Shadowing Practice: English Fluency: The 3 Types of Speaking Practice You Actually Need - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
164 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
How many years have you been working to become more fluent in English?
2
Two years?
3
Seven years?
4
24 years?
5
And why is it that you can feel fluent in one conversation and then completely stuck in another?
6
For example, perhaps you can answer simple questions easily, but when someone asks you to explain an idea for several minutes,
7
you lose your train of thought.
8
Or perhaps you can tell a clear story one-to-one.
9
But then when it's a group discussion and the conversation moves more quickly,
10
you can't find the right moment to speak up and all your thoughts become this kind of chaotic mess.
11
So you just stay silent.
12
These unexpected changes in the moment don't mean that your English level has suddenly changed.
13
It means that different speaking situations ask you to use different speaking skills.
14
A quick conversation, for example, with the neighbor is not the same as speaking for several minutes giving an update at work.
15
And neither of those is the same as joining a fast-moving group discussion.
16
To develop fluency for real life,
17
you need to understand the differences and the specific skills you need for each one of these speaking situations.
18
And once you know what those skills are, you can make sure that your speaking practice prepares you for the quick chats with a neighbor,
19
the moments when you want to tell a story, and the discussions that happen at the dinner table with all your English-speaking in-laws.
20
So in this lesson, you're going to learn what English fluency really means, particularly in those different situations,
21
and why you might feel fluent in one situation, but not another.
22
I'm also going to share the three kinds of speaking situations you need to prepare for
23
if you want to communicate with greater ease and clarity in your English.
24
So let's start with what fluency actually means.
25
The word fluency in language learning
26
and research has a specific meaning speaking fluently describes how smoothly
27
and continuously you speak this includes your speaking speed how often
28
and how long you pause how often you repeat restart
29
or correct yourself but fluency does not mean speaking as quickly as possible
30
And it does not mean never pausing or never making a mistake or always having the exact perfect word.
31
Fluent speakers pause.
32
They sometimes correct themselves in the moment.
33
And when they can't remember a word, they find another way to explain the idea.
34
The important question is whether those pauses and problems repeatedly stop your message
35
or make it difficult for someone to follow what you're saying.
36
So if your goal is to speak English fluently, then the focus should not be perfect, uninterrupted speech.
37
Instead, the goal should be speech that continues with enough ease and flow
38
for you to express your message and for your listener to follow it.
39
Now, here's where fluency becomes a little more complex.
40
You may be fluent in one situation and then struggle in another.
41
Again, because each speaking situation may require different speaking skills.
42
For real-life English, I think it helps to think about three broad kinds of speaking situations.
43
First, there are what I call everyday exchanges.
44
These are quick back and forth conversations.
45
The kinds of conversations you have with your neighbor when you're walking your dog, a coworker when having coffee before a meeting, someone you see at the grocery store,
46
or a person you meet while traveling.
47
And then second, there are moments when you need to speak at length.
48
You may need to tell a story, explain a problem, give an update, or share your opinion for several minutes.
49
And third, there are group discussions where several people are speaking, the conversation moves quickly, and you need to find the right moment to join,
50
respond, or return to a point that was shared earlier.
51
In each one of these, fluency describes how smoothly and continuously you speak
52
And getting the right speaking skills will help you know what to do in each of those situations.
53
For example, in those quick everyday exchanges,
54
it means knowing how much to say in the moment and if you should ask another question to continue the conversation.
55
When you speak at length,
56
it might mean organizing your ideas or finding another way to explain something when you forget a word in the moment.
57
And then in a group discussion, it might mean knowing how to join the conversation or how to respond when someone interrupts you.
58
And to do all of this fluently, you need two things.
59
You need the skills to handle the situation,
60
and you need the practice using those skills without long pauses that repeatedly interrupt your message.
61
In a moment, we're going to look more closely at what each one of those three speaking situations requires of you.
62
But if this already sounds like something you need for your English, I want you to know that this is the exact framework of my full Fluency School program.
63
I design Fluency School around the real speaking situations where you want to communicate with greater ease, clarity, and confidence.
64
taking part in everyday exchanges, speaking at length, and participating in discussions.
65
Throughout the program, you develop and practice the different speaking skills
66
that each situation requires so that you are better prepared to use your English fluently across those real-life conversations,
67
not just in one kind of speaking situation or not just when you're alone with one person.
68
Now, if that sounds like something you're looking for, I'll share a link in the notes below where you can learn more about Fluency School.
69
And now let's look more closely at the first of those speaking situations,
70
the ones I call everyday exchanges and the exact skills you need to be practicing.
71
So first, the everyday exchanges,
72
those super short, quick back and forth conversations that happen almost every day.
73
These are the conversations we have with our neighbors, our friends on the telephone when we just have a few moments, or when we're getting to know someone before a yoga class.
74
These are the same quick conversations we might have with a coworker just before our meeting starts.
75
This also includes those moments when someone you barely know makes a casual comment
76
and you're not really sure how to handle it in the moment.
77
What makes these conversations so challenging is that you usually have very little time to prepare.
