Shadowing Practice: 40 Minutes of Real English Listening Practice for B1-B2 | Improve Your English Just by Listening - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hello, hello, hello!
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Welcome back to our channel.
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Hi everyone!
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We are so happy you are here today.
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So, let me ask you something.
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Yes?
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What is it, David?
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Have you ever watched an English video and understood almost nothing?
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Oh yes, I think everyone has done that.
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Yes, and what did you do?
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Did you give up?
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Maybe a little, but you know what?
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There is a secret.
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A secret?
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Tell us, Alice.
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The secret is, just keep listening.
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Yes, that is exactly right.
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Just keep listening.
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Today, in this video, you are going to listen to real English for about 40 minutes.
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Real English.
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Normal speed.
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Normal conversations.
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And at the end, you will feel your English is better.
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I promise you.
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Stay with us.
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Do not leave.
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This video is for you.
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So, are you ready?
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Let's go.
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Okay, Alice, let's start with something simple.
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Good.
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Simple is good.
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Why is listening so important for learning English?
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Great question.
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So, think about babies.
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Babies?
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Like small children?
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Yes.
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When a baby learns to talk, what do they do first?
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Hmm, they listen?
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Exactly.
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They listen for months, maybe even years, before they say one word.
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They listen.
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That is so true.
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A baby does not study grammar first.
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No!
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A baby does not open a grammar book.
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They just listen.
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They hear sounds, they hear words, they hear sentences, again and again.
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And then one day, they speak.
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Yes!
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And you know what?
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We can do the same thing.
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Even as adults?
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Yes!
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Even as adults.
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Our brain is amazing.
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When we hear English many times, our brain starts to understand the patterns.
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Patterns.
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That is a good word.
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What do you mean by patterns?
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I mean the way English sounds, the rhythm, the music of the language.
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Oh, like how questions go up at the end?
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Like, are you okay?
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Yes, exactly like that.
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Are you okay?
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You hear the voice go up.
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Are you okay?
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And a statement goes flat or down.
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Like, I am okay.
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I am okay.
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I am okay.
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Yes, perfect, David.
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So, listening helps us feel the language.
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Yes, feel the language.
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I love that.
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When you feel the language, it becomes natural.
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And natural is the goal, right?
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The goal is always to sound natural.
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Not perfect.
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Natural.
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Can you say that again?
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Not perfect.
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Natural.
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Not perfect.
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Natural.
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Not perfect.
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Natural.
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I love that.
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Because many learners think they need to be perfect.
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Oh, that is so common.
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I hear this all the time.
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My English is not perfect, so I don't want to speak.
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And that stops them.
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That stops them completely.
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But you know, even native speakers make mistakes.
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Really? Of course.
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Native speakers say, I seen it instead of I saw it.
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Or between you and I instead of between you and me.
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Wait, native speakers make grammar mistakes?
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All the time.
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Every day.
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So please do not be afraid of mistakes.
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Right.
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Mistakes are part of learning.
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Mistakes are how we learn.
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Remember that.
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Mistakes are how we learn.
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Beautiful.
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Okay, so listening is powerful because it teaches us patterns, it teaches us rhythm, and it makes English feel natural.
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Exactly.
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And there is one more thing.
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What is that?
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When you listen to real English, not textbook English, but real English, you hear how people actually talk.
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Ah, real English, like in movies or in conversations between friends.
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Yes, and that is what we are doing today.
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This whole video is real English, real conversation.
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And listeners at home, you are practicing right now.
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Yes, just by listening to us talk, you are already practicing English.
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That is amazing, right?
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You don't have to do anything.
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Just listen.
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Just listen and enjoy.
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Okay, so now let's talk about how to listen.
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Because there is a good way and maybe a not so good way.
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That's true.
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Not all listening is equal.
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What do you mean?
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Well, imagine you are watching a movie in English, but you have the subtitles in your language, your mother tongue.
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Oh, yes.
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I do that sometimes.
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And what happens?
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I mostly read the subtitles.
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I don't really listen.
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Exactly.
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You are reading, not listening.
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And that is okay sometimes.
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But if you want to improve your listening, you need to actually listen.
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So turn off the subtitles?
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Or at least use English subtitles, not your language.
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English subtitles can help?
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Yes, because you read and listen at the same time, in English, so your brain connects the sounds with the words.
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That makes sense.
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The sound connects with the word.
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And after a while, you don't need the subtitles anymore.
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You just hear it.
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Wow, okay.
