Shadowing Practice: Practice Speaking & Reading Out Loud With This English Shadowing Exercise - Learn English Speaking with Video

Today, you will improve your listening skills.

And if you want, you can also practice shadowing.

Shadowing means you listen and repeat after me.

You can pause the video after each sentence and say it out loud.

This helps you speak more clearly and confidently.

Now, let me tell you what this story is about.

A woman is ready for a peaceful flight.

But something unexpected happens.

A woman takes his window seat without asking.

Why did she do that?

And what happened to her next?

Let's just say karma is real.

If you want to know the whole story, just listen carefully.

You might learn something interesting, not only in English, but also about life.

Ready?

Let's begin.

Today is a wonderful day.

I am traveling to New York.

I get to the airport early.

Everything goes smooth.

My ticket is ready.

No problems.

I walk to my gate.

I check my seat.

Yes, it's the window seat.

Perfect.

I love sitting by the window on planes.

Do you like the window or the aisle seat?

Let me know.

I wait for my group to board.

Finally, they call my number.

I walk in.

I find my row.

And guess what?

Someone is already there.

A woman.

She is sitting in my seat?

The window seat.

She looks at me and says, Oh, I hope you don't mind.

I really love window seats.

That's all she says.

Just that.

No question.

No sorry.

Nothing else.

She just sits there.

What would you do?

Would you say something?

Would you ask her to move?

I don't know what to say.

It feels strange.

But I don't want to start a problem.

It's just a seat, right?

I think, fine.

It's okay.

Maybe this is not a big deal.

I sit in the middle seat.

I don't say anything else.

But inside, I feel weird.

I feel like this is not fair.

She didn't ask.

She didn't wait.

She just took the seat like it was hers.

Is that rude?

Or is it normal?

You tell me.

I try to forget it.

I try to stay calm.

I tell myself, it's just a short flight.

But then I remember, this is not a short flight.

It's seven hours.

Seven hours in the middle seat.

And I gave up my window.

For someone who didn't even ask, Do you think I made a mistake?

Should I have spoken up?

I look around.

Everyone else is sitting where they should.

No one takes someone else's seat.

Just me.

Just my seat.

And now I have to sit in the middle for seven hours next to the woman who took it.

I take a deep breath.

I try to let it go, but something inside me says, Just wait.

Maybe this isn't over yet.

What do you think happens next?

We take off.

The plane goes up fast.

She looks happy.

She leans on the window like it's hers.

I try not to look.

I try to relax.

But then the plane starts shaking.

Just a little at first, but then more.

Turbulence?

Have you ever felt turbulence on a plane?

It's not fun.

The woman next to me gets quiet.

Then she takes a deep breath.

She grabs her drink.

100

It's orange juice.

101

The shaking gets worse.

102

Suddenly the cup jumps.

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Juice spills all over her pants.

104

She looks down and freezes.

105

She doesn't say a word.

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Then she grabs a napkin.

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But it's too late.

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Her pants are wet.

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Sticky.

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She looks very uncomfortable.

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I look forward.

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I say nothing.

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What can I say?

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Nice seat, huh?

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No. I just stay quiet.

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She starts looking for help.

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She presses the button for the flight attendant.

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But no one comes yet.

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We're still in the air.

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Still shaking.

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Then she takes out the paper bag.

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You know the one.

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The bag for when you feel sick.

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And yes, she starts breathing into it. In.

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Out. In.

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Out.

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She looks nervous now.

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Her smile from before is gone.

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She doesn't look happy anymore.

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She doesn't look calm.

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I just sit there, quiet, still in the middle seat, watching all this happen.

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What would you do?

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Would you feel bad?

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Or would you feel like this is karma?

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I start to think, maybe the seat was never mine.

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Maybe it was meant for her.

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So she could learn something.

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So I could see something. But wait.

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It's not over.

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There's more.

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The flight attendant finally comes.

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And what she says next makes it even worse.

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Do you want to know what happens next?

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and keep listening." The flight attendant walks over.

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She looks at the woman and asks, "'Are you okay?' The woman nods fast.

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But it's clear she's not okay.

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The attendant says, "'Do you want to move to another seat?' The woman says,

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"'Yes.'" Please, if there's space.

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The flight attendant looks at her list.

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Then she looks back and says, We only have one seat left, in the middle, in the last row, next to the bathroom.

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I hear it, and I can't believe it.

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A middle seat, last row, next to the bathroom, the woman thinks.

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She looks at her orange-stained pants.

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She looks at her paper bag.

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Then she says, Yes, I'll take it.

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I'm still silent.

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But inside, I feel something.

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What do you think I feel?

