Shadowing Practice: Cinderella | Fairy Tales for Kids - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Music Once upon a time in a land far,
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far away lived an amazingly beautiful girl.
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Cinderella's mother had passed away a very long time ago.
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This is why her father had brought her up.
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One day when Cinderella's father remarried, Her life had changed dramatically.
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Her father's new wife and her two stepsisters had moved to Cinderella's house.
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Since the first time they met, her stepmother couldn't stand the sight of Cinderella.
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She and her two daughters were extremely jealous of Cinderella's beauty and kind heart.
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Cinderella's stepsisters were not beautiful as she was, and besides, they were rude and spoilt.
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One day, due to work reasons, Cinderella's father had to leave on a long journey.
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And that was the time when Cinderella's stepmother and stepsisters turned her life into a living hell.
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While Cinderella was in the garden talking to her very beloved birds, her stepmother approached her.
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As of today, you will live in the attic.
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You will do all the housework.
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Also, I don't want you walking around in these clothes.
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Cinderella didn't know what to say.
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Helplessly she did what she was told.
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She packed her stuff and moved to the attic.
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After that day, Cinderella began to do all the housework all on her own.
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She used to get very tired, but neither her stepmother or her stepsisters felt sorry for her.
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Wipe the floor again.
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Can't you see it's still dusty?
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You haven't done the laundry.
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I have nothing proper to wear.
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Cinderella had no friends other than the mice and the birds that used to come to her window.
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Due to the cold, secretly at night time, Cinderella would go downstairs to the chimney and warm up near the dying fire and fall asleep.
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As the days went on by, one day in the town an announcement was made by the kingdom.
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Our prince will be holding a ball at the castle.
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All the girls who are eligible for marriage are invited to this ball.
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As soon as the stepsisters heard about this invitation, they ran home and told their mother.
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You will be the most beautiful girls at the ball.
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The prince must pick one of you.
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That way we will all live in the palace, right mother?
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We must get some gowns and shoes for you girls.
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Move along, we're going shopping!
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The stepmother and stepsisters left the house.
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Hearing all that was talked about, with a sad face, Cinderella stood there and watched.
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The preparations went on for days.
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Both the stepsisters had their gowns sewn.
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Every day they would go in front of the mirror and tell themselves, We will be the most beautiful girls in the ball.
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Finally the big day had arrived.
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The stepsisters had woken up very early that morning, and so they called Cinderella.
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Cinderella, Cinderella, hurry and come here.
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Where have you been?
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Hurry and prepare our bath.
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All day Cinderella helped her stepsisters get ready.
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Hey, brush it gently.
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You're going to pull it out.
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Towards the evening, they had finished all their preparations for the ball.
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You look beautiful, girls.
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Just beautiful.
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Cinderella built up all her courage and asked her stepmother.
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Can I come to the ball too, please? Who?
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You?
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Yes, well, it says that all the young girls can come.
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Is this your dress for the ball?
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The prince is looking for a wife, not for a maid, my dear.
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Come on, girls, let's not be late for the ball.
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And you make sure that you've finished all the chores before you go to bed.
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Her stepmother and her stepsisters made their way to the castle.
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And all on her own at home, Cinderella began to cry.
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Why can't I go to the castle too?
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If my parents were here, none of this would have happened.
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Right at that moment, a very bright light appeared.
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At first, Cinderella did not understand what it was.
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She was staring at the light.
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Then suddenly, a beautiful fairy appeared in the middle of the light.
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My beautiful Cinderella, don't cry.
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You too will go to the ball at the castle.
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Cinderella could not believe her eyes.
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She asked in shock.
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Can I go?
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Just look at me.
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Do not worry.
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I'm here to help you.
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Now bring me a pumpkin and seven mice.
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Cinderella could not understand why she wanted these things but still she did as she was told.
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First she went to the kitchen and grabbed a big pumpkin.
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Then she went to the attic, got her mice friends and went down again.
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With her magic wand the fairy turned the pumpkin into a beautiful horse carriage.
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Then she turned to the mice, one of them turned into the driver and the other six of them turned into beautiful white horses.
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Amazed as she was, Cinderella was looking at the horse carriage.
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The fairy turned to her.
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When she touched her with the magic wand, Cinderella's old dress turned into a beautiful ball gown.
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and the slippers on her feet turned into beautiful glass shoes.
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I look like a princess.
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Now it is time to go to the ball, but don't forget, you must be home when the clock strikes twelve,
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because by then everything will turn back to what they were.
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Cinderella listened to the fairy very carefully.
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Then she hopped on her carriage and started to ride towards the castle.
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Her mesmerising carriage stopped in front of the castle.
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When Cinderella entered through the grand doors to the ballroom, all the eyes were on her.
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She looked so beautiful and elegant.
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Her stepmother and even her stepsisters could not stop looking at this beautiful lady.
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They of course could not recognise her.
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Suddenly the prince appeared on the stairs.
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Cinderella really stood out amongst all the young women at the ball.
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The prince fell in love with the first sight of this beautiful young woman.
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With everyone watching curiously, he began walking down the stairs and slowly approached her.
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The stepsisters were very excited because the prince was coming towards them.
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Ah, he's coming to me.
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Now he's coming to me.
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But the prince passed on by and stopped in front of Cinderella.