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So tip number one is listen actively.
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Actively.
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That's a great word.
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Listen actively.
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Listen actively.
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What else?
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What is tip number two?
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Tip number two is listen to things you enjoy.
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Oh, that is so important.
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Yes.
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If you are bored, your brain switches off.
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Switches off.
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Like a light switch.
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Exactly.
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Your brain goes, click, I'm done.
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But if you enjoy it, your brain stays on.
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You are focused, you pay attention, and you learn so much more.
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So if you love cooking, listen to cooking shows in English.
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Yes.
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If you love football, watch football interviews in English.
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If you love music, listen to English songs and try to understand the lyrics.
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Yes, and there are so many podcasts now, for every topic.
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History, science, travel, health, relationships.
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And channels like ours.
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Yes, of course.
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Channels like ours, made especially for English learners.
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So tip number two, listen to things you enjoy.
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And tip number three is...
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Tell me.
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Listen every day, even for a short time.
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Every day?
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Every day.
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Even 10 minutes.
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Even 5 minutes.
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But every day.
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Consistency.
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Is that the word?
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Yes.
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Consistency.
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Consistency.
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It means doing something regularly.
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Every day.
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Or every week.
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Not just once a month.
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No. Once a month is not enough.
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You need to hear English every day.
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Like watering a plant.
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Oh, I love that.
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Yes.
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Like a plant.
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If you water it every day, it grows.
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If you water it once a month...
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It dies.
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Don't let your English die.
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Water it every day.
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That is the best advice.
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Okay, so the three tips are, one, listen actively.
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Two, listen to things you enjoy.
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Three, listen every day.
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Perfect summary, David.
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One, listen actively.
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Two, enjoy what you listen to.
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Three, listen every day.
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All right, let's change the topic now.
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Let's have a real conversation, like two friends talking.
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I love that idea.
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What should we talk about?
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Let's talk about daily routines.
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What do you do every day?
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Oh, easy.
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My routine is not very exciting.
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Come on, tell us.
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Okay, so I wake up at about 7 in the morning.
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7 o 'clock?
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That's pretty early. Is it?
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I think 7 is normal.
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I wake up at 8, sometimes 8 .30.
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David, that is late.
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I know, I know.
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But I work at home, so.
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Okay, okay, no judgment.
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So I wake up at 7, and the first thing I do is...
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What?
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I check my phone.
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Oh no. Alice.
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I know, I know.
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Everyone says don't check your phone first thing in the morning, but I do it anyway.
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What do you check?
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I check messages, then I check the news, then I check social media a little bit. And then?
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And then I feel stressed.
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Because of the news?
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Yes.
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The news is always a little heavy in the morning.
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Heavy.
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Good word.
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Heavy.
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It means hard, serious, difficult.
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Yes.
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Heavy news, heavy feelings.
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So after that, I try to do something nice.
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Like what?
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Like make coffee.
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A nice, slow cup of coffee.
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Ah, the coffee ritual.
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Yes, the coffee ritual.
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Ritual.
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It means something you do regularly in a special way.
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I have a coffee ritual too.
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I make coffee and then I sit by the window.
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Oh, nice.
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And you just sit?
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I just sit.
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I look outside, I think.
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What do you think about?
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About my day, what I need to do, what I want to eat for lunch.
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Already thinking about lunch at 8 .30 in the morning?
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Food is important.
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That is true.
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Food is very important.
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So after coffee, I make breakfast.
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What do you eat?
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Usually something simple.
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Eggs or toast with butter.
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Sometimes I have yogurt with fruit.
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That sounds healthy.
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I try.
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And you, what do you eat?
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I usually skip breakfast.
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David, you can't skip breakfast.
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Breakfast is the most important meal of the day.
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I know, I know.
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But I'm never hungry in the morning.
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Okay, listeners, what about you?
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Do you eat breakfast?
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Tell us in the comments.
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Yes, we want to know.
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Do you eat breakfast in the morning?
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Okay, so after breakfast, I go for a walk.
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Every morning?
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Almost every morning.
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About 20 minutes, just around my neighborhood.
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That's great for your health.
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Yes, and it wakes me up.
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I feel so much better after a walk.
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Fresh air in the morning is wonderful.
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It really is.
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Fresh air.
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The air outside in the morning.
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It's clean, it's cool, it's fresh.
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So your morning sounds very healthy, Alice.
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I try.
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What about the rest of your day, David?
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Well, after I wake up at 8 .30 and have my coffee.
