Skip to the practice
Slova
Start learning
Menu

English shadowing practice

Hear a line in a natural voice with each word lit as it is spoken, say it the same way, and see which words got through and how your pace compares. Slow it down, loop it, then play the original and your take one after the other.

Your level

Set

  • 64 lines
  • A2–C1 8 sets
  • Recorded voice
  • Stays on your device

How to do shadowing in English

A short routine for one line. Five steps, about a minute each. The practice follows it: listen with the words lit, record your take, see which words got through, then hear the original and your take back to back.

Why the marks matter

English is a stress-timed language. Strong syllables come at a fairly steady beat and the small words between them get squeezed: to becomes /tə/, of becomes /əv/. Learners often give every word the same weight, which sounds slow and can hide the main point. So each line marks its stressed syllables, the one main beat of each phrase, and the words that link into each other. Copy those three things and most of the rhythm follows.

  1. Listen first

    Play the line two or three times without speaking. Notice where the voice gets louder and where words run together.

  2. Read along under your breath

    Play it again and mouth the words, or say them very quietly, while you read. This is sometimes called mumbling.

  3. Shadow with the text

    Speak along with the speaker, or a split second behind. Copy the beat, not just the words. Use Slow if you fall behind.

  4. Shadow without the text

    Choose Hidden and shadow by ear. Blind shadowing trains your listening as much as your speaking.

  5. Record and compare

    Record one take, then play the model and your take back to back. Fix one thing, like a small word you said too strongly, and go again.

English shadowing sentences by level

Eight sets of eight lines, written for everyday speech at four levels. Tap a set to start it.

What is the shadowing technique?

An interpreter's warm-up that became one of the best ways to train rhythm and fast listening.

Shadowing means listening to a speaker and saying the same words at almost the same time, like a shadow that follows them. It began as a warm-up for simultaneous interpreters. Teachers in Japan brought it into English classes in the 1990s, and the polyglot Alexander Arguelles made it popular with self-learners, shadowing course audio out loud while walking.

It works on the part of speaking that grammar lessons do not reach: rhythm, stress, linking and intonation. Because you have to keep up with the speaker, it also trains you to hear English at natural speed. What it does not do is teach you to build your own sentences, so use it next to real conversation, not instead of it. Speaking practice is for that.

Shadowing English FAQ

How long, how often, with or without the text, and where your recording goes.

What is shadowing in English?

Shadowing means listening to a native speaker and saying the same words at almost the same time, like a shadow that follows them. You copy the rhythm, stress and linking as well as the words. It began as a training exercise for interpreters and is now used by language learners everywhere.

Does shadowing really work?

For pronunciation, rhythm and listening, yes. Classroom studies, mostly with Japanese learners of English, found better listening comprehension and more natural prosody after a few weeks of regular shadowing. It does not teach you to make your own sentences, so pair it with real conversation.

How long should I shadow every day?

Ten to fifteen minutes a day is enough. Studies that found gains used short sessions several times a week for four to six weeks. One set of eight lines, done twice, takes about ten minutes.

Is shadowing good for beginners?

Yes, if the lines are short and you understand them. Start with the A2 sets, use the slow speed and repeat after the speaker instead of speaking along. Move to speaking along when the line feels easy.

What is the difference between shadowing and listen and repeat?

In listen and repeat you wait until the speaker stops, then say the line. In shadowing you speak along with the speaker or a split second behind, so you have to copy their timing while you listen. Repeating is easier and a good first step; shadowing trains rhythm and fast listening better.

Should I shadow with or without the text?

Both, in that order. Shadow with the text until you can keep up, then hide it and shadow by ear. Reading helps you catch every word; blind shadowing makes you listen harder.

Can shadowing improve my accent?

It makes you easier to understand, mostly through stress, rhythm and linking, which matter more for clarity than single sounds. You do not need to lose your accent. Aim for clear, not native. To see which of your words get through, try the accent and clarity test.

What do the marks on the lines mean?

Bold syllables are stressed. The underlined syllable is the main stress of the phrase, where the voice moves most. The small curve between two words means they link and sound like one word. In chunk mode, each chunk is a natural breath group.

Is my recording uploaded?

No. Your recording is made and played back in your browser. It is never sent to us and it is gone when you leave the page.

Whose voice are the lines read in?

A recorded computer voice in American English, the same tutor voice the Slova app uses. Every line was recorded once and plays the same each time, so you can shadow it again and again. Slow plays the same recording at three quarters of the speed, without changing the pitch.

Get the sounds into your mouth, then use them

In Slova you speak out loud in short daily lessons at your level, and Felix, an AI tutor, talks with you about the things you love.

Start learning free

More ways to practice speaking

Three more free tools that listen to you, each for a different part of speaking.

All free tools