Pratique du Shadowing: American English Connected Reading | IELTS Topic: Describe a person who you think dresses well - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

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Hey, what's up?
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It's Alex.
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Today I'd like to talk about a sample answer to the IELTS question, Describe a person who you think dresses well.
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Let's take a look.
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There's a famous actor, Idris Elba, who I think is a great example.
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Who, why, why?
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We add a little wha sound between who and I. Who I.
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Who I think is a is a is a is a great example.
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Here is a kind of gets reduced and spoken as one little unit.
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Is a is a.
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Who I think is a great example.
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Great a great example.
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Here the T in great gets turned into a tap.
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Great example.
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Great example of a man who dresses well a great example of a man who dresses well.
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Here, of a has the same thing happen as is a.
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It gets reduced into one little word, of a, who I think is a great example of a man who dresses well.
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He's an actor.
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He's an actor.
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Here, he's an, zan, the z sound in he's connects to an, And the vowel in AN reduces to just AN.
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And also, the N in AND connects to the next syllable.
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He's an actor.
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He's an actor.
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So of course.
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So of course.
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Now here we could say so of course, but in rapid speech, so of course is a little more complicated to say with a wuh in it.
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So we omit the wuh and we just say, so of course, so of course,
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so of course he dresses better.
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Now here when we speak quickly, he turns into just ee.
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So So of course he dresses.
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So of course he dresses.
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The H gets removed.
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But this only happens if you're speaking very quickly.
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If you speak a little bit more carefully, so of course he, of course he, see, of course he dresses better.
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There's a real H sound before E.
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So of course he dresses better than the average person, than the average.
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So here, than turns into then, and the N in than connects to the th sound in the.
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The average has a little y in the middle.
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The average person.
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And here, average.
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Average.
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It's not average.
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There's no sound in the middle.
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Average.
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Vridge.
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Better than the average.
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Better than the average person.
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But I think he tends to be, but I, there's a tap there for the T in but,
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but I think he, we connect the think he together, and again, when we speak quickly,
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the h sound in he gets removed.
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But I think he tends to be.
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Tens.
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There's no d sound in tens.
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Tens to be.
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Tens to be a little bit be.
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There's a little y between b and uh. Be.
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I think he tends to be a little bit more bold.
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Little bit more.
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The T in bit turns into a glottal stop before more.
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Little bit more.
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Little bit more bold with his clothes.
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Bold with his clothes. With his.
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Here the TH kind of goes over the H and we don't hear a separate H sound. With his.
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With his clothes.
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The TH sound in clothes can just be removed.
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Close, close, like close a door.
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Close, than most actors.
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Then, then, again, than turns into then.
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Most actors.
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That T in most doesn't get removed, but it gets connected to the next syllable.
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Than most actors.
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You know, you know, this is a chunk and so it's connected into one kind of word there.
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You know, you know, like, you know, like sometimes he'll wear something more artistic at an awards show.
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At an awards show. At an...
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So here in at, there's a tapped T.
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Edan, edan, and the vowel in at gets reduced to a very light at an awards show.
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Now here the N in an connects to awards at an awards show.
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Finally awards show turns into awards show.
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The d sound comes before the sh sound.
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We don't have a separate sound in the middle when we're speaking quickly.
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It's not awards show, it's awards show, awards show, and it really catches the eye.
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And it really, so here the D in and disappears, the T in it turns into a glottal stop,
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and let's look at the vowel in really.
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It could be, and it really catches, or it could be, and it really catches.
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Really, really.
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Both are okay.
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I, E.
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Both vowels are acceptable.
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And it really catches the I.
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The I.
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There's a little I sound in between the and I.
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The I.
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The I.
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There's a famous actor, Idris Elba, who I think is a great example of a man who dresses well.
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He's an actor, so of course he dresses better than the average person, but I think he tends to be a little bit more bold with his clothes than most actors.
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You know, like sometimes he'll wear something more artistic at an awards show, and it really catches the eye.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking skills by learning how to describe someone who dresses well, specifically through a sample answer about the renowned actor Idris Elba. This exercise not only provides you with a framework for organizing your thoughts but also emphasizes important pronunciation techniques in American English, particularly in connected speech. By focusing on how words naturally link together in casual conversation, you'll enhance your ability to communicate effectively and sound more fluent.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Dress well - to wear clothes that are stylish and appropriate.
  • Great example - a perfect illustration of a particular quality or characteristic.
  • Actor - a person who performs in plays, movies, or television shows.
  • Average person - a typical individual, neither above nor below the standard.
  • Better than - used to compare two things, indicating a superior quality.
  • Tends to be - a phrase used to describe someone's usual behavior or style.
  • Connected speech - the way words link together in natural spoken language.

Practice Tips

To improve your English speaking practice through shadow speech, try the following tips:

  • Shadow Speak: Listen closely to the video and repeat after the speaker, mimicking their pace and intonation. Pay special attention to how words blend into one another, as in "he's an actor," which often sounds like "ee's an actor" in rapid speech.
  • Chunk Phrases: Break down the phrases into smaller, manageable parts. For example, practice "so of course" as one fluid phrase rather than two separate words. This is critical for mastering natural flow in conversations.
  • Record Yourself: As you shadow speak, record your practice sessions. Listening to your recordings can help you identify areas where your connected speech might differ from the natural pronunciation in American English.
  • Utilize Repetition: Repeat sentences multiple times until you feel comfortable with the rhythm and sound. Notice how linking and reductions occur naturally, and aim to incorporate this into your own speech.
  • Slow it Down: Initially, it may help to slow down the playback of the video. Focus on clarity of individual words and gradually increase to normal speed as you become more confident.

By engaging in these activities, you will develop an understanding of how connected speech works in American English, setting a solid foundation for effective communication and eloquence in your conversations.

Qu'est-ce que la technique du Shadowing ?

Le Shadowing est une technique d'apprentissage des langues fondée sur la science, développée à l'origine pour la formation des interprètes professionnels. Le principe est simple mais puissant : vous écoutez de l'anglais natif et le répétez immédiatement à voix haute — comme une ombre suivant le locuteur avec un décalage de 1 à 2 secondes. Les recherches montrent une amélioration significative de la précision de la prononciation, de l'intonation, du rythme, des liaisons, de la compréhension orale et de la fluidité.