🎓 Students · Speaking中文版
Listen well, say it clearly, speak up
Speaking exams, class discussions and presentations all need you to speak English. It does not happen in a day, but if you listen and shadow a little every day, your pronunciation and confidence will grow.
How Dictionify helps with speaking
IPA and 🔊 on every card
Double-click any word and the card shows its IPA. Press 🔊 to hear it read by your device’s voice. Not sure how to say hypothesis or perspective? Listen first, notice which part is stressed, then say it yourself.
Example sentences to shadow
Every example sentence on this website is read aloud with a natural voice. The word pages and topic guides use full sentences, which are ideal for shadowing: listen to one sentence, then copy its rhythm and tone.
Phrases for discussion
The hardest part of a group discussion is joining in. The meeting English guide has phrases for agreeing, disagreeing politely and giving your opinion, like I see your point, but…. They work just as well in exam discussions and class.
DictionifyChrome extension
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Double-click any word on any website. Dictionify reads the whole sentence and explains what the word means in that sentence, in plain English. Go Pro for unlimited lookups, Summary for long readings and Polish for your writing.
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A speaking routine
- Choose one example sentence. Listen twice without looking at the words.
- Listen again while reading. Notice which words are stressed and where the pauses are.
- Shadow it: listen, pause, then say it with the same tone and speed.
- Record yourself on your phone and compare it with the original. Find the words that sound different.
- Double-click the words you got wrong, check the IPA and press 🔊. Practise, then record again.
Common problems and how to fix them
ProblemI am afraid to speak
FixStart with shadowing. The sentence is ready-made, so you do not have to worry about what to say. Read aloud for five minutes a day until your own English voice feels normal. Before a discussion, prepare two or three phrases like I agree with you because…, so your first turn is easier.
ProblemPeople cannot understand my pronunciation
FixCommon problems are dropping the ends of words (the -ed in asked, the -s in facts) and mixing long and short vowels (ship and sheep). Double-click words you are unsure of, check the IPA, press 🔊, and record yourself. Work on one sound at a time.
ProblemI do not know how to join in a discussion
FixLearn a few set phrases: agreeing (That’s a good point, and…), disagreeing politely (I see your point, but…), adding (Building on what Tom said…) and inviting others (What do you think, Amy?). The meeting English guide has more. Learn one from each group until it comes out naturally.
ProblemI put the stress in the wrong place
FixWords in the same family can have different stress. Analyse is AN-a-lyse, but analysis is a-NAL-y-sis; photograph and photography work the same way. Press 🔊 and look at the IPA: the part after the ˈ mark is stressed. Learn the stress when you learn the word.
A weekly practice plan
15 minutes a day
Shadow five example sentences from this website, record one, and compare it with the original. Learn how to say one new word, with its stress.
One practice discussion a week
Meet with classmates and discuss an exam-style topic. Everyone uses at least one phrase for agreeing and one for disagreeing. Afterwards, tell each other one thing that went well and one thing to improve.
Before the exam
Review your discussion phrases. For the individual response, practise giving a clear opinion and reason in about a minute. The night before, do not learn new phrases. Just make the ones you know sound smooth.
Pages to practise with
FAQ
How do I prepare for an English speaking exam?
In a group discussion, practise listening to others and responding to them, not just saying what you prepared. For an individual response, practise giving a clear opinion and reason in a short time. Shadow every day for pronunciation and fluency, and learn phrases for agreeing, disagreeing and adding.
What is shadowing?
Shadowing means listening to a sentence and then copying its sounds, tone and speed. It improves your pronunciation and rhythm, and helps you remember whole phrases. Every example sentence on this website is read aloud, so you can use them straight away.
Do I need to learn IPA?
You do not need to learn it all, but the basics help, especially the stress mark ˈ. Look at the IPA, press 🔊, and you will know how a word is really said instead of guessing.
How can I feel more confident in a presentation?
Write the key point of each slide in simple English. Double-click hard words to hear them, then practise the whole talk aloud a few times and record it. Do not memorise every word. Know your key points and a few phrases for starting, moving on and finishing.