Shadowing Practice: 10 everyday English expressions to level up your fluency in 2026 - Learn English Speaking with Video
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To kick things off for 2026, I tried to hit the ground running, but after tripping over, I had to get back on track, take it till I make it, and really step up my game.
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Welcome to 2026.
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I wanted to share with you 10 expressions that will help you kick off this year.
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Okay, these are common idioms and expressions that you might have heard before, you might be using them regularly, and maybe you don't know them.
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So today I'm going to share with you these expressions.
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I love these expressions, I do use them often.
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The definition and a few examples.
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Remember, when I share the examples, practice with me out loud.
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Because when you repeat a phrase out loud and then the example sentence, it makes it a whole lot easier for you to remember it
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and for the brain to make the new connections and then for you to be able to use it spontaneously.
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Otherwise, you'll just watch the video and forget everything by the end, and we don't want that.
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I also have a practice PDF for you so that you can download with all the expressions, the definitions, and example sentences for you to practice on your own.
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But before we get started, Happy New Year!
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If you're new to my channel, my name is Hadar.
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I'm a non-native speaker of English, and I am here to help you speak English with clarity, confidence, and freedom.
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You can follow me on social media to get daily lessons.
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You can also check out my website at hadarshamish.com for hundreds of free lessons.
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Let's get started.
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The first expression is to hit the ground running.
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To hit the ground running.
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So to hit the ground running is to start something with energy and confidence right from the beginning.
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For example, we want to hit the ground running on Monday, so let's review the plan today.
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We want to hit the ground running on Monday, so let's review the plan today.
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Or, she hit the ground running in her new role and impressed everyone.
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She hit the ground running in her new role and impressed everyone.
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So, a quick reminder to hit the ground running is to start something with energy and confidence right from the beginning,
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exactly the same way you are starting 2026.
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Am I right or am I right?
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The next expression we are going to practice today is to make it happen.
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Pronunciation.
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Make it, make it, you want to connect it?
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Make it, make it happen.
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Ha, ha, happen.
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To make it happen is to take action to achieve a
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goal instead of waiting for things to work out on their own.
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To make it happen.
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So you're being proactive about achieving something.
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For example, we've talked about this goal long enough and now let's make it happen.
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We've talked about this goal long enough and now let's make it happen.
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Very good.
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Another one.
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We have a tight deadline, but together we can make it happen.
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We have a tight deadline, but together we can make it happen.
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The third expression is to stick with it.
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Stick with it.
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A lot of I sounds.
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I, I, I.
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Stick with it.
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Stick with it.
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Stick with it.
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To stick with it means to continue doing something even when it's hard or takes time.
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If you want to improve your English, you have to practice regularly and stick with it.
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Another example.
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You wanted to quit, but his coach told him to stick with it.
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You wanted to quit, but his coach told him to stick with it.
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You have to stick with it, you hear me?
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Stick with it.
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So the next one is to get back on track.
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Get back on track.
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Listen to the rhythm.
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Get back on track.
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Get back on track.
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We have a nice open a sound for the words back and track.
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So to get back on track is the phrase and expression that you need if you don't stick with it.
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because it means to return to good habits or progress after a break or a setback.
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So when we're working on a new habit or trying to learn something, sometimes we fall off track and then you need to get back on track.
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Get back on track.
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For example, I missed a few days of practice, but I'm ready to get back on track.
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I missed a few days of practice, but I'm ready to get back on track.
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After the holidays, it took me a while to get back on track with my routine.
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After the holidays, it took me a while to get back on track with my routine.
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The next expression is to level up.
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To level up means to improve your skills or performance to reach a higher level.
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I always use it when I talk about level up your English, level up your confidence, level up your fluency.
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To level up.
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Level up.
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For example, I'm ready to level up my speaking skills this year.
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I'm ready to level up my speaking skills this year.
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Amen to that.
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If you want to see better results, you need to level up your practice routine.
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If you want to see better results, you need to level up your practice routine.
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The next is to kick things off.
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Kick things off.
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So you want to connect the phrase together.
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Usually within expressions everything is connected.
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So kick things, we want to connect it.
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It might be a little challenging to connect that and the TH, so let's practice it.
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Kick things, kick things.
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And then when we connect things and off, the zzz sound of things, yes it's an S but pronounced as a Z, becomes the beginning of the next word.
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Things off.
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Things off.
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This allows you to connect all the phrases or all the words together.
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Kick things off.
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Kick things off.
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To kick things off is to start an activity, meeting, or a project.
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To kick things off.
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For example, let's kick things off with a quick warm-up.
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Let's kick things off with a quick warm-up.
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Another example, they kick things off by sharing their goals for the week.
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They kick things off by sharing their goals for the week.
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Very good.
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The next one is to set the tone.
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Set the, set the, connect these two together, T on the teeth and then it releases to a TH.
