Repetition
Pairs have a conversation one sentence at a time. Before responding, each person must repeat their partner's entire sentence. Forces active listening through to the end of a thought.
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Related Exercises
Last Word, First Word
Last Word First Word is an applied improv listening exercise in which each participant must begin their sentence with the last word spoken by the previous participant, carrying the conversation forward through this chain of shared language. The constraint makes end-of-utterance attention mandatory and creates a visible, audible record of how carefully each participant tracked their partner's contribution before responding.
Last Word Response
Last Word Response is an applied improv listening exercise in which each participant must begin their response with the last word spoken by the previous participant. The constraint enforces genuine end-of-utterance listening by making it physically impossible to begin a response until the previous speaker has completed their sentence. The exercise is used in applied improv to develop active listening skills in workplace and organizational settings.
Paraphrase
Partners practice paraphrasing each other's statements to confirm understanding and demonstrate active listening.
Here's What I Heard
Here's What I Heard is an applied listening exercise in which one partner speaks briefly about something real -- a current situation, a concern, a recent experience -- and the listener reflects back what they heard in their own words. The speaker then responds to the reflection, noting what the listener captured accurately and what was missed or distorted. The exercise develops active listening, accurate paraphrasing, and the discipline of genuinely receiving another person's communication before responding.
One-Word Sentence
Partners take turns adding one word at a time to build sentences for two minutes. Practices collaborative creation and active listening at the most granular level.
Word-at-a-Time Partners
Partners stand side-by-side and speak as one person, each saying one word at a time to make sentences on a 'How to' topic.
How to Reference This Page
The Improv Archive. (2026). Repetition. Retrieved March 17, 2026, from https://improvarchive.org/exercises/repetition
The Improv Archive. "Repetition." The Improv Archive, 2026. https://improvarchive.org/exercises/repetition.
The Improv Archive. "Repetition." The Improv Archive, 2026, https://improvarchive.org/exercises/repetition. Accessed March 17, 2026.
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