Shadowing Practice: A1/A2 Beginner English Listening Practice - Travel - Learn English Speaking with Video

Les maken...
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Travelling is my favourite thing to do when I am on holiday.
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I love to experience new places, cultures and people.
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When I am planning my travel,
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the first thing that I have to think about is where I want to go, my destination.
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After choosing my destination, I book my flight or train ticket.
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If it is too expensive, I always change my destination to a similar one.
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When I have booked my flight, I start to look at hotels and apartments.
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I also find attractions and restaurants that are near where I am going to stay.
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If I see that my accommodation, which is where I am staying,
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is far from the city or town centre, I will choose one that is nearer.
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I don't want to spend all my holidays walking to and from my hotel.
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Once I have booked my holiday, I can pack my bags a few days before.
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I always make sure to check that I have everything I need like my passport,
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tickets and cash.
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I prefer to use cash on holiday instead of my debit card if I am travelling to a country
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that has a different currency.
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In England, we use pounds.
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Then it is time to go to the airport or train station.
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When I arrive, I am usually excited but nervous.
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I always get to the airport early and go through security and passport control quickly.
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There are some machines to check in before you board your flight.
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During the journey, I usually sit back and relax.
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I don't like taking off, but when we are in the air, I can relax.
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I don't like to talk to other travellers when I am travelling by plane.
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I prefer to watch a film or listen to music.
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When I arrive at my destination, I go directly to my hotel or apartment and check in.
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I don't like walking around with my heavy bags or suitcases.
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After I check in, I go to my room, have a shower and leave my suitcases there.
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Then I am free to discover the city or the town.
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I don't like to sign up to guided tours.
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I prefer to hire a bike or walk around the city on my own.
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I usually meet other tourists while I am sightseeing.
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I sometimes even make new friends.
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It is easier when you are from the same country,
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because you can speak the same language.
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But I am lucky that I can speak English, because that means I can talk to a lot of people.
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I always take photos of the famous monuments, but I don't like taking selfies.
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I'm thinking about backpacking around Europe on my next trip.
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I would only take a backpack.
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I wouldn't take any suitcases.
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People usually travel around Europe by train on this type of holiday because it is cheaper.
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But I think that I could go by train, bus or plane.
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Now let's answer some questions about this video.
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You can write your answers in the comment section and I can correct them.
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What don't I like to do on holiday?
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Why do I go directly to the hotel when I arrive?
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What are my plans for my next trip?
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Remember to write the answers to the questions in the comments section.
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Please subscribe and like this video if you enjoyed it and I'll see you in another video.
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Bye!

Why Practice Speaking with This Travel-Focused Video?

Practicing with this video is a fantastic way to boost your language learning skills, especially if you love travel! The dialogue uses everyday, relatable scenarios—like planning a trip, booking accommodation, and exploring a new city—so you’ll learn phrases you can use in real life. Plus, the slow, clear speech makes it perfect for speaking practice and the shadowing technique: just repeat the speaker’s words aloud, mimicking their rhythm and tone. You’ll build confidence in talking about your own travel plans in no time!

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The video is packed with useful structures for beginners. Let’s break down a few:

  • "I prefer to use cash instead of my debit card": The phrase "prefer to... instead of..." helps you compare choices—great for talking about travel habits.
  • "If it is too expensive, I always change my destination": This conditional sentence (If + present, present) is key for making plans and solving problems.
  • "I'm thinking about backpacking around Europe": "Thinking about + verb-ing" shows future intentions, perfect for sharing your next trip ideas.

Common Pronunciation Traps

Pay attention to these tricky words to nail your pronunciation practice:

  • "Accommodation": It’s pronounced uh-kom-uh-DEY-shuhn, not "a-kom-oh-DAY-shun"—don’t stress the second syllable!
  • "Monuments": The "u" sounds like "uh" (mon-uh-ments), not "oo".
  • "Backpacking": Make sure to stress the first syllable (BACK-pack-ing), not the second.

Keep practicing, and soon these words will roll off your tongue. Happy learning—and happy travels!

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.