Shadowing Practice: How to be confident (even if you’re not) | Montana von Fliss | TEDxBellevueWomen - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

Hard

YouTube

Shadowing Controls

0% completed (0/183 sentences)

Tanya Cushman Reviewer.

⏸ Paused

Speed:

Repeat Count:

Wait Mode:

Sub Sync:0ms

All Sentences

183 sentences

Tanya Cushman Reviewer.

0:00.00 – 0:01.70 (1.7s)

Tanya Cushman Picture this.

0:01.70 – 0:09.00 (7.3s)

You're going on a boat trip, and you get on board with your family, and you've got your bags, and the captain comes out to greet you and says, Hi, my name's Montana Bonfless.

0:09.10 – 0:24.10 (15.0s)

I'll be your captain for this journey.

0:25.94 – 0:27.72 (1.8s)

So, oh boy, let's just have a great trip, sorry.

0:29.12 – 0:34.44 (5.3s)

Nope, get me off of this boat.

0:37.10 – 0:39.26 (2.2s)

What we want in that moment is for the captain to walk out and say, hi, my name is Montana Von Fliss.

0:40.70 – 0:47.58 (6.9s)

I'll be your captain for this journey.

0:47.38 – 0:49.60 (2.2s)

Let's have a great trip.

0:49.42 – 0:51.34 (1.9s)

The point is, when you are the speaker, you are the captain for that journey and how you show up really matters.

0:52.18 – 1:00.14 (8.0s)

For the last 17 years, I've coached thousands of speakers all over the world, from big tech companies to small startups.

1:00.90 – 1:08.48 (7.6s)

And everyone, from new hires to CEOs of Fortune 500 companies, want to know how do you show up and look confident.

1:08.92 – 1:18.18 (9.3s)

So I'd like to share my top five tips for how to be confident, even if you're not.

1:18.72 – 1:23.76 (5.0s)

So let's break it down.

1:24.16 – 1:25.76 (1.6s)

What was the difference between those two captains?

1:26.10 – 1:28.60 (2.5s)

What did you see?

1:29.10 – 1:29.94 (0.8s)

What did you hear?

1:29.94 – 1:30.80 (0.9s)

And not just one seemed nervous, one seemed confident, but what was I doing differently to make you think that?

1:30.64 – 1:39.24 (8.6s)

Different volume, different words, certainly different body language, but the truth is, I wasn't actually feeling particularly confident.

1:39.58 – 1:50.04 (10.5s)

I was just making certain physical and vocal choices to make you think that.

1:49.82 – 1:55.22 (5.4s)

You can do that too.

1:56.22 – 1:57.34 (1.1s)

Anyone can do this.

1:57.94 – 1:59.64 (1.7s)

So what are those confident-looking choices?

2:00.08 – 2:02.54 (2.5s)

Number one, turn up the energy and speak up.

2:03.30 – 2:07.34 (4.0s)

When you speak up, even just a little bit, it reads as confident.

2:07.02 – 2:12.12 (5.1s)

And you don't have to shout.

2:11.94 – 2:13.72 (1.8s)

Think about it this way.

2:13.72 – 2:15.08 (1.4s)

On a scale of one to ten, aim for a five.

2:14.74 – 2:18.68 (3.9s)

Yes, it goes to eleven.

2:19.28 – 2:21.08 (1.8s)

But you can just aim for a five.

2:23.54 – 2:25.48 (1.9s)

I'm here at a five right now.

2:25.40 – 2:27.62 (2.2s)

I can bring it back down to a three down here.

2:27.14 – 2:29.78 (2.6s)

Nervous captain was down here.

2:29.34 – 2:31.22 (1.9s)

And then we bring it back up to a five.

2:30.70 – 2:32.68 (2.0s)

And it sounds prepared, positive, and confident.

2:32.34 – 2:36.06 (3.7s)

So turn up the energy and speak up.

2:35.78 – 2:38.62 (2.8s)

Number two, pause.

2:39.80 – 2:42.16 (2.4s)

Like a boss.

2:42.02 – 2:45.08 (3.1s)

Nervous speakers tend to talk really fast, right?

2:46.74 – 2:49.34 (2.6s)

And then when they do have a pause, they fill it in with verbal filler, likes and ums.

2:48.82 – 2:53.26 (4.4s)

However, if you try to speak more slowly, it just sounds like this.

2:53.80 – 2:59.26 (5.5s)

Right?

