Shadowing Practice: English Conversations That Make You Fluent - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

243 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

What is everyone doing?

Hi, honey.

What are you doing?

Hi, Mom.

I'm making dinner.

What about you?

I'm sitting in the living room and drinking some tea.

What are the kids doing?

Sarah is doing her homework in her room.

Is she studying for a test?

Yes, she's studying for her English test.

What about Michael?

He's playing video games in the basement. Is he playing alone?

No, he's playing with his friend.

That's nice.

What's your husband doing?

He's watching TV in the living room.

What's he watching?

He's watching a soccer game.

He really likes soccer.

What about the dog?

What's he doing?

He's sleeping under the table. Of course he is.

He always sleeps during the day.

I know.

He's been sleeping for hours today.

And what are you doing after dinner?

I'm cleaning the kitchen, and then I'm going to sit down for a while.

You're always doing something.

I know, Mom.

There's always something to do.

Someone was outside my house.

You won't believe what happened at my house last night.

What happened?

I was watching TV when I heard someone trying to open the front door.

Seriously?

What time was it?

Around midnight.

I looked through the window, but I couldn't see anyone.

Weren't you scared?

Of course I was.

I was reaching for my phone when I heard a noise in the backyard.

Oh my god!

Did you call the police?

I was about to when I heard a car pull into the driveway. Who was it?

My neighbor, Mr. Wilson.

He was coming home from work.

Did he see anything?

Yes!

He saw a man running away from my backyard.

He was carrying a small flashlight. So what happened next?

We called the police.

While we were waiting, Mr. Wilson noticed that the gate was open.

I must have forgotten to lock it.

Did the police find the man?

Not yet, unfortunately.

Did he take anything?

No, he never got inside.

I think he was looking for an unlocked door.

That's terrifying.

I learned my lesson.

I'm going to install motion sensor lights in the backyard and a security camera near the front door.

That sounds like a good idea.

What about the doors and windows?

I'll install stronger locks and check that all the doors and windows are locked before I go to bed.

Good thinking.

Hopefully you'll feel safer now.

I hope so.

I don't want to go through that again.

How long have you known him?

Is your friend Michael still living in London?

No, he moved back last year.

He lives just a few streets away from me now.

Really?

How long has he lived in that neighborhood?

For almost a year.

He loves it there because there are so many shops and parks.

I see.

And how long have you known him?

Since high school, we've been friends for more than 10 years.

Wow, that's a long time.

Does he still work as a photographer?

Yes, he does.

He works for a local magazine.

Interesting.

How long has he worked for that magazine? For about eight months.

He really enjoys his job because he gets to travel a lot.

Lucky him!

I'd love to travel more too.

Actually, I've started learning Italian recently.

I'm planning a trip to Rome next spring.

Oh, that's wonderful!

How long have you been learning it?

Just six weeks.

But I can already introduce myself and order food in Italian.

That's great!

Just keep practicing and you'll be ready for your trip. Do or make?

Hey, Jessica!

What are you doing this weekend?

100

Hey, Emily!

101

I have a lot to do!

102

I need to do the laundry, clean my room, and do some shopping.

103

What about you?

104

I'm planning to make a cake for my parents.

105

It's their anniversary tomorrow.

106

That sounds lovely.

107

Do you need any help?

108

Yes, actually.

109

I could use a hand.

110

I always make a mess when I bake.

111

Don't worry.

112

I can help you make the cake.

113

But first, we need to make a shopping list.

114

Good idea.

115

I'll do that right now.

116

We need flour, eggs, sugar, butter, mixed berries, and chocolate.

117

And maybe we can make some decorations, too.

118

Great!

119

You always do such a great job with creative things!

120

Do you want to come over tomorrow morning so we can start early?

121

Yes, that sounds perfect!

122

Can you do me a favor and bring your electric mixer tomorrow?

123

Mine isn't working.

124

Sure!

125

I'll put it in my bag tonight so I don't forget.

126

Thanks for your help!

127

You're really making this easier for me!

128

Say versus tell

129

You won't believe what happened at work yesterday.

130

What happened?

131

Well, my boss called me into his office and said that he had some good news.

132

What did he say?

133

He told me that I was getting a promotion.

134

That's wonderful!

135

Did you tell your family? Of course.

136

I told my husband as soon as I got home.

137

What did he say when you told him?

138

He said, I'm so proud of you.

139

Then he told me to celebrate with him.

140

That's nice.

141

You should tell your friends, too.

142

They'll be excited for you.

143

I know.

144

I haven't told anyone else yet.

145

I wanted to share the news with you first.

146

Aww, I'm glad you told me first.

147

By the way, did your boss tell you when you would start your new position?