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And think about lunch
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and think about lunch yes i start working what is your
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work david i work on the computer writing researching making videos like this one oh i love
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that making videos for english learners yes it's a great job
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i talk all day in english that's good practice very good practice
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and do you have breaks during the day yes i take a break for lunch a proper lunch
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because you were already thinking about it at 8 30.
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exactly i'm prepared what do you eat for lunch usually something warm rice maybe
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or pasta or soup in winter soup in winter is
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so comforting yes comforting comforting it means it makes you feel warm
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and happy inside like a hug in food form a hug in food form i love
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that alice do you have hobbies things you do for fun yes i love reading What kind of books?
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Mostly fiction, stories, novels.
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Do you read in English?
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Yes, I try to read in English.
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It's good for my vocabulary.
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Vocabulary.
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Vocab -u -la -ry.
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That means the words we know.
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Our collection of words.
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Yes.
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Reading helps you learn new words naturally.
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You see the word in a sentence.
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You understand from the context.
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Context.
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Con -text.
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The other words around a new word that help you understand it.
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Exactly.
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You don't always need a dictionary.
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The context helps.
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Can you give an example?
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Sure.
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Imagine you read, The weather was gloomy, the sky was gray, and it rained all day.
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And if I don't know the word gloomy?
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You look at the context.
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Gray sky, rain all day.
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So gloomy means...
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Dark, sad, not nice.
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Yes, gloomy.
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Dark and sad, like bad weather.
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I learned that just from the context.
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That is the power of reading. And listening.
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You understand from the situation.
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Beautiful.
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So you read.
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What else do you enjoy?
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I also like cooking.
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Oh, what do you cook?
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I like to try new recipes, different cuisines.
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Like what?
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Like what kind of food?
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Last week I made Thai curry.
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Wow, that sounds delicious.
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It was.
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A little spicy, but so good.
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I can't cook.
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What?
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You can't cook at all?
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Well, I can make eggs.
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I can make pasta but real cooking?
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No. That's okay.
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Not everyone is a chef.
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I prefer to eat other people's cooking.
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That is also a skill.
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Appreciating food.
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Yes, I am very skilled at eating.
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Okay.
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What do you enjoy, David, for fun?
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I love movies.
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I watch a lot of movies.
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What kind?
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Everything.
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Action, comedy, drama.
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But my favorite is thriller.
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Thriller?
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Oh, those are exciting.
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Yes, a thriller keeps you on the edge of your seat.
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On the edge of your seat.
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On the edge of your seat.
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That means very excited, very tense.
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You can't stop watching.
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Yes, like you're sitting forward, not relaxed, excited.
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I love that expression.
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Can we use it for other things too?
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Yes, you can say, the football match kept me on the edge of my seat.
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Or that English exam had me on the edge of my seat.
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Yes.
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Hopefully in a good way.
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And do you watch movies in English?
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Always.
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I always watch in English.
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Even movies that are not originally in English.
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So you put the English dubbing?
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Actually, I prefer original language with English subtitles.
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So if it's a French movie, French audio, English subtitles.
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Oh, interesting.
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Why?
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Because the voice acting and dubbing is sometimes not great.
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That's true.
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The lips don't match the words.
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It looks strange.
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Yes.
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But for learners who want to practice, English audio with English subtitles is very helpful.
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Good advice.
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English audio with English subtitles.
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That is a great way to practice.
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Okay, let's do something fun now.
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Oh, I love fun things.
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Let's talk about everyday English phrases.
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Phrases that you hear all the time in English.
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Yes, phrases that people actually use, not just textbook phrases.
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Right, because some textbook phrases are a little… unusual.
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A little strange, yes.
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Like, where is the library?
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Nobody says that.
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Well, maybe sometimes.
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But it's not the first thing you say when you meet someone.
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OK, so let's start.
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Alice, what is one of the most common English phrases?
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Oh, easy.
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How are you doing?
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How are you doing?
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how are you doing and the answer is not always i am fine thank you
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and you yes that is very textbook real people say good thanks
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or not bad or pretty good you pretty good you pretty good you
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that is so natural pretty good you three words
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and it's perfect let me give another phrase what's up what's
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up what's up this is very casual very friendly you say it to friends
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and the answer is usually not much
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or nothing much just chillin just chillin just chilling chilling means
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relaxing not doing anything special what are you doing just chilling
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perfect what about hang on a second oh yes hang on
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a second hang on a second it means wait wait a moment i need a second like
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when your phone rings and you're busy you can say hang on a second yes
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or if someone is talking too fast hang on a second i didn't catch
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that i didn't catch that i didn't catch that and catch here doesn't mean physically catch.