159

I don't laugh.

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I don't smile.

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But I think, Is this really happening?

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The woman stands up.

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She grabs her bag.

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She walks to the back.

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And now, guess what?

166

The window seat is free again.

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The flight attendant looks at me and says, Do you want to switch to the window seat?

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I nod.

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Yes.

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Thank you.

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I move over.

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I sit by the window.

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The seat I picked.

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The seat I paid for.

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I look out.

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It's calm now.

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No shaking.

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No noise.

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Just the sky.

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Just peace.

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What do you think?

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Was it karma?

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Was it luck?

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Or was it just a small lesson about respect?

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But wait, we're not done yet.

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After one hour, something happens again.

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And this time, it's not about her.

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It's about me.

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Do you want to know what happens next?

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Then keep listening.

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I finally feel relaxed.

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I have the window seat.

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The woman is gone.

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I can enjoy the flight.

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I take out my headphones.

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I play some music.

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I close my eyes.

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Then I feel it.

199

A strange smell.

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It's not strong, but it's there.

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I try to ignore it.

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Then it gets worse.

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Stronger.

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I look around.

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And then I realize I am right above the bathroom.

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The smell is coming from the back, from where she is sitting now.

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I try to stay calm.

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I breathe slowly.

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But it doesn't help.

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Every time the bathroom door opens, the smell comes out.

211

Again and again.

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I think, what is this flight?

213

First I lose my seat.

214

Then she takes it.

215

Then karma sends her to the back.

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Now I get my seat back.

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But I get the smell, too.

218

Do you think this is still karma or just bad luck?

219

I want to laugh.

220

I want to cry.

221

I don't know anymore.

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I look at the window.

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I try to think happy thoughts.

224

But the air is not happy.

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It's not peaceful.

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It's full of mystery.

227

And bad smells.

228

What would you do in this moment?

229

Would you change seats again?

230

Would you ask to stand?

231

Or just accept your destiny?

232

I sit there for hours in silence,

233

breathing through my hoodie, hoping the flight ends soon.

234

At the end, when we land, the woman walks past me.

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She doesn't say anything.

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I don't say anything either.

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Just a short look.

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No words.

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No smile.

240

Just silence.

241

Maybe we both learn something?

242

Maybe not.

243

But one thing is clear.

244

Sometimes when someone takes your seat, life gives it back, but not always in the way you expect.

245

So next time, if someone says, do you mind?

246

Maybe you should say yes, I do.

247

Because who knows what kind of flight you'll have.

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What do you think?

249

Have you ever had something like this happen to you?

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Let me know in the comments.

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Sometimes life gives us little stories to remind us of big lessons.

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This story may sound funny or maybe a little strange, but it also teaches something important.

253

Things don't always go as planned.

254

We try to be polite.

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We stay quiet.

256

We wait.

257

But sometimes we feel frustrated inside.

258

Learning English is a lot like that.

259

We sit and listen.

260

We read and try to understand.

261

We practice.

262

But sometimes it feels slow.

263

It feels like we are not getting what we want.

264

We want fast results.

265

We want to speak like a native.

266

We want to understand everything.

267

But just like in the story, we must be patient.

268

We must stay calm.

269

And we must keep going.

270

In the end, we learn.

271

Maybe not in the way we expect.

272

But we learn something real.

273

Every small mistake is a part of your progress.

274

Every time you forget a word, it's part of the journey.

275

Every time you say something wrong, you're getting closer to saying it right.

276

So don't give up.

277

Don't stop practicing.

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Don't think you are too slow.

279

English is not about being perfect.

280

It's about moving forward.

281

One sentence at a time.

282

One story at a time.

283

Just like this one.

284

Maybe today you learn a new word.

285

Maybe tomorrow you understand it better.

286

And one day you'll tell your own story. In English. With confidence.

287

With your voice.

288

Keep learning.

289

Keep smiling.

290

And remember, sometimes even bad flights can bring good lessons.

291

Language Takeaway Now let's look at some useful phrases from today's story.

292

These are great for real conversations and fun to practice with shadowing.

293

Repeat them with me.

294

Everything goes smooth.

295

This means nothing goes wrong.

296

Everything is easy and works well.

297

Repeat after me.

298

The check-in is easy.

299

Everything goes smooth.

300

The flight is nice.

301

Everything goes smooth.

302

This is not fair.

303

This means something feels wrong or not equal.

304

We say this when we think we are treated badly.

305

Repeat after me.

306

She takes my seat.

307

This is not fair.

308

He gets two gifts.

309

I get one.

310

That's not fair. Is that rude?

311

This is a question.