78
You don't know what to expect.
79
So you need to understand in the moment what the other person means and then decide how much to say,
80
how to respond, and how to notice whether the conversation is supposed to continue or end.
81
And you need to figure all that out within just a few seconds.
82
In this case, the challenge is not speaking for a long time.
83
It's having the ability to move through several quick questions
84
and answers without becoming stuck at the very first moment or in the very first answer.
85
And this is why you might feel comfortable answering a question in English like,
86
how was your weekend, but then still feel unsure of what to say or ask next.
87
It's also why practicing longer answers about familiar topics does not always prepare you for these brief exchanges.
88
I want you to think for a moment about your own speaking practice.
89
Do you regularly practice short, unplanned conversations where you need to listen and respond immediately?
90
Do you practice continuing after your first answer?
91
And do you practice noticing when to ask more or when the exchange should naturally finish?
92
If most of your speaking practice gives you time to prepare or someone guides you from one question to the next,
93
you may not be practicing the specific skills you need for these everyday exchanges.
94
So what does that mean for your English fluency practice?
95
It means that you need to include brief, unplanned conversations.
96
You need chances to respond in the moment, to continue after the first answer, and to notice what is happening in the conversation,
97
what is expected of you at each moment.
98
But of course, these are not the only conversations we have in English.
99
Sometimes you do need to speak for a longer period of time.
100
Like when you want to tell a story about your last vacation, explain a problem that you're having among your team, give an update, or share an opinion.
101
And that brings us to the second speaking situation, speaking at length.
102
In these situations, you need to decide what information to include, what order to share it in,
103
and how to connect one idea to the next.
104
and at every step you need to make sure that your speech is smooth, that your statements are clear.
105
And if in the moment you forget a word or lose your train of thought, you need to know how to smoothly recover.
106
So once again, I want you to think about your current English speaking practice.
107
Do you regularly practice talking about one topic for two or three minutes, adding on important details.
108
Do you practice without reading or preparing the entire answer in advance?
109
And do you practice continuing, even if you forget a word or lose your train of thought?
110
For English fluency when speaking at length, your practice needs to include time to organize your ideas
111
and speak about just one of them for several minutes without reading a prepared answer.
112
And then, of course, there is one more challenge.
113
Speaking up when several people are involved in the conversation.
114
In a group discussion, you don't always get to control who speaks next, how quickly the conversation moves, or when the topic changes.
115
And you need to listen to several other people.
116
You need to follow their ideas and decide when to speak up.
117
Of course, sometimes you have an idea, but then someone else speaks first.
118
Sometimes the conversation moves to a new topic before you're ready.
119
And sometimes you begin speaking, but someone else interrupts you.
120
And this is why you might speak clearly in a one-on-one conversation, but then really struggle to take part in a group discussion.
121
In these moments, there are more distractions.
122
And the challenge is not only finding the words, but you also need to follow everything that's happening.
123
Find those right moments to speak up and stay involved as the conversation changes.
124
So if all your English-speaking practice happens with just one teacher or one partner,
125
group discussions may still feel unfamiliar and difficult, even if your English is strong.
126
To be more fluent in those group conversations, you need opportunities to practice with several people.
127
You need to practice joining conversations,
128
responding to different speakers, and continuing when the discussion doesn't go exactly as you expected.
129
So I want to go back to the question I started with.
130
How long have you been working on your English fluency?
131
And does it feel like you've been working for years without making real progress?
132
If so, the question is not simply, am I practicing enough?
133
A better question is, am I practicing the kind of speaking I need for my real life?
134
Maybe right now, you get a lot of practice answering questions just one-on-one.
135
but you get very little practice with those quick everyday conversations
136
where you have to make quick decisions respond in the moment
137
and know what is expected of you should the conversation continue should you add more
138
or should you allow the conversation to end
139
or perhaps right now you can speak about a familiar topic like an area of expertise
140
but you rarely practice explaining a new idea for several minutes,
141
or having more casual conversations where we talk about favorite movies, podcasts, and vacations.
142
If any of this is true for you, I want you to know that you don't need to go back and start over again.
143
This isn't about relearning grammar you've already spent years learning, and it doesn't mean memorizing a whole new list of vocabulary.
144
What I want you to do is think about to notice where you still get stuck in those English conversations,
145
and then make sure that you practice speaking for those specific situations.
146
Practice the kind of skills you need to succeed and be fluent.
147
So think about this for a moment.
148
Which of these speaking situations is most difficult for you right now?
149
Is it those everyday exchanges that are super unexpected?
150
Is it speaking at length, adding on details and explaining fully?
151
Or is it being a part of those group discussions?
152
Your answer gives you a much clearer idea of what you need to practice and focus on next.
153
Even better, once you know the answers to those questions, your fluency becomes a much clearer goal.
154
Now you're no longer simply trying to speak more.
155
Instead, you can now focus on the conversations you actually need to have
156
and the skills that are going to help you be a part of them fluently.
157
Again, this is exactly what we do in Fluency School.
158
You learn the speaking skills you need for everyday exchanges, speaking at length, and participating in those group discussions.