148

Yes, he told me to start next Monday.

149

He also said that I would have more responsibilities.

150

Well, I'm sure you'll do great.

151

Just believe in yourself.

152

Thanks.

153

I wish I had more time.

154

Hey, Pam!

155

Would you like to go shopping with me this afternoon?

156

I'd love to, but I have so much work to do.

157

I wish I had more time.

158

You've been really busy lately.

159

What are you working on?

160

I'm preparing a presentation for work.

161

And I still have to clean the house and cook dinner. That sounds exhausting.

162

I wish you didn't have so many things to do.

163

Me too.

164

I also wish I could spend more time with my family.

165

I hardly ever see them during the week.

166

Why don't you take a day off this weekend?

167

I have to finish my presentation by Monday.

168

My boss wants to see it first thing in the morning.

169

That's too bad.

170

If I were you, I'd try to finish it today so you could relax tomorrow.

171

That's a good idea.

172

I wish I were better at organizing my time.

173

Well, you could make a list of everything you need to do and decide what's most important.

174

You're right!

175

I should try that.

176

I also wish I had more energy after work.

177

I know what you mean.

178

I wish I didn't have to work such long hours either.

179

Maybe we both meet a vacation.

180

Absolutely.

181

Neither do I.

182

So do I.

183

What do you usually do in your free time, David?

184

I love watching documentaries, especially about nature and history. So do I!

185

I find documentaries much more interesting than reality shows.

186

I don't enjoy watching horror movies, though.

187

Neither do I.

188

I prefer comedies and adventure films.

189

Me too.

190

I also love traveling.

191

I try to visit a new place every year. So do I!

192

There's nothing better than discovering new places and cultures That's right!

193

I've never been to Spain, but I'd really love to go there

194

Neither have I!

195

I'd love to visit

196

Barcelona someday So would I!

197

Do you enjoy cooking too?

198

I started learning how to cook last year

199

Yes, I do.

200

I love trying new recipes, especially Italian dishes.

201

That's great.

202

I don't like spending hours in the kitchen, though.

203

Neither do I.

204

Simple recipes are usually my favorite.

205

Well, we seem to have a lot in common.

206

Yes, we do.

207

Maybe we should cook an Italian dinner together sometime time.

208

That sounds like a great idea.

209

Mustn't versus don't have to.

210

Why are you looking at clothes online, David?

211

Do you need something for your new job at the hotel?

212

Yes, that's right.

213

I need to buy some new clothes for work.

214

Don't they provide you with a uniform?

215

No, they don't.

216

I have to wear formal clothes, but I can choose what I want to wear.

217

That's nice.

218

At least you don't have to wear the same thing every day.

219

Exactly.

220

But my manager said I mustn't wear jeans or sneakers at work. That makes sense.

221

Hotels usually have a dress code.

222

Do you have to wear a tie, too?

223

No, I don't have to wear a tie unless I'm attending an important meeting.

224

Great!

225

So you can wear a shirt and dress pants most days.

226

Yes, but I'm not sure what colors are appropriate.

227

You can't go wrong with white, blue, or gray.

228

And you mustn't wear anything too flashy.

229

Good advice!

230

I also need to buy some comfortable shoes because I'll be standing for hours.

231

Definitely!

232

You don't have to spend a fortune though.

233

You can find good shoes at reasonable prices.

234

I hope so.

235

Well, you mustn't forget to keep the receipts in case you need to return anything.

236

You're right!

237

Thanks for your help!

238

Do you want to come shopping with me tomorrow?

239

Sure!

240

I don't have to work tomorrow, so I'm free all day.

241

Perfect!

242

Let's meet at the mall at 10.

243

See you then!

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

House vocabulary, Parts of the House, Rooms in the House, House Objects and Furniture

KidsDaily Conversation

Recommend Video

49 sentences

Crime Story | Past Simple & Past Perfect | B1+ English Listening

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

660 sentences

Daily English Conversations to Learn Common Idioms | Improve English Skills in 30 Minutes Everyday

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

139 sentences

"APT 17" (Short Film) THRILLER

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

189 sentences

Learn English with Stories⭐You Call Yourself a Man? |B1 English Story

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

708 sentences

10 Simple English Conversations for Beginners: Real English Dialogues (A1-A2)

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

207 sentences

I Heard a Noise at 2 AM! 😱 | Learn English Story (A2 Level)

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

138 sentences

👉English Speaking practice | English Conversation for beginners | Daily English

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

654 sentences

Practice English Speaking with Shadowing Real-life Conversations | Improve Your English Skills

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

32 sentences

My Smart Home Locked Me Out

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

127 sentences

Our Next-Door Neighbor Hid a SECRET... And It Changed Our Hearts! 🤫😱| Slow English (Level A2)

