Shadowing Practice: 40 Minutes of Real English Listening Practice for B1-B2 | Improve Your English Just by Listening - Learn English Speaking with Video
Les maken...
1
Hello, hello, hello!
2
Welcome back to our channel.
3
Hi everyone!
4
We are so happy you are here today.
5
So, let me ask you something.
6
Yes?
7
What is it, David?
8
Have you ever watched an English video and understood almost nothing?
9
Oh yes, I think everyone has done that.
10
Yes, and what did you do?
11
Did you give up?
12
Maybe a little, but you know what?
13
There is a secret.
14
A secret?
15
Tell us, Alice.
16
The secret is, just keep listening.
17
Yes, that is exactly right.
18
Just keep listening.
19
Today, in this video, you are going to listen to real English for about 40 minutes.
20
Real English.
21
Normal speed.
22
Normal conversations.
23
And at the end, you will feel your English is better.
24
I promise you.
25
Stay with us.
26
Do not leave.
27
This video is for you.
28
So, are you ready?
29
Let's go.
30
Okay, Alice, let's start with something simple.
31
Good.
32
Simple is good.
33
Why is listening so important for learning English?
34
Great question.
35
So, think about babies.
36
Babies?
37
Like small children?
38
Yes.
39
When a baby learns to talk, what do they do first?
40
Hmm, they listen?
41
Exactly.
42
They listen for months, maybe even years, before they say one word.
43
They listen.
44
That is so true.
45
A baby does not study grammar first.
46
No!
47
A baby does not open a grammar book.
48
They just listen.
49
They hear sounds, they hear words, they hear sentences, again and again.
50
And then one day, they speak.
51
Yes!
52
And you know what?
53
We can do the same thing.
54
Even as adults?
55
Yes!
56
Even as adults.
57
Our brain is amazing.
58
When we hear English many times, our brain starts to understand the patterns.
59
Patterns.
60
That is a good word.
61
What do you mean by patterns?
62
I mean the way English sounds, the rhythm, the music of the language.
63
Oh, like how questions go up at the end?
64
Like, are you okay?
65
Yes, exactly like that.
66
Are you okay?
67
You hear the voice go up.
68
Are you okay?
69
And a statement goes flat or down.
70
Like, I am okay.
71
I am okay.
72
I am okay.
73
Yes, perfect, David.
74
So, listening helps us feel the language.
75
Yes, feel the language.
76
I love that.
77
When you feel the language, it becomes natural.
78
And natural is the goal, right?
79
The goal is always to sound natural.
80
Not perfect.
81
Natural.
82
Can you say that again?
83
Not perfect.
84
Natural.
85
Not perfect.
86
Natural.
87
Not perfect.
88
Natural.
89
I love that.
90
Because many learners think they need to be perfect.
91
Oh, that is so common.
92
I hear this all the time.
93
My English is not perfect, so I don't want to speak.
94
And that stops them.
95
That stops them completely.
96
But you know, even native speakers make mistakes.
97
Really? Of course.
98
Native speakers say, I seen it instead of I saw it.
99
Or between you and I instead of between you and me.
100
Wait, native speakers make grammar mistakes?
101
All the time.
102
Every day.
103
So please do not be afraid of mistakes.
104
Right.
105
Mistakes are part of learning.
106
Mistakes are how we learn.
107
Remember that.
108
Mistakes are how we learn.
109
Beautiful.
110
Okay, so listening is powerful because it teaches us patterns, it teaches us rhythm, and it makes English feel natural.
111
Exactly.
112
And there is one more thing.
113
What is that?
114
When you listen to real English, not textbook English, but real English, you hear how people actually talk.
115
Ah, real English, like in movies or in conversations between friends.
116
Yes, and that is what we are doing today.
117
This whole video is real English, real conversation.
118
And listeners at home, you are practicing right now.
119
Yes, just by listening to us talk, you are already practicing English.
120
That is amazing, right?
121
You don't have to do anything.
122
Just listen.
123
Just listen and enjoy.
124
Okay, so now let's talk about how to listen.
125
Because there is a good way and maybe a not so good way.
126
That's true.
127
Not all listening is equal.
128
What do you mean?
129
Well, imagine you are watching a movie in English, but you have the subtitles in your language, your mother tongue.
130
Oh, yes.
131
I do that sometimes.
132
And what happens?
133
I mostly read the subtitles.
134
I don't really listen.
135
Exactly.
136
You are reading, not listening.
137
And that is okay sometimes.
138
But if you want to improve your listening, you need to actually listen.
139
So turn off the subtitles?
140
Or at least use English subtitles, not your language.
141
English subtitles can help?
142
Yes, because you read and listen at the same time, in English, so your brain connects the sounds with the words.
143
That makes sense.
144
The sound connects with the word.
145
And after a while, you don't need the subtitles anymore.
