シャドーイング練習: Stop Using "Very" in English Conversations | Real English Conversation Podcast - 動画で英語スピーキングを学ぶ
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Welcome, welcome!
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You are listening to the Native English Podcast brought to you by Native English Stories, the podcast that helps you speak better English every single day.
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I am Sarah, and I am so excited to be here with you today.
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And I am John.
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Hello, everyone.
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Whether you are on the bus, walking in the park, or sitting with a cup of tea, we are so glad you tuned in today.
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This episode is going to be really useful, I promise.
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Haha, yes.
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And John, before we start, I want to say something.
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Today's topic is one that I personally needed to learn.
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It changed the way I speak English completely.
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Hmm, really?
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Okay, now I'm curious.
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So everyone, today we are talking about one very small word, a word that almost every English learner uses too much,
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and that word is very.
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But before we explain why, John, we have a very big reason to celebrate with our amazing audience on Facebook today.
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Oh, yes.
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Wow.
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We just reached 10,000 followers on Facebook.
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Your stars help us keep making these simple English episodes for you, so please keep supporting us.
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Thank you so much, everyone!
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Now, Sarah, let's get back to our topic and talk about why we shouldn't use very too much.
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Ah, yes, very.
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We say very good, very happy, very tired, very big, very small, very, very, very, all the time.
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Exactly.
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And listen, using very is not wrong.
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It is a correct English word.
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But when you use it in every single sentence, your English starts to sound basic and a little boring.
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Yes, native speakers have so many better, stronger words that they use instead of very plus adjective.
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And today, we're going to teach you those words.
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So by the end of this episode, you will sound more natural, more confident, and much more impressive in English.
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Let's go!
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Okay, John, let me ask you something first.
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Why do learners use very so much?
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Why is it such a habit?
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Hmm, great question.
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I think it is because very is one of the first words we learn in English.
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Our teachers say if something is more than normal, just add very.
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Very big, very nice, very cold, and it works.
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It's easy and everybody understands.
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Ah, yes.
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So we learn it early and then we just keep using it.
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It becomes automatic.
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Exactly.
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But the problem is, as you get better at English, you want to express yourself more precisely.
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You want people to really feel what you're saying.
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And very good does not give the same feeling as excellent or fantastic or brilliant.
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Hmm, that is so true.
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Like, imagine your friend cooks dinner for you.
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It's the most delicious meal you have ever eaten.
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And you say, this food is very good.
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How does that sound?
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It sounds so flat, so ordinary, like the food was just okay.
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Exactly.
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But if you say, this food is absolutely delicious, or this is outstanding, your friend feels so happy.
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The words carry so much more feeling.
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Yes, the right word does all the work.
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You do not need very when you choose a stronger word.
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Perfect.
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So let's start learning these stronger words, and we'll replace very plus adjective with one powerful word instead.
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Great.
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Let's start with a very common one.
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Very tired.
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Instead of saying, I'm very tired, you can say, I'm exhausted.
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Say it with me.
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Exhausted.
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Exhausted.
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And this word means extremely tired, like your whole body has no energy left.
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For example, I worked 12 hours today.
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I'm exhausted.
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Can we please just go home?
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Yes, I've said that many times.
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Okay, next one.
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Very happy.
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Instead of very happy, say, thrilled or overjoyed.
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For example, she got the job she wanted.
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She is absolutely thrilled.
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Ah, thrilled.
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That word has so much energy in it.
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You can feel the happiness when you say thrilled.
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Much better than very happy.
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Right.
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Now let's try very cold.
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Instead of very cold, say freezing.
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For example, I went outside without my jacket this morning.
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It was freezing.
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I couldn't feel my fingers.
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Haha, oh, I know that feeling.
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Freezing is so perfect for that.
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You say it and people immediately feel the cold.
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Yes.
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Next, very big.
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Instead of very big, say enormous or huge or massive.
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For example, have you seen that new shopping mall?
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It's enormous.
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I walked for one hour and still didn't see everything.
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Ah, enormous.
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That gives you a real picture in your head.
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Very big doesn't do that in the same way.
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Exactly.
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Okay, now very small.
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Instead of very small, say tiny.
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For example, my first apartment in the city was tiny.
