Shadowing Practice: a few summer days in new york - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hey guys, it's Syd.
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So I did forget to film an intro.
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Usually this happens with the outros.
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So I guess things are just going downhill for me.
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I wanted to do just a casual chill vlog the past few days.
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My family ended up visiting me and we had such a nice time and then they left.
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so I was sad.
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You guys know we love just a good classic vlog on here
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so maybe you go grab a coffee or tea and cue my family and I going to the park to get bagels.
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We got our bagels!
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Ow, it's hot.
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Our favorite spot for bagels is Pop-Up and Ashton requested that we go here.
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Yes.
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I got the poppy seed bagel with butter.
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It's great.
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Getting entertained by the artisans watching it to our partners.
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Sorry.
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Retake.
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Cheers.
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We're a pretty boring family.
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so i just got coffee with my mom i'm the only
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one in the family who likes coffee i used to be a coffee hater
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and things have changed so my family was nice enough to stop by a local coffee shop
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that i haven't tried before that i really liked so i'll definitely be going back there what'd you get Ice latte.
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That sounds disgusting, but...
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Dad, how are you doing with the subway?
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I don't know.
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Great.
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I'm on the lookout for any rats down there, but I don't see any snowmockers.
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It's a good sign.
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Not only have I become addicted to city biking, but also electric scootering, particularly in Central Park.
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To be honest, any form of electric cycling, so I don't have to do as much work.
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Central Park in the summer is just beautiful.
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Definitely like something I recommend to anyone who visits.
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Good morning guys.
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Good morning
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I'm gonna be better at vlogging today yesterday
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We're moving on from that my family and I are starting the day by getting brunch at George's It's this diner.
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It's so quaint.
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We've never been here, so it looks really good Why did you get chocolate chip pancakes?
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We'll give you guys our consensus.
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Wait, what's your taste test on camera?
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Oh, yeah, I got an omelette It's pretty good It looks good.
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Can I try your pancakes?
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No, just kidding.
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Sometimes my brother doesn't let me try his food.
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Cuz I'm a fatty.
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It really depends on the day.
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Like, if he's in a good mood, he'll let me try.
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If not, like, it's fine for yourself.
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Pretty much.
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Okay, Dad, how's your food?
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Um, yeah, I like my food.
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I like the omelet.
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I got tomatoes, cheese, ham, everything.
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I'm hoping we can come back tomorrow, because they recommended the steak sandwich for us.
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Tomorrow!
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Mom?
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Eggs.
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Hash brown.
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All right, mysterious mom, that's all you guys get.
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My morning wouldn't be complete without some coffee, so I did selfishly drag my whole family.
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We're getting our picture taken.
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Okay.
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We're going to get on the wall.
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We're going to go right here.
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It's called Starstruck.
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So that drew me in because if you know that movie, it's amazing.
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It really is just pretty much my childhood.
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And then I think my favorite thing that we did when my family was here was play pickleball.
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Funny enough, I used to actually hate it.
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My family like really tried hard to get me to like it.
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And when someone like forces me or tries to force me to like something, I'm just gonna hate it.
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But I did grow to like it.
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Am I good?
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No. But that's not the point the point is you know i have a good time out there
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so i did just lose and pick a wall
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but we decided to city bike home my favorite activity specifically the electric bikes
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we all wanted to try a new spot out for dinner
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and we were all in the mood for italian
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so we found this spot called the spaghetti incident
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and it did not disappoint now
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that i've been learning how to make my own pasta i feel like i have
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so much more of an appreciation for homemade spaghetti
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and it's just like the perfect way to end off my time with them Every time my family leaves,
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it takes me a good day or two to recover.
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It's going to sound so dramatic of me.
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I've lived away from my family for like eight years now and it never gets easier.
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For some reason, I thought that it would.
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I don't know why.
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If anything, it seems to get harder as I get older.
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I feel like weirdly guilty for not living close to them
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and I think I just like Grieve the life
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that I could have if I lived close to them
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But i'm also on the contrary like so thankful
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that I get to feel this way because I know
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so many people Don't have that good of a relationship with their family.