146
You just hear it.
147
Wow, okay.
148
So tip number one is listen actively.
149
Actively.
150
That's a great word.
151
Listen actively.
152
Listen actively.
153
What else?
154
What is tip number two?
155
Tip number two is listen to things you enjoy.
156
Oh, that is so important.
157
Yes.
158
If you are bored, your brain switches off.
159
Switches off.
160
Like a light switch.
161
Exactly.
162
Your brain goes, click, I'm done.
163
But if you enjoy it, your brain stays on.
164
You are focused, you pay attention, and you learn so much more.
165
So if you love cooking, listen to cooking shows in English.
166
Yes.
167
If you love football, watch football interviews in English.
168
If you love music, listen to English songs and try to understand the lyrics.
169
Yes, and there are so many podcasts now, for every topic.
170
History, science, travel, health, relationships.
171
And channels like ours.
172
Yes, of course.
173
Channels like ours, made especially for English learners.
174
So tip number two, listen to things you enjoy.
175
And tip number three is...
176
Tell me.
177
Listen every day, even for a short time.
178
Every day?
179
Every day.
180
Even 10 minutes.
181
Even 5 minutes.
182
But every day.
183
Consistency.
184
Is that the word?
185
Yes.
186
Consistency.
187
Consistency.
188
It means doing something regularly.
189
Every day.
190
Or every week.
191
Not just once a month.
192
No. Once a month is not enough.
193
You need to hear English every day.
194
Like watering a plant.
195
Oh, I love that.
196
Yes.
197
Like a plant.
198
If you water it every day, it grows.
199
If you water it once a month...
200
It dies.
201
Don't let your English die.
202
Water it every day.
203
That is the best advice.
204
Okay, so the three tips are, one, listen actively.
205
Two, listen to things you enjoy.
206
Three, listen every day.
207
Perfect summary, David.
208
One, listen actively.
209
Two, enjoy what you listen to.
210
Three, listen every day.
211
All right, let's change the topic now.
212
Let's have a real conversation, like two friends talking.
213
I love that idea.
214
What should we talk about?
215
Let's talk about daily routines.
216
What do you do every day?
217
Oh, easy.
218
My routine is not very exciting.
219
Come on, tell us.
220
Okay, so I wake up at about 7 in the morning.
221
7 o 'clock?
222
That's pretty early. Is it?
223
I think 7 is normal.
224
I wake up at 8, sometimes 8 .30.
225
David, that is late.
226
I know, I know.
227
But I work at home, so.
228
Okay, okay, no judgment.
229
So I wake up at 7, and the first thing I do is...
230
What?
231
I check my phone.
232
Oh no. Alice.
233
I know, I know.
234
Everyone says don't check your phone first thing in the morning, but I do it anyway.
235
What do you check?
236
I check messages, then I check the news, then I check social media a little bit. And then?
237
And then I feel stressed.
238
Because of the news?
239
Yes.
240
The news is always a little heavy in the morning.
241
Heavy.
242
Good word.
243
Heavy.
244
It means hard, serious, difficult.
245
Yes.
246
Heavy news, heavy feelings.
247
So after that, I try to do something nice.
248
Like what?
249
Like make coffee.
250
A nice, slow cup of coffee.
251
Ah, the coffee ritual.
252
Yes, the coffee ritual.
253
Ritual.
254
It means something you do regularly in a special way.
255
I have a coffee ritual too.
256
I make coffee and then I sit by the window.
257
Oh, nice.
258
And you just sit?
259
I just sit.
260
I look outside, I think.
261
What do you think about?
262
About my day, what I need to do, what I want to eat for lunch.
263
Already thinking about lunch at 8 .30 in the morning?
264
Food is important.
265
That is true.
266
Food is very important.
267
So after coffee, I make breakfast.
268
What do you eat?
269
Usually something simple.
270
Eggs or toast with butter.
271
Sometimes I have yogurt with fruit.
272
That sounds healthy.
273
I try.
274
And you, what do you eat?
275
I usually skip breakfast.
276
David, you can't skip breakfast.
277
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
278
I know, I know.
279
But I'm never hungry in the morning.
280
Okay, listeners, what about you?
281
Do you eat breakfast?
282
Tell us in the comments.
283
Yes, we want to know.
284
Do you eat breakfast in the morning?
285
Okay, so after breakfast, I go for a walk.
286
Every morning?
287
Almost every morning.
288
About 20 minutes, just around my neighborhood.
289
That's great for your health.
290
Yes, and it wakes me up.
291
I feel so much better after a walk.
292
Fresh air in the morning is wonderful.
293
It really is.
294
Fresh air.
295
The air outside in the morning.
296
It's clean, it's cool, it's fresh.
297
So your morning sounds very healthy, Alice.
298
I try.
299
What about the rest of your day, David?
