Shadowing Practice: The English Modal Verbs - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
251 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Last week I went to Paris.
2
In just a few minutes, I was able to book the flight in a hotel online.
3
Do you remember how things used to be when we were kids and there was no internet?
4
Well, there was Internet, but ordinary people weren't able to use it.
5
Only a few universities and some government agencies could use it.
6
And mobile phones were very expensive, and you could not afford one.
7
When I was out with my friends and missed the last bus home,
8
I had to look for a phone box so I could call for a taxi.
9
Even if you had a mobile phone, you were only able to use it in big cities because there was no signal in the countryside.
10
Now we can pick up our phones and we can phone anyone, anywhere in the world, anytime we feel like it.
11
We can access Internet on our mobile phones.
12
We can shop whenever we want, wherever we are.
13
Now, no one seems to be able to live without their phones and texting.
14
Can you imagine how exciting
15
it was the first time an engineer managed to make a phone small enough to put in your pocket?
16
Nowadays, lots of people can wear their phones as a wristwatch.
17
Yeah, that's amazing!
18
Experts say that soon phones will be able to see through fog inside the human body and even behind walls.
19
What?
20
No way!
21
Look!
22
Laura Smith is on Facebook.
23
I'm going to send her a friend request.
24
There.
25
Done.
26
Wow!
27
She's got 800 friends.
28
She must be really popular.
29
Well, they can't all be real friends.
30
No one can have that many.
31
Not even Laura.
32
That's true.
33
It's possible that she may not really know most of them.
34
Yes, she must have 20 proper friends at the most.
35
The rest of them might just be acquaintances.
36
She probably just accepts anyone who wants to be her friend.
37
Why does she do that?
38
I don't know.
39
She might just be a bit lonely.
40
Maybe it makes her feel better.
41
But that can't work.
42
Having lots of false friends doesn't make anyone feel better.
43
It's better to have a few real friends than hundreds of
44
social media friends who might not even be there for you and could disappear.
45
Oh, look.
46
She must be online because she's replied to my request already.
47
And what does she say?
48
I can't believe it.
49
She said no. I can't finish this crossword puzzle.
50
I have one more word left.
51
I might be able to help you.
52
Do you know a country with a five -letter name?
53
There must be hundreds.
54
It could be China.
55
No, it can't be China because it begins with the letter I.
56
Why didn't you say that?
57
Well, it can't be Iran.
58
That only has four letters.
59
It might be Italy.
60
No, it can't be Italy because it ends with the letter A.
61
Oh, it must be India then.
62
Awesome, thanks!
63
Hey, did you see the boss looked in a really bad mood as he came in today?
64
I wonder what that's all about.
65
Strange.
66
He looked very happy yesterday.
67
Something bad must have happened to him a short while ago.
68
Well, he might have had an argument with his wife this morning.
69
They don't seem to get along lately.
70
That's possible.
71
Or he may have had an accident on the way in.
72
He arrived pretty late today.
73
And you know that almost never happens.
74
He usually comes in very early.
75
No, he couldn't have.
76
He doesn't have any injuries.
77
He could have found out about you Skyping instead of working.
78
Ha ha.
79
Very funny.
80
Now look, Rita is going into his office, and she doesn't look happy.
81
She must have done something wrong.
82
No, she can't have done anything wrong.
83
She is very hardworking and honest.
84
Hmm, I wonder what that is.
85
Well, we better get back to work anyway, before he sees us gossiping.
86
Yeah, talk to you later.
87
Don't go to bed too late.
88
We have to get up early tomorrow.
89
Why?
90
Have you forgotten?
91
Pam has to move to a new apartment tomorrow, and we promised we would help her.
92
Does she have to move out by a particular time?
93
No, there's no rush.
94
She doesn't have to leave her old apartment before the afternoon.
95
But there are lots of things that she has to pack, So we must get there fairly early
96
Why does she have to move, by the way?
97
She said that I mustn't tell you because she wants to tell you herself
98
When she sees you tomorrow
99
That's strange
100
Anyway, I must write an email to my friend Gabriel first I can't go to sleep yet You can write it tomorrow
101
No, it's something important
102
Okay, suit yourself but we must leave before 9 in the morning.
103
Hello.
104
I'd like to join the sports club.
105
Hello.
106
Sure.
107
You need to fill in this form.
108
Then, after we've processed the form, you'll need to make an appointment for a health check.
109
Each new member needs to have a health check before using the equipment.
110
Is this really necessary?
111
I didn't need to do that at my previous club.
112
Well, we have a very strict policy here.
113
But don't worry.
114
It's only a simple interview.
115
You won't need to see a doctor or anything like that.
116
Hello.
117
I'd like to get some prints made.
118
Here's my camera.
119
Oh, you needn't have brought in the camera.
120
All we need is the memory card.
121
Oh, I see.
