Shadowing Practice: How to Say Dates Correctly in American English 🗓️ - Learn English Speaking with Video

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19 sentences
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1
One is a cardinal number, and first is an ordinal number.
2
The cardinal numbers are one, two, three, and so on, and ordinal numbers are first, second, third, and so on.
3
When you write a date, you write the cardinal number.
4
So that would be this, not this.
5
When you say the date, you're supposed to say the ordinal number.
6
You're supposed to say January 1st.
7
But I've noticed lots of people say cardinal numbers in dates just like I did when I said January 1.
8
Now earlier, we were referring to this date as 1 -1.
9
When you're calling the month by its number, never use the ordinal number for the day.
10
That would be 1 first.
11
That would sound totally strange.
12
I've never heard someone do that.
13
So, with dates.
14
When you're writing, use the cardinal number.
15
1. When you're speaking, use the ordinal number.
16
1st, October 1st, or October 15th.
17
But also, it's not uncommon to hear native speakers use the cardinal number when saying these dates, like October 15 or October 1.
18
But if you're using all numbers, then just use cardinal numbers, like 1 -1, or your coverage ends on 9 -30.
19
Not 9 -30th.

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What You'll Learn

This video builds key English speaking practice skills for mastering date expressions. You'll learn to distinguish between cardinal and ordinal numbers in written vs. spoken dates—critical for clarity in IELTS speaking practice and daily conversations. You'll also discover when native speakers bend the rules, like using cardinal numbers in casual speech, so you can communicate naturally. These skills are perfect for shadowing technique practice, as they focus on real-world usage.

Listen For These Sounds

Notice how native speakers often reduce ordinal endings in fast speech. For example, "January 1st" might sound more like "January 1s" or even "January 1" in casual contexts. When using all numbers (e.g., "1-1" or "9-30"), there's no linking or stress on ordinal forms—just clear, quick cardinal numbers. These reductions are key for understanding connected speech, a must for learn english with videos practice.

Say It Like a Native

To mirror the speaker's rhythm, stress the month and the ordinal day in full phrases: "OCTOber 15TH" (capitalized syllables are stressed). In casual settings, you can drop the ordinal ending, but keep the rhythm: "OCTOber 15". Use the shadowing technique here—repeat the speaker's exact pace and stress patterns. For IELTS speaking practice, focus on clear ordinal forms in formal contexts, then switch to casual cardinal usage when appropriate. This flexibility will make your shadow speak sound natural and confident.

Grammar in this video

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

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowI've noticed · I've never heard
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the pastwere referring
Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around nowyou're calling · you're writing · you're speaking

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 →