Shadowing Practice: A1 English Listening Practice - Social Media Apps - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hey everybody!
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57 sentences
1
Hey everybody!
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2
Welcome to this A1 English Listening Practice video.
0:01.10 – 0:05.06 (4.0s)
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You can use this video to practice your listening and comprehension as I speak.
0:05.06 – 0:10.48 (5.4s)
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Before we start, remember to subscribe to the channel, click on the bell, and follow us on Instagram.
0:10.76 – 0:17.08 (6.3s)
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So today, I'm going to talk about social media.
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Nowadays, many people have social media apps on their phones and computers.
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Many people use social media to communicate with their friends and family.
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They also use social media for many other things.
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Let's talk about the different social media apps.
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The most famous app is Facebook.
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Facebook is very popular all around the world.
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People all around the world use Facebook every day.
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They use Facebook on their computers and they use Facebook on their phones.
0:55.14 – 1:01.10 (6.0s)
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I think more people use Facebook on their phones, not their computers.
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Facebook was invented in 2004, but it wasn't popular then.
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I started using Facebook in 2010.
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When did you start using Facebook?
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So let's talk about what you can do on Facebook.
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First of all, you can use it to post text, pictures and videos.
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When you post something, all your friends can see it.
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I don't post much on Facebook.
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You can also use Facebook to send messages.
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You can send messages to one person or to a group.
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You can also follow people and pages on Facebook.
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I follow some I follow some news pages so I can see the news on Facebook.
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You can do many things on this app, but I don't really like Facebook.
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Okay, so now let's talk about Instagram.
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Instagram is the most popular app for young people.
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People use this app to post pictures and videos.
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If you like pictures, then you'll probably like Instagram.
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I don't like Facebook, but I do like Instagram.
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I like it because it's fun to look at photos.
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On Instagram, you can follow other people to see their pictures.
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Some people like following celebrities and other famous people.
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I don't really like following celebrities.
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How about How about you?
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Do you follow any celebrities on Instagram?
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Another thing you can do on Instagram is post an Instagram story.
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You can post many photos and videos to your story.
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I don't usually post on Instagram, but I look at other people's posts.
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I think that Instagram is better than Facebook.
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OK, so another social media app that people use is Twitter.
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I don't have Twitter, so I don't really know how to use it.
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But I know that it's a very popular app all around the world.
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Many people use this app to follow the news.
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People post news stories on Twitter.
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I don't need a Twitter account because I can read the news on Facebook.
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Another app that young people use is Snapchat.
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I had Snapchat when I was younger, but now I don't.
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People use Snapchat to send pictures and and short videos to each other.
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Then these pictures and videos disappear after you view them.
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There are many other social media apps too.
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The world loves social media.
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Alright, that's all for today.
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Leave a comment and tell me which social media app you like best.
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And remember to subscribe to the channel, click on the bell, and follow us on Instagram for more English tips and lessons.
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I'll see you next time.
4:15.92 – 4:17.54 (1.6s)

About This Lesson

Dive into the world of digital communication with our A1 English listening practice video on "Social Media Apps." This engaging lesson is perfect for beginner English learners looking to boost their English fluency and comprehension. You'll hear about popular social media platforms like Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and Snapchat, learning how people use them to connect with friends and family, share moments, and follow the news.