2:59.52 – 2:59.94 (0.4s)

And that's not better.

2:59.94 – 3:00.84 (0.9s)

So, instead, make strategic pauses.

3:01.08 – 3:04.32 (3.2s)

Pause in transition.

3:04.54 – 3:06.02 (1.5s)

Pause for emphasis.

3:05.66 – 3:07.88 (2.2s)

Pause like a boss.

3:08.02 – 3:11.32 (3.3s)

Number three, superhero stance.

3:12.92 – 3:16.42 (3.5s)

Imagine you are a superhero.

3:17.30 – 3:19.58 (2.3s)

You can do it from your chair.

3:19.26 – 3:21.22 (2.0s)

How would a superhero sit?

3:20.86 – 3:22.86 (2.0s)

Yes, let that change your posture, I see you, yes!

3:23.46 – 3:27.64 (4.2s)

Let that bring a smile to your face, and have some better eye contact.

3:27.22 – 3:31.84 (4.6s)

All of that reads as confident.

3:31.44 – 3:35.02 (3.6s)

And pretending to be a superhero is just a super quick way to have confident-looking body language.

3:35.32 – 3:41.58 (6.3s)

Now, this one also goes to 11.

3:42.38 – 3:44.58 (2.2s)

But you can just aim for a five, and that will be great.

3:48.36 – 3:52.20 (3.8s)

tuck in that cape and go save the day.

3:52.08 – 3:54.86 (2.8s)

And you can stand in superhero backstage to boost your confidence, but I'm saying bring that superhero stance on stage so that your audience sees you as confident.

3:56.54 – 4:07.48 (10.9s)

And if you need an easy shortcut, just make the shape.

4:08.28 – 4:11.58 (3.3s)

Just make the shape of a confident person.

4:12.06 – 4:14.86 (2.8s)

The audience cannot read your mind.

4:14.60 – 4:17.66 (3.1s)

They don't know how you're feeling, so just make the shape and they will go with it.

4:17.64 – 4:22.78 (5.1s)

Like, if you came over to my house for dinner, And I open up the door and I was like, hi, come on in, we're having chicken.

4:22.72 – 4:30.58 (7.9s)

You'd be like, oh, is this a bad time?

4:32.18 – 4:34.34 (2.2s)

You know, you've got to make the shape of a good host.

4:36.14 – 4:38.68 (2.5s)

Make the smile shape, right?

4:38.92 – 4:41.62 (2.7s)

Instead of crossed arm shape, open up.

4:41.92 – 4:44.26 (2.3s)

Hi, welcome, come on in.

4:43.78 – 4:46.48 (2.7s)

If you're not sure if you're making confident looking choices, you can just video yourself and watch it back.

4:48.20 – 4:55.94 (7.7s)

I feel like I just saw you say, not doing that one.

4:57.12 – 5:00.02 (2.9s)

I know, most people don't like to watch themselves, I get it.

5:01.38 – 5:05.12 (3.7s)

But wouldn't you rather make that adjustment before you're in front of your audience?

5:05.34 – 5:11.00 (5.7s)

Yes.

5:12.38 – 5:12.74 (0.4s)

Videoing yourself is a great way to check in to see that you're doing the techniques, but also to see that it's still authentically you, your version of confident captain.

5:13.70 – 5:24.22 (10.5s)

Now, how can you do all of these things on performance day?

5:25.54 – 5:29.88 (4.3s)

Number four, practice with purpose.

5:30.78 – 5:34.20 (3.4s)

So make yourself a rehearsal schedule, put it in your calendar.

5:34.96 – 5:38.62 (3.7s)

You can give yourself a little treat when you do a run-through.

5:39.02 – 5:42.06 (3.0s)

And make it practice with purpose by giving yourself a specific goal or layering in one new confident captain technique each day.

5:42.84 – 5:51.66 (8.8s)

If it's a week before your event, aim to run it all the way through at least once a day.

5:52.08 – 5:58.80 (6.7s)

And if you don't have time for a full run-through, just take the opening, closing, run that three times in a row from anywhere.

5:59.42 – 6:05.08 (5.7s)

When you're in the shower, when you're walking your dog, when you're making a meal for your kids.

6:05.74 – 6:10.30 (4.6s)

I know my kids are very used to me walking around the house talking to myself.

6:10.06 – 6:14.90 (4.8s)

whatever you need to do to get in those repetitions.

