Pratique du Shadowing: Talking About Hobbies & Free Time in English | Easy English Conversation | English Learning Podcast - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo
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Get comfortable with English in Comfort.
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This is your English listening practice podcast to help you learn and improve naturally.
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Hi everyone, I'm Anna.
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And I'm James.
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Welcome back to English in Comfort, your favorite comfort place to learn English with no pressure.
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So what are we going to talk about today, James?
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Well, today we're talking about one of my favourite topics. Which is?
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Hobbies.
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Talking about hobbies and free time.
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Right.
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A lot of us do things in our free time.
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It could be reading, cooking, playing sports, or many of these at once.
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I actually have many hobbies I do in my free time.
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Well, we're going to talk about that and more.
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So here's what we want you to do.
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Listen to our conversation about our hobbies and what we do in our free time.
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And pay attention to how the conversation flows.
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This is great practice for your English listening and speaking.
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That's right.
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This is a common topic in our everyday situations.
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One might ask you, what do you usually do in your free time?
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So grab your tea, get comfortable, and let's see how to talk about your free time and hobbies.
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So James, what do you usually do in your free time?
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Um, first thing that comes to mind.
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I love running.
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Running for a run really helps me relax.
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Do you run every day?
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Not every day.
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I try to run a few times a week.
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Sometimes I'm too tired after work or I don't have much time.
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On those days I do a short run.
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20 minutes, maybe 30, usually after dinner.
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After dinner?
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That works for you?
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Yeah.
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I put on my gym shoes.
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Head out.
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run around the park or the neighborhood.
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Even a short run clears my head.
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It's my little bit of me time.
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I like that, but I don't see myself running after dinner.
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I'm usually too lazy to move that much.
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I know what you mean.
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It was like that for me at first.
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I started small, short runs, just 10 minutes, and bit by bit it became a habit.
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Now I love it.
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It clears my head and helps me sleep.
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For me, one of my hobbies is cooking.
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And especially baking.
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I love it.
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Baking sounds hard.
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You need lots of skill, right?
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It can be tricky, but that's part of the fun.
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I like the whole rhythm of it – measuring the ingredients, stirring the batter, the smell while it's in the oven.
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It makes the kitchen feel warm and calm.
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I can imagine that smell.
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What do you usually bake?
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Cakes mostly.
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Simple ones.
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Sometimes cupcakes or banana bread when I have ripe bananas.
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I also try cookies.
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Nothing too fancy most of the time, just things I can enjoy with a cup of tea.
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Do you follow recipes exactly, or do you just make things up as you go?
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At first I followed recipes closely.
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Now I sometimes change small things—a little less sugar or extra vanilla.
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But for a new cake, I always follow the recipe so it doesn't go wrong.
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But I don't bake often, I cook lunch and dinner most days, so baking is a special thing.
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I usually bake on weekends or on a day off when I have time to relax and enjoy it.
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It's like a treat to myself.
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Sounds really enjoyable and relaxing.
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It is!
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Sometimes my sister comes over and we bake together.
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It's louder and messier, but we have a lot of fun.
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Flour everywhere, little accidents, and we talk while we bake.
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Those are some of my favourite days.
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I might have to try baking with you sometime, but only if I can do the taste test part. Of course!
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You can be the official taste tester.
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So James, you said you have many hobbies.
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What are the other ones?
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Gaming.
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I really enjoy gaming.
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I even bought my own setup.
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Headset.
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Keyboard.
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The works.
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Do you play alone or with other people?
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Mostly with friends.
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We usually play at night after my run.
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Sometimes it's just a short session, 20, 30 minutes.
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And other nights we play longer.
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It's fun to talk and to play together.
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And what kind of games do you like?
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I like the ones that are fast and need thinking.
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They need quick moves and a bit of planning.
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And playing with friends makes it more exciting because you work together and chat while you play.
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That sounds totally different to me.
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I don't really play those games.
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If I play, it's usually simple puzzle games on my phone.
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Things like matching or small word puzzles.
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Those are perfect for quick breaks.
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You can play one round and then put your phone down.
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I like games that don't need a lot of time or stress.
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They're relaxing.
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hobbies, same idea.
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Having fun and relaxing.
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True.
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But maybe one day I'll try one of your games.
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I'll hold you to that.
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My next hobby is kind of simple.
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Just chilling.
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I love watching movies and TV shows.
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Your hobbies are really about just chilling?
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Kind of, yeah.
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I don't mind.
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There's nothing wrong with relaxing.
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As long as you enjoy it.
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Well, that's true.
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So what do you watch?
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I like all sorts.
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Action, comedy, dramas, a bit of everything.
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Mostly I watch at night, after my run and after dinner.
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And I have a bad habit of binge-watching.
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I can start a show and keep going because I don't like cliffhangers.
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If an episode ends with a big question, I want to watch the next one right away.
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That sounds familiar, but it also sounds dangerous for sleep.
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It is.
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I'll stay in bed and watch for hours.
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Then I wake up the next morning really tired and without energy.
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Not great for the day.
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Still, I get it.
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A good show can pull you in.
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Exactly.
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It's relaxing in the moment.
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But sometimes I wish I could stop earlier.
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Maybe try one episode less each time.
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Maybe I'll try. But no promises.
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Other than baking, what do you do in your free time?
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I actually have one more.
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And it's pretty fun.
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Oh, why is it fun?
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Well, I don't know what you call it exactly.
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But it's when we go out with friends to shop.
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Even if we don't buy anything, we just look around, try things on, and laugh.
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Oh, like window shopping?
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Yes, kinda like that.
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We go to stores for clothes, shoes, bags, and sometimes silly things like funny costumes.
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We try them on and take pictures. That does sound fun.
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Do you go often?