The speaker clearly describes the functions of each app, providing a fantastic opportunity for you to practice understanding everyday English vocabulary related to technology. You'll reinforce basic grammar patterns, including the present simple tense for describing daily habits and facts, and the past simple tense when discussing the origins of these apps. This lesson also encourages you to think about expressing personal preferences (likes and dislikes), a crucial skill for natural English speaking practice.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Social media apps: Applications on phones and computers used for social networking. Example: "Many people have social media apps on their phones."
  • Communicate with friends and family: To talk or send messages to your loved ones. Example: "People use social media to communicate with their friends and family."
  • Post text, pictures, and videos: To share written messages, images, or moving clips online. Example: "You can use Facebook to post text, pictures, and videos."
  • Follow people and pages: To subscribe to updates from individuals or official accounts on social media. Example: "You can also follow people and pages on Facebook."
  • Celebrities and famous people: Well-known individuals like actors, singers, or public figures. Example: "Some people like following celebrities and other famous people."
  • Instagram story: A feature on Instagram where users can post photos and videos that disappear after a short time. Example: "Another thing you can do on Instagram is post an Instagram story."
  • Disappear after you view them: To vanish or be no longer visible once someone has watched or seen them. Example: "These pictures and videos disappear after you view them."
  • I don't really know how to use it: A common phrase to express a lack of familiarity with something. Example: "I don't have Twitter so I don't really know how to use it."

Practice Tips for This Video

This video is an excellent resource for beginners to improve their listening and speaking skills. Here’s how you can make the most of it:

1. Use the Shadowing Technique: The speaker maintains a clear, moderate pace, making this video ideal for the shadowing technique. Listen to a sentence, then immediately try to repeat it aloud, mimicking the speaker's intonation and rhythm. Pay close attention to the pronunciation of common words related to technology.

2. Focus on Pronunciation Practice: Concentrate on words like "social media," "Facebook," "Instagram," "Twitter," "Snapchat," "post," "follow," and "communicate." Repeating these words correctly will significantly aid your pronunciation practice and build confidence.

3. Answer the Speaker's Questions: The speaker often asks direct questions like, "When did you start using Facebook?" or "Do you follow any celebrities on Instagram?" Pause the video and practice formulating your own answers aloud. This is a simple yet effective way to engage in English speaking practice and apply the vocabulary you're learning.

4. Express Your Preferences: The video encourages discussing what you like and dislike about different apps. Practice sentences such as "I like Instagram because it's fun to look at photos" or "I don't really like Facebook." This builds skills useful for daily conversations and even for basic IELTS speaking Part 1 questions where you might be asked about hobbies or technology.

5. Describe App Functions: Listen to how the speaker describes what you can do on each app (e.g., "post text, pictures, and videos," "send messages," "follow news pages"). Try to describe the functions of an app you use in your own words. This helps solidify your understanding and improves your descriptive speaking abilities.

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.

How to Practice Effectively on ShadowingEnglish

  1. Choose your video: Pick a YouTube video with clear, natural English speech. TED Talks, BBC News, movie scenes, podcasts, or IELTS sample answers all work great. Paste the URL into the search bar. Start with shorter videos (under 5 minutes) and content you find genuinely interesting — motivation matters.
  2. Listen first, understand the context: On your first pass, keep the speed at 1x and just listen. Don't try to repeat yet. Focus on understanding the meaning, picking up new vocabulary, and noticing how the speaker stresses words, links sounds, and uses pauses.
  3. Set up Shadowing mode:
    • Wait Mode: Choose +3s or +5s — after each sentence plays, the video pauses automatically so you have time to repeat it out loud. Choose Manual if you want full control and press Next yourself after each repetition.
    • Sub Sync: YouTube subtitles sometimes appear slightly ahead or behind the audio. Use ±100ms to align them perfectly so you can follow along accurately.
  4. Shadow out loud (the core practice): This is where the real work happens. As soon as a sentence plays — or during the pause — repeat it out loud, clearly and confidently. Don't just mouth the words: mirror the speaker's exact rhythm, stress, pitch, and connected speech. Aim to sound like a shadow of the speaker, not just a word-by-word recitation. Use the Repeat feature to drill the same sentence multiple times until it feels natural.
  5. Scale up the challenge: Once a passage feels comfortable, push your limits. Increase speed to <code>1.25x</code> or even <code>1.5x</code> to train high-speed language reflexes. Or set Wait Mode to <code>Off</code> for continuous shadowing — the most advanced and rewarding mode. Consistent daily practice of 15–30 minutes will produce noticeable results within weeks.

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