Shadowing Practice: What Do Kids Like to Do in Their Free Time? - Learn English Speaking with Video

This clip is a goldmine for building everyday speaking skills. First, you’ll practice casual storytelling—how kids naturally share activities like “go swimming” or “play with my sister” using simple, conversational phrases. This is perfect for IELTS speaking practice, where fluency in describing daily routines matters. Second, you’ll learn to list ideas coherently, as speakers jump between “football, golf, tennis” or “reading, writing, cooking” without formal transitions. Finally, you’ll pick up emotional expression, like how “I love The Simpsons because I find it funny” adds personality to a statement—key for making your speech engaging.

Listen For These Sounds

Connected speech is everywhere in this dialogue. Notice how “go swimming” often links to “g’wimming” (the “o” and “s” blend). Similarly, “play with my” becomes “play wif my” (the “th” sound softens to “f”), a common reduction in fast speech. Listen for “I either liked to play” where “either” is often pronounced “ee-ther” (not “eye-ther”) in casual settings. These small sound changes are crucial for understanding real-world English—and for using a shadowing app effectively, as you’ll need to mirror these nuances.

Say It Like a Native

To mirror the speakers’ rhythm, focus on stress and pauses. Kids emphasize words like “fun,” “healthy,” or “lemon cake” to highlight what matters. For example, “I quite like cooking cakes and things, but I’ve won a cake competition” stresses the achievements. Also, copy their relaxed pace—short pauses between activities (“go on the computer, run around, not really sure”) make speech sound natural, not scripted. Practicing this with shadowspeaks techniques (repeating lines immediately after the speaker) will help you internalize the flow. Finally, mimic their intonation: rising tones when listing (“football, golf, tennis?”) and falling tones to conclude a thought (“I love comedy.”). These details will improve English pronunciation and make your speech sound more authentic.