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It means I didn't understand, I didn't hear properly.
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So if someone speaks too fast, you can say, sorry, I didn't catch that.
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Could you say that again?
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Could you say that again?
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Could you say that again?
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That is so useful.
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And very polite.
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Yes, polite and natural.
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Not repeat, please.
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That's a bit sharp.
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A bit like a command.
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Yes, could you say that again is much nicer.
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Let's do one more.
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I'm just going to...
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Oh yes, people use this all the time.
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I'm just going to grab a coffee.
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I'm just going to check my phone.
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I'm just going to step out for a minute.
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I'm just going to...
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I'm just going to.
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The word just makes it sound small and casual, not a big deal.
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Right.
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I'm going to make coffee sounds formal.
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I'm just going to make coffee.
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Sounds natural and relaxed.
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Exactly.
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Add the word just and you sound more natural.
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Try it.
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Say it at home.
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I'm just going to.
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Finish it with something.
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I'm just going to get some water.
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I'm just going to sit down.
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I'm just going to watch one more video.
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Yes, one more video.
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We all know that feeling.
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Okay, new topic.
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Let's talk about travel.
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Oh, I love this topic.
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Me too.
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Have you traveled much, Alice?
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A little.
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Not as much as I would like, but I have been to a few places.
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Where is the most interesting place you have visited?
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Hmm, that is a hard question.
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Let me think.
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Take your time.
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I think Japan.
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Japan?
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Wow.
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Yes, Japan was incredible.
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So different from where I grew up.
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What was different?
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Everything.
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The food, the trains, the people, the architecture, the buildings and temples.
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Architecture.
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Architecture.
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The design of buildings.
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Yes, Japan has such beautiful old temples, and also very modern buildings, both at the same time.
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Old and new together.
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Yes, and the food, oh my, the food was amazing.
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What did you eat?
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I ate ramen every day.
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Every day?
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Almost every day, because it was so good.
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Hot soup, noodles, soft egg.
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Now I'm hungry.
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And the sushi, fresh sushi, not like the sushi at home.
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Fresh fish.
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Real sushi.
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Yes.
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And in Japan, eating is a very serious thing.
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People take it seriously.
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There are rules.
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What kind of rules?
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Like, don't talk on the phone in a restaurant.
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Don't make a lot of noise.
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Show respect to the chef.
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That's interesting.
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Food as a respect.
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Yes.
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When someone cooks for you, you appreciate it.
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You respect their work.
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I love that idea.
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Me too.
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What about you, David?
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Where have you been?
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I have been to a few places in Europe, and I spent some time in South America.
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South America? Where?
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Colombia.
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And a short visit to Peru.
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Oh, wow.
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Colombia.
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What was that like?
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Amazing.
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The people were so warm, so friendly, very welcoming.
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Welcoming.
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Welcoming.
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It means they make you feel at home.
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They are happy you were there.
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Yes.
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People stopped to help me, invited me to eat, showed me around.
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That is so beautiful.
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And the music.
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In Colombia, there is music everywhere.
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On the street, in the cafes, in the houses.
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I love that.
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Music makes a city feel alive.
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Exactly.
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Alive.
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You feel the energy. And Peru.
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What did you see there?
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Machu Picchu.
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The famous ancient ruins.
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Oh, that must have been incredible.
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It was.
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I don't have words for it.
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You stand there and you just feel something big.
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Like history all around you.
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Yes, you feel small, but in a good way.
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Like, the world is so big, so old, so beautiful.
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I want to go there now.
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You should.
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Put it on your list.
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And listeners, where do you want to travel?
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Where is your dream destination?
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Tell us in the comments.
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We would love to know.
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Yes, write your dream destination below.
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Maybe we can all give each other travel tips.
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Okay, I want to talk about something that many English learners feel.
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something important.
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What is it?
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The fear of making mistakes.
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Oh yes, this is a very real thing.
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Have you ever felt afraid to speak English because you might make a mistake?
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Many times.
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Even now sometimes.
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Really?
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Even after all this time? Of course.
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Even experienced speakers feel nervous sometimes.
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It's human.
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So listeners, you are not alone.
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Even people who speak English every day still feel nervous.
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But here is the thing.
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The fear of mistakes, it stops you.
