LessonCues

For language learners

Loop a phrase until you can say it back

Clip one sentence from a film, a vlog or a lesson. Loop it with a short pause after each repeat, and copy it out loud until the rhythm feels natural.

Keyboard shortcuts

Shortcuts work when you’re not typing in a field. If you clicked the video, click anywhere on the page first — the YouTube player keeps its own keys.

Play / pause
SpaceK
Seek 1s (hold Shift for 5s)
←→
Seek 0.1s
,.
Set start at the playhead
I
Set end at the playhead
O
Move start 0.1s earlier / later
[]
Move end 0.1s earlier / later
{}
Preview clip, or pause it
P
Toggle loop
L
Create a new clip, or save changes to an open one
Enter
Start a new clip
N
Mark while playing: press at the start, again at the end. Saves a new clip, or with “Several parts” on, adds a part
M
Show this help
?
  • Free, no sign-up to try
  • Nothing downloaded
  • Plays in YouTube’s own player

How it works

How to practise shadowing with a YouTube clip

  1. 1

    Clip one phrase

    Paste the video link and trim tightly around one sentence. If a word gets cut off, nudge the start or end by a tenth of a second.

  2. 2

    Add a pause after each loop

    In Practice, set a pause of a few seconds between loops, long enough to say the phrase aloud. Slow it down a little if you need to.

  3. 3

    Write it down

    Put the sentence, a translation or any new words in the clip notes. Sign in to sort your phrases into folders by topic.

Shadowing with your hands free

Shadowing means listening to a phrase and repeating it straight away, many times in a row. It’s tiring if you have to keep reaching for the mouse. With a loop and a pause after each repeat, the video plays the phrase, waits while you say it, then plays it again.

Ways to use it

  • Collect everyday phrases from vlogs and interviews.
  • Slow a fast speaker to 0.8× until you can follow them, then go back to 1×.
  • If you teach, make a lesson of clips with questions written between them.
  • Print a handout with a QR code for each phrase.

Questions

Can I see subtitles?

Yes, if the video has captions. Turn them on with the CC button in YouTube’s player.

What’s a good pause length for shadowing?

Start with roughly the length of the phrase itself, usually 2 to 4 seconds. Make it shorter as you get quicker.

Do I need an account?

No. Clips made without an account are deleted after 30 days; sign in with Google to keep them.

Related

Try it with a video of your own

Paste a YouTube link at the top of this page. Your first clip takes about a minute.

Paste a link to start