300
Well, after I wake up at 8 .30 and have my coffee.
301
And think about lunch
302
and think about lunch yes i start working what is your
303
work david i work on the computer writing researching making videos like this one oh i love
304
that making videos for english learners yes it's a great job
305
i talk all day in english that's good practice very good practice
306
and do you have breaks during the day yes i take a break for lunch a proper lunch
307
because you were already thinking about it at 8 30.
308
exactly i'm prepared what do you eat for lunch usually something warm rice maybe
309
or pasta or soup in winter soup in winter is
310
so comforting yes comforting comforting it means it makes you feel warm
311
and happy inside like a hug in food form a hug in food form i love
312
that alice do you have hobbies things you do for fun yes i love reading What kind of books?
313
Mostly fiction, stories, novels.
314
Do you read in English?
315
Yes, I try to read in English.
316
It's good for my vocabulary.
317
Vocabulary.
318
Vocab -u -la -ry.
319
That means the words we know.
320
Our collection of words.
321
Yes.
322
Reading helps you learn new words naturally.
323
You see the word in a sentence.
324
You understand from the context.
325
Context.
326
Con -text.
327
The other words around a new word that help you understand it.
328
Exactly.
329
You don't always need a dictionary.
330
The context helps.
331
Can you give an example?
332
Sure.
333
Imagine you read, The weather was gloomy, the sky was gray, and it rained all day.
334
And if I don't know the word gloomy?
335
You look at the context.
336
Gray sky, rain all day.
337
So gloomy means...
338
Dark, sad, not nice.
339
Yes, gloomy.
340
Dark and sad, like bad weather.
341
I learned that just from the context.
342
That is the power of reading. And listening.
343
You understand from the situation.
344
Beautiful.
345
So you read.
346
What else do you enjoy?
347
I also like cooking.
348
Oh, what do you cook?
349
I like to try new recipes, different cuisines.
350
Like what?
351
Like what kind of food?
352
Last week I made Thai curry.
353
Wow, that sounds delicious.
354
It was.
355
A little spicy, but so good.
356
I can't cook.
357
What?
358
You can't cook at all?
359
Well, I can make eggs.
360
I can make pasta but real cooking?
361
No. That's okay.
362
Not everyone is a chef.
363
I prefer to eat other people's cooking.
364
That is also a skill.
365
Appreciating food.
366
Yes, I am very skilled at eating.
367
Okay.
368
What do you enjoy, David, for fun?
369
I love movies.
370
I watch a lot of movies.
371
What kind?
372
Everything.
373
Action, comedy, drama.
374
But my favorite is thriller.
375
Thriller?
376
Oh, those are exciting.
377
Yes, a thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat.
378
On the edge of your seat.
379
On the edge of your seat.
380
That means very excited, very tense.
381
You can't stop watching.
382
Yes, like you're sitting forward, not relaxed, excited.
383
I love that expression.
384
Can we use it for other things too?
385
Yes, you can say, the football match kept me on the edge of my seat.
386
Or that English exam had me on the edge of my seat.
387
Yes.
388
Hopefully in a good way.
389
And do you watch movies in English?
390
Always.
391
I always watch in English.
392
Even movies that are not originally in English.
393
So you put the English dubbing?
394
Actually, I prefer original language with English subtitles.
395
So if it's a French movie, French audio, English subtitles.
396
Oh, interesting.
397
Why?
398
Because the voice acting and dubbing is sometimes not great.
399
That's true.
400
The lips don't match the words.
401
It looks strange.
402
Yes.
403
But for learners who want to practice, English audio with English subtitles is very helpful.
404
Good advice.
405
English audio with English subtitles.
406
That is a great way to practice.
407
Okay, let's do something fun now.
408
Oh, I love fun things.
409
Let's talk about everyday English phrases.
410
Phrases that you hear all the time in English.
411
Yes, phrases that people actually use, not just textbook phrases.
412
Right, because some textbook phrases are a little… unusual.
413
A little strange, yes.
414
Like, where is the library?
415
Nobody says that.
416
Well, maybe sometimes.
417
But it's not the first thing you say when you meet someone.
418
OK, so let's start.
419
Alice, what is one of the most common English phrases?
420
Oh, easy.
421
How are you doing?
422
How are you doing?
423
how are you doing and the answer is not always i am fine thank you
424
and you yes that is very textbook real people say good thanks
425
or not bad or pretty good you pretty good you pretty good you
426
that is so natural pretty good you three words
427
and it's perfect let me give another phrase what's up what's
428
up what's up this is very casual very friendly you say it to friends
429
and the answer is usually not much
430
or nothing much just chillin just chillin just chilling chilling means
431
relaxing not doing anything special what are you doing just chilling
432
perfect what about hang on a second oh yes hang on
433
a second hang on a second it means wait wait a moment i need a second like
434
when your phone rings and you're busy you can say hang on a second yes
435
or if someone is talking too fast hang on a second i didn't catch
436
that i didn't catch that i didn't catch that and catch here doesn't mean physically catch.
