Shadowing Practice: Learn how to ask natives ANYTHING! * - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello everyone, welcome back to English with Lucy.
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Today I've got a video that will show you how you can ask native speakers anything.
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Maybe you want to know what a word or phrase means, or the difference between two similar words.
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Maybe you want to ask a question about culture, or maybe you want to help out other people that are trying to learn about your language and culture.
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The team behind the app HiNative got in contact with me
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and asked me if I would be interested in trying out their app and seeing if I liked it.
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Well I did that, and I didn't just like it, I loved it.
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It is such a good idea.
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It's fantastic for those burning questions that a dictionary just can't answer.
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Sometimes you have questions that you need to ask a native person.
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So today I'm going to show you, with the help of HiNative, how you can ask native speakers speakers anything.
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So firstly, what is HiNative?
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Well, it's a culture and language Q&A question and answer application.
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You can ask native people questions about their language or their culture.
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The app supports over 110 languages, so if you're interested in languages apart from English, this will work for you as well.
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It works on both Android and iPhones, but But you can also use it in your web browser on your computer.
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It's great for advanced users, but it's also really good for beginners because it has special forms that help you ask the question in a precise way.
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I'll show you that in a minute.
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The best thing about it, it's free.
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I know, unbelievable.
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It does have a premium version which includes a few extra features, but the majority of it is absolutely free and it's completely usable.
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so it's perfect for anybody on a budget.
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You can even upload voice recordings of you speaking
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and get real feedback from real native speakers and they can even reply to you with audio messages.
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So it really is amazing.
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Now, I've used the app a couple of times before, but I am going to create a new account with you guys
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so you see exactly how to do it and how easy it is, so let's get started with that.
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Okay so I've just downloaded the HiNative app.
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Obviously I've already had a look at it
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but I want to go from the beginning to show you guys exactly how you can do it
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and how easy it is.
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So let's open the app.
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So you can sign up with Twitter, Facebook or Lang8 and you can also sign up with with your email account.
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So I'm going to sign up with my email account then.
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So my username will be English Lucy.
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My email is hello at English with Lucy.co.uk and my password.
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Okay, I'm going to choose my native language.
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Now I'm going to pretend that I'm a foreign person here
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so I'm going to choose Spanish I think from Spain and I want to learn British English.
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There we are, okay.
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Next.
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Yes of course I want the newsletter.
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Right, I'm going to have a go at asking some more questions.
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So, there are lots of different options you can ask does this sound natural?
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So the does this sound natural part means that I can write something
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and a native person will respond to me and tell me whether it sounds like natural English or not.
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Okay, let's test this out then.
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Let's see if I can make a small mistake.
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What will I say?
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I went to the shop for to buy potatoes.
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Okay, so I will post that then.
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And then people will vote whether it sounds natural, a little unnatural, unnatural, or I don't understand.
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Okay.
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Now there's something really special about the does this sound natural option, because you can record yourself reading out the sentence and people will tell you if your English sounds natural or not.
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And I know a lot of you will love that feature
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because I receive a lot of voice messages in my Facebook inbox.
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So, let's try.
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The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plane.
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It's a sentence to practice the A sound.
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So, the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plane.
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Right, so I will post that.
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Right, let's have another go.
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What does this mean?
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What does?
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Okay, let's say to have cold feet.
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Let's see what people say about that one.
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Okay, what's the difference then?
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Okay, what about can and jar?
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That's one I've had the other day.
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So what's the difference between can and jar?
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Great.
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Okay.
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Right.
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You can also have a free question where you can ask things about culture.
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Okay.
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Well, let's ask.
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When do people from the UK normally eat lunch.
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Okay, right.
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Posted that.
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Right, so I've left it a little while, no longer than 15 minutes,
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and I'm now going to check all the responses I've had for my questions.
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So, oh, I've had a lot.
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Right, so, what is the difference between jar and can?
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Look!
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This amazing person has responded with pictures.
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So, we've got can.
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These are examples of cans.
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A can of Coke, a can of beans, and an example of a jar.
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Fantastic.
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So people can respond with pictures.
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And that explains it better than any words.
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Okay, then we've got...
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People are saying it sounds a little unnatural or unnatural.
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Yep, someone has said I went to the shop to buy potatoes.
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So that four, that incorrect four, was taken out.
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Fabulous.
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What does cold feet, to have cold feet, mean?
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Oh look, this fantastic person has responded again.
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They say, not literally, to feel like you're about to change your mind to change
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your mind before it happens people often say about weddings
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when someone is nervous and starting to reconsider perfect I'm
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so excited about this app it's amazing okay what about this
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one the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plane six
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people said I sound natural one person said I sound a little bit unnatural who is
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that Spanish said I hold it Buddha so we have when do English people normally eat lunch?
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Oh we've got someone English so one person called Nathan says for myself between 12 noon
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and 2 p.m there's another person who hasn't understood the question they say most people do
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but I don't I said when and the other person
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that lovely English puppy says 12 p.m to 2 p.m
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so I got my questions answered I'm so so impressed with
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that app so if you're interested in downloading this application all of the information is in the description box.
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Do you know, I am really, really impressed with that app.
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I can't believe I got so many answers so quickly.
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I'm genuinely going to use that for my Italian, actually.
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What a fantastic idea.
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Why has nobody done that before?
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That's genius.
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So yes, that's it for today's lesson.
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I hope you enjoyed it.
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I hope you learnt something.
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Well, obviously you learnt something.
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You learnt how to use this fabulous app and get your questions answered by real native speakers.
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So I will see you very soon for another lesson.
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Mwah!
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Master Real-World Communication: Ask Natives Anything
This video targets a critical fluency milestone: confidently getting answers to language and culture questions from native speakers. Whether you’re confused about a phrase, need to check if your sentence sounds natural, or want to learn about cultural norms, this lesson gives you the tools to bridge gaps and speak with clarity.
Phrase Bank: Reusable Expressions for Daily Use
- "Does this sound natural?" – Perfect for checking your sentences with natives.
- "What’s the difference between [X] and [Y]?" – Great for clarifying similar words (e.g., "can" vs. "jar").
- "When do people normally [do X]?" – Ideal for cultural questions (e.g., "eat lunch" in the UK).
- "To have cold feet" – A common idiom meaning to feel nervous or reconsider a decision (e.g., before a wedding).
Fix Your Weak Spots: Pronunciation & Naturalness
One of the biggest challenges in English is sounding natural—both in writing and speech. The video highlights how to use tools that let you record your voice and get feedback from natives, which is a game-changer for improving pronunciation. For example, practicing sentences like "The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain" (a classic for "ei" sounds) and getting real-time input helps you master rhythm and intonation. This is similar to using a shadowing app, where you mimic native speakers to refine your accent. By combining shadow speak techniques with direct native feedback, you’ll quickly fix awkward phrasing and sound more like a pro. Best of all, these tools are free, making progress accessible to everyone—no budget needed!
Ready to start? Use the strategies from the video to ask questions, record your speech, and learn from native responses. With consistent practice, you’ll turn "I’m not sure" into "I know exactly what to say."
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've just downloaded · I've already had · I've had |
| Comparatives -er than / more … than — comparing two things | longer than · better than |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will show · will work · I'll show |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to show · am going to create · I'm going to sign |
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.