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Not every week, but a few times a month.
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It's a nice way to spend an afternoon.
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We might stop for coffee, try a few outfits, and take photos.
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It's relaxed, no pressure to buy.
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My friends and I know each other well, so we feel free to be silly.
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Sometimes the shop staff let us take pictures, and that's always a bonus.
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I can see why you like it.
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Laughing, trying things, and taking photos together.
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Sounds like a great way to relax.
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Exactly.
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It's more about the time with friends than the shopping.
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A good pastime.
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Maybe I should try this next time.
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You should.
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And I love drawing.
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I enjoy it as much as baking.
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Really?
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That's actually cool.
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Are you good at it?
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Not really.
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I'm still a beginner.
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But I enjoy it a lot.
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So how do you learn?
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Do you take classes?
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Mostly online.
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I watch simple tutorials and try the steps at home.
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I practice a little every day.
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I practice basic lines, shading, and how to mix colors.
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It's fun and relaxing.
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Do you keep your drawings?
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I keep most of them.
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Sometimes I take pictures and send them to friends.
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If a drawing turns out nice, I might give it as a small gift.
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That's lovely.
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It's like baking.
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You make something with your hands and you can share it.
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Yes, it feels the same.
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time, making something slowly and seeing it get better with practice is really satisfying.
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You know, it's funny how different our hobbies are.
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You love running and gaming, and I love baking and drawing.
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Yeah, totally different worlds.
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But that's the nice thing about hobbies.
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Everyone has their own way of spending free time.
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Exactly.
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Some people like active things, like sports or hiking.
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Others prefer quiet hobbies, like reading or painting.
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Right.
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And in the end, all hobbies share one thing – enjoying yourself.
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That's what really matters.
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It's not about being good at something or doing it every day.
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It's just about finding something you like and doing it because it makes you happy.
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True.
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Even if it's something small like watering plants or taking a short walk, it still counts if it helps you relax.
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I love that.
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Free time should feel free, not like a task.
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Exactly.
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Whether you're running outside or sitting on the couch with a good movie, if you enjoy it, that's your hobby.
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Well said.
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I guess that's the beauty of it.
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Hobbies are all about doing what makes you feel good.
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Couldn't agree more.
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Time for some vocabulary we might use in everyday conversation when we talk about hobbies and free time.
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Take up.
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Used when you start a new hobby or activity.
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For example, I took up drawing last month.
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Get into.
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means you become interested in something and spend time on it.
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For example, I got into running last year.
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Pick up, a way to say you learn a skill little by little.
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For example, I picked up baking from watching videos.
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Binge watch, used when you watch many episodes one after another.
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For example, we binge-watched the whole season on Saturday.
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Kick back is what you do when you relax and rest.
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For example, after a long day, I like to kick back and listen to podcasts.
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Hang out refers to spending relaxed time with friends.
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For example, we usually hang out at the park on Sundays.
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Try out used to say you test something new to see if you like it.
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For example, I tried out a pottery class last weekend.
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Join in, a phrase for taking part in a group activity.
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For example, I joined in the community art project.
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Pull you in, used when something is so interesting that it grabs your attention.
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For example, that book really pulled me in from the first chapter.
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Work on, used when you spend time improving a project or skill.
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For example, I'm working on a short film as a side project.
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Side project refers to a small project you do in your free time.
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For example, my side project is making handmade cards.
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Lose track of time used when you are so absorbed in something that you don't notice the time passing.
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For example, I lost track of time while painting this afternoon.
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And that's it for today's episode of Talking About Hobbies and Free Time.
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We hope you enjoyed it.
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Now, tell us, what do you like to do in your free time?
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Leave a comment below and try to use some of the phrasal verbs we used today.
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Don't forget to subscribe for more listening and speaking practice,
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daily phrases and conversations, English tips and more.
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Thanks for letting us be part of your learning journey.
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Keep practicing, keep improving, and take care everyone!
Why practice speaking with this video?
Understanding and discussing hobbies is a vital part of daily conversation in English. By engaging with this video, you not only improve your English pronunciation but also gain insight into how to express personal interests in a natural way. The friendly, conversational tone of the speakers makes it easy to listen and follow along, mimicking real-life discussions you are likely to encounter. This relaxed approach allows you to practice without pressure, making it an ideal learning scenario. Use the shadowing technique to repeat phrases as you hear them, boosting your confidence and fluency in speaking English.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the conversation, several key structures emerge that are useful for discussing hobbies:
- Present Simple Tense: Used to express habits or regular activities, as seen when one speaker says, "I try to run a few times a week." This structure is essential for talking about routines.
- Frequency Adverbs: Phrases like "sometimes" and "usually" help add nuance to how often activities are done. These modifiers improve your ability to convey the frequency of hobbies.
- Gerunds: The use of gerunds, such as "running" or "cooking," is prevalent. This grammatical form helps to turn verbs into nouns and is widely used in discussing activities and interests.
- Connecting Ideas: Phrases like "bit by bit" and "first thing that comes to mind" help speakers transition smoothly between thoughts, making conversations more fluid and engaging.
Common Pronunciation Traps
While practicing shadow speech with this video, you may encounter a few pronunciation challenges:
- Hobbies: Ensure you pronounce the "h" clearly in 'hobbies,' as it can often be missed. This will help maintain clarity in conversation.
- Running: Pay attention to the 'r' and 'n' sounds; the smoothness of how you say "running" can influence your overall fluency.
- Relax: The word 'relax' can sometimes sound like 're-lax' due to fast speech. Practice enunciating each syllable to maintain clarity.
Focusing on these elements will enhance your ability to communicate effectively about hobbies and free time activities. Use this video as a resource to learn English with YouTube and refine your speaking skills through active listening and repetition.
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.