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Set the tone.
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Long O as and go, the T is slightly aspirated.
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Tone.
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Set the, set the, set the tone.
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To set the tone is to create the feeling or style that influences how something will go.
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Let me set the tone.
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All right, so for example, your opening message will set the tone for the whole meeting.
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Your opening message will set the tone for the whole meeting.
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So for example, if your opening message is going to be aggressive and rude,
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it's going to set probably like a negative tone rather than if your opening message is going to be optimistic and cheerful,
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you know, the meeting is going to be more optimistic and positive.
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A warm welcome can set the tone for the entire session.
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A warm welcome can set the tone for the entire session.
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Good.
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The next one, to step up your game
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or step up my game is to improve the way you perform because more effort or better results are needed.
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Okay.
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So when you're not happy with something or when the performance of something is not great, then you might need to step up your game.
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Or you might ask other people to step up their game.
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For example, I realize that I need to step up my game if I want to reach my goals.
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I realize that I need to step up my game if I want to reach my goals.
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Or it's time to step up your game and bring your best work.
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Because you've been using ChatGPT to write these papers and you need to step up your game, my friend.
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It's time to step up your game and bring your best work.
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Another one is to raise the bar.
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Raise the bar.
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Again, try to connect all the words together.
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And if it's hard, just do it slowly and then gradually speed up.
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Raise the bar.
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Raise the, raise the, raise the bar.
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To raise the bar is to increase the standard or expectation.
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I love to always raise the bar for myself and for my team and for our company.
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To raise the bar.
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For example, this project really raised the bar for our team.
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This project really raised the bar for our team.
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We had to work really hard to get it done and to learn a lot of new things and to try
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different things that we haven't tried before.
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We had to level up.
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We had to step up our game because the bar was raised.
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One more example.
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He keeps raising the bar for himself and it shows.
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He keeps raising the bar for himself and it shows.
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Another one is fake it till you make it.
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Fake it, fake it, fake it, till you make it, till you make it.
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To fake it till you make it means to act confident or capable, even if you're not fully there yet, until you actually become more confident and capable.
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Okay?
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So to fake it, to pretend like you're confident, to pretend like you are capable.
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Let me give you an example.
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When you're nervous, sometimes you just need to fake it till you make it.
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Even though you might be afraid of public speaking, you have to take the challenge and fake it till you make it.
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All right, that's it.
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I hope you found this helpful.
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Remember that you can download a PDF with all these expressions, the definitions and example sentences so you can practice it regularly.
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but also I hope it inspired you to level up or step up your game or just stick with it.
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Let me know in the comments your favorite expression out of all the expressions that we shared today.
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In the meantime, have a beautiful, beautiful week.
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Have a beautiful, beautiful year and I will see you next week in the next video.
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Bye!
Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging with the expressions shared in this video is essential for anyone looking to improve English pronunciation and fluency. Each idiom has been carefully chosen to reflect real-life conversations that you may encounter daily. By practicing these phrases aloud, you not only enhance your speaking skills, but also build confidence in your ability to use English spontaneously. Furthermore, speaking the examples together with the content will help you solidify your understanding and make these expressions a part of your active vocabulary—you'll feel more comfortable when trying to express yourself in various situations.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The speaker presents several useful expressions in an engaging manner, making them memorable and applicable in everyday conversations. Here are three key structures to focus on:
- To hit the ground running: This idiomatic expression indicates starting a task energetically. For example, "She hit the ground running in her new role and impressed everyone." This structure emphasizes action from the outset, which is crucial when kicking off new projects or routines.
- To make it happen: This phrase embodies a proactive mindset. The speaker states, "We’ve talked about this goal long enough; now let’s make it happen." The imperative nature of this expression underlines the importance of taking initiative and responsibility for your goals.
- To stick with it: This phrase is a reminder of perseverance. The advice to "stick with it" encourages learners to stay committed to practicing their English, reinforcing that achieving fluency takes time and dedication.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice with the video, pay close attention to some tricky words and phrases that can hinder clear communication:
- Make it happen: Focus on connecting the words smoothly by saying, "make it, make it happen." This practice can greatly enhance your overall pronunciation.
- Hit the ground running: This phrase contains several challenging sounds. Practice emphasizing each word by articulating the "h" in "hit" and the "g" in "ground," making sure to pronounce all syllables clearly.
- Stick with it: Notice the way the 'i' sounds blend together. Practice saying it slowly, increasing your speed as you become more comfortable. This approach reinforces your English speaking practice and improves quick response capabilities.
Utilizing these expressions will not only help you build a strong foundation for learning English with YouTube resources, but it also sets you on the path to utilizing a variety of idioms naturally in conversation. To solidify your learning, consider using a shadowing app or a dedicated shadowing site, allowing you to mimic and enhance your pronunciation even further.
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.