312

It means, was that impolite or bad behavior?

313

Repeat after me.

314

She didn't ask.

315

Is that rude?

316

He didn't say thank you.

317

Is that rude?

318

Spoken up.

319

This comes from the phrase, should I have spoken up?

320

It means, should I have said something?

321

To speak up means to use your voice when something feels wrong.

322

Repeat after me.

323

He pushed in line.

324

Should I have spoken up?

325

She took my food.

326

Should I have spoken up?

327

Take off.

328

This means when the plane leaves the ground and goes up into the air.

329

Repeat after me.

330

The plane takes off at 6 p.m.

331

I feel nervous when planes take off.

332

Juice spills all over her pants.

333

The word spill means liquid falls out by accident.

334

You drop your drink and it makes a mess.

335

Repeat after me.

336

I spill water on my shirt.

337

She spills coffee on the table.

338

Sticky This means something feels wet and hard to clean, like juice or glue.

339

Not nice to touch.

340

Repeat after me.

341

The seat is sticky.

342

My hands are sticky from the candy.

343

Practice time.

344

Come, repeat after me.

345

Everything goes smooth.

346

This is not fair. Is that rude?

347

Should I have spoken up?

348

The plane takes off.

349

She spills juice on her pants.

350

It feels sticky.

351

Great job!

352

Remember, these phrases are very useful when you travel.

353

Try using them the next time you fly or in any situation where you need to speak clearly and politely.

354

Thank you so much for practicing with me today!

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I hope you enjoyed the airplane story and learned something new.

356

Remember, you can watch Watch this video as many times as you want.

357

Repeating the story helps you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and confidence.

358

If you found this video helpful, please give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends.

359

Don't forget to subscribe for more fun English practice.

360

Before we go, let me say this.

361

Learning English is not just about words.

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It's about real life.

363

It's about how we deal with people.

364

It's about speaking up, listening, and growing.

365

So keep practicing, stay curious, and enjoy every part of the journey.

366

See you in the next video!

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Practice Speaking & Reading Out Loud With This English Shadowing Exercise”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: seat, flight, window, repeat, plane. This video has 366 sentences and 2098 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:10. The speaker talks slowly, about 109 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. 87% 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
attendant noun	/əˈtɛndənt/	One who attends; one who works with or watches over someone or something.
spill verb	/spɪl/	To drop something so that it spreads out or makes a mess; to accidentally pour.
sticky adjective	/ˈstɪki/	Tending to stick; able to adhere via the drying of a viscous substance.
karma noun	/kərm(ə)/	The sum total of a person's actions, which determine the person's next incarnation in samsara, the cycle of death and rebirth.
rude adjective	/ɹuːd/	Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous.
breathe verb	/bɹiːð/	To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases.
shake verb	/ˈʃeɪk/	To cause (something) to move rapidly in opposite directions alternatingly.
phrase noun	/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/	A short written or spoken expression.
turbulence noun	/ˈtɝ.bjə.ləns/	The state or fact of being turbulent or agitated; tempestuousness, disturbance.
relax verb	/ɹɪˈlæks/	To make something loose.
confidently adverb	/ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/	In a confident manner; with confidence; with strong assurance; positively.
frustrate verb	/ˈfɹʌsˌtɹeɪt/	To disappoint or defeat; to vex by depriving of something expected or desired.
impolite adjective	/ɪmpəˈlaɪt/	Not polite; discourteous; not of polished manners; wanting in good manners.
napkin noun	/ˈnæpˌkɪn/	A serviette; a (usually rectangular) piece of cloth or paper used at the table for wiping the mouth and hands for cleanliness while eating.
politely adverb	/pəˈlaɪtli/	in a polite manner

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
speak up verb	/ˌspik ˈʌp/	To talk more loudly or clearly.
take off verb		To remove.
give up verb		To surrender (someone or something); to inform on (someone).
look around verb		To inspect a building or area.
take out verb		To remove.
come out verb	/ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/	To be discovered; to be revealed.
fall out verb		To come out of something by falling.
go up verb		To move upwards.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Do you like the window or the aisle seat?
She is sitting in my seat?
Would you ask her to move?
Should I have spoken up?
What do you think happens next?

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	have spoken · have said
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	was meant · are treated
Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing	someone who didn · woman who took
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form	practice shadowing · love sitting · starts shaking

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 32 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, didn't, doesn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, thumb /ˈθʌm/, rhythm /ˈɹɪð.əm/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shake /ˈʃeɪk/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: confidently /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, uncomfortable /ʌnˈkʌm.fɚ.tə.bl̩/, unexpected /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/

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 attendant, spill, sticky.

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 →

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?