437
It means I didn't understand, I didn't hear properly.
438
So if someone speaks too fast, you can say, sorry, I didn't catch that.
439
Could you say that again?
440
Could you say that again?
441
Could you say that again?
442
That is so useful.
443
And very polite.
444
Yes, polite and natural.
445
Not repeat, please.
446
That's a bit sharp.
447
A bit like a command.
448
Yes, could you say that again is much nicer.
449
Let's do one more.
450
I'm just going to...
451
Oh yes, people use this all the time.
452
I'm just going to grab a coffee.
453
I'm just going to check my phone.
454
I'm just going to step out for a minute.
455
I'm just going to...
456
I'm just going to.
457
The word just makes it sound small and casual, not a big deal.
458
Right.
459
I'm going to make coffee sounds formal.
460
I'm just going to make coffee.
461
Sounds natural and relaxed.
462
Exactly.
463
Add the word just and you sound more natural.
464
Try it.
465
Say it at home.
466
I'm just going to.
467
Finish it with something.
468
I'm just going to get some water.
469
I'm just going to sit down.
470
I'm just going to watch one more video.
471
Yes, one more video.
472
We all know that feeling.
473
Okay, new topic.
474
Let's talk about travel.
475
Oh, I love this topic.
476
Me too.
477
Have you traveled much, Alice?
478
A little.
479
Not as much as I would like, but I have been to a few places.
480
Where is the most interesting place you have visited?
481
Hmm, that is a hard question.
482
Let me think.
483
Take your time.
484
I think Japan.
485
Japan?
486
Wow.
487
Yes, Japan was incredible.
488
So different from where I grew up.
489
What was different?
490
Everything.
491
The food, the trains, the people, the architecture, the buildings and temples.
492
Architecture.
493
Architecture.
494
The design of buildings.
495
Yes, Japan has such beautiful old temples, and also very modern buildings, both at the same time.
496
Old and new together.
497
Yes, and the food, oh my, the food was amazing.
498
What did you eat?
499
I ate ramen every day.
500
Every day?
501
Almost every day, because it was so good.
502
Hot soup, noodles, soft egg.
503
Now I'm hungry.
504
And the sushi, fresh sushi, not like the sushi at home.
505
Fresh fish.
506
Real sushi.
507
Yes.
508
And in Japan, eating is a very serious thing.
509
People take it seriously.
510
There are rules.
511
What kind of rules?
512
Like, don't talk on the phone in a restaurant.
513
Don't make a lot of noise.
514
Show respect to the chef.
515
That's interesting.
516
Food as a respect.
517
Yes.
518
When someone cooks for you, you appreciate it.
519
You respect their work.
520
I love that idea.
521
Me too.
522
What about you, David?
523
Where have you been?
524
I have been to a few places in Europe, and I spent some time in South America.
525
South America? Where?
526
Colombia.
527
And a short visit to Peru.
528
Oh, wow.
529
Colombia.
530
What was that like?
531
Amazing.
532
The people were so warm, so friendly, very welcoming.
533
Welcoming.
534
Welcoming.
535
It means they make you feel at home.
536
They are happy you were there.
537
Yes.
538
People stopped to help me, invited me to eat, showed me around.
539
That is so beautiful.
540
And the music.
541
In Colombia, there is music everywhere.
542
On the street, in the cafes, in the houses.
543
I love that.
544
Music makes a city feel alive.
545
Exactly.
546
Alive.
547
You feel the energy. And Peru.
548
What did you see there?
549
Machu Picchu.
550
The famous ancient ruins.
551
Oh, that must have been incredible.
552
It was.
553
I don't have words for it.
554
You stand there and you just feel something big.
555
Like history all around you.
556
Yes, you feel small, but in a good way.
557
Like, the world is so big, so old, so beautiful.
558
I want to go there now.
559
You should.
560
Put it on your list.
561
And listeners, where do you want to travel?
562
Where is your dream destination?
563
Tell us in the comments.
564
We would love to know.
565
Yes, write your dream destination below.
566
Maybe we can all give each other travel tips.
567
Okay, I want to talk about something that many English learners feel.
568
something important.
569
What is it?
570
The fear of making mistakes.
571
Oh yes, this is a very real thing.
572
Have you ever felt afraid to speak English because you might make a mistake?
573
Many times.
574
Even now sometimes.
575
Really?
576
Even after all this time? Of course.
577
Even experienced speakers feel nervous sometimes.
578
It's human.
579
So listeners, you are not alone.
580
Even people who speak English every day still feel nervous.
581
But here is the thing.
582
The fear of mistakes, it stops you.
