Shadowing Practice: 1: Networking - Preparation (Fiction) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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You're listening to the Study Legal English podcast, the world's first legal English podcast,
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helping lawyers and law students become fluent in legal English.
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Hello and welcome to episode one of the Study Legal English podcast.
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I am your host Louise and over the next few shows I'll be talking to you about networking in English.
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I'll be covering everything from how to prepare for an event,
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topics of small talk and business talk and following up with phone calls, emails and meetings.
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In today's episode, we'll be looking specifically at how to prepare for a networking event,
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including how to RSVP. So, let's get started.
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Saying yes to a networking event is important because it means that we meet people,
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connect and build relationships by getting to know and like people.
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follow up with the people we meet on the phone or via email to build trust.
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This can lead to a meeting and potentially future work.
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You then expand your network and get invited to more events and the virtuous circle continues.
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Essentially the more people you meet the more business leads you will get.
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On the other hand, if you say no to an event, you immediately block yourself from all these opportunities.
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In today's episode, we'll hear a dialogue between two colleagues from MMBR law firm,
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Susan, a legal secretary, and John, a partner.
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They're discussing a forthcoming real estate law conference.
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In the dialogue, you'll hear the kind of vocabulary typical in an English-speaking law firm.
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As you listen, try to answer the following questions.
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Number one.
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Which specific talk does Susan think will be interesting for John to attend?
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Number two.
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Why does John think the event will be good for Brian?
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Number three.
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Why does John want a guest list?
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Now you'll hear the dialogue at a slow pace.
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Hi Susan.
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Oh, hi John.
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I'm glad I've caught you.
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Listen, did you get the email about the conference next month?
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Hmm, honestly I've been snowed under.
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I did see it but I just haven't had a chance to properly read it through yet.
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Okay, well let me just quickly fill you in.
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It's the 9th Annual Real Estate Investments Conference being held in Rio de Janeiro the 29th to the 31st of March.
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There are going to be lots of talks and lots of interesting speakers
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but I really think the one about the future trends of
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legal services would be really interesting for our firm especially for you John.
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Great, yes you're right I heard something about some changes in
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Brazil regarding foreign investors being able to buy property I really need to be up to date on
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that for our clients anyway I know I'm free on those dates can you make sure
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that Brian the new trainee is as well it would be
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a great opportunity for him to meet people in the field
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and to get some leads yes okay I'll follow
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that up um I think we've missed the early bird discount but there should still be places available.
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Okay, once you've checked with Brian,
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can you RSVP to confirm our attendance and try to obtain a guest and speaker list?
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I'd like to do a bit of research on who I'll need to speak to in the coffee breaks.
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Yes, of course.
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Oh, John,
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it's probably worth updating your LinkedIn page to include your recent appointment as the head of the real estate lawyers group.
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Yes, I noticed you still hadn't done it.
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Good idea.
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Can you also make sure that Brian's profile on the firm's site is up to date.
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Make sure he's got some business cards and also that he's clued up on the briefing paper that I circulated this morning.
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Now that we've listened to the dialogue, let's discuss some of the vocabulary.
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First, you'll hear the vocabulary, there will then be a beep and a short pause for you to repeat the vocabulary.
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This is followed by the definition.
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Then we'll hear an example sentence from the dialogue, followed by another example of using the vocabulary.
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Then there'll be a beep and a short pause for you to repeat the new phrase.
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Number one.
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To be snowed under.
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To be snowed under means to be very busy.
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Another way of saying this is to be up to your neck in something.
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For example, I'm up to my neck in paperwork or I've been up to my neck in work.
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John says, Hmm, honestly, I've been snowed under.
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Repeat after the beep.
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I've been snowed under at work recently.
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Number two.
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Fill you in.
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To fill someone in on something means to update them or to tell them information about something.
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Another way of saying this is to bring someone up to date on something.
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Susan says, Okay, well, let me just quickly fill you in.
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Repeat after the beep.
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Let me fill you in on the latest developments.
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Number 3.
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Trainee A trainee refers to a trainee lawyer,
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a person who has completed their legal studies
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and is carrying out a training contract which in the UK normally lasts for two years within a law firm.
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John says, can you make sure that Brian the new trainee is as well?
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Repeat after the beep.
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I'm a trainee at MMBR law firm.
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Number 4.
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Leads.
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Business leads are potential clients who could purchase your goods or services.
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John says, It would be a great opportunity for him to meet people in the field and to get some leads.
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Repeat after the beep.