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And that stopping is worse than any mistake.
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Say that again?
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The stopping is worse than the mistake.
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The stopping is worse than the mistake.
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If you stop speaking because you're afraid, you never practice.
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And if you never practice, you never improve.
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But if you speak, even badly, even with mistakes, you practice and you improve.
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Every mistake is a lesson.
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Yes.
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I used to mix up make and do all the time.
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Oh, that is a very common one.
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Make and do.
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Yes.
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In many languages, there is only one word.
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But in English, make and do are different.
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So what is the difference?
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Hmm.
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It's a little hard to explain simply, but make is usually about creating something, like make a cake, make a decision, make a phone call.
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So you create something when you make.
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And do is more about activities and tasks. Do homework.
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Do the dishes. Do exercise.
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So do is more like completing a task.
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Yes.
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And sometimes there is no logical reason you just have to
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remember like make a mistake not do a mistake make a mistake make a mistake
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not do a mistake yes i made a mistake correct i did a mistake technically wrong
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but even some native speakers say
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that really really language is not always logical that's actually comforting isn't it the language is messy
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and that's okay we all work with the mess and speaking of mistakes I have a funny story.
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Oh, I love stories.
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So, when I was learning Spanish, I wanted to say, I am embarrassed.
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Okay.
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And I said, Estoy embarazada.
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Oh, no. Alice is laughing.
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Tell the listeners why.
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Because embarazada in Spanish does not mean embarrassed.
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It means pregnant.
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Yes.
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I told a group of people that I was pregnant.
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That is so funny.
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What did they do?
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They looked at me with very big eyes and then they laughed.
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A lot.
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That is a classic language mistake.
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And you know what?
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I'm sure you never forgot the correct word after that.
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Never.
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I will never forget that.
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That is the lesson.
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Funny mistakes stick in your memory.
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So make mistakes.
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Make big, funny, embarrassing mistakes.
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Yes.
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Within reason. But yes.
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And listeners, do you have a funny English mistake?
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A word you said wrong?
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A sentence that came out completely wrong?
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Tell us in the comments we want to hear.
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And don't be embarrassed.
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Or do be embarrassed, and then learn from it.
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Okay, let's talk about work.
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English at work.
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This is important for so many people.
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Yes, many of our listeners use English in their job, or they want to get a job where English is required.
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So what kind of English do people use at work?
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Well, it depends on the job, but there are some phrases that almost everyone uses.
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Like what?
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Like, can I ask you something?
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Simple.
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Polite.
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Very useful.
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Can I ask you something?
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Or, could you help me with this?
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Could you help me with this?
657
Could you help me with this?
658
Again, very polite.
659
Using could makes it more polite than can.
660
Right.
661
Can you help me is fine.
662
Could you help me is a little more formal and polite.
663
Good for work situations.
664
What about emails?
665
A lot of work happens in emails.
666
Oh, yes.
667
Email English is its own thing.
668
How do you start a work email in English?
669
Usually you start with dear, name, if it's formal.
670
Or hi name if it's a little more casual.
671
Yes, many modern workplaces use hi now, even hello.
672
And then you say why you're writing.
673
Like, I am writing to ask about...
674
Or I wanted to follow up on.
675
Follow up.
676
Follow up.
677
That means check again, continue a conversation, ask about something you talked about before.
678
Yes, I wanted to follow up on our meeting last week.
679
Very professional.
680
And at the end of the email?
681
You can say, please let me know if you have any questions.
682
Or, I look forward to hearing from you.
683
I look forward to hearing from you.
684
I look forward to hearing from you.
685
That means I am waiting for your reply.
686
I am excited to hear back.
687
And you end with best regards or kind regards or just best.
688
Yes, best regards is formal.
689
Best is a little more casual, but still professional.
690
So a simple work email sounds like, Hi Sarah, I am writing to follow up on our meeting last week.
691
Could you please send me the report when you have a chance?
692
I look forward to hearing from you.
693
Best regards, David.
694
Perfect.
695
Simple.
696
Professional.
697
Clear.
698
Listeners, notice how the email uses simple language, short sentences, clear meaning.
699
You don't need to use complicated words to sound professional.
700
Simple and clear is always better.
701
Always.
702
Simple and clear is always better.
703
Let's talk about something more personal now.
704
Feelings.
705
Feelings.
706
This is a rich topic.
707
It is.
708
And expressing feelings in English is very important, because people want to understand how you feel.
