Shadowing Practice: #102 Getting organised (Med) | SBS Learn English - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Learning English helps me manage things better, like actually remembering to fit my cap.
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SPS acknowledges the traditional custodians of country and their connections and continuous care for the skies, lands and waterways throughout Australia.
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When you open your diary or calendar, what do you see?
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Is it filled with meetings, events, and things to do?
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Or is it blank, just waiting for you to add something?
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My name is Josipa and at the start of this week, I told myself it was time to get organized.
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Everything was being so messy around me.
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So in this episode, we'll practice everyday English phrases that you can use when you are trying to plan ahead,
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stay on top of things or get your act together.
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But what do these phrases actually mean?
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You'll have to listen to the episode to find out.
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First, let's hear how Alan and Claire are talking about getting organised.
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I really need to get my act together.
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This week's been a mess.
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Oh, I know.
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I'm planning ahead now so things don't get out of hand next week.
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I've started setting reminders so I don't forget stuff.
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Hopefully it'll help me manage my time better.
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Same here, especially with deadlines.
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I put it in my calendar, break big tasks into smaller steps and tick them off as I go.
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Wow, sounds like Alan and Claire are definitely juggling a lot.
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When someone says they're juggling a lot, it means they have a lot of different things to manage at the same time,
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and they're trying to keep everything under control without dropping anything.
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For example, Alan could say, I've been juggling a lot at work and at home.
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This means he's been managing a lot of different responsibilities at the same time, both at work and at home.
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Now, let's hear what Alan said at the start of our dialogue.
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I really need to get my act together.
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This week's been a mess.
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I really need to get my act together.
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This is a common, informal phrase you can use with your friends and family.
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We use this phrase when we realise we need to get organised, focus and take control of things.
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You could also say...
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I need to sort myself out. Or...
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I need to pull myself together.
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And that would mean the same thing as saying, I really need to get my act together.
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We usually use these phrases when life, work or daily tasks feel messy or out of control.
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Just like my life right now.
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Anyway, then Claire said, I'm planning ahead now so things don't get out of hand.
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Claire is planning ahead, which means she's organizing her responsibilities in advance to make sure things don't get out of hand.
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I get easily stressed when things become too difficult or messy.
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In other words, when things get out of hand.
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Are you someone who likes planning ahead?
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I am because if I don't plan ahead, I fall behind.
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You can say that you are falling behind when you are not keeping up with your tasks, work or responsibilities.
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For example, if Claire hasn't finished her work on time, she could say...
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I'm falling behind on my reports.
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I need to sort myself out.
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Then Alan replied...
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I've started setting reminders so I don't forget stuff.
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Hopefully, it'll help me manage my time better.
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When you set reminders, you're making little alerts or notes on your phone,
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computer or calendar to help you remember things you need to do.
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Alan started setting reminders because...
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I need to manage my time better.
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You can manage lots of things.
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You might manage people or manage your money.
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But I think that managing your own time can be the hardest thing to do.
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You could also say...
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I need to keep on top of my tasks.
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Or, I need to stay on top of things.
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When you stay or keep on top of things, you keep control of your tasks,
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work or responsibilities so nothing gets forgotten or out of control.
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It's about managing your time and tasks regularly and staying organised.
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At the end of the dialogue, Claire also said that she needs to manage her time better.
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Especially with deadlines.
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I put it in my calendar, break big tasks into smaller steps, and tick them off as I go.
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Claire needs to get on top of her deadlines.
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A deadline is a date or time by which you must finish a task or project.
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If you don't finish, you're dead, of course.
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Well, maybe not really.
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Of course, not really.
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Personally, I don't like missing a deadline.
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It stresses me out and then I start falling behind with my work.
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Maybe I can keep on top of my tasks using some of the things that Claire is planning to do.
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I put it in my calendar, break big tasks into smaller steps and tick them off as I go.
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What do you think of Claire's system for staying organized?
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I like that it's simple.
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First, she writes down her tasks in her calendar.
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Then, I break big tasks into smaller steps.
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This means that she splits a big task into smaller, more achievable steps.