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I need to follow up those leads from the conference.
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Number 5.
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Early bird discount
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Early bird discount means a discount
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which is applied to the cost of something for people who sign up to
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or register for something earlier than other customers or before a specified date.
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Susan says, I think we've missed the early bird discount.
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Repeat after the beep.
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If we register for the conference early, we'll be eligible for the early bird discount.
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Number 6.
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RSVP To RSVP is French for respondez s'il vous plaît and means to respond to the invitation.
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John says Once you've checked with Brian, can you RSVP to confirm our attendance?
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Repeat after the beep.
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I RSVP'd to the event yesterday.
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Number 7.
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Clued up and briefing paper
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To be clued up on something means to know about something or to be up to date on the topic.
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It's another way of saying well informed.
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A briefing paper is a concise and precise document
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which sets out the facts around a particular issue and can suggest a course of action.
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It summarises a topic and is aimed at quickly informing people.
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John says, And also that he's clued up on the briefing paper that I circulated this morning.
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Repeat after the beep.
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I feel really clued up on incorporation after that company law lecture.
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Repeat after the beep.
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Every week I read the firm's briefing paper to make sure I'm well informed on internal news.
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Now that we've looked at the vocabulary, let's try to answer some of these questions.
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Question 1.
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Which specific talk does Susan think will be interesting for John to attend?
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Susan said, but I really think the one about the future trends of legal services would be really interesting for our firm,
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especially for you, John.
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Answer.
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Susan thinks that John should attend the talk on the future of legal services.
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It's important for lawyers to stay up to date on topics, and going to networking events and conferences is a great way to do this.
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Question 2.
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Why does John think the event will be good for Brian?
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John said, Anyway, I know I'm free on those dates.
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Can you make sure that Brian, the new trainee is as well,
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it would be a great opportunity for him to meet people in the field and to get some leads.
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Answer.
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John thinks that Brian can meet people at the event and get some leads.
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He means that it might be a way for Brian to meet potential clients, which could lead to future work for the firm.
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Question 3.
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Why does John want a guest list?
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John said.
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And try to obtain a guest and speaker list.
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I'd like to do a bit of research on who I'll need to speak to in the coffee breaks.
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Answer.
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John wants a guest list so that he can do some background research on speakers and guests.
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At networking events, you could meet a prospective client, your future boss, or even an expert in the field.
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and the more you prepare the more you can get out of the event.
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Obtaining a guest list
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and doing some background research on people you want to speak to is a great idea
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and can easily be done nowadays by googling someone's name or reading their profile on LinkedIn or even their own website.
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Some other things that were mentioned in the dialogues were making sure your LinkedIn profile is up to date,
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taking your business cards and updating yourself on current topics.
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It's also of course important to dress appropriately,
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get directions and times and plan for the question what do you do which I'll be covering in a future podcast episode.
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So now, let's listen again to the dialogue to more natural speed.
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Hi Susan.
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Oh, hi John.
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I'm glad I've caught you.
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Listen, did you get the email about the conference next month?
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Hmm, honestly I've been snowed under.
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I did see it, but I just haven't had a chance to properly read it through yet.
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OK, well, let me just quickly fill you in.
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It's the 9th Annual Real Estate Investments Conference being held in Rio de Janeiro the 29th to the 31st of March.
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There are going to be lots of talks and lots of interesting speakers,
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but I really think the one about the future trends of legal services would be really interesting for our firm, especially for you, John.
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Great.
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Yes, you're right.
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I heard something about some changes in Brazil regarding foreign investors
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being able to buy property I really need to be up to date on
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that for our clients anyway I know I'm free on those dates can you make sure
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that Brian the new trainee is as well it would be
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a great opportunity for him to meet people in the field and to get some leads.
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Yes, okay, I'll follow that up.
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I think we've missed the early bird discount, but there should still be places available.
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Okay, once you've checked with Brian,
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can you RSVP to confirm our attendance and try to obtain a guest and speaker list?
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I'd like to do a bit of research on who I'll need to speak to in the coffee breaks.
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Yes, of course.
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Oh, John, It's probably worth updating your LinkedIn page to include your recent appointment as the head of the real estate lawyers group.
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Yes, I noticed you still hadn't done it.
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Good idea.
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Can you also make sure that Brian's profile on the firm's site is up to date?
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Make sure he's got some business cards and also that he's clued up on the briefing paper that I circulated this morning.
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The last thing we'll cover is how to RSVP to an invitation.