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The kitchen, the bedroom, the living room, all in one little space.
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Tiny apartment.
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I know that life.
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Okay, what about very good?
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This is probably the most overused one.
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Yes, very good can be replaced with so many words.
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Excellent, brilliant, outstanding, fantastic, superb, wonderful.
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For example, your presentation today was outstanding.
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Everyone in the room was impressed.
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Ah, outstanding.
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That word makes you feel proud.
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Very good.
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Just sounds like a teacher giving you an average mark.
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But outstanding, wow.
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Exactly.
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Okay, very bad.
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Instead of very bad, you can say terrible, awful, dreadful, or horrible.
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For example, the traffic this morning was terrible.
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It took me two hours to go 10 kilometers.
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Hmm, terrible traffic.
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Yes, we all know that feeling.
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Terrible is so much stronger than very bad.
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And very fast.
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Instead of that, say rapid or quick or lightning fast.
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For example, the new train between the two cities is rapid.
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The journey takes only 30 minutes now.
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Ah, rapid.
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That sounds so much more professional and natural.
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And one more, very beautiful.
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Instead of that, say stunning or gorgeous or breathtaking.
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For example, we went to the mountains last weekend.
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The view was absolutely breathtaking.
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I just stood there and couldn't speak.
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Hmm, breathtaking.
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That's such a powerful word.
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It means so beautiful that it almost takes your breath away.
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Yes.
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Okay, so now let's look at some real-life examples.
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Situations where people used very and then switched to a stronger word, because this is where the learning really happens.
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Yes.
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Okay, real-life example number one.
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My friend Lena is learning English.
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She went on a trip to the beach last summer.
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When she came back, everyone asked, how was it?
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And she said it was very nice, and the water was very blue, and the food was very good.
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Hmm, that's okay.
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We understand her.
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But how does it sound?
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Flat, like reading a list.
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Now, after she learned stronger words, she said the same experience differently.
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She said it was absolutely gorgeous.
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The water was crystal clear, and the food was outstanding.
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We had the most wonderful time.
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Ah, what a difference.
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Same trip, same feelings, but completely different energy.
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The second version makes you want to go to that beach immediately.
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Exactly.
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Real-life example number two, my younger brother had a job interview last month.
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He was very nervous.
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Afterwards, he told me, the questions were very hard and I was very scared, but I think I did very well.
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Hmm, okay, I understand him, but it sounds like a child talking, not a professional.
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Right.
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Now, with stronger words, he could say, The questions were incredibly challenging and I was terrified, but I think I performed brilliantly.
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Doesn't that sound so much more confident?
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Ah, yes.
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Terrified instead of very scared.
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Challenging instead of very hard.
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Brilliantly instead of very well.
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Every word is doing real work.
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Exactly!
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And real life example number three, this one is from a classroom.
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A student is writing about his weekend for his teacher.
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He writes, I had a very good weekend.
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The weather was very sunny.
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We went to a very big park and ate very delicious food.
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Oh, that essay.
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Every sentence has very in it.
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The teacher reads five words and already feels tired.
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Yes.
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But if the student writes, I had a wonderful weekend.
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The weather was gloriously sunny.
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We went to an enormous park and ate absolutely delicious food.
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The teacher smiles.
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The essay has life.
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So much better.
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And the student shows the teacher, I know more words.
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I am growing.
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Yes.
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Using stronger words shows your vocabulary is improving.
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It is a sign of a better English speaker.
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Hmm.
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That is so motivating.
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OK, now let us do our useful phrases section.
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Yes.
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Phrase number one, less is more.
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This means sometimes using fewer words or simpler things gives a better result.
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In English, using one strong word is better than saying very plus a weak word.
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Less is more.
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Love it.
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Phrase number two, choose your words carefully.
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This means think before you speak or write.
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Do not just grab the first word that comes.
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Ask yourself, is there a better word?
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Choose your words carefully.
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Ah, great one.
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Phrase number three, paint a picture with words.
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This means use language that helps people see and feel what you are describing.
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When you say breathtaking instead of very beautiful, you paint a picture.
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Hmm, I love that phrase, paint a picture with words.
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Phrase number four, expand your vocabulary.
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This means learn new words every day and use them.
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For example, try to expand your vocabulary by learning two new words every morning.