583
And that stopping is worse than any mistake.
584
Say that again?
585
The stopping is worse than the mistake.
586
The stopping is worse than the mistake.
587
If you stop speaking because you're afraid, you never practice.
588
And if you never practice, you never improve.
589
But if you speak, even badly, even with mistakes, you practice and you improve.
590
Every mistake is a lesson.
591
Yes.
592
I used to mix up make and do all the time.
593
Oh, that is a very common one.
594
Make and do.
595
Yes.
596
In many languages, there is only one word.
597
But in English, make and do are different.
598
So what is the difference?
599
Hmm.
600
It's a little hard to explain simply, but make is usually about creating something, like make a cake, make a decision, make a phone call.
601
So you create something when you make.
602
And do is more about activities and tasks. Do homework.
603
Do the dishes. Do exercise.
604
So do is more like completing a task.
605
Yes.
606
And sometimes there is no logical reason you just have to
607
remember like make a mistake not do a mistake make a mistake make a mistake
608
not do a mistake yes i made a mistake correct i did a mistake technically wrong
609
but even some native speakers say
610
that really really language is not always logical that's actually comforting isn't it the language is messy
611
and that's okay we all work with the mess and speaking of mistakes I have a funny story.
612
Oh, I love stories.
613
So, when I was learning Spanish, I wanted to say, I am embarrassed.
614
Okay.
615
And I said, Estoy embarazada.
616
Oh, no. Alice is laughing.
617
Tell the listeners why.
618
Because embarazada in Spanish does not mean embarrassed.
619
It means pregnant.
620
Yes.
621
I told a group of people that I was pregnant.
622
That is so funny.
623
What did they do?
624
They looked at me with very big eyes and then they laughed.
625
A lot.
626
That is a classic language mistake.
627
And you know what?
628
I'm sure you never forgot the correct word after that.
629
Never.
630
I will never forget that.
631
That is the lesson.
632
Funny mistakes stick in your memory.
633
So make mistakes.
634
Make big, funny, embarrassing mistakes.
635
Yes.
636
Within reason. But yes.
637
And listeners, do you have a funny English mistake?
638
A word you said wrong?
639
A sentence that came out completely wrong?
640
Tell us in the comments we want to hear.
641
And don't be embarrassed.
642
Or do be embarrassed, and then learn from it.
643
Okay, let's talk about work.
644
English at work.
645
This is important for so many people.
646
Yes, many of our listeners use English in their job, or they want to get a job where English is required.
647
So what kind of English do people use at work?
648
Well, it depends on the job, but there are some phrases that almost everyone uses.
649
Like what?
650
Like, can I ask you something?
651
Simple.
652
Polite.
653
Very useful.
654
Can I ask you something?
655
Or, could you help me with this?
656
Could you help me with this?
657
Could you help me with this?
658
Again, very polite.
659
Using could makes it more polite than can.
660
Right.
661
Can you help me is fine.
662
Could you help me is a little more formal and polite.
663
Good for work situations.
664
What about emails?
665
A lot of work happens in emails.
666
Oh, yes.
667
Email English is its own thing.
668
How do you start a work email in English?
669
Usually you start with dear, name, if it's formal.
670
Or hi name if it's a little more casual.
671
Yes, many modern workplaces use hi now, even hello.
672
And then you say why you're writing.
673
Like, I am writing to ask about...
674
Or I wanted to follow up on.
675
Follow up.
676
Follow up.
677
That means check again, continue a conversation, ask about something you talked about before.
678
Yes, I wanted to follow up on our meeting last week.
679
Very professional.
680
And at the end of the email?
681
You can say, please let me know if you have any questions.
682
Or, I look forward to hearing from you.
683
I look forward to hearing from you.
684
I look forward to hearing from you.
685
That means I am waiting for your reply.
686
I am excited to hear back.
687
And you end with best regards or kind regards or just best.
688
Yes, best regards is formal.
689
Best is a little more casual, but still professional.
690
So a simple work email sounds like, Hi Sarah, I am writing to follow up on our meeting last week.
691
Could you please send me the report when you have a chance?
692
I look forward to hearing from you.
693
Best regards, David.
694
Perfect.
695
Simple.
696
Professional.
697
Clear.
698
Listeners, notice how the email uses simple language, short sentences, clear meaning.
699
You don't need to use complicated words to sound professional.
700
Simple and clear is always better.
701
Always.
702
Simple and clear is always better.
703
Let's talk about something more personal now.
704
Feelings.
705
Feelings.
706
This is a rich topic.
707
It is.
708
And expressing feelings in English is very important, because people want to understand how you feel.
709
And sometimes, in our first language, we have perfect words for feelings, but in English, we have to find the right words.
710
Right.
711
Some feelings are hard to translate.
712
Yes.
713
But let's learn some good English ways to express feelings.
