Shadowing Practice: 6 Habits Destroying Your English (Fix These NOW) - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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If you want to become fluent in English, listen carefully, because in today's video, I'm going to talk about six bad habits that are stopping you from becoming fluent.
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If you want to become fluent in English, listen carefully, because in today's video, I'm going to talk about six bad habits that are stopping you from becoming fluent.
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My name is Michael Anton.
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I'm the founder of English at the Ready.
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And normally on this channel, I talk about things you should do if you want to improve your English.
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But in today's video, we're going to talk about things you should not do.
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All right, let's get into the video and talk about the first bad habit.
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Subtitles.
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Before you come after me, I don't actually have a problem with subtitles.
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There's nothing wrong with watching a movie in English with subtitles.
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However, you should avoid watching a movie in English with subtitles translated into your language.
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So if you are going to use subtitles, make sure you use English subtitles.
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Of course, it's better if you're able to watch a movie without subtitles, but if you have to use subtitles, if you don't understand and everything, turn on the English subtitles, not the subtitles in your native language and certainly not dubbed audio.
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That's the worst, of course, audio that has been translated into English.
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That's not going to help you improve your English.
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So watch without subtitles.
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But if you need subtitles, turn them on, but make sure they're English subtitles.
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All right.
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The next bad habit on our list is translating in your head.
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If you get into a conversation with somebody in English And every time you want to say something, you gather your thoughts in your native language and then you translate that vocabulary and grammar into English.
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Stop.
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Or at least do everything you can to stop.
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I know this is a hard habit to break, but it's very important that you think directly in English because if you translate from your language in your head into English, you're creating an unnecessary step.
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There's an extra layer of complexity that is not helping you.
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And it's going to prevent you from thinking directly in English because if you're fluent in a language, that means you think directly in that language.
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I talk a lot about this concept on my channel.
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So if you're new here, make sure to subscribe.
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Another big problem that is preventing you from becoming fluent in English is being scared to make mistakes.
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Look, I get it.
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I'm a perfectionist too.
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I want everything I say to be perfect, but that's just not how the world works.
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That doesn't reflect reality.
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You need to accept the fact that when you speak, you will make mistakes.
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Native speakers make mistakes as well.
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And the moment you accept this is the moment you set yourself free because now you've overcome the fear of speaking and the fear of being perfect.
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So you'll feel more confident to start conversations with people.
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Obviously, the more you speak, the better your English will get.
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Improving your English starts with speaking.
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And the only way to speak more is to overcome the fear of being perfect.
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Nobody is perfect.
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Mistakes happen.
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Mistakes are part of the process.
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Now, the fourth bad habit we're going to talk about today is focusing too much on grammar.
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Yes, grammar is important.
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It's important to speak correctly and properly.
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But that being said, an obsession with perfect grammar is holding you back.
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If you're spending hours studying rules, conditionals, tenses, all that stuff, but you're not actually speaking and you're not putting yourself out there, you're wasting your time.
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Grammar is only useful if you can use it in conversation.
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I always like to rank speaking as the number one priority when learning a language.
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Next up or on the same level comes listening and then grammar.
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Yes, grammar is important, but communication and speaking should be your number one priority.
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So don't neglect that.
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On a similar note, the other bad habit that a lot of students fall into is not speaking regularly.
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Passive learning, which includes movies, listening to podcasts or watching videos on YouTube, is not enough.
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If you want to become fluent in a language, you need a combination of active and passive learning.
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You should strive to speak English as much as possible.
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I know it can be difficult if you don't have anybody to speak with, but you can also speak to yourself.
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Over the last three years, I've helped thousands of students improve their English, and one of the things I always recommend is to verbalize your actions.
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If you're going about your day, if you're cleaning the house,
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if you're making dinner, say what you're doing out loud in English, because that way you train your brain to connect the vocabulary you already know with correct pronunciation, with action and with speaking.
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If you do want to practice speaking English with me and my team of experienced English teachers from the US and UK, you can click the link in the description below to apply for our online programs.
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Now, I want to talk about the sixth habit that a lot of students fall into, especially if they're in an English speaking country.
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Just because you live in an English-speaking country doesn't mean you're going to become fluent in English.
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In Canada, in the US, in the UK, there are lots of communities of people who have moved and immigrated here.
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And if you find yourself in one of these communities, that's great, but if your goal is to improve your English, you have to resist the temptation to speak your native language all the time.
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A lot of our students have lived in Canada, in the US for 15-20 years,
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but they're still not fluent because the only people they associate with are people who speak their language it doesn't
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matter where you are whether you're in an english-speaking country or not if you're not speaking english you're not
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improving your english keep that in mind speaking is the single most important thing you can do to improve your skills in any language
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all right let me know in the comments are you guilty of any of these bad habits if you want to improve your english with me make sure
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to subscribe to English at the Ready here on YouTube and if you want to study with us more directly you can click the link in the description below to apply for our online programs.
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Thanks for watching and I'll see you in the next video.
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About This Lesson

In this lesson, we will explore common habits that hinder your journey to English fluency. By identifying these behaviors and implementing strategies to correct them, you can significantly enhance your speaking abilities and embrace confidence in your conversations. You will practice shadowing techniques to improve your English pronunciation, helping you think directly in English rather than translating from your native language.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Fluent - the ability to speak a language smoothly and easily.
  • Subtitles - text displayed on a screen that translates spoken dialogue.
  • Mistakes - errors made in language use, which are natural during the learning process.
  • Grammar - the set of rules that govern the structure of a language.
  • Passive learning - learning that occurs without active participation, such as watching movies.
  • Active learning - engaging with the language through speaking, writing, and interaction.
  • Verbalize - to say something out loud, aiding memory and pronunciation.
  • Community - a group of people who share common interests or language backgrounds.

Practice Tips

To make the most of your shadowing practice, choose a high-quality video that uses clear and articulate English, similar to the style of this video on common habits in English learning. Start with a short segment, listening closely to pronunciation and intonation. Play the excerpt multiple times, pausing after each sentence to repeat what you just heard. This technique, known as shadowspeak, will help reinforce pronunciation and fluency.

While practicing, aim to mimic the speaker's rhythm and stress patterns closely. You can use this shadowing technique not only to improve your articulation but also to build confidence in your speaking abilities. Remember, the goal is to think directly in English without translating in your head, which can be achieved through regular and active engagement with the language.

Integrate speaking into your daily routine by verbalizing your thoughts or actions. For instance, while cooking or cleaning, describe what you're doing out loud in English. This not only promotes familiarity with vocabulary but also solidifies connections between words and actions in your mind.

Consistent practice using these strategies will accelerate your language proficiency and prepare you for dynamic conversations in English. Don’t shy away from making mistakes; they are essential for growth. Start applying these techniques today and watch how your fluency blossoms!

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.

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