709
And sometimes, in our first language, we have perfect words for feelings, but in English, we have to find the right words.
710
Right.
711
Some feelings are hard to translate.
712
Yes.
713
But let's learn some good English ways to express feelings.
714
OK.
715
Let's start with the basics happy happy happy
716
but we don't always say I am happy we can also say I'm feeling great today I'm on cloud nine
717
that means very very happy I'm over the moon same very happy I'm in a good mood
718
that means feeling positive and happy I'm in a good mood I'm in a good mood
719
and the opposite I'm in a bad mood feeling negative
720
or grumpy grumpy grumpy a little bit angry irritated like you
721
don't want to talk to anyone everyone has grumpy mornings not
722
me yes you what about sadness how do we express
723
that i'm feeling down a little sad not very happy i'm
724
feeling blue also sad same idea i'm feeling blue i'm feeling blue.
725
Why blue?
726
I always wondered.
727
In English, the color blue is often connected to sadness.
728
Old songs.
729
Old poetry.
730
Interesting.
731
Language and colors.
732
Yes.
733
And then stronger sadness.
734
I'm really upset.
735
Or I'm heartbroken.
736
Heartbroken.
737
Heartbroken.
738
Like your heart is broken into pieces.
739
Usually after a loss.
740
A relationship.
741
A death.
742
Something very painful.
743
Yes, very strong feeling.
744
What about stress?
745
Many people feel stressed.
746
Oh yes, I'm stressed out.
747
Very common.
748
I'm stressed out, I'm stressed out.
749
Or I'm overwhelmed, there is too much, too many things, you can't handle it all.
750
I'm overwhelmed, I'm overwhelmed.
751
That feeling when you have a hundred things to do and don't know where to start.
752
Exactly, very relatable.
753
And the opposite.
754
When everything is calm, you feel relaxed.
755
I feel at ease, comfortable and calm.
756
I feel at peace, deep, quiet calm.
757
I feel at peace.
758
I feel at peace.
759
Beautiful phrase.
760
Yes.
761
And I hope that all our listeners feel a little at peace right now, just listening to English, learning without stress.
762
That is our goal, learning without stress.
763
OK, who is ready for idioms?
764
Ooh, idioms are fun!
765
Idioms!
766
A phrase where the words together means something different from the individual words.
767
Like, break a leg.
768
Break a leg.
769
That sounds very dangerous.
770
But it means good luck, especially before performance or presentation.
771
So before this video started, I could have said to Alice, break a leg.
772
And I would say thank you.
773
Not, why would I break my leg?
774
No, that would be wrong.
775
OK, what's another one?
776
It's raining cats and dogs.
777
It's raining cats and dogs.
778
No actual cats or dogs are falling from the sky.
779
Thank goodness.
780
It means it's raining very heavily, very hard.
781
I can't go outside.
782
It's raining cats and dogs.
783
Exactly, a very common idiom.
784
Another one?
785
Hit the nail on the head.
786
Oh, yes, you hit the nail on the head.
787
It means you said exactly the right thing.
788
You got it exactly right.
789
Like if someone says, I think the problem is that we don't practice enough.
790
And you say, you hit the nail on the head.
791
Exactly right.
792
Perfect.
793
Exactly correct.
794
What about cost an arm and a leg?
795
Ooh, I use this one.
796
That new phone costs an arm and a leg.
797
It means it is very expensive.
798
You're not giving your actual arm and leg.
799
No. Although some phones, you might feel like you are.
800
True.
801
Phones are so expensive now.
802
One more.
803
My personal favorite idiom.
804
What is it?
805
Bite off more than you can chew.
806
Oh, that's a good one.
807
Imagine you take a huge bite of food, so big that you can't chew it.
808
You can't handle it.
809
Exactly.
810
So the idiom means you take on more than you can handle.
811
Too much work.
812
Too many responsibilities.
813
Like if someone agrees to work three jobs at the same time.
814
He bit off more than he could chew.
815
He took on too much.
816
Very useful.
817
Bite off more than you can chew.
818
Remember these idioms.
819
They make you sound very natural in English.
820
Yes, native speakers use these all the time.
821
When you hear them and understand, you feel amazing.
822
That feeling when you understand an idiom for the first time?
823
Yes, it's like a little victory.
824
Alice, how do you stay healthy?
825
Oh, that's a big question.
826
It is, but health is important, and we can talk about it in English.
827
True.
828
So, I try to eat well, I exercise a little, I sleep enough.
