Video Clips for Listening Practice
Watching video clips is a great way to improve both your English listening skills and your overall fluency. You’ll hear not only what people say but also how they say it. No matter what your level, there is a resource that can help you improve your listening. For how to use videos to improve your English, check out Listening Practice: 4 Steps to Fluency
If you are a beginner, one of the best places to search for video clips is English Central. Their videos have lots of tools, including vocabulary and subtitles that you can use even with free access. There are many to choose from and you can watch for free.
For intermediate and advanced learners, YouTube is a great place to search for interesting video clips. You can search based on your interests or find a recommendation below.
Kim’s Convenience
Kim’s Convenience is a Canadian TV show about a family of Korean immigrants who run a convenience store in Toronto. You can find many full episodes on YouTube.
What is Kim’s Convenience about? – This video features both brief clips from the show and the actors talking about the show. It has subtitles.
The Impact of Season One: Kim’s Convenience – This features the actors talking about the show and has subtitles.
Modern Family
Modern Family is a popular show about a very diverse family living in suburban Los Angeles.
Modern Family – Restaurant Scene – This video clip has cultural references and involves some misunderstandings related to diversity and culture. In fact, the actor who plays Lily, a Vietnamese girl adopted by two men, is actually Korean American. The waitress in the scene is her mother IRL (in real life).
Related post: Internet Slang Guide
Friends Video Clips
Friends is an oldie but goodie (something that is old but still likable) for English language learners. It’s about 3 men and 3 women living in the same apartment complex in New York. Some are roommates.
Joey doesn’t share food – This video clip is about Joey not sharing food, especially when he is on dates with women. Pretty different culturally, isn’t it? You’ll hear lots of natural English in this clip.
Will hates Rachel – This video clip has a guest appearance by a very young Brad Pitt. There are also some misunderstandings based on tone and implicit meaning that Rachel doesn’t pick up on.
Ellen
The Ellen Show is a talk show with comedian Ellen DeGeneres as host.
Bill Gates Chats with Ellen for the first time – There are some great natural expressions, vocabulary, and rejoinders in this conversation with Bill Gates. It has subtitles too. They also don’t speak too fast.
Ellen Makes ‘Friends’ with BTS – RM talks about how he taught himself English by watching ‘Friends’. There is also an interpreter that translates some of the conversation.
Ellen’s Favorite Presidential Moments – Clinton, Bush, Obama and more all having fun with Ellen! I found it a bit touching :).
TED
I absolutely love TED Talks. They offer thousands of videos on hundreds of different topics.
TED Talks can be informative, inspirational, educational, and thought-provoking. Many have subtitles in over 50 languages and transcripts you can read along with.
Try something new for 30 days – A short TED Talk by Matt Cutts.
Miscellaneous Video Clips
Overwatch – Heroes Dialogues Part 1 This has subtitles. There is at least one error in the subtitles, but most are okay. It even has a tag question with a reduction.
Having a Meal with the President – Wow! I hadn’t heard about this, but there are a few videos like this. From what I can tell, if you made a donation to his 2nd campaign, your name was entered to win a dinner with him. Guess I missed my chance :(. The CC subtitles work pretty well on this one and you can hear some common reductions and relaxed speech in it from Obama.
English in a Minute – Lots of 1 minute videos about common idioms with visuals and explanations to help you understand and remember them.
More recommendations can be found in the What TV Shows Do You Recommend?
Newly posted videos can be found in Watch YouTube Videos to Hear Natural Spoken English.
Never stop learning