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Most beautiful young lady, would you please allow this dance to me?
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Cinderella nodded politely.
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The prince and Cinderella began to dance amongst the curious looks of all the invitees.
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Cinderella was so captivated by the music and the dance, she felt like as if she and the Prince were the only ones in the ballroom.
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They danced non-stop all night long.
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Of course, Cinderella could not feel how time had passed.
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At some point, the big clock caught her eye.
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It was almost midnight.
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Right at that moment, Cinderella remembered the fairy's warning.
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You must be home when the clock strikes twelve, because by then everything will turn back to what they were.
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With a panic, Cinderella began to run and left the prince behind.
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When she was running down the stairs of the castle, she dropped one of her shoes, but she did not even have time to go back and collect it.
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When she ran further, the clock struck midnight and everything turned back to what they were before.
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When the prince went out after her, he spotted her shoe on the stairs.
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Find the owner of this shoe, even if you have to get all the girls in the kingdom to try it.
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Just find her.
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Cinderella came home breathless and went straight up to the attic.
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She started thinking about the night she had with the prince.
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She knew she had no chance, but still, she had fallen in love with him.
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It was almost impossible for the prince to find her, and even if he did, he would never to recognize her.
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The prince's men went door to door to every house in the kingdom
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and looked for the young girl who owned this shoe.
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But the shoe did not fit any of these girls.
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In the end, the prince's men came by Cinderella's house.
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Cinderella was very happy to see the King's carriage in front of the house.
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Right when she was about to leave her room, her stepmother appeared at the door.
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And where do you think you are going?
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You want to try the shoe too?
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With a sarcastic laugh, the stepmother locked the door to the attic.
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No, please stop.
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Open the door, please.
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How pathetic.
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What would the prince have in common with you?
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The men first let the old skinny sister try the shoe, but it was too small for her feet.
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Look how beautifully it fit my foot.
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Then the younger chubby sister tried the shoe, but her chubby foot did not even get in the shoe.
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Maybe if we tried it on my other part.
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Whatever they did, it just would not work.
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Finally, Cinderella's last try was to run to the window.
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But it was too high.
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So she began crying.
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Seeing her crying, her mice friends came next to her.
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My step-mom locked me in.
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She must have the key.
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One of the mice slipped underneath the door and ran downstairs.
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The stepmother was at the door with the prince's men.
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Ahem, why don't you come tomorrow?
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Today they are a little tired.
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Their feet must be swollen.
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The mouse jumped on the stepmother's skirt and snatching the keys out of her pocket, ran upstairs.
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He slipped the keys under the door.
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Cinderella was very happy when she saw the key.
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Opening the door she ran down as fast as she could.
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How did you get out?
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Please stop, don't go.
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I want to try the shoe too.
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The stepmother and her two daughters started to laugh hysterically.
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Please shush!
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It is the prince's orders that every girl in the kingdom must try the shoe.
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When Cinderella tried the shoe on, everybody was in shock because it fitted her perfectly.
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Young lady, are you the owner of this shoe?
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Cinderella nodded to confirm.
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Please come to the palace with us.
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Cinderella went to the castle with the prince's men and they took her in front of the prince.
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Right when he looked in her eyes, the prince knew it was her who danced with him that night.
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He held her hands.
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I finally found you, my princess.
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Would you marry me?
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With teary eyes from happiness, she accepted the prince's offer.
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They got married and lived happily ever after.
Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging with the story of Cinderella provides an excellent context for English learners to practice their speaking skills. As you shadow speak along with the narration, you mimic not only the words but also the intonation and emotion conveyed by the speaker. This is particularly beneficial for enhancing your verbal fluency and confidence when speaking English.
The narrative of Cinderella offers a rich tapestry of vocabulary related to emotions, relationships, and actions, making it a practical choice for IELTS speaking practice. As you immerse yourself in the tale, you will enhance your ability to describe situations, express feelings, and narrate stories — crucial skills for any language learner aiming for proficient communication.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Listening to the Cinderella story exposes learners to various grammar structures and expressions that can be very helpful in daily conversations. Here are a few examples:
- Past simple tense: Phrases like “Cinderella’s mother had passed away” and “her life had changed dramatically” illustrate how to convey past events effectively.
- Modal verbs: Expressions such as “you will live in the attic” and “must pick one of you” showcase the use of modal verbs to indicate necessity and possibility, a great area to focus on for advanced learners.
- Direct speech: The use of direct quotes like “You look beautiful, girls” helps learners understand how to convey dialogues. This is particularly useful when practicing character-driven narratives.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice shadowing the video, pay attention to certain words and phrases that may present pronunciation challenges. Here are a few:
- “Cinderella”: The stress is on the second syllable, which can be tricky. Practice saying it clearly to avoid sounding like "Cinder-ella" with equal emphasis.
- “Stepmother”: This word can be mispronounced. Ensure you clearly articulate the ‘ste’ at the beginning, as missing this can change the word’s recognition.
- “Attic”: This word often gets swallowed in casual conversation. Break it down into syllables — “at-tic” to help you pronounce it more naturally.
Listening to how the narrator emphasizes these words while you shadow speak will help solidify your pronunciation skills. Remember that perfecting pronunciation can significantly enhance your communication ability, especially in the context of exams like IELTS.
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.