829
Sleep.
830
Sleep is so important. So important.
831
How much do you sleep, David?
832
About seven or eight hours.
833
That's good.
834
Doctors recommend seven to nine hours for adults.
835
Seven to nine.
836
Seven to nine hours of sleep.
837
And do you have a good sleep routine? hmm I try
838
I turn off my phone about an hour before bed oh
839
that's very good yes the blue light from the screen it
840
makes it harder to sleep yes the light tricks your brain
841
into thinking it's still daytime tricks tricks it fools your brain it makes your brain believe something
842
that isn't true so the phone tricks your brain
843
and then you can't sleep exactly so I put the phone down
844
and I read a little that's perfect reading before bed is very relaxing and And what about exercise?
845
Do you have a routine?
846
I do yoga sometimes.
847
Oh, yoga.
848
That's great.
849
Yes.
850
It's calming, and it stretches the body.
851
Stretches.
852
Stretches.
853
When you make the body longer, open the muscles.
854
Yes.
855
And yoga helps with stress.
856
When I do yoga, I feel much calmer.
857
That's great.
858
What about diet?
859
What you eat?
860
I try to eat more vegetables, less processed food.
861
Processed food.
862
Processed food.
863
Food that comes in a packet, that is made in a factory, with lots of added things — sugar, salt, artificial flavors.
864
Like chips, or fast food, or packaged cookies.
865
Not terrible occasionally, but not every day.
866
Everything in moderation.
867
Everything in moderation.
868
Everything in moderation.
869
That means not too much of anything.
870
Balance.
871
Yes, you can eat a cookie, just not ten cookies.
872
That is great life advice.
873
Not just food.
874
Yes, balance in everything. And water.
875
We have to mention water.
876
Oh, yes.
877
Drink water.
878
So many people don't drink enough water.
879
How much water should we drink?
880
About eight glasses a day, or about two liters.
881
Two liters.
882
Two liters of water per day.
883
When you drink enough water, your skin is better, your energy is better, your brain works better, and your English improves.
884
I'm not sure about that, but drink water anyway.
885
Alice, do you have big goals?
886
Things you want to do in the future?
887
Yes, I love thinking about the future.
888
What are some of your goals?
889
Okay, one of my goals is to travel to more countries.
890
I really want to see more of the world.
891
I love that.
892
Where do you want to go next?
893
I really want to go to Morocco.
894
Oh, beautiful country.
895
The food, the colors, the architecture, the culture.
896
I think I would love it.
897
I'm sure you would.
898
Any other goals?
899
I want to learn a new skill this year.
900
What skill?
901
Photography.
902
Oh, taking pictures.
903
Yes, I want to learn how to take really beautiful photos, not just on my phone, with a real camera.
904
That's a wonderful skill, capturing moments.
905
Yes, capturing moments.
906
Capturing moments.
907
Holding a memory in a photograph forever.
908
I love that.
909
What about you, David?
910
What are your goals?
911
I have a few.
912
One is to read more books this year.
913
How many books do you want to read?
914
At least 12.
915
One a month.
916
That's a great goal.
917
12 books.
918
And I want to get better at cooking.
919
I mentioned I'm not a great cook.
920
Yes, you mentioned that.
921
So I want to learn at least five recipes.
922
Five dishes I can cook well.
923
Five dishes.
924
That's achievable.
925
Yes.
926
Achievable.
927
Achievable.
928
Possible to do.
929
Not too hard.
930
Realistic.
931
And what is a goal for your English listeners today?
932
That is such a good question.
933
I think the goal should be to practice English every day.
934
Even for five minutes?
935
Yes, five minutes counts.
936
Ten minutes is great.
937
An hour is amazing.
938
But even five minutes every day is better than nothing.
939
Because consistency matters more than quantity.
940
Consistency matters more than quantity.
941
Consistency matters more than quantity.
942
Consistency means doing it regularly.
943
Quantity means how much.
944
So doing a little English every day, that is better than doing three hours one day and nothing for a week.
945
Every day.
946
A little every day.
947
And listeners, we are so proud of you for being here today.
948
For choosing to spend your time learning English.
949
Yes, this is not easy.
950
Learning a language takes time, takes patience.
951
But you are here.
952
You are doing it.
953
And that means everything.
954
Okay, we are almost at the end of our conversation today.
955
Already?
956
That went so fast.
957
I know.
958
Time flies when you're speaking English.
959
Time flies.
960
Time flies.