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Most RSVPs for business and law events are done via email nowadays.
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Here is an example for accepting an invitation.
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In your subject line you should write something like accepting your invitation for and then the event name.
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You should open your email with Dear Sir or Madam if the name is unknown or Dear Mr Smith,
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Mrs Smith, Miss Smith or Ms Smith if the name of the person you are writing to is known.
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Remember Mrs is for married women,
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Miss is for unmarried women and Ms is for women who whose marital status is unknown.
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The body of your text should read
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Thank you for the invitation to the name of the event on the date of the event.
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I am writing to confirm my attendance.
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If you are preparing name tags, my details are Name, Position, Company.
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You should close your email formally with
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kind regards or best wishes and then this should be followed by your usual email signature.
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If you need to decline for any reason to a networking
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event you can find a template email on the Study Legal English blog.
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Here are some final tips on networking in English.
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First of all, try to think of reasons why you could enjoy this event and remember to stay positive.
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Secondly, remember that many lawyers you speak to at the event will also be non-native English speakers
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and will probably also be feeling a little bit nervous about their speaking.
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Everyone is in the same boat.
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Thirdly, remember that you have some things in common with fellow guests.
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You will be meeting people in the same sector as you at the same event
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and if you have nothing else to talk about, you can always talk about these things.
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So, that's the end of today's episode.
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We've covered how to prepare for a networking event, including key vocabulary, and how to RSVP.
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For more practice, Podcast Pro members can access online learning materials including transcripts of the shows and quizzes to test your knowledge.
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If you're not a member yet,
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you can sign up for a free trial at www.studylegalenglish.com If you enjoyed this episode,
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please share it with others.
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And if you have any feedback, topic requests, or would like to feature on the show, I would love to hear from you.
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You can get in touch by email, info at studylegalenglish.com or on Facebook and Twitter.
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Thanks for listening and see you next time.
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Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This C1 speaking lesson is built on the video “1: Networking - Preparation”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: event, date, Brian, legal, lead. This video has 208 sentences and 2305 words to shadow. The speech runs for 20:36. The speaker talks at a steady 112 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| beep noun | /biːp/ | The sound produced by the horn of a car, or any similar sound. |
| trainee noun | /tɹeɪˈni/ | Someone who is still in the process of being formally trained in a workplace. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| circulate verb | /ˈsɝ.kjʊˌleɪt/ | To move in circles or through a circuit. |
| investor noun | /ɪnˈvɛs.tə(ɹ)/ | A person who invests money in order to make a profit. |
| pause noun | /pɔːz/ | A temporary stop or rest; an intermission of action; interruption; suspension; cessation. |
| concise adjective | /kənˈsaɪs/ | Brief, yet including all important information. |
| incorporation noun | /ɪŋˌkɔːpəˈɹeɪʃən/ | The act of incorporating, or the state of being incorporated. |
| thirdly adverb | /ˈθɚdli/ | In the third place; third in a row. |
| unmarried adjective | /ʌnˈmæɹ.id/ | Having no husband or wife. |
| virtuous adjective | /ˈvɝt͡ʃuəs/ | Full of virtue; having excellent moral character. |
| fluent adjective | /ˈfluənt/ | That flows; flowing, liquid. |
| marital adjective | /ˈmæɹɪtəl/ | Pertaining to marriage. |
| transcript noun | /ˈtɹæn.skɹɪpt/ | Something which has been transcribed; a writing or composition consisting of the same words as the original; a written copy. |
| template noun | /ˈtɛm.plɪt/ | A physical object whose shape is used as a guide to make other objects. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| carry out verb | /ˈkæ.ɹi aʊt/ | To hold while moving it out. |
| follow up verb | To take further actions remaining after an event; to continue, revisit, or persist; especially, to maintain communication or verify. | |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. | |
| set out verb | /ˈsɛt‿aʊt/ | To explain something, or give exact details, usually in writing. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm glad I've caught you.
- Listen, did you get the email about the conference next month?
- Hmm, honestly I've been snowed under.
- Yes, I noticed you still hadn't done it.
- I've been snowed under at work recently.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've caught · I've been snowed · we've missed |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | I've been snowed · being held · is followed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | person who has · people who sign · women who whose |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 54 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'll, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thirdly /ˈθɚdli/, forthcoming /fɔɹθˈkʌmɪŋ/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, incorporation /ɪŋˌkɔːpəˈɹeɪʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like beep, trainee, vocabulary.
What is the Shadowing Technique?
Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.