Shadowing Practice: 15 Questions Every English Learner Should Be Able to Answer | English Conversation Practice - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hello, Emily.
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Hi, everyone.
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It's good to be here.
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Emily, I met someone at a neighbor's dinner last week, and we talked for almost an hour.
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Almost an hour?
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That sounds like a good dinner.
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What got the conversation going?
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A simple introduction, actually.
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Nothing clever.
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She said, Hi, I'm Anna.
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What's your name?
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Then we found out we'd both lived in the same town.
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That's a great place to start our topic.
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Today, we're exploring 15 questions every English learner should be able to answer.
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Through the conversations, those questions can open.
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And that first question sounds easy until you're in a room full of people.
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What's your name?
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Suddenly you're thinking about every word except your own name.
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Especially when you're worried about your English.
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But I'm Anna, or my name's Anna, is enough.
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You don't need a long introduction before anyone knows who you are.
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Right.
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Although I'd add, nice to meet you.
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It gives the other person a friendly response, even if you don't know what to say next.
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I agree.
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And if you didn't catch their name, ask, sorry, what's your name again?
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That's something I say in English all the time.
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Me too.
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I once remembered a man's dog's name but forgot his name.
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The dog was called Pancake.
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That was easier to remember.
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Pancake would stay in my head too.
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But asking again is kinder than avoiding someone because you forgot their name.
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Exactly.
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After names, people often ask, where are you from?
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That's how Anna and I found our shared town.
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But does that question always mean where you were born?
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Not always.
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It usually means the place you think of as home.
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You can say, I'm from Brazil, or name your city if that feels more useful.
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What if you grew up in one place and spent most of your adult life somewhere else?
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A single answer might feel a little strange.
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Then give both pieces.
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I'm from Recife, but I've lived in Boston for 10 years.
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You're giving someone a little background, and they can choose what to ask about.
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Like, do you miss Recife?
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Although I'd probably ask about the weather first.
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Moving to Boston gives you plenty to say about winter.
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It does.
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But I wouldn't assume someone misses home or wants to explain why they moved.
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What's it like there?
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Gives them more freedom.
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That's fair.
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My question could open something personal before we really know each other.
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Yours lets them talk about the beach, the city, or whatever they enjoy.
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And those details help the conversation grow.
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It's a busy city near the ocean gives me something to picture.
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A perfect sentence isn't what makes me interested.
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The picture does.
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Now, Anna asked me, where do you live?
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We'd already talked about where we were from, but those answers were different.
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That's a useful difference.
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Where are you from? asks about your background.
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Where do you live usually asks about your home now.
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So a learner could say, I live in Miami now, and they don't need to give their address, which sometimes worries people.
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Absolutely.
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A city or general area is enough.
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I live near downtown works too, especially if you're talking to someone who knows the city.
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And sometimes it leads to a practical connection.
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Oh, I work near there.
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Have you tried the little cafe beside the park?
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Now you've got somewhere to go on Saturday.
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That's what I like about these questions.
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A small answer can lead to something useful in your actual life.
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It can.
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Though the next common question isn't everyone's favorite.
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What do you do?
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At a dinner, that usually means work, right?
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Usually, yes.
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I'm a teacher, I work in a store, or I'm a student are clear answers but people's lives don't always fit one job title.
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Exactly.
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Someone might be looking for work, taking care of family, or changing careers.
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I'd hate for them to feel they had nothing to say.
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They have an answer too.
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I'm looking for work right now, or I'm home with my kids.
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You can describe your situation simply without explaining everything.
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I like that.
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And if your job title is hard to translate, describe the work.
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I help customers choose furniture tells me more than a title I don't understand.
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It also gives me a follow -up.
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Do people usually know what they want?
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I imagine choosing a sofa can turn into quite a family discussion.
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Especially when one person wants comfort and the other wants a white sofa with three children in the house.
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But work can take over a conversation.
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That's why I like asking, what do you like to do in your free time?
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It gives people room to talk about another part of their lives.
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Although, free time can sound like a luxury.