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I think what also triggered it is my My dad left me this letter
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when I opened up my nightstand this morning He put little notes all over my apartment saying love
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and miss you So I really don't feel like doing anything today and I haven't done anything.
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I think I need to go on a walk that's gonna make me feel much better.
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It's sunny out.
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I haven't left the apartment today and it's 6 p.m so I used to drive whenever I was stressed.
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It was my way of coping especially with some good music.
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It was like my form of therapy in a way and moving to New York no longer having a car.
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I found myself just going on walks
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and it really does the same thing for me
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if not it's even probably better because i'm moving my body
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and i always feel immensely better after the fact i love
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just observing seeing what different people are doing okay guys i'm home i can't say i'm feeling 100 myself
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but i'm feeling so much better just walking i actually called my family
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which it made me feel a little dramatic facetime does exist and I just forgot that.
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Something that I know will make me feel good is making dinner for my boyfriend.
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We do this a lot.
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He'll come over after work and cooking is like one of my love languages now, which is crazy because I used to hate it.
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We know that this has been like a slow progression for me.
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Like my relationship with cooking, it's kind of tumultuous, but at the moment I'm enjoying it.
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I want to make this like chicken Caesar salad with french fries.
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That's it.
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It's the most like me meal ever.
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It's kind of like one of my comfort meals.
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I thought that sounded really good tonight for us and will also usually watch a true crime doc.
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It's like my favorite thing.
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I can't not watch a true crime documentary on Netflix even though there's so many different options.
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I always go back to those.
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Oh also I'm listening to the new Olivia Rodrigo album.
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I did just expose myself with that.
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It needed to be played.
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I feel like I'm in trouble.
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Why do I even embarrass myself like this?
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Like, guys, I messed up again.
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I forgot an outro.
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I'm like, I'm annoyed with myself.
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But I just want to say I love you guys.
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And I have some really, really exciting vlogs coming soon.
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I don't want to say yet because I just want to surprise you guys.
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I could technically say.
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But I just want to make it a surprise.
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So stay tuned.
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But I love you guys.
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I'll see you soon.
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Bye!
About This Lesson
In this lesson, you will practice your English speaking and listening skills through engaging content from a casual vlog set in New York City. By immersing yourself in authentic spoken English, you will pick up conversational phrases, understand the nuances of everyday dialogue, and improve your ability to express thoughts and feelings. This video showcases moments from a family visit, including enjoying bagels in the park and dining in a quaint diner, providing a rich context for language learning. Utilize this opportunity to learn English with YouTube in a fun and relaxed manner.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Bagels - A type of bread roll that is boiled before baking, common in New York.
- Quaint - Attractively unusual or old-fashioned.
- Consensus - General agreement among a group.
- Omelette - A dish made from beaten eggs cooked until set, often filled with various ingredients.
- Electric Scootering - Riding a scooter powered by electricity, popular in urban areas.
- City Biking - Riding a bicycle in a city environment, often used for transportation or leisure.
- Vlogging - The act of creating video blogs to share experiences and thoughts.
- Brunch - A late morning meal that combines breakfast and lunch.
Practice Tips
To effectively utilize the shadowing technique with this video, follow these steps:
- Watch the video at normal speed first to understand the content and context.
- Listen closely to the natural rhythm and intonation of the speaker, noting how emotions are expressed.
- Play the video again and pause frequently after each sentence or phrase. Repeat aloud what you hear while maintaining the same tone and pace.
- Record yourself using a shadowing app to compare your pronunciation and flow with the original speaker. This will help you identify areas for improvement.
- Practice consistently; even a few minutes each day will make a big difference in your fluency and confidence.
- Lastly, consider visiting a shadowing site to find similar content that interests you, allowing you to keep your learning fresh and enjoyable.
By engaging with this lively vlog and applying the shadowing technique, you will enhance your English speaking abilities while experiencing the local culture of New York City. Don’t hesitate to rewind and repeat sections that challenge you—the more you practice, the more fluent you will become!
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.