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Great advice.
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And phrase number five, practice makes perfect.
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You know this one, but it is so true here.
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The more you use these new words, exhausted, stunning, enormous, terrified, the more natural they will feel.
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Practice makes perfect.
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Always true.
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So our five phrases today, less is more, choose your words carefully, paint a picture with words, expand your vocabulary, and practice makes perfect.
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Okay, friends, we are at the end of today's episode.
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Quick recap.
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Stop using very in every sentence.
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Replace very tired with exhausted, very happy with thrilled, very cold with freezing,
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very big with enormous, very small with tiny, very good with excellent or outstanding,
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very bad with terrible, very beautiful with stunning.
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And our five phrases, less is more, choose your words carefully, paint a picture with words, expand your vocabulary, and practice makes perfect.
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And our real-life examples showed us stronger words make you sound more confident and natural.
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What a great episode.
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Your challenge this week, every time you want to say very something, stop and think of one stronger word.
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Try it today.
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And also check out the pinned comment below.
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We have left some challenges there for you.
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We love reading your comments.
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Don't forget to subscribe to our channel and share this episode with a friend who is also struggling with very.
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Yes, you do not have to be perfect.
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Just keep trying.
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We are so proud of you.
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Ah, truly.
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Thank you for being here.
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Until next time, keep learning and speak with confidence.
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You are listening to the Native English Podcast.
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Brought to you by Native English Stories.
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I'm John.
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And I'm Sarah.
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Take care, everyone.
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See you in the next episode.
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Bye!
この動画で話す練習をする理由
このポッドキャストでは、英語を話すスキルを向上させるための貴重な情報が提供されています。「very」という言葉の使い方に焦点を当てた内容は、英会話をより自然にするための大きなヒントとなります。例えば、「very good」の代わりに、「excellent」や「fantastic」などのより強い形容詞を使うと、表現が豊かになります。これにより、あなたの会話がより魅力的に聞こえ、英語スピーキング練習の際にも自信が持てるようになります。
文法と文脈における表現
このエピソードで特に注目すべきいくつかの重要な構造があります。
- 疑問文を使う: 例: 「Why do learners use very so much?」この問いかけは、会話の中で相手の意見を引き出す良い技術です。
- 強調の使い方: 例:「We say very good, very happy...」英語のスピーキング練習では、強調をするための語彙を増やすことが重要です。
- 習慣についての考察: 「it is because very is one of the first words...」このように理由を説明することは、相手に理解を促進させる助けになります。
これらの表現を用いることで、あなたの英語はよりダイナミックで説得力のあるものになるでしょう。従って、IELTS スピーキング対策にも非常に役立ちます。
一般的な発音の罠
この動画で気をつけるべき発音のポイントは、特に「very」という単語の発音です。多くの学習者は、これを無意識に「ヴェリー」と発音しがちですが、より自然に「ヴェリ」と短縮して言う練習も価値があります。また、英語のアクセントは言葉の流れを大きく変えるため、最初は簡単に感じる表現でも発音に気を配ることで、聞き手に与える印象が大きく変わります。
このように、動画を視聴しながら実際にshadow speakを行うことで、自分自身の発音を確認し、効果的な英語スピーキング練習につなげることが可能です。YouTubeで英語学習を進めながら、新しい語彙や表現を取り入れることも効果的です。あなたもこの機会に新しい英語表現を学び、より自信を持って話せるようになりましょう。
シャドーイングとは？英語上達に効果的な理由
シャドーイング（Shadowing）は、もともとプロの通訳者養成プログラムで開発された言語学習法で、多言語習得者として知られるDr. Alexander Arguelles によって広く普及されました。方法はシンプルですが非常に効果的：ネイティブスピーカーの英語を聞きながら、1〜2秒の遅延で声に出してすぐに繰り返す——まるで「影（shadow）」のように話者を追いかけます。文法ドリルや受動的なリスニングと異なり、シャドーイングは脳と口の筋肉が同時にリアルタイムで英語を処理・再現することを強制します。研究により、発音精度、抑揚、リズム、連音、リスニング力、そして会話の流暢さが大幅に向上することが確認されています。IELTSスピーキング対策や自然な英語コミュニケーションを目指す方に特におすすめです。