159
and then you practice those real skills in real conversations
160
so you are better prepared to use them when you need to in your daily life.
161
If you're ready to build that kind of fluency, the kind of fluency you need for real conversations, I would love to have you join me inside Fluency School
162
and I'll share a link with details for more in the notes below.
163
As always, if you found this lesson helpful, don't forget to subscribe or follow wherever you're watching or listening from today.
164
Thank you so much for joining me, and I look forward to next time.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
📺 Same Channel
B21
How to Disagree Politely in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B21
Be Direct and Polite in English with Assertive Communication | 5 Tips
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
Write Professional Emails in English | Step-by-Step
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2How to Finish Speaking in English Without an Awkward Silence
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B28
Sound Fluent & Professional: English Phrases for Meetings & Updates
American AccentBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B1What to Say When Someone is Rude in English (with 4 Simple Strategies)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
How to Talk About Feelings in English: Belonging, Trust, and Connection
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C117
Think in English and Speak Faster in Conversations | Stop Translating
American AccentDaily Conversation
B23
How to Have Interesting English Conversations (Even If You’re Shy!)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B13
Successful English Small Talk at Work | English Conversation Practice
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B2Why You Should Talk About the Weather in English (Even If It Feels Pointless)
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B22
Become a Confident English Speaker | Practical Strategies
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B18
The Right Grammar for English Introductions | Meeting Someone New
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B11
16 Phrasal Verbs for Relationships: Every Stage in English
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
Sound More Professional in English | 5 Phrases for Difficult Conversations
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B15
Describe Your Feelings in English | Feelings and Emotions Vocabulary
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B14
Small Talk About Travel, Vacations, and Holidays in English
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B210
How to Answer Tell Me About Yourself—Job Interview in English
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B29
Better English Conversations: Increase Your Economic Vocabulary
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
5 Easy Small Talk Questions for Conversations about Travel in English
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
✨ Recommend Video
B12
287 sentences
SPEAK ENGLISH FLUENTLY | 3 Ways To Respond In English
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B2499 sentences
Just Stop Trying to Speak English Perfectly
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B26
73 sentences
Listen & Shadow: Listening to English and SHADOWING
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B21
44 sentences
Speak English FLUENTLY in 30 Days: The Truth
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B122
311 sentences
No Partner? No Problem! (3 Ways to Practice Speaking Alone)
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B14
504 sentences
Getting Fluent In English By Yourself - Where To Actually Start
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
143 sentences
Advanced English Speaking - 3 Things Native Speakers Do (That You Weren't Taught in School)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B28
197 sentences
Fluency in 10 Minutes a Day
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B26
143 sentences
Why Studying More Isn't Making You Fluent
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
96 sentences
Think faster and speak 🗣️
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B25
292 sentences
Becoming Fluent in English
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B16
460 sentences
Best Way For You To Speak English
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “English Fluency: The 3 Types of Speaking Practice You Actually Need”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: speaking, conversation, practice, moment, situation. This video has 164 sentences and 2320 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:59. The speaker talks at a steady 145 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fluency noun | /ˈfluːənsi/ | The quality of smoothness of flow. |
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| fluently adverb | In a fluent manner, as expressing oneself easily, especially in a foreign language. | |
| pause noun | /pɔːz/ | A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation. |
| interrupt verb | /ˌɪntəˈɹʌpt/ | To disturb or halt (an ongoing process or action, or the person performing it) by interfering suddenly, especially by speaking. |
| smoothly adverb | /ˈsmuːðli/ | in a smooth manner; smooth |
| neighbour noun | /ˈneɪbɚ/ | A person living on adjacent or nearby land; a person situated adjacently or nearby; anything (of the same type of thing as the subject) in an adjacent or… |
| unplanned adjective | Unintentional; not intended. | |
| clarity noun | /ˈklæɹ.ɪ.ti/ | The state or measure of being clear, either in appearance, thought or style; lucidity. |
| continuously adverb | /kənˈtɪnjuəsli/ | Without pause. |
| organize verb | /ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/ | To arrange in working order. |
| memorize verb | /ˈmɛm.əˌɹaɪ̯z/ | To fully learn so as to have entirely available to the memory; to learn by heart, commit to memory. |
| relearn verb | /ɹiːˈləːn/ | To learn (something) again. |
| uninterrupted adjective | Continuing with no interruption. | |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| speak up verb | /ˌspik ˈʌp/ | To talk more loudly or clearly. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. | |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. | |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. | |
| start over verb | to begin again; to return to the beginning |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You don't know what to expect.
- Do you practice continuing after your first answer?
- Do you practice without reading or preparing the entire answer in advance?
- If so, the question is not simply, am I practicing enough?
- Which of these speaking situations is most difficult for you right now?
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 | have you been working · you've been working |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was shared · is expected · are involved |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 28 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, don't, can't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: continuously /kənˈtɪnjuəsli/, unfamiliar /ˌʌnfəˈmɪli.ə(ɹ)/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/
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 fluency, fluent, fluently.
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.