714
OK.
715
Let's start with the basics happy happy happy
716
but we don't always say I am happy we can also say I'm feeling great today I'm on cloud nine
717
that means very very happy I'm over the moon same very happy I'm in a good mood
718
that means feeling positive and happy I'm in a good mood I'm in a good mood
719
and the opposite I'm in a bad mood feeling negative
720
or grumpy grumpy grumpy a little bit angry irritated like you
721
don't want to talk to anyone everyone has grumpy mornings not
722
me yes you what about sadness how do we express
723
that i'm feeling down a little sad not very happy i'm
724
feeling blue also sad same idea i'm feeling blue i'm feeling blue.
725
Why blue?
726
I always wondered.
727
In English, the color blue is often connected to sadness.
728
Old songs.
729
Old poetry.
730
Interesting.
731
Language and colors.
732
Yes.
733
And then stronger sadness.
734
I'm really upset.
735
Or I'm heartbroken.
736
Heartbroken.
737
Heartbroken.
738
Like your heart is broken into pieces.
739
Usually after a loss.
740
A relationship.
741
A death.
742
Something very painful.
743
Yes, very strong feeling.
744
What about stress?
745
Many people feel stressed.
746
Oh yes, I'm stressed out.
747
Very common.
748
I'm stressed out, I'm stressed out.
749
Or I'm overwhelmed, there is too much, too many things, you can't handle it all.
750
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed.
751
That feeling when you have a hundred things to do and don't know where to start.
752
Exactly, very relatable.
753
And the opposite.
754
When everything is calm, you feel relaxed.
755
I feel at ease, comfortable and calm.
756
I feel at peace, deep, quiet calm.
757
I feel at peace.
758
I feel at peace.
759
Beautiful phrase.
760
Yes.
761
And I hope that all our listeners feel a little at peace right now, just listening to English, learning without stress.
762
That is our goal, learning without stress.
763
OK, who is ready for idioms?
764
Ooh, idioms are fun!
765
Idioms!
766
A phrase where the words together means something different from the individual words.
767
Like, break a leg.
768
Break a leg.
769
That sounds very dangerous.
770
But it means good luck, especially before performance or presentation.
771
So before this video started, I could have said to Alice, break a leg.
772
And I would say thank you.
773
Not, why would I break my leg?
774
No, that would be wrong.
775
OK, what's another one?
776
It's raining cats and dogs.
777
It's raining cats and dogs.
778
No actual cats or dogs are falling from the sky.
779
Thank goodness.
780
It means it's raining very heavily, very hard.
781
I can't go outside.
782
It's raining cats and dogs.
783
Exactly, a very common idiom.
784
Another one?
785
Hit the nail on the head.
786
Oh, yes, you hit the nail on the head.
787
It means you said exactly the right thing.
788
You got it exactly right.
789
Like if someone says, I think the problem is that we don't practice enough.
790
And you say, you hit the nail on the head.
791
Exactly right.
792
Perfect.
793
Exactly correct.
794
What about cost an arm and a leg?
795
Ooh, I use this one.
796
That new phone costs an arm and a leg.
797
It means it is very expensive.
798
You're not giving your actual arm and leg.
799
No. Although some phones, you might feel like you are.
800
True.
801
Phones are so expensive now.
802
One more.
803
My personal favorite idiom.
804
What is it?
805
Bite off more than you can chew.
806
Oh, that's a good one.
807
Imagine you take a huge bite of food, so big that you can't chew it.
808
You can't handle it.
809
Exactly.
810
So the idiom means you take on more than you can handle.
811
Too much work.
812
Too many responsibilities.
813
Like if someone agrees to work three jobs at the same time.
814
He bit off more than he could chew.
815
He took on too much.
816
Very useful.
817
Bite off more than you can chew.
818
Remember these idioms.
819
They make you sound very natural in English.
820
Yes, native speakers use these all the time.
821
When you hear them and understand, you feel amazing.
822
That feeling when you understand an idiom for the first time?
823
Yes, it's like a little victory.
824
Alice, how do you stay healthy?
825
Oh, that's a big question.
826
It is, but health is important, and we can talk about it in English.
827
True.
828
So, I try to eat well, I exercise a little, I sleep enough.
829
Sleep.
830
Sleep is so important. So important.
831
How much do you sleep, David?
832
About seven or eight hours.
833
That's good.
834
Doctors recommend seven to nine hours for adults.
835
Seven to nine.
836
Seven to nine hours of sleep.
837
And do you have a good sleep routine? hmm I try
838
I turn off my phone about an hour before bed oh
839
that's very good yes the blue light from the screen it
840
makes it harder to sleep yes the light tricks your brain
841
into thinking it's still daytime tricks tricks it fools your brain it makes your brain believe something
842
that isn't true so the phone tricks your brain
843
and then you can't sleep exactly so I put the phone down
844
and I read a little that's perfect reading before bed is very relaxing and And what about exercise?