6:15.94 – 6:19.68 (3.7s)

And don't be afraid of overpractice.

6:20.40 – 6:23.36 (3.0s)

Don't let that stop you.

6:24.18 – 6:25.70 (1.5s)

You can just let go of your verbatim script if it's starting to sound robotic.

6:26.40 – 6:31.02 (4.6s)

And you can still use bullet point speaker notes to remind yourself of what you would like to say and to invite you to say it a little bit differently each time to keep it fresh.

6:30.88 – 6:44.02 (13.1s)

And let me be clear, by practice, I mean standing up, saying it out loud, imagining your audience and inviting them in, clicking through your slides, doing it as much like it will be on the day, whether it's virtual or in person.

6:44.82 – 7:01.40 (16.6s)

And I know it might feel a little funny saying it out loud to yourself, but think about when you learn a new sport or when you practice a musical instrument.

7:02.10 – 7:14.46 (12.4s)

If you had a piano concert on Friday, and you got new music on Monday, would you only read your music every day and then play it for the very first time at the concert on Friday?

7:15.34 – 7:27.02 (11.7s)

No way!

7:27.04 – 7:28.58 (1.5s)

And yet, I see speakers do this all the time.

7:29.00 – 7:32.24 (3.2s)

Give yourself a chance.

7:32.84 – 7:34.38 (1.5s)

Practice helps everything, and it can really boost your confidence to practice with purpose by layering in one new technique each day.

7:34.80 – 7:46.98 (12.2s)

Okay, those first four techniques, they're all about how to appear confident, regardless of how you're feeling.

7:48.36 – 7:55.50 (7.1s)

I've got one more technique for you, and it's a big one.

7:56.28 – 8:00.26 (4.0s)

But this is the real gem.

8:01.04 – 8:02.60 (1.6s)

100

It's the one that makes all the others shine.

8:02.28 – 8:05.18 (2.9s)

101

This is number five, the silent sentence.

8:06.24 – 8:10.46 (4.2s)

102

This is about what you choose to tell yourself.

8:11.62 – 8:14.92 (3.3s)

103

I've been a professional actor since I was a kid, and I have always loved going on stage as an actor, as a speaker, as an emcee.

8:16.52 – 8:25.18 (8.7s)

104

And at the same time, I have often been not just nervous, sometimes downright terrified to step on a stage.

8:25.74 – 8:35.84 (10.1s)

105

I'm shaking, I'm sweating, and I'm like, what was I thinking?

8:36.84 – 8:40.48 (3.6s)

106

Why do I do this to myself?

8:40.48 – 8:42.18 (1.7s)

107

And all these unhelpful voices flood in, and I just tried to make it stop, push it away, and of course, that never worked.

8:41.98 – 8:49.58 (7.6s)

108

And I kept going on stage because I love it.

8:50.24 – 8:53.92 (3.7s)

109

And years later, when I became a speaker coach, I got asked to do all these professional presentations, and they went well.

8:55.26 – 9:02.38 (7.1s)

110

But I still had no way to deal with that massive anxiety.

9:03.68 – 9:08.18 (4.5s)

111

And I was like, what can I do?

9:08.76 – 9:11.16 (2.4s)

112

And I thought, well, what am I telling myself?

9:12.00 – 9:15.32 (3.3s)

113

What if you mess up?

9:16.40 – 9:17.58 (1.2s)

114

You better be perfect.

9:17.56 – 9:19.24 (1.7s)

115

I realized I was giving myself an impossible instruction to be perfect.

9:20.94 – 9:26.88 (5.9s)

116

And that really was not working.

9:27.82 – 9:29.54 (1.7s)

117

But what would work?

9:30.12 – 9:31.32 (1.2s)

118

What would be a better message?

9:31.32 – 9:33.52 (2.2s)

119

And to figure that out, I had to go back to square one, like, what do I want?

9:34.14 – 9:38.92 (4.8s)

120

Why did I say yes to this speaking gig?

9:37.98 – 9:41.86 (3.9s)

121

What is my deeper purpose here?

9:42.36 – 9:44.46 (2.1s)

122

And I realized at the heart of it, I just want to help my audience to the best of my ability.

9:45.76 – 9:53.76 (8.0s)

123

And when I said that, I noticed everything change.

9:55.52 – 9:58.66 (3.1s)

124

And that's where I found my first silent sentence.

9:59.96 – 10:02.76 (2.8s)

125

I want to help my audience to the best of my ability.