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A friend with a new baby told me his hobby was drinking coffee while it was still hot.
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That's an honest answer.
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Nobody needs an impressive hobby.
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I like watching movies, or I enjoy walking can start a lovely conversation.
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Especially if you add one detail.
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I like walking by the river after work.
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Now I can ask whether you go alone or take your dog.
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And you might discover you both go there.
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Those first five questions have already taken us from names to a possible shared walk.
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Which makes me wonder about something.
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When someone says, I like walking, how do we keep asking questions without making them feel like they're being interviewed?
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Share something about yourself between questions.
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If you tell me you walk by the river, I might say, I go there on Sundays.
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It's quieter in the morning.
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So now you're part of the conversation, too.
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That feels different from standing there with a list of things you want to know about me.
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Exactly.
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And your Sunday walk might make me curious about your week.
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What's your typical day like?
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That's another useful question, especially when you're getting to know someone.
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Mine starts with coffee, then checking what I need to teach that day.
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But I'd probably mention that I walk to work.
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People often ask how far it is.
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That's a nice detail.
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For someone practicing, I get up at 7, go to work, and cook dinner in the evening is already a clear answer.
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It is, but would you really describe your whole day at a dinner?
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I'd worry everyone would lose interest somewhere between breakfast and finding my keys.
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You don't have to give every step.
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Choose two or three things.
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I work early, so my afternoons are usually free.
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That tells me something about your life.
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And gives me a reason to say, lucky you.
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My afternoons are busy.
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Though an early start probably means you're asleep while I'm still deciding what to watch.
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There's always a trade.
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And some people don't have a typical day.
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My schedule changes every week is a perfectly useful answer, too.
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That sounds like my friend who works at a hospital.
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We can never choose a dinner time until she checks her schedule.
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Then we have to choose the food.
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Which brings us to, what kind of food do you like?
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That question can actually help you make a plan together instead of just exchanging information.
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I'd say I like Mexican food, especially tacos, but if we're choosing a restaurant, I'd also mention that I don't eat much spicy food.
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Good point.
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You can like a kind of food and still have preferences.
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I love Indian food, but I prefer mild dishes.
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Those two ideas belong together.
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And saying I'll eat anything can get you into trouble.
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A friend once said that, then spent 10 minutes explaining everything he wouldn't eat.
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Maybe he meant, I'll eat anything involving potatoes.
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But you don't need to pretend you like everything.
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I'm happy with pizza or pasta helps the other person choose.
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It also sounds friendlier than only saying what you hate.
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If I'm inviting you somewhere, give me a few places where we can both enjoy the meal.
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Right.
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Now, imagine we've chosen a cafe and we're sitting down together on Monday.
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I might ask, what did you do last weekend?
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I'd have an actual answer this week.
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I helped my sister move and we ordered pizza afterward.
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The pizza was the easier part.
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I believe that.
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And notice how much we learn from that short answer?
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You spent time with family, did something helpful, and probably had a tiring day.
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You could ask whether she moved far away or share your own moving story.
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You wouldn't need to ask me five more questions about the pizza.
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Unless the pizza was amazing.
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But for learners, it helps to have a few everyday past phrases ready.
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I stayed home, I visited a friend, or I worked.
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What if you stayed home and feel your answer is boring?
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People sometimes invent a more exciting weekend in their heads before they even speak.
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A quiet weekend is still worth talking about.
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I stayed home and watched a movie gives us a movie to discuss.
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You don't owe anyone an adventure.
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That takes some pressure off.
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And if you're listening and want to practice, tell us in the comments what you did last weekend.
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One honest sentence is enough.
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Yes, and if these conversations help you, like the video and subscribe to Mr. English channel.
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We'll keep giving you everyday English you can use with people.
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Speaking of everyday conversations, Monday talk often moves toward Friday pretty quickly.
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What are you doing this weekend feels like a natural next question.
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It does.
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You could say, I'm meeting a friend on Saturday.
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But you can also say, I don't have any plans yet.
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That might lead to an invitation.
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Although I'd be careful about assuming no plans means someone's available.
