Shadowing Practice: How to train your ears to understand English - Learn English Speaking with Video
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36 sentences
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Have you ever listened to a native English speaker and thought, wait, what did they just say?
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You know English, you know the words, but when people speak fast, everything sounds like one long sentence.
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Don't worry, you don't need more vocabulary, you need to train your ears.
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Tip number one, listen without subtitles.
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Choose a short English video and listen without subtitles.
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For example, listen to a 30 -second conversation and try to understand the main idea.
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Don't worry if you understand only 50%.
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Focus on the sounds, rhythm, and words you recognize.
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Tip number two, use English subtitles.
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Now listen to the same conversation with English subtitles.
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Notice how words sound different when native speakers talk naturally.
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For example, what are you going to do?
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Can sound like, what are you gonna do?
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Now turn the subtitles off and listen again.
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Can you hear it now?
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Tip number three, slow it down.
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If the speaker is too fast reduce the playback speed to 0 .75x.
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For example, if you hear, I've been waiting for you and it sounds too fast, slow it down and listen carefully to every sound.
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Then increase the speed to 1x.
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Your ears will gradually get used to normal speed.
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Tip number four, repeat what you hear.
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Choose one sentence, listen, pause and repeat it.
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For example, here, I didn't understand what you said.
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Now repeat it exactly like the speaker.
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Copy their pronunciation, rhythm, and speed.
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Don't just listen, speak.
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Tip number five.
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Practice every day.
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You don't need one hour.
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Just practice for 10 minutes every day.
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For example, listen to the same short conversation today, tomorrow, and again the next day.
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At first, you may understand very little, but after repeated listening, those sounds start becoming familiar.
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And one day, you'll hear fast English and understand it automatically.
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No subtitles, no translation, just English.
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So remember, listen, read, slow down, repeat, practice.
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Train your ears every day, and fast English won't sound so fast anymore.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 36 sentences and 330 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:10. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 91% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| ear noun | /ˈɪə̯/ | The organ of hearing, consisting of the pinna or auricle, auditory canal, eardrum, malleus, incus, stapes and cochlea. |
| rhythm noun | /ˈɹɪð.əm/ | The variation of strong and weak elements (such as duration, accent) of sounds, notably in speech or music, over time; a beat or meter. |
| naturally adverb | /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/ | In a natural manner. |
| carefully adverb | /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ | With care; attentively, circumspectly. |
| translation noun | /tɹænzˈleɪʃən/ | The conversion of text from one language to another. |
| gradually adverb | /ˈɡɹæd͡ʒuəli/ | In a gradual manner; making slow progress; slowly. |
| pause noun | /pɔːz/ | A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| pronunciation noun | /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/ | The formal or informal way in which a word is made to sound when spoken. |
| subtitle noun | /ˈsʌbtaɪtəl/ | A heading below or after a title. |
| playback noun | /ˈpleɪˌbæk/ | The replaying of something previously recorded, especially sound or moving images. |
| repeat verb | /ɹɪˈpiːt/ | To do or say again (and again). |
| speaker noun | /ˈspikɚ/ | One who speaks. |
| native adjective | /ˈneɪtɪv/ | Belonging to one by birth or ancestry. |
| sentence noun | /ˈsɛn.təns/ | The judicial order for a punishment to be imposed on a person convicted of a crime. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| slow down verb | To decelerate. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 10 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, didn't, gonna. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: translation /tɹænzˈleɪʃən/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, automatically /ˌɔː.təˈmæt.ɪ.k(ə.)li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like ear, rhythm, naturally.
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.