961
It means time passes very quickly.
962
Time flies when you're having fun that's the full idiom
963
and we were having fun i hope you were too let's
964
do a quick review of everything we talked about today yes good idea
965
so today david and i talked about why listening is
966
so powerful for learning english howdy at the most from your listening practice daily routines
967
and everyday life work hobbies and travel common english phrases
968
and idioms feelings and emotions in english health and wellness and goals for the future that is a lot It is.
969
And you listen to all of it. In English.
970
If you understood even 50%, you should feel amazing.
971
Yes, even 30%.
972
You are learning.
973
You are improving.
974
And every time you listen, you understand a little more.
975
A little more.
976
Every time.
977
So keep going.
978
Don't stop.
979
Never stop learning.
980
Now we have a small request.
981
A very small request.
982
If you enjoyed this video, and we hope you did, please give it a thumbs up.
983
That little thumbs up helps us so much.
984
It tells YouTube that people like this video.
985
And that means more people can find it and learn English too.
986
Yes.
987
So you're not just helping us.
988
You're helping other learners find this video.
989
And if you haven't subscribed yet, please hit that subscribe button.
990
We make English learning videos regularly.
991
And every video is made for you.
992
For you, the English learner who wants to improve.
993
We see you.
994
We appreciate you.
995
And we will never stop making content that helps you grow.
996
Before we go, we have one final question for you.
997
After listening to this whole video, how do you feel?
998
Do you feel more confident in your English?
999
Or is there something you want to learn more about?
1000
Tell us in the comments.
1001
We read every comment.
1002
Yes, every single one.
1003
And we love hearing from our listeners.
1004
You can write in simple English or in your language.
1005
We don't mind.
1006
We just love hearing from you.
1007
And if you want more videos like this one, leave a comment that says More Podcast, and we will know you want more.
1008
More podcast.
1009
Write it below.
1010
We will definitely make more if you ask.
1011
All right, my friend.
1012
It was such a pleasure spending this time with you.
1013
Yes, truly.
1014
We hope you felt comfortable listening.
1015
We hope you learned something new.
1016
And we hope you come back soon.
1017
Because there is always more to learn.
1018
Always more English to discover.
1019
Until next time, keep listening.
1020
Keep speaking.
1021
And keep growing.
1022
Take care, everyone.
1023
Take bye.
1024
And remember, you are doing amazing.
1025
You really are.
1026
See you next time.
Why Improve Your English with This 40-Minute Listening Video?
If you’ve ever watched an English video and felt lost, this is your turning point! The video features real, normal-speed conversations—just like the ones you’d hear in daily life—making it perfect for B1-B2 learners ready to level up. But here’s the secret: it’s not just about listening. Use it for IELTS speaking practice or to master the shadowing technique (repeat what you hear, right after the speakers). This “shadow speech” method trains your brain to keep up with natural rhythm and intonation, giving you quick wins in fluency. Stick with it, and by the end, you’ll notice your ears (and mouth!) catching on faster—promise!
Key Grammar & Expressions to Steal from the Dialogue
The conversation is packed with practical structures you can use today. Let’s break them down:
- “Have you ever…?”: A classic way to start conversations. The video uses “Have you ever watched an English video and understood almost nothing?” Try it: “Have you ever tried shadowing technique with a video?”
- “Just keep + verb-ing”: Simple but powerful for motivation. “Just keep listening” becomes “Just keep practicing” or “Just keep shadowing.”
- “That is exactly right”: A natural way to agree. Swap it for “That’s spot on” or “You’re absolutely correct” to sound more fluent.
These phrases aren’t just grammar—they’re tools to sound like a real English speaker.
Common Pronunciation Traps (And How to Beat Them)
Even simple words can trip you up in fast speech. Here’s what to watch for in the video:
- “Secret”: Notice how the speakers say “SEE-krit,” not “SEH-kret.” Stress the first syllable to match native rhythm.
- “Exactly”: The “t” sounds like a soft “d” here (“ig-ZAK-lee”). This is common in connected speech—don’t over-pronounce it!
- “Conversation”: Break it down: “kon-ver-SAY-shun.” Focus on the “SAY” syllable to avoid mixing up the stress.
Practice these with the video using shadowspeak—repeat each line right after the speakers, mimicking their tone and speed. You’ll nail the traps in no time!
Ready to transform your English? Press play, hit repeat, and let the shadowing technique work. Remember: babies learn by listening—so can you. Start today, and watch your skills grow!
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.