10:03.30 – 10:06.96 (3.7s)

126

When I said it even silently to myself, it acted like this override switch.

10:07.90 – 10:12.52 (4.6s)

127

Like I might still be shaking and sweating, but now I have this higher goal, this deeper purpose, and everything aligned to that, and that became my highest priority.

10:12.70 – 10:21.84 (9.1s)

128

I want to help you.

10:22.70 – 10:24.08 (1.4s)

129

And now that thought replaced those unhelpful thoughts, and everything went better in my performance.

10:24.78 – 10:30.32 (5.5s)

130

And I was like, yes, it worked.

10:31.48 – 10:34.60 (3.1s)

131

Yay.

10:35.98 – 10:36.22 (0.2s)

132

And then I was like, wait, how do I do this every time?

10:38.08 – 10:41.42 (3.3s)

133

Especially when the stakes are high.

10:42.36 – 10:44.42 (2.1s)

134

And it dawned on me, like, if I'm writing and crafting the words I say out loud, why not write and craft the words I say silently to myself?

10:45.40 – 10:55.90 (10.5s)

135

Put it in the script.

10:55.86 – 10:57.78 (1.9s)

136

It's the silent part of the script.

10:57.48 – 11:01.34 (3.9s)

137

So now, every time I rehearse, every time I walk onto a stage, every time I join a virtual meeting, I say the following new and evolved silent sentence.

11:03.12 – 11:15.86 (12.7s)

138

I invite you to be here with me while I am here with you, so that I can make this easier for you.

11:18.14 – 11:28.82 (10.7s)

139

Now, that invitation to myself to be present, that's my definition of stage presence, being present.

11:31.38 – 11:40.12 (8.7s)

140

And that invitation to the audience to be my partner, that reminds me these are friends, not foes, and I am choosing to be here.

11:41.40 – 11:50.32 (8.9s)

141

And now I'm not just making the shape of a good host, I really am a good host, because I am genuinely welcoming you to my world.

11:50.48 – 11:58.96 (8.5s)

142

Now, how do you go about finding your silent sentence?

12:01.32 – 12:04.66 (3.3s)

143

What do you want?

12:06.50 – 12:07.42 (0.9s)

144

What's your deeper purpose?

12:08.58 – 12:10.40 (1.8s)

145

You could be like me, and you might just want to help people.

12:11.50 – 12:15.12 (3.6s)

146

Or it could be something more specific.

12:15.50 – 12:17.60 (2.1s)

147

For example, you might want at least one person in your audience to walk out and take a CPR class.

12:17.08 – 12:24.26 (7.2s)

148

Or maybe you're just super excited to have this experience or share with them some cool solution you have for their problem.

12:25.16 – 12:33.22 (8.1s)

149

You get to fill in the blank and decide what you want to accomplish.

12:33.70 – 12:38.22 (4.5s)

150

And this is not about graduating to some higher level of being where you never again feel nervous.

12:39.68 – 12:46.14 (6.5s)

151

I know I haven't.

12:46.58 – 12:49.06 (2.5s)

152

I was feeling it pretty big about 15 minutes ago.

12:49.52 – 12:52.74 (3.2s)

153

We're getting ready to walk on this stage, and I am, and probably always will be, a recovering perfectionist.

12:54.02 – 13:03.36 (9.3s)

154

That is a well-worn pathway in my brain.

13:05.08 – 13:07.76 (2.7s)

155

It is there, it exists, it cannot be erased.

13:08.52 – 13:11.86 (3.3s)

156

But now I have this other pathway.

13:12.54 – 13:15.26 (2.7s)

157

And when big moments like this come up, I get to choose.

13:16.14 – 13:19.72 (3.6s)

158

And that's what I was doing back there in the wings.

13:20.94 – 13:23.32 (2.4s)

159

I was choosing to gently insist on repeating my silent sentence to set myself up for success.

13:23.84 – 13:32.00 (8.2s)

160

What we tell ourselves really matters.

13:34.22 – 13:36.76 (2.5s)

161

We follow our own instructions all day long.

13:38.00 – 13:40.16 (2.2s)

162

Our whole selves are always listening.

13:40.08 – 13:42.98 (2.9s)

163

So when you notice something isn't going well, or you're fearing something might not go well in the future, use this checklist.

13:44.72 – 13:51.68 (7.0s)

164

What am I telling myself?

