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Shadowing practice: Real English® 3 Subtitled - The Alphabet - CC Double

Listen to the line, then say it out loud
Line 1

Full transcript

  1. Hey, real English!0:00
  2. Recite the alphabet slowly.0:05
  3. A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.0:08
  4. A, H, J, K, B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V, Z, F, L, M, N, S, X, I, Y, O, Q, R, M, N, O, P, Z, I,0:27
  5. Z, U, W, R.0:57
  6. And what is your name?1:02
  7. Maite.1:05
  8. I'm sorry?1:05
  9. Maite.1:06
  10. Could you spell that?1:07
  11. M -A -I -T.1:08
  12. Okay, what's your name?1:10
Show all 103 lines Show fewer lines
  1. J.1:11
  2. Could you spell that?1:12
  3. J -A -Y.1:13
  4. What's your name?1:14
  5. Chuck.1:15
  6. Could you spell that?1:16
  7. C -H -U -C -K.1:17
  8. What's your name?1:20
  9. Gia.1:21
  10. G -H -I -A.1:22
  11. Could you spell, Demetria?1:24
  12. D -E -M -E -T -R -I -A.1:26
  13. What is your name?1:29
  14. Camille.1:30
  15. Can you spell your name?1:31
  16. C -A -M -I -L -L -E.1:33
  17. What's your name?1:35
  18. Carina.1:36
  19. Could you spell that?1:37
  20. K -A -R -I -N -A.1:39
  21. And what's your name?1:41
  22. Nadine.1:43
  23. Could you spell that?1:43
  24. N -A -D -I -N -E.1:44
  25. And what's your name?1:46
  26. Janet.1:47
  27. J -A -N -E -T.1:48
  28. Could you spell that?1:50
  29. Sure.1:51
  30. S -H -I -R -L -E -Y.1:52
  31. F -R -A -N -C -O.1:55
  32. Could you spell that?1:57
  33. B -A -R -B -A -R -A.1:58
  34. Pratt, P -R -A -T -T.2:01
  35. Could you spell that for me?2:03
  36. M -A -R -Y.2:05
  37. Excuse me.2:07
  38. Sorry.2:08
  39. W -I -N -I -T -T.2:08
  40. Hello, how are you?2:15
  41. Fine.2:16
  42. Hey, Real English!2:22
  43. And what is your name?2:28
  44. Maite.2:31
  45. I'm sorry?2:32
  46. Maite.2:32
  47. Could you spell that?2:33
  48. M -A -I -T.2:34
  49. Okay, what's your name?2:35
  50. J.2:37
  51. Could you spell that?2:38
  52. J -A -Y.2:39
  53. What's your name?2:40
  54. Chuck.2:41
  55. Could you spell that?2:42
  56. C -H -U -C -K.2:43
  57. What's your name?2:46
  58. Gia.2:47
  59. G -H -I -A.2:48
  60. Great.2:49
  61. Could you spell, Demetria?2:50
  62. D -E -M -E -T -R -I -A.2:52
  63. What is your name?2:54
  64. Camille.2:56
  65. Can you spell your name?2:57
  66. C -A -M -I -L -L -E.2:58
  67. What's your name?3:01
  68. Carina.3:02
  69. Could you spell that?3:03
  70. K -A -R -I -N -A.3:04
  71. And what's your name?3:07
  72. Nadine.3:08
  73. Could you spell that?3:09
  74. N -A -D -I -N -E.3:10
  75. And what's your name?3:12
  76. Janet.3:13
  77. J -A -N -E -T.3:14
  78. Could you spell that?3:15
  79. Sure.3:17
  80. S -H -I -R -L -E -Y.3:17
  81. F -R -A -N -C -O.3:21
  82. Could you spell that?3:23
  83. B -A -R -B -A -R -A.3:24
  84. Pratt, P -R -A -T -T.3:26
  85. Could you spell that for me?3:28
  86. M -A -R -Y.3:31
  87. Excuse me.3:33
  88. W -I -N -I -T -T.3:34
  89. Hello, how are you?3:41
  90. Fine, thanks, you're fine.3:42
  91. I'm fine.4:09

An A1 alphabet drill built for english shadowing for beginners

This clip is an interview format: an off camera voice asks "Recite the alphabet slowly." and then, one after another, different people answer "And what is your name?" and spell it out loud, letter by letter. It is rated A1 and runs at 165 words per minute, so the pace is brisk for the level but each answer is short enough to repeat right after you hear it.

Because every speaker gets the same two or three questions, you hear the same sounds said by different American voices, which is exactly what helps you practise english speaking without getting stuck imitating one person's rhythm.

The letters and questions that repeat through this recording

Two phrases carry the whole clip, and both are worth isolating before you touch the names.

  • "And what is your name?" is asked over and over, so shadow this line until the rising question intonation is automatic, not just the words.
  • "Could you spell that?" is the clarification question that follows almost every answer, a real everyday english request you will actually reuse in daily english conversation practice.
  • "I'm sorry?" at line 8 is the natural repair phrase used when a name is not caught the first time, useful on its own.
  • Line 3, "A, B, C, D, E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, O, P, Q, R, S, T, U, V, W, X, Y, Z.", is the full alphabet said straight through, which is the best single line for practising how to pronounce english words that are easy to mix up, like B, C, D, E, G, P, T, V, Z.

How to work through the name and spelling lines in order

Work the clip in the order it was recorded rather than jumping around, since each name resets the same two question exchange.

  • Start at line 3, the full alphabet, and shadow it letter by letter until your speed matches the recording.
  • At line 6, "And what is your name?", pause and answer out loud with your own name before moving on.
  • At line 10, "Could you spell that?", repeat the question, then spell your own name the way lines 11, 15 and 19 spell Maite, J and Chuck.
  • When you reach "I'm sorry?" at line 8, say it back exactly as heard, it is the shortest line in the clip and the easiest one to get word perfect.
  • Once the pattern feels automatic, run the block from line 6 through line 22 again without pausing, this is where the app scores you against the American accent, one name at a time.
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