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

272 sentences

How English Changed My Life | English Podcast for Learning English & Motivation

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This speaking lesson is built on the video “English Conversations That Make You Fluent”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: wear, wish, watching, tomorrow. This video has 243 sentences and 1566 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:31. The speaker talks slowly, about 108 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 52 of its 243 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
cloth noun	/klɒθ/	A fabric, usually made of woven, knitted, or felted fibres or filaments, such as used in dressing, decorating, cleaning or other practical use. Sometimes…
backyard noun	/bækˈjɑːd/	A yard to the rear of a house or similar residence.
soccer noun	/ˈsɑk.ɚ/	Association football.
versus	/ˈvɝsəs/	Against; in opposition to.
documentary noun	/ˌdɒk.jʊˈmɛn.tɹi/	A film, TV program, publication etc. which presents a social, political, scientific or historical subject in a factual or informative manner.
presentation noun	/ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/	The act of presenting, or something presented.
shoe noun	/ˈʃu/	A protective covering for the foot, with a bottom part composed of thick leather or plastic sole and often a thicker heel, and a softer upper part made of…
recipe noun	/ˈɹɛs.ɪ.pi/	Any set of instructions for preparing a mixture of ingredients.
install verb	/ɪnˈstɔl/	To connect, set up or prepare something for use
pants noun	/pænts/	An outer garment that covers the body from the waist downwards, covering each leg separately, usually as far as the ankles; trousers.
gate noun	/ˈɡeɪ̯t/	A doorlike structure outside a house.
lesson noun	/ˈlɛs.ən/	A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
adventure noun	/ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/	A feeling of desire for new and exciting things.
egg noun	/ɛɡ/	An approximately spherical or ellipsoidal body produced by birds, insects, reptiles, and other animals, often housing an embryo within a membrane or shell…
formal adjective	/ˈfɔɹməl/	In accordance with established forms.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
come over verb	To affect in a sudden, unprecedented or surprising manner; to overwhelm a person's ordinarily contrary impulse.
go through verb	To travel from one end of something to the other.
look through verb	To take a view of the contents of; search in, either with the eyes or by hand.
move back verb	To reschedule (something) to a later date or time.
run away from verb	To avoid or shirk a problem or consequences; to rush to back away from or disclaim responsibility for something.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

What's your husband doing?
Did you call the police?
How long have you known him?
Why don't you take a day off this weekend?
Don't they provide you with a uniform?

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	He's been sleeping · have you been learning
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	have you known · has he lived · we've been
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form	started learning · keep practicing · love watching
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	was watching · was reaching · was coming

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 61 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, shoe /ˈʃu/, promotion /pɹəˈmoʊʃn̩/, vacation /veɪˈkeɪ.ʃən/, dish /dɪʃ/
Long words — get the stress right: documentary /ˌdɒk.jʊˈmɛn.tɹi/, photographer /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fɚ/, decoration /ˌdɛkəˈɹeɪʃən/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like cloth, backyard, soccer.

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 →

Shadowing Practice: English Conversations That Make You Fluent - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

House vocabulary, Parts of the House, Rooms in the House, House Objects and Furniture

Animal Homes Vocabulary for Kids

Prepositions of Place and Prepositions of Movement through Conversation

Talking about Clothes in English

Christmas - English vocabulary

Learn English through Real Conversations

Feelings and emotions vocabulary

Places Vocabulary in English

Jobs and Occupations / Learn English vocabulary about professions

Winter vocabulary - Learn to talk about winter season

Everyday Situations, Everyday English

Spoken English Conversation with Strangers

Hobbies and Interests

English Conversation at Home

School Conversation, School Dialogue

Describing Your Family

Asking for and Giving Directions

Talking about household chores in English - short dialogues

Past Perfect Tense

Family English Conversation

Crime Story | Past Simple & Past Perfect | B1+ English Listening

Daily English Conversations to Learn Common Idioms | Improve English Skills in 30 Minutes Everyday

"APT 17" (Short Film) THRILLER

Learn English with Stories⭐You Call Yourself a Man? |B1 English Story

10 Simple English Conversations for Beginners: Real English Dialogues (A1-A2)

I Heard a Noise at 2 AM! 😱 | Learn English Story (A2 Level)

👉English Speaking practice | English Conversation for beginners | Daily English

Practice English Speaking with Shadowing Real-life Conversations | Improve Your English Skills

My Smart Home Locked Me Out

Our Next-Door Neighbor Hid a SECRET... And It Changed Our Hearts! 🤫😱| Slow English (Level A2)

How English Changed My Life | English Podcast for Learning English & Motivation

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?