Shadowing Practice: Pronunciation Pairs CD Unit 2 sit - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Unit 2 Practice the sound E.
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Open your mouth a little more for I.
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Do not spread your lips into a smile.
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Pull your tongue down a little.
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IH is a shorter, more relaxed sound than E.
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Listen and repeat.
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IH Unit 2.
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A. Word pairs.
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Step 1.
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Listen to these word pairs.
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Sheep.
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Ship.
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Seat.
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Sit.
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Heal.
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Hill.
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Feel.
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Fill.
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Sleep.
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Slip.
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Test yourself.
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Step 1.
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Listen to the word pairs.
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Write S if the two words are the same, or D if the two words are different.
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1. Leave, leave.
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2. Sheep, ship.
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3. Feel, fill.
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4. Sit, sit.
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5. Sleep.
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Slip.
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6. Heal.
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Heal.
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Step 2.
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Listen to each sentence and circle the word you hear.
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1. He isn't going to leave.
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2. Try not to slip 3.
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They want to buy a sheep 4.
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Those hills are very high 5.
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Did you fill the glass?
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6. Do you want a seat?
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Vocabulary Listen and repeat these words with the sound it.
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In words with more than one syllable, the stressed syllable is in bold.
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Is It's If Sick Think
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Quick Sit.
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Miss.
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Film.
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Misses.
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Ticket.
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Begins.
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Listen.
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Minutes.
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Fifty.
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Fifteen.
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Beginning Interesting
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Dialogue An interesting film Step 2 Listen to the dialogue on page 9 and check your answers.
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Hello, Cindy.
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Hi, Mrs. Kim.
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William?
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Is William in?
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Is he coming with me to the film?
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I picked up a ticket for him.
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Oh, William's sick.
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Here he is.
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Hi, William.
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Are you sick?
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What film is it?
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Anything interesting?
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It's King Kong, and it begins in 15 minutes.
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50 minutes?
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Come in and sit down.
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Not 50 minutes, 15.
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Listen, William, if you're sick, I don't think...
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Quick, or we'll miss the beginning of the film.
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Stress in numbers.
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Listen and repeat.
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70 18 80 19 90
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Moving stress.
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Listen and repeat.
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It begins in 15 minutes.
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Fifty?
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No, fifteen.
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J. Common Expressions.
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Listen and repeat these common expressions with the sound I.
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Listen to this. Who is it?
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Come in. Do you speak English?
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I think it's interesting. Where do you live?
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I live in the city.

Why This Video Is a Goldmine for Pronunciation Practice

If you’re struggling to tell "sheep" from "ship" or "seat" from "sit," this video is your new best friend. What makes it stand out? It zeroes in on the tricky "IH" sound (like in "sit") and contrasts it with "E" (like in "seat"), using real word pairs and sentences you’d hear in daily life. That means you’re not just learning sounds—you’re learning how to use them correctly in context, which is key for sounding natural when you speak.

Breaking Down the Tricky Sounds

Let’s unpack a few examples. The video explains that "IH" is "shorter and more relaxed" than "E." Take "sheep" vs. "ship": "sheep" uses a long, tense "E" (like smiling while you speak), while "ship" has a quick, relaxed "IH" (mouth slightly open, tongue down). Another pair, "fill" vs. "feel," shows how stress and length change meaning—"feel" stretches the "E," while "fill" cuts it short. Even simple sentences like "Try not to slip" highlight how "slip" (with "IH") sounds different from "sleep" (with "E"). These small differences can make or break whether people understand you, so mastering them is a game-changer.

A Simple Shadowing Routine to Try Today

Want to turn these lessons into real progress? Use the shadowing technique—a proven way to improve pronunciation and fluency. Here’s how: First, listen to a short clip (like the word pairs or sentences). Pause, then repeat it immediately, mimicking the tone, speed, and mouth shape. Record yourself, then compare it to the video. Did you stretch "E" in "sheep" long enough? Was "IH" in "sit" short and relaxed? For extra practice, try "shadow speak" with the vocabulary list—words like "sick," "quick," and "ticket" are perfect for honing that "IH" sound. Do this for 5-10 minutes a day, and you’ll start noticing your pronunciation sounding sharper in no time. Remember, the goal isn’t perfection—it’s getting comfortable with the sounds so you can speak with confidence.

Whether you’re new to shadowspeak or a pro, this video gives you the tools to tackle one of English’s trickiest sound pairs. So hit play, grab your phone to record, and start turning "almost right" into "exactly right."

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 →