Pratique du Shadowing: Unit 19 - Apprendre l'anglais à l'oral avec la vidéo

Création de la leçon...
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Passage number 19.
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Miss Green had a heavy cupboard in her bedroom.
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Last Sunday she said, I don't like this cupboard in my bedroom.
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The bedroom's very small and the cupboard's very big.
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I'm going to put it in a bigger room.
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But the cupboard was very heavy and Miss Green was not very strong.
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She went to two of her neighbours and said, Please carry the cupboard for me.
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Then she went and made some tea for them.
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The two men carried the heavy cupboard out of Miss Green's bedroom and came to the stairs.
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One of them was in front of the cupboard and the other was behind it.
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They pushed and pulled for a long time and then they put the cupboard down.
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Well, one of the men said to the other, we're never going to get this cupboard upstairs.
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Upstairs, the other man said.
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Aren't we taking it downstairs?

Why Practice Speaking with This Video?

This video’s dialogue is perfect for english speaking practice because it mirrors real-life interactions—casual, problem-based, and full of natural exchanges. The scenario of moving a heavy cupboard creates a relatable context, helping you practice everyday communication skills like making requests, expressing challenges, and clarifying misunderstandings. Using a shadowing app to mimic the speakers’ rhythm and intonation here can boost your fluency, making it great for IELTS speaking practice too—where natural delivery matters as much as content.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The conversation uses key structures that appear frequently in daily English. Let’s break them down:

  • "I'm going to put it in a bigger room": The "going to" future tense for planned actions. Practice this to talk about your own intentions.
  • "They pushed and pulled for a long time": The past simple tense for completed actions. Notice how "pushed and pulled" uses parallel structure for clarity.
  • "Aren't we taking it downstairs?": A tag question for confirmation, which softens a statement into a check. Mastering these makes conversations feel more natural.
  • "Please carry the cupboard for me": A polite request using "please" and a base verb. Essential for asking for help in any setting.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Improving English pronunciation means tackling tricky words and intonation. In this video, watch out for:

  • "Cupboard": Often mispronounced as "cup-board"—the correct pronunciation blends the two syllables into "KUHB-erd" (short "u" sound, stress on the first syllable).
  • "Neighbours": The "ei" can trip learners up; it’s pronounced "NAY-buhrz" (long "a" sound, with a soft "z" at the end).
  • Intonation in questions: The line "Aren't we taking it downstairs?" rises at the end, signaling a question. Mimic this with a shadowing app to avoid flat delivery, which can confuse meaning.

Practicing these elements will make your speech clearer and more confident—whether you’re prepping for IELTS or just chatting with friends.

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.

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