845
Do you have a routine?
846
I do yoga sometimes.
847
Oh, yoga.
848
That's great.
849
Yes.
850
It's calming, and it stretches the body.
851
Stretches.
852
Stretches.
853
When you make the body longer, open the muscles.
854
Yes.
855
And yoga helps with stress.
856
When I do yoga, I feel much calmer.
857
That's great.
858
What about diet?
859
What you eat?
860
I try to eat more vegetables, less processed food.
861
Processed food.
862
Processed food.
863
Food that comes in a packet, that is made in a factory, with lots of added things — sugar, salt, artificial flavors.
864
Like chips, or fast food, or packaged cookies.
865
Not terrible occasionally, but not every day.
866
Everything in moderation.
867
Everything in moderation.
868
Everything in moderation.
869
That means not too much of anything.
870
Balance.
871
Yes, you can eat a cookie, just not ten cookies.
872
That is great life advice.
873
Not just food.
874
Yes, balance in everything. And water.
875
We have to mention water.
876
Oh, yes.
877
Drink water.
878
So many people don't drink enough water.
879
How much water should we drink?
880
About eight glasses a day, or about two liters.
881
Two liters.
882
Two liters of water per day.
883
When you drink enough water, your skin is better, your energy is better, your brain works better, and your English improves.
884
I'm not sure about that, but drink water anyway.
885
Alice, do you have big goals?
886
Things you want to do in the future?
887
Yes, I love thinking about the future.
888
What are some of your goals?
889
Okay, one of my goals is to travel to more countries.
890
I really want to see more of the world.
891
I love that.
892
Where do you want to go next?
893
I really want to go to Morocco.
894
Oh, beautiful country.
895
The food, the colors, the architecture, the culture.
896
I think I would love it.
897
I'm sure you would.
898
Any other goals?
899
I want to learn a new skill this year.
900
What skill?
901
Photography.
902
Oh, taking pictures.
903
Yes, I want to learn how to take really beautiful photos, not just on my phone, with a real camera.
904
That's a wonderful skill, capturing moments.
905
Yes, capturing moments.
906
Capturing moments.
907
Holding a memory in a photograph forever.
908
I love that.
909
What about you, David?
910
What are your goals?
911
I have a few.
912
One is to read more books this year.
913
How many books do you want to read?
914
At least 12.
915
One a month.
916
That's a great goal.
917
12 books.
918
And I want to get better at cooking.
919
I mentioned I'm not a great cook.
920
Yes, you mentioned that.
921
So I want to learn at least five recipes.
922
Five dishes I can cook well.
923
Five dishes.
924
That's achievable.
925
Yes.
926
Achievable.
927
Achievable.
928
Possible to do.
929
Not too hard.
930
Realistic.
931
And what is a goal for your English listeners today?
932
That is such a good question.
933
I think the goal should be to practice English every day.
934
Even for five minutes?
935
Yes, five minutes counts.
936
Ten minutes is great.
937
An hour is amazing.
938
But even five minutes every day is better than nothing.
939
Because consistency matters more than quantity.
940
Consistency matters more than quantity.
941
Consistency matters more than quantity.
942
Consistency means doing it regularly.
943
Quantity means how much.
944
So doing a little English every day, that is better than doing three hours one day and nothing for a week.
945
Every day.
946
A little every day.
947
And listeners, we are so proud of you for being here today.
948
For choosing to spend your time learning English.
949
Yes, this is not easy.
950
Learning a language takes time, takes patience.
951
But you are here.
952
You are doing it.
953
And that means everything.
954
Okay, we are almost at the end of our conversation today.
955
Already?
956
That went so fast.
957
I know.
958
Time flies when you're speaking English.
959
Time flies.
960
Time flies.
961
It means time passes very quickly.
962
Time flies when you're having fun that's the full idiom
963
and we were having fun i hope you were too let's
964
do a quick review of everything we talked about today yes good idea
965
so today david and i talked about why listening is
966
so powerful for learning english howdy at the most from your listening practice daily routines
967
and everyday life work hobbies and travel common english phrases
968
and idioms feelings and emotions in english health and wellness and goals for the future that is a lot It is.
969
And you listen to all of it. In English.
970
If you understood even 50%, you should feel amazing.
971
Yes, even 30%.
972
You are learning.
973
You are improving.
974
And every time you listen, you understand a little more.
975
A little more.
976
Every time.
977
So keep going.
978
Don't stop.
979
Never stop learning.
980
Now we have a small request.
981
A very small request.
982
If you enjoyed this video, and we hope you did, please give it a thumbs up.
983
That little thumbs up helps us so much.
984
It tells YouTube that people like this video.
985
And that means more people can find it and learn English too.
