Shadowing Practice: Daily Routine - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello.
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My name is Tom.
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I get up at 6 o'clock every morning.
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I brush my teeth and wash my face.
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Then I have breakfast with my family.
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I go to school at 7 o'clock.
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At school, I study English, math, and science.
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After school, I do my homework.
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Then I play football with my friends.
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In the evening, I have dinner with my family.
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I read a book before I go to bed.
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I go to bed at 9 o'clock.
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I like my daily routine because it is healthy and fun.

Real-Life Daily Routine Scenario

Imagine describing your day to a friend, colleague, or even an IELTS speaking examiner. The video’s dialogue does exactly that—Tom shares his typical morning, school day, and evening, using simple, everyday language. This is the kind of practical conversation you’ll need in real life, making it perfect for learning how to talk about your own routine clearly and confidently.

Useful Chunks & Collocations to Memorize

  • Get up at [time]: A common way to say you wake up and start your day. Example: “I get up at 6:30 on weekdays.”
  • Have breakfast with [someone]: Natural phrasing for sharing a meal. Swap “breakfast” with “lunch” or “dinner” for other meals.
  • Do my homework: The standard collocation for school tasks. Avoid “make homework”—this is the correct phrase.
  • Play [sport] with friends: Great for talking about hobbies. Example: “I play tennis with my sister on weekends.”
  • Read a book before bed: Shows a routine activity. “Before bed” is more natural than “before I go to sleep” in casual speech.

Your Shadowing Challenge: Practice Like a Pro

Ready to improve your speaking? Try the shadowing technique—a proven method for mastering pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how: Watch the video once to understand the story. Then, play a short 5-second clip, pause, and repeat it immediately, copying Tom’s tone, speed, and intonation. This is called “shadowspeak,” and it trains your mouth to move like a native. For extra practice, use a shadowing app to record yourself and compare it to the original. This exercise isn’t just for beginners—it’s also great for IELTS speaking practice, as it helps you speak more naturally under pressure. Want more? Find other “daily routine” videos on YouTube and repeat the process. Learning English with YouTube has never been more effective!

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 →