122
I didn't know that.
123
And I want to take some more photos.
124
Do I need to buy more film?
125
No, you don't have to do that.
126
It's a digital camera.
127
You just delete the pictures and use the space on the memory card for your new photos.
128
Oh, I see.
129
That's great.
130
I'm only 19, but I'm always tired and I haven't got any energy.
131
I used to go to the gym, but I'm a student, so I spend most of my time sitting at my computer.
132
And my diet is really bad.
133
I know I shouldn't eat fast food, but I hate cooking.
134
What do you think I should do?
135
Well, you are right.
136
You shouldn't eat fast food.
137
It's very unhealthy.
138
If you want to have more energy, you ought to eat lots of fruit and vegetables.
139
You shouldn't have stopped going to the gym.
140
If you are more active, you'll feel better.
141
Do you have any friends to hang out with?
142
I don't have many friends.
143
In the evenings, I usually stay at home and watch TV.
144
Sometimes I go to the movie theater.
145
Last year, I joined an evening class on photography, but I only went for a few weeks.
146
Perhaps I should have kept going to it, but it wasn't very interesting.
147
I think you shouldn't stay at home all the time.
148
You'll never make new friends if you do that.
149
And you ought not to go to an evening class if you aren't interested in it.
150
Instead, you should join a club with people who are interested in the same things as you.
151
Hi, my name is Anne.
152
It's my first day at work.
153
Hi, Anne.
154
Nice to meet you.
155
I'm Joshua.
156
Nice to meet you, too.
157
Welcome to the office.
158
Thank you very much.
159
Just one question.
160
May I use my mobile in the office?
161
In the office?
162
Usually we don't use phones in the office.
163
Oh no, it's just because I want to call my grandpa, just for emergency.
164
If it's an emergency, yes, of course, you may use it.
165
No problem.
166
And another thing, I'm having a party on Saturday.
167
May I put papers on the wall?
168
Just an invitation.
169
I'm afraid you may not do that.
170
We usually try not to put things up in the office.
171
Not personal things anyway.
172
I see.
173
Okay.
174
And just one more question.
175
I parked my car in the street's parking space downstairs.
176
Is it okay?
177
You really can't park there.
178
You need to move your car.
179
Thanks a lot, Joshua.
180
I'll do that.
181
No problem.
182
Hey!
183
Come in!
184
Nice to see you!
185
Have a seat.
186
Just make yourself at home.
187
Thanks!
188
What a wonderful house you have here!
189
Thanks!
190
Is there anything I can get you?
191
No, thanks.
192
By the way, can I use your bathroom?
193
Sure.
194
It's just down the hall.
195
Okay.
196
Can I turn on the television?
197
I'm dying to watch the football game.
198
Go ahead.
199
The remote's on the chair.
200
Thanks.
201
How's the game?
202
Great.
203
The volume is too low.
204
Would it be alright to turn the volume up a bit?
205
Sure, go ahead.
206
Can we also turn on the air conditioner?
207
It's really getting hot here.
208
Yeah, I'll get it.
209
Thanks.
210
Hmm, there are so many laptops to choose from.
211
Let's ask somebody to help us.
212
Okay, shall we get one of the shop assistants?
213
There's one over there.
214
I'll go and ask him.
215
Excuse me, could you help us? Of course!
216
I see you're looking for a laptop.
217
Can you tell me what you'll be using it for?
218
Yes, we want to replace our computer.
219
It's old, and it won't last much longer.
220
Right.
221
How about looking at some of these ones?
222
Hmm, we also want to take it with us when we travel, and those ones look pretty heavy.
223
Would you get one down so we can try carrying it?
224
Oh, this one's quite heavy.
225
Shall I show you some of the lighter models?
226
Good afternoon, sir.
227
May I help you?
228
Hello.
229
I'd like to check in, please.
230
I'm here for the conference on technology in schools.
231
Certainly, sir.
232
Could you complete this form, please? Of course.
233
Is my room ready?
234
No, I'm afraid not.
235
It should be ready at half past two.
236
Oh, right.
237
Well, I've got quite a lot of bags.
238
That's no problem.
239
Why don't you leave them in the luggage room?
240
Shall I ask the porter to take them there for you?
241
Yes, thanks.
242
Uh, I've parked my car in the street outside the back entrance of the hotel. Is that okay?
243
I'm sorry, sir.
244
You can't park there.
245
It's against the fire regulations.
246
You want not to block the access to the hotel.
247
There's a car park for guests at the side of the hotel.
248
Oh.
249
Do you think I ought to move it along a bit?
250
Well, that's a no -parking area, so perhaps you'd better put it straight in the car park.
