Shadow the person you want to sound like

Try one line now

1. 1:08 Today, we are launching a campaign called HeForShe.

One line from a UN speech, ready to record. Listen to it, say it, then open Compare and play your take beside the original.

Four steps

Shadowing means saying what a speaker says, along with them or straight after them, while you listen. Here it is done on one caption line at a time.

1. Choose an official video with captions of someone whose way of speaking you like. A speech, an interview or a scene all work.
2. Play one caption line two or three times. Do not start with the whole video.
3. Record the line, saying it after the speaker (Repeat) or along with them (Shadow).
4. Compare your take beside theirs, go again, and move on to the next line.

Pick who you want to sound like

The videos on the pages for Emma Watson, Taylor Swift, Barack Obama, Friends and Harry Potter are official uploads on their own channels with human-written English captions, checked by Sada, and they play in YouTube’s own player. The other speakers already have a talk page in the library. Names identify the video only; Sada is not affiliated with anyone listed.

Actors and public figures

Two people, each with a prepared speech to practise and, for Emma Watson, a relaxed video as well.

Emma WatsonEmma Watson’s UN speech Taylor SwiftTaylor Swift’s NYU speech

Speeches

Barack Obama has a page here; the other speakers below have a talk page of their own.

Barack ObamaBarack Obama’s message to students Steve JobsStanford Commencement Address (2005) Oprah WinfreyHarvard Commencement Address (2013) J.K. RowlingHarvard Commencement: The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination Denzel WashingtonPenn Commencement Address (2011)

Shows and films

Official clips from the shows’ own channels. Everyday dialogue: questions, reactions and jokes.

FriendsFriends clips Harry PotterHarry Potter scenes

Choose an easy first video

Speed and level matter more than fame. Sada lists the talks by level and by accent: beginner · B1 · B2 · advanced · American · British. On each person’s page you will see how fast a typical line runs, measured from the caption timing.

Not on the list? Paste any video

Sada works with any YouTube video that has usable captions: paste its link and it is split into lines. Human-written captions work best. How to shadow any YouTube video.

What this does and does not do

Copying a speaker trains rhythm, stress, pauses, linking and word choice. It will not give you their voice or their accent. Sada compares the words it recognises and your timing; it does not grade accent, pitch or individual sounds, so the notes on each page say what to listen for and you judge by ear.

Related guides

What is shadowing? · How to sound like a native speaker · Famous talks to shadow · English pronunciation for Arabic speakers · Free shadowing apps compared