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Sometimes a free Saturday is exactly what they've been looking forward to.
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Absolutely.
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A plan to rest counts.
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I'm staying home and taking it easy is a clear answer.
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You can enjoy someone's company and still need time alone.
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I like that answer.
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And talking about plans reminds me of a student who wanted English for travel.
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Her first goal was ordering breakfast without pointing at someone else's plate.
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That's a very practical goal.
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When we ask, why are you learning English, the answer doesn't have to be big.
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I want to travel already tells us something meaningful.
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Or, I need English for work.
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But I'd probably ask what part of work, because talking to customers and reading instructions need different kinds of practice.
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Exactly.
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I want to talk to our customers makes the goal clearer.
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You can choose phrases for those conversations and practice something you'll actually need.
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And someone might say, I want to talk with my grandchildren.
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That changes how I'd help them.
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We'd practice asking about school, friends, and their day.
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Those reasons matter because they connect learning to people.
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But when you finally get that conversation, you might still miss a word or lose your place.
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Especially when the other person answers faster than you expected.
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How do you handle that moment while keeping the conversation comfortable?
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Tell them what you need.
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Could you say that again is a friendly, useful question.
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You can add a little more slowly, please, if speed is the problem.
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That's better than smiling through an answer you didn't understand.
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Especially if they've just asked you to meet somewhere and you've agreed to a mystery location.
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Exactly.
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And asking again doesn't mean your English has failed people miss things because of background noise, unfamiliar names, or simply being tired.
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I missed half a conversation in a crowded restaurant recently.
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My English was fine.
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The music was louder than the person sitting across from me. That happens.
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And when someone asks you to repeat yourself, a useful answer is, sure.
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Then say the same thing clearly with a little more space between words.
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Instead of immediately making the sentence twice as long, I've seen people explain so much that the original message disappears under all the extra information.
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Yes, and sometimes hearing the sentence again isn't enough.
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Then you can ask, what does that mean?
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Maybe you heard the word clearly but don't know it.
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Like someone saying, let's grab a bite.
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You might know every word and still wonder what they want you to grab.
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Right.
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If someone asks me about that expression, I'd say, it means, let's get something to eat.
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A simple explanation helps them stay in the conversation.
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And as a learner, you can check your understanding.
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So you mean lunch?
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That gives the other person a chance to confirm what they meant.
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Exactly.
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These are questions you should be comfortable answering and also asking.
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When someone needs help understanding you, you get to make that moment easier for them.
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That's a nice way to think about it.
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Though sometimes the difficulty isn't a word.
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Someone asks something personal, and you're deciding how much to share.
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Like, how are you feeling today?
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That can be a real check on someone's well -being, especially between friends.
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It deserves an answer that fits the relationship.
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So if a co -worker asks before a meeting, I'm a little tired, but I'm okay, might be enough.
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You don't have to explain your whole evening.
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Exactly.
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And with a close friend, you might say, honestly, I've had a difficult morning.
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That gives them a chance to offer support if you want it.
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I'd also want learners to know they can answer positively without saying fine every time.
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I'm feeling good today.
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Or I'm excited about the weekend.
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Sounds natural.
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It does.
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And you can set a boundary gently.
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I've had a long day.
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I'd rather talk about something else.
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You're allowed to choose what you share.
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That could lead to a helpful question from a friend.
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What would you like to do?
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Sometimes getting out for a walk feels better than talking about the whole problem.
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And you can give a clear preference.
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I'd like to get some fresh air.
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Or I'd like to stay home tonight.
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The other person doesn't have to guess.
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Although when someone asks me that about dinner, I sometimes say whatever you want.
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Then they suggest something, and I suddenly discover a strong opinion.
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That's why offering two choices can help.
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I'd like to cook, or we could get pizza.
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You're giving a preference while leaving room for their ideas.
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What if you disagree?
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Say, I want to see a movie, but you've already spent the whole day sitting down.
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I could say, I'd rather go for a walk.
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Would that work for you?
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A different preference doesn't have to become an argument.
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And if it works, we've made an actual plan.