986
Yes.
987
So you're not just helping us.
988
You're helping other learners find this video.
989
And if you haven't subscribed yet, please hit that subscribe button.
990
We make English learning videos regularly.
991
And every video is made for you.
992
For you, the English learner who wants to improve.
993
We see you.
994
We appreciate you.
995
And we will never stop making content that helps you grow.
996
Before we go, we have one final question for you.
997
After listening to this whole video, how do you feel?
998
Do you feel more confident in your English?
999
Or is there something you want to learn more about?
1000
Tell us in the comments.
1001
We read every comment.
1002
Yes, every single one.
1003
And we love hearing from our listeners.
1004
You can write in simple English or in your language.
1005
We don't mind.
1006
We just love hearing from you.
1007
And if you want more videos like this one, leave a comment that says More Podcast, and we will know you want more.
1008
More podcast.
1009
Write it below.
1010
We will definitely make more if you ask.
1011
All right, my friend.
1012
It was such a pleasure spending this time with you.
1013
Yes, truly.
1014
We hope you felt comfortable listening.
1015
We hope you learned something new.
1016
And we hope you come back soon.
1017
Because there is always more to learn.
1018
Always more English to discover.
1019
Until next time, keep listening.
1020
Keep speaking.
1021
And keep growing.
1022
Take care, everyone.
1023
Take bye.
1024
And remember, you are doing amazing.
1025
You really are.
1026
See you next time.
Context & Achtergrond
In de video bespreken twee sprekers de kracht van luisteren bij het leren van Engels. Ze beginnen met een herkenbare ervaring: veel leerlingen begrijpen weinig van Engelse video's en willen dan opgeven. Maar het geheim, zo vertellen ze, is om gewoon door te luisteren. Ze vergelijken het met baby's die maandenlang luisteren voordat ze hun eerste woord zeggen – geen grammatica, maar herhaaldelijk geluiden en zinnen. Daarna bieden ze 40 minuten echte, normale conversaties aan om je luistervaardigheid te verbeteren. Dit is perfect voor B1-B2 leerlingen die hun Engels willen verbeteren door actief te luisteren.
Top 5 Zinnen voor Dagelijks Gebruik
- "Have you ever watched an English video and understood almost nothing?" – Een veelgebruikte vraag om ervaringen te delen over moeilijkheden met luisteren.
- "Did you give up?" – Handig om te vragen of iemand het opgaf bij een uitdaging.
- "The secret is, just keep listening." – Een krachtige tip die je zelf kunt gebruiken of aan anderen kunt geven.
- "Normal speed. Normal conversations." – Kort en duidelijk om te beschrijven hoe Engels in het dagelijks leven klinkt.
- "Why is listening so important for learning English?" – Een goede vraag om discussies te starten over taalonderwijs.
Stapsgewijze Gids voor Schaduwspraak
Om de video optimaal te gebruiken voor schaduwspraak (het na-spreken van sprekers direct na hen), volg deze stappen: 1. Luister eerst zonder te praten – Focus op de intonatie en snelheid. Let op hoe de sprekers pausen en klinken. 2. Herhaal korte fragmenten – Stop de video na 5-10 seconden en spreek de zin na. Probeer de klank en tempo te kopiëren. Dit helpt bij je IELTS spreekvaardigheid oefenen. 3. Gebruik een shadowing app of site – Sommige tools laten je de audio langzamer afspelen, wat handig is bij moeilijke delen. 4. Doe het dagelijks – 10-15 minuten per dag is effectiever dan een lange sessie een keer per week. 5. Reflecteer – Let op wat je makkelijker vindt na een week. Zijn er zinnen die je nu vloeiender kunt na-spreken? Met deze methode verbetert niet alleen je luistervaardigheid, maar ook je spreekvaardigheid. Onthoud: baby's leren door te luisteren – jij kunt hetzelfde doen met schaduwspreekt en consistentie!
Wat is de Shadowing-techniek?
Shadowing is een wetenschappelijk onderbouwde taalleermethode die oorspronkelijk is ontwikkeld voor professionele tolkentraining en gepopulariseerd door polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. De methode is eenvoudig maar krachtig: je luistert naar native Engelse audio en herhaalt het onmiddellijk hardop — als een schaduw die de spreker volgt met slechts 1–2 seconden vertraging. In tegenstelling tot passief luisteren of grammaticadrills, dwingt shadowing je hersenen en mondspieren om echte spraakpatronen tegelijkertijd te verwerken en te reproduceren. Onderzoek toont aan dat het de uitspraaknauwkeurigheid, intonatie, ritme, verbonden spraak, luisterbegrip en spreekvaardigheid aanzienlijk verbetert — waardoor het een van de meest effectieve methoden is voor IELTS Speaking-voorbereiding en echte Engelse communicatie.