251
Okay, I'll go and do that now.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A25
Talking about Clothes in English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B19
Learn English through Real Conversations
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A21
Feelings and emotions vocabulary
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
Places Vocabulary in English
KidsDaily Conversation
A22
Jobs and Occupations / Learn English vocabulary about professions
KidsDaily Conversation
B11
English Conversation at Home
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A21
Winter vocabulary - Learn to talk about winter season
KidsDaily Conversation
B114
Spoken English Conversation with Strangers
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
A11
Hobbies and Interests
KidsDaily Conversation
B135
Everyday Situations, Everyday English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
English Conversations That Make You Fluent
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A22
Prepositions of Place and Prepositions of Movement through Conversation
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
Christmas - English vocabulary
KidsDaily Conversation
A248
School Conversation, School Dialogue
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A212
Describing Your Family
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A21
House vocabulary, Parts of the House, Rooms in the House, House Objects and Furniture
KidsDaily Conversation
A221
Asking for and Giving Directions
KidsTravel EnglishTeens
A11
Animal Homes Vocabulary for Kids
KidsDaily Conversation
A21
Talking about household chores in English - short dialogues
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B120
Family English Conversation
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B12
155 sentences
Everyday English Conversation - Talking about social media usage
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B16
14 sentences
Smart Phones - www.esl-lab.com
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B1245 sentences
Don't Make Friends Just to Practice English
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B13
57 sentences
A Day Without the Internet #everydayenglish #digitaldetox #englishpodcast #learnenglish
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
16 sentences
English File pre intermediate 4th edition SB_1.19
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
![You want 50 friends, not 5,000 followers [English Practice]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/nFONMoweOs4/mqdefault.jpg)
B13
138 sentences
You want 50 friends, not 5,000 followers [English Practice]
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
28 sentences
Speakout 3rd Edition B1+. Unit 1: BBC Street Interview
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
477 sentences
How to Study English Alone || Graded Reader || Learn English Through Stories
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
160 sentences
I Have No Friends
Interview EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
A23
15 sentences
Real Easy English 25
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
101 sentences
Learn English with Podcast: How to Use The English You Know
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B14
109 sentences
Feeling Lonely in a Busy World | B1 English Shadowing
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “The English Modal Verbs”. This video has 251 sentences and 1762 words to shadow. The speech runs for 13:31. The speaker talks at a steady 130 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 88% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 39 of its 251 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| litter noun | /ˈlɪt.ɚ/ | Straw, grass, and similar loose material used as bedding for people or animals. |
| laptop noun | /ˈlæp.tɑp/ | A laptop computer. |
| pocket noun | /ˈpɑ.kɪt/ | A bag stitched to an item of clothing, used for carrying small items. |
| rush verb | /ɹʌʃ/ | To hurry; to perform a task with great haste, often not properly or without thinking carefully. |
| photography noun | /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/ | The art and technology of producing images on photosensitive surfaces, and its digital counterpart. |
| mood noun | /muːd/ | A mental or emotional state, composure. |
| ordinary adjective | /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/ | Having regular jurisdiction; now only used in certain phrases. |
| lately adverb | /ˈleɪt.li/ | Recently; not long ago; of late; not long since. |
| entrance noun | /ˈɛn.tɹəns/ | The action of entering, or going in. |
| arrive verb | /əˈɹaɪv/ | To reach; to get to a certain place. |
| regulation noun | /ˌɹɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/ | The act of regulating or the condition of being regulated. |
| theater noun | /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/ | A place or building, consisting of a stage and seating, in which an audience gathers to watch plays, musical performances, public ceremonies, and so on. |
| wherever | /(h)wɛɹˈɛvɚ/ | Regardless of the place in, at or to which. |
| lonely adjective | /ˈloʊnli/ | Unhappy due to feeling isolated from contact with other people. |
| strict adjective | /stɹɪkt/ | Strained; drawn close; tight. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go ahead verb | /ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/ | To proceed with; to begin. |
| get along verb | To interact or coexist well, without argument or trouble. | |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. | |
| move out verb | To leave one's present location; to leave somewhere for another place. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| see through verb | To perceive visually through something transparent. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Why didn't you say that?
- Do I need to buy more film?
- What do you think I should do?
- Do you have any friends to hang out with?
- Why don't you leave them in the luggage room?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| “Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true | used to be · used to go |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | Have you forgotten · we've processed · have brought |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | anyone who wants · friends who might · people who are |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | may not really know · might just be · might not even be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 66 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: theater /ˈθi(ə)tɚ/, unhealthy /ʌnˈhɛl.θi/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: rush /ɹʌʃ/, regulation /ˌɹɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/, invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, conditioner /kənˈdɪʃənə/
- Long words — get the stress right: photography /fəˈtɑ.ɡɹə.fi/, ordinary /ˈɔɹdɪnɛɹi/, regulation /ˌɹɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/, invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, conditioner /kənˈdɪʃənə/
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 litter, laptop, pocket.
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.