Shadowing Practice: Level 3 - Unit 9 - Part E (Reading) - World Records - Learn English Speaking with Video

This video helps you build key reading and speaking skills. First, you’ll practice pronouncing long numbers (like 5,500 or 6,592,848) clearly, a common challenge in everyday English. Second, you’ll learn to stress descriptive phrases (e.g., “oldest buildings,” “longest river”) to highlight important information. Finally, it improves your fluency in listing facts, a useful skill for sharing information in conversations or presentations—perfect for learning English with YouTube.

Listen For These Sounds

Notice how the speaker links words in connected speech. For example, “more than 5,500” becomes “more th’n 5,500” (reducing “than” to “th’n”). Also, listen for the soft “t” in “Gontija temples” (sounding like “Gonija”) and the way “miles long” flows into “mileslong” with minimal pause. These reductions are key to understanding native speakers and will make your shadow speak practice more effective.

Say It Like a Native

To mirror the speaker’s rhythm, stress the first word in compound adjectives: “oldest buildings,” “longest bridges.” Pause slightly after each fact (e.g., “They are more than 5,500 years old. [Pause] They are the oldest buildings in the world”) to create natural pacing. For numbers, break them into chunks: “6 million, 592 thousand, 848 square miles” instead of rushing. Use a shadowing app to record yourself and compare—this helps you match the speaker’s tone and stress. With regular practice, you’ll sound more confident, whether you’re using shadow speaks techniques or having real conversations.