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Here, steps just means small tasks.
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Claire also said, I tick my tasks off as I go.
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This means she crosses tasks off her to-do list once she has done them.
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I like ticking my tasks off as I go too.
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It helps me see my progress and that, that keeps me motivated.
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Okay, so we have heard the dialogue, tick.
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Learn some new phrases, tick.
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What's next?
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Oh yeah, let's hear Alan and Claire once again.
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I really need to get my act together.
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This week's been a mess.
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Oh, I know.
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I'm planning ahead now so things don't get out of hand next week.
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I've started setting reminders so I don't forget stuff.
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Hopefully it'll help me manage my time better.
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Same here, especially with deadlines.
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I put it in my calendar, break big tasks into smaller steps and tick them off as I go.
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It's time to practice.
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See if you remember the meaning before hearing the answer.
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When someone says they are juggling a lot,
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they are… A person who's juggling a lot has many tasks,
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responsibilities or things to manage at the same time.
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What does it mean to stay on top of things?
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To stay on top of things means to keep control of everything
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that you have to do so that nothing gets forgotten or out of control.
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Let's now practise our speaking skills by repeating after Alan and Claire.
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I really need to get my act together.
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I'm planning ahead so things don't get out of hand.
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I need to keep on top of my tasks.
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I need to manage my time better.
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If you want to practice speaking more, check out our bonus episode and pop over to our website.
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All the phrases are there in our learning notes.
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We also post little learning snippets on social media, so you can find us on Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
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Just search for SBS Learn English.
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I'm Josipa.
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Thanks for learning English with me today.
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Now let's go and get organized.
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Or at least we can talk about getting organized.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Getting organised”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: task, manage, Claire, Alan, ahead. This video has 118 sentences and 1220 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:11. The speaker talks at a steady 133 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| tick noun | /tɪk/ | A tiny woodland arachnid of the suborder Ixodida. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| calendar noun | /ˈkæl.ən.də/ | Any system by which time is divided into days, weeks, months, and years. |
| deadline noun | /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ | A time limit in the form of a date on or before which something must be completed. |
| juggling noun | /ˈd͡ʒʌɡəlɪŋ/ | The art of moving objects, such as balls, clubs, beanbags, rings, etc. in an artful or artistic manner. |
| organize verb | /ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/ | To arrange in working order. |
| reminder noun | /ɹɪˈmaɪndə(ɹ)/ | Someone or something that reminds. |
| messy adjective | /ˈmɛsi/ | In a disorderly state; chaotic; disorderly. |
| dialogue noun | /ˈdaɪəˌlɑɡ/ | A conversation or other form of discourse between two or more individuals. |
| achievable adjective | /əˈt͡ʃivəbəl/ | Capable of being achieved, which either means possible or probable. |
| custodian noun | /kəˈstoʊdiən/ | A person entrusted with the custody or care of something or someone; a caretaker or keeper. |
| snippet noun | /ˈsnɪpɪt/ | A small part of something, such as a song or fabric; sample. |
| waterway noun | /ˈwɔːtəweɪ/ | A body of water, such as a river, channel or canal, that is navigable. |
| motivate verb | /ˈmoʊ.tɪ.veɪt/ | To provide someone with an incentive to do something; to encourage; to actuate. |
| informal adjective | /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/ | Not formal or ceremonious. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| plan ahead verb | To schedule or plan extensively for problems before it is needed; to come up with solutions before problems occur; to prepare for future situations. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| fall behind verb | To be late (for a regular event) |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| keep up with verb | To manage to remain beside or just behind someone or something that is moving away from one. |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- When you open your diary or calendar, what do you see?
- I've started setting reminders so I don't forget stuff.
- Hopefully it'll help me manage my time better.
- Are you someone who likes planning ahead?
- I'm falling behind on my reports.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been juggling · he's been managing |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | week's been · I've started · hasn't finished |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | ahead, which means · someone who likes |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | started setting · start falling · practice speaking |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 31 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: achievable /əˈt͡ʃivəbəl/, continuous /kənˈtɪn.juː.əs/
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 tick, phrase, calendar.
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.