13:53.86 – 13:55.38 (1.5s)

165

What's being broadcast?

13:56.74 – 13:58.04 (1.3s)

166

Then, replace that with a better sentence to help set you up for where you'd like to go.

14:00.16 – 14:07.10 (6.9s)

167

And most importantly, put it in the script and practice it.

14:08.22 – 14:12.06 (3.8s)

168

Practice it just as much as the words you say out loud.

14:11.82 – 14:15.10 (3.3s)

169

So if you're running your intro in the shower three times in a row, it would go silent bit, out loud bit, silent, out loud, silent, out loud, until it is inextricably linked, and it is just a part of your process, and it is repeatable and reliable.

14:15.72 – 14:33.40 (17.7s)

170

And then it's just there for you when you need it.

14:34.28 – 14:36.62 (2.3s)

171

Now, I want to leave you with this final thought.

14:38.76 – 14:41.34 (2.6s)

172

When you're at home and you're practicing some of these techniques, like turn up the energy and speak up, pause like a boss, superhero stance, practice with purpose, and your silent sentence.

14:42.68 – 14:59.40 (16.7s)

173

Please know that it might feel uncomfortable at first because it's new and that is normal.

15:00.80 – 15:05.46 (4.7s)

174

But think back to when I was demonstrating the nervous captain at the top.

15:06.06 – 15:09.82 (3.8s)

175

How did that make you feel?

15:10.02 – 15:11.42 (1.4s)

176

And then when the confident captain came out, oh, what a relief!

15:12.72 – 15:15.90 (3.2s)

177

Now I can just sit back and enjoy the ride.

15:15.74 – 15:18.74 (3.0s)

178

Remember that feeling of safety you had as an audience member and bring that into your next rehearsal.

15:19.34 – 15:25.42 (6.1s)

179

You can give that gift to your audience.

15:25.46 – 15:28.86 (3.4s)

180

Reach outside your comfort zone to make your audience feel safe by making the choices of a confident captain.

15:29.36 – 15:38.32 (9.0s)

181

And who knows?

15:39.22 – 15:40.22 (1.0s)

182

You might even have fun.

15:41.60 – 15:43.00 (1.4s)

183

Have a great trip.

15:45.00 – 15:45.98 (1.0s)

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.

How to Practice Effectively on ShadowingEnglish

Choose your video: Pick a YouTube video with clear, natural English speech. TED Talks, BBC News, movie scenes, podcasts, or IELTS sample answers all work great. Paste the URL into the search bar. Start with shorter videos (under 5 minutes) and content you find genuinely interesting — motivation matters.
Listen first, understand the context: On your first pass, keep the speed at 1x and just listen. Don't try to repeat yet. Focus on understanding the meaning, picking up new vocabulary, and noticing how the speaker stresses words, links sounds, and uses pauses.
Set up Shadowing mode:
- Wait Mode: Choose +3s or +5s — after each sentence plays, the video pauses automatically so you have time to repeat it out loud. Choose Manual if you want full control and press Next yourself after each repetition.
- Sub Sync: YouTube subtitles sometimes appear slightly ahead or behind the audio. Use ±100ms to align them perfectly so you can follow along accurately.
Shadow out loud (the core practice): This is where the real work happens. As soon as a sentence plays — or during the pause — repeat it out loud, clearly and confidently. Don't just mouth the words: mirror the speaker's exact rhythm, stress, pitch, and connected speech. Aim to sound like a shadow of the speaker, not just a word-by-word recitation. Use the Repeat feature to drill the same sentence multiple times until it feels natural.
Scale up the challenge: Once a passage feels comfortable, push your limits. Increase speed to <code>1.25x</code> or even <code>1.5x</code> to train high-speed language reflexes. Or set Wait Mode to <code>Off</code> for continuous shadowing — the most advanced and rewarding mode. Consistent daily practice of 15–30 minutes will produce noticeable results within weeks.

☕ Buy us a coffee

ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏

Donate via PayPal

ShadowingEnglish.com – English Shadowing Practice

Speak English fluently using the Shadowing technique. Listen to native YouTube videos, repeat sentence by sentence, and build real pronunciation and fluency — used by IELTS learners worldwide.

Shadowing Practice: How to be confident (even if you’re not) | Montana von Fliss | TEDxBellevueWomen - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

Context & Background

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

What is the Shadowing Technique?

How to Practice Effectively on ShadowingEnglish