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That brings us to an invitation.
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Would you like to join us?
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Maybe a few friends are walking after dinner.
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If you want to go, I'd love to.
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What time?
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Is a warm answer.
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You can ask where to meet, too.
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So the invitation turns into something clear.
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And if you can't go, thanks for asking, but I can't tonight, is enough.
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I appreciate a clear answer more than an uncertain yes that never becomes a plan.
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Me, too.
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True.
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If you're interested another time, say, maybe next week, but only offer that if you mean it.
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A friendly answer can still be honest.
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There's something reassuring about all of this.
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You don't need an amazing story, a perfect schedule, or an exciting hobby to have something worth saying.
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You already have a life to talk about out.
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Where you live, what you enjoy, how your day went.
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English gives you another way to share those things.
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And another way to hear about someone else's life.
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That's what I remember from that dinner with Anna.
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We found shared place, then followed the conversation from there.
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So choose one of these questions and answer it out loud today.
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Start with something true, you, then add one small detail that another person could ask about.
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You might say, I like cooking, especially soup in winter.
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That's a short answer, but now I'm curious about what you cook and who taught you.
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And if you get stuck, take a breath and try again.
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A conversation gives you chances to ask, explain, and learn about each other as you go.
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Thanks for spending this time with us, everyone.
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We hope your next conversation starts a little more easily and takes you somewhere interesting.
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Thanks for listening to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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Keep practicing, keep connecting, and we'll see you next time.
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Bye, Paul.
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Bye, Emily.
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And bye, everyone.
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Take care and happy learning.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “15 Questions Every English Learner Should Be Able to Answer”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: answer, conversation, English. This video has 308 sentences and 2809 words to shadow. The speech runs for 16:52. The speaker talks at a natural 167 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pizza noun | /ˈpi.tsə/ | A baked Italian dish of a thinly rolled bread crust typically topped before baking with tomato sauce, cheese, and other ingredients such as meat or vegetables. |
| preference noun | /ˈpɹɛf(ə)ɹ(ə)ns/ | The selection of one thing or person over others (with the main adposition being "for" in relation to the thing or person, but possibly also "of") |
| everyday adjective | /ˈɛvɹiˌdeɪ/ | Appropriate for ordinary use, rather than for special occasions. |
| invitation noun | /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/ | The act of inviting; solicitation; the requesting of a person's company. |
| hobby noun | /ˈhɑ.bi/ | An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time. |
| practical adjective | /ˈpɹæk.tɪ.kəl/ | Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis. |
| curious adjective | /ˈkjʊɹ.i.əs/ | Tending to ask questions, or to want to explore or investigate; inquisitive; (with a negative connotation) nosy, prying. |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| discover verb | /dɪˈskʌvə/ | To find or learn something for the first time. |
| connect verb | /kəˈnɛkt/ | To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| sofa noun | /ˈsoʊ̯fə/ | An upholstered seat with a raised back and one or two raised ends, long enough to comfortably accommodate two or more people. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| meal noun | /ˈmiːl/ | Food that is prepared and eaten, usually at a specific time, and usually in a comparatively large quantity. |
| impressive adjective | /ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/ | Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| sit down verb | To assume a sitting position from a standing position. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| follow up verb | To take further actions remaining after an event; to continue, revisit, or persist; especially, to maintain communication or verify. |
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. |
| take over verb | To assume control of something, such as a business or enterprise, and sometimes by force. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- After names, people often ask, where are you from?
- Have you tried the little cafe beside the park?
- What's your typical day like?
- I might ask, what did you do last weekend?
- Then you can ask, what does that mean?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if we're choosing a restaurant, I'd also · If you want to go, I'd love |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've lived · Have you tried · have already taken |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was called · were born · being interviewed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who knows · friend who works · student who wanted |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 103 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'd, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, luxury /ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi/, dish /dɪʃ/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: invitation /ɪnvɪˈteɪʃən/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/, positively /ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɪv.li/, unfamiliar /ˌʌnfəˈmɪli.ə(ɹ)/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like pizza, preference, everyday.
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.