and the different tracks And trains?
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you put them into... So that...
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when they are once set a -going,
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whether right or wrong, Thank you.
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'Tis not.
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A half -penny matter!
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Away they go cluttering.
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like "Hey, go mad !" and by treading, Amen.
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The same steps.
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over and over again they presently Make a road of it.
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Thank you.
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as plain Thank you.
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and as smooth, as a garden walk. Which...
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when they are once used to, the devil himself Sometimes. shall not be able.
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Thank you.
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to drive them off it.
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Pray, my dear, Quoth my mother, Thank you. Have you not forgot?
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To wind up the clock?
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Thank you.
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Good.
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- Coup.
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cried my father.
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making an exclamation But taking care Thank you. to moderate his voice.
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At the same time, Did ever a woman... Since the creation... of the world.
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Interrupt a man with such a silly question?
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Pray.
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What was your father saying?
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Nothing.
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Now speak with me at the same time.
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Before we continue, take a look at my British accent training books.
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Across the series you'll get 12 hours of audio, accessible on your phone, thousands of practice words and sentences,
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and more than 300 pages covering every vowel and consonant as well as aspects of intonation.
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The link is in the description and in the pinned comment.
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I wish either my father or my mother, or indeed both of them, as they were in duty both equally bound to it,
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had minded what they were about when they begot me.
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had they duly considered how much depended upon what they were then doing?
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that not only the production of a rational being was concerned in it, but that possibly the happy formation and temperature of his body,
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perhaps, his genius and the very cast of his mind.
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And for aught they knew, to the contrary, even the fortunes of his whole house might take their turn from the humours
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and dispositions which were then uppermost.
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Had they duly weighed and considered all this,
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and proceeded accordingly, I am verily persuaded I should have made a quite different figure in the world from
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that in which the reader is likely to see me.
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Believe me, good folks, this is not so inconsiderable a thing as many of you may think it.
123
You have all, I dare say, heard of the animal spirits, as how they are transfused from father to son,
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etc., etc., and a great deal to that purpose.
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Well, you may take my word that nine parts in ten of a man's sense or his nonsense,
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his successes and his miscarriages in this world, depend upon their motions and activity,
127
and the different tracks and trains you put them into, so that when they are once set a -going,
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whether right or wrong, 'tis not a halfpenny matter.
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Away they go, cluttering like hay -go -mad, and by treading the same steps over and over again,
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they presently make a road of it, as plain and as smooth as a garden walk which, when they are once used to,
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the devil himself sometimes shall not be able to drive them off it.
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"Pray, my dear," quoth my mother, Have you not forgot to wind up the clock?
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Good.
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"Grrrrrr !" cried my father, making an exclamation, but taking care to moderate his voice at the same time.
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Did ever a woman since the creation of the world interrupt a man with such a silly question?
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Pray...
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What was your father saying?
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Nothing.
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Well done!
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That was a demanding passage to shadow.
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With a text like Tristram Shandy, the challenge is not only pronunciation, but also wit, pace, rhythm and attitude.
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Stern's sentences move quickly from one thought to another, so shadowing this kind of writing helps you practice flexibility,
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connected speech and expressive control in British English.
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If this session helped you, please subscribe.
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It supports the channel and helps more learners discover these British accent shadowing lessons.
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And if you'd like more episodes more often, you can also join as a channel member using the link in the description.
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Your support helps me keep creating these resources.
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See you in the next British accent shadowing session.
Context & Background
In this video, UK voice coach Ashley Howard leads learners in a British accent shadowing exercise using an excerpt from Laurence Sterne's novel, Tristram Shandy. This passage is known for its playful and eccentric language, making it a suitable choice for advanced students, particularly those at the C2 level. The focus is on practicing standard southern British English, emphasizing key elements such as rhythm, timing, intonation, and expressive reading. By engaging with this material, learners can refine their English speaking practice and develop clarity and confidence in their pronunciation.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “I wish either my father or my mother...” - A great phrase to express a longing or regret about family decisions.
- “Had they duly weighed and considered...” - Use this expression to discuss the importance of thoughtful actions.
- “Believe me, good folks...” - A friendly way to engage listeners, adding emphasis to your point.
- “Did ever a woman since the creation of the world interrupt...” - A rhetorical question that highlights frustration or incredulity.
- “I am verily persuaded...” - A formal way to express your belief or conviction about something.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively tackle the challenges in this video, follow these steps to enhance your English speaking skills through shadowing:
- Listen Attentively: Start by listening to the passage read at a natural pace. Pay attention to the flow, intonation, and pauses.
- Read Along: Use the transcript available in the video description to read along while listening. This helps in associating speech sounds with written words.
- Line-by-Line Shadowing: Follow Ashley's guidance as she breaks down the passage line by line. Repeat after each segment to practice pronunciation and emphasis.
- Focus on Rhythm and Timing: Notice the rhythm in the sentences. Try to replicate it in your own speech during the shadowing process; this is essential for a natural British accent.
- Record Yourself: For self-assessment, record your shadowing practice. Compare your pronunciation and intonation with the original audio to identify areas for improvement.
This method of shadowing is an effective way to learn English with YouTube and can significantly enhance your fluency. For more resources, consider exploring dedicated shadowing sites like Shadowspeak and Shadowspeaks.
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.