Shadowing Practice: Airport Immigration English | What to Say at the Border | English Practice - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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What is the purpose of your visit?
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What is the purpose of your visit?
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I am here for fun Sir,
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can you explain what you mean by fun?
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Fun like holiday?
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Vacation?
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I like trees?
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What is the problem?
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Sir, wait a second Hello, hello, hello!
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I'm Lily.
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And I'm Tom, the man who has survived many airports.
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Mostly.
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Mostly.
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If you are new here, welcome to the family.
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We are so happy you found us.
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On this channel, we help you speak English every single day.
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Real English, natural English, the kind of English you actually need in real life.
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And today's topic is so important for travelers.
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We are talking about airport immigration English.
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This topic is very personal to me.
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It is very personal to Tom,
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for reasons we will explain very soon.
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Let's just say the immigration officer was not my biggest fan.
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Okay, before we start, please subscribe to the channel.
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We upload a new English lesson every single day.
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Press that subscribe button right now.
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You will thank yourself later.
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I promise.
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If you want the transcript,
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vocabulary, and slow audio version,
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check the join button below.
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Okay, before our conversation today,
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I have a question for you.
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Ooh, I'm nervous.
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Here's the question.
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Tom went through immigration at the airport.
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The officer asked him one very simple question.
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Tom's answer caused a very big problem.
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Why are you smiling like that?
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The question for you is,
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what did Tom say to the officer that caused the problem?
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Think about it.
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Leave your guess in the comments.
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We will tell you the answer at the end of today's
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lesson i still have feelings about this he still has feelings okay let's go
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so tom let's talk about our trip to canada we were
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traveling together oh canada beautiful country i loved it except for one moment one very important moment okay
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so we landed at the airport we walked to the immigration
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area you know the place where the officer checks your passport right and i won first My experience was easy, right?
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So easy.
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The officer smiled at you.
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He said, have a great trip.
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He practically gave you a hug.
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That's not true, but yes,
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it was very smooth, very fast.
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And then it was my turn.
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Tell them what happened, Tom.
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So I walked up to the officer,
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big man, very serious face.
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He looked at my passport.
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He looked at me.
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He said, what is the purpose of your visit?
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And you said...
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I said, I am here for fun.
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For fun.
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I meant tourism.
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I meant sightseeing.
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But my brain said fun.
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The officer stared at him.
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Just silence.
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It was the longest silence of my life.
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Then the officer said, sir,
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can you explain what you mean by fun?
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And I panicked.
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I said, fun?
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Like holiday?
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Vacation?
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I like trees.
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He said he likes trees!
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I love trees.
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Canada has beautiful trees.
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That is a fact.
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The officer called his colleague over.
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Two officers now, looking at Tom.
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I was there for 25 minutes, Lily.
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25 minutes.
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Aw, but you got through.
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I got through, eventually.
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I told them I was a tourist,
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I had a hotel booking,
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I had a return ticket.
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And I said, I apologize.
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English is not my first language,
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and they were very kind after that.
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And that is actually an important lesson, right?
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If you make a mistake, stay calm, explain yourself.
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The officers are not there to scare you.
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They just want correct information.
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Exactly.
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And please do not say,
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I am here for fun.
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Unless you want a 25-minute conversation about trees.
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Canadian trees are worth it, though, truly.
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If you enjoyed this video,
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want to support the channel,
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you can send a super thanks.
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Your support helps me keep making slow and easy English videos.
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Okay, let's talk about grammar.
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At immigration, you will hear a lot of questions,
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and you need to answer clearly and simply.
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The most important grammar point today is this.
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Answer in full sentences.
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Short, clear, complete sentences.
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For example, the officer asks,
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What is the purpose of your visit?
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A good answer is, I am here for tourism,
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or I am visiting for vacation.
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Not just one word, not just holiday, a full sentence.
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Full sentence.
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Subject plus verb plus reason.
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Simple.
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Let's look at the structure.
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I am here for plus your reason.
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I am here for tourism.
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I am here for business.
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I am here to visit my family.
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I am here to attend a conference.
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And not, I am here for fun.
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Unless you also want to explain your love of trees.
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Lesson learned.
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Another grammar point.
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Officers often ask, how long will you stay?
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Use, I will stay for plus your time.
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I will stay for one week.
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I will stay for 10 days.
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I will stay for two weeks.
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Clear, simple, confident.
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That is your goal at immigration.
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Okay, let's learn the key vocabulary and phrases for airport immigration.
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We have eight important ones today.
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Eight phrases.
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You need all of them.
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Trust me.
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I needed all of them.
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The first word is passport.
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Say it with me.
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Passport.
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Passport.
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This is your official travel document.
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It has your photo, your name, your nationality.
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The officer will say, can I see your passport please?
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You hand it over and say,
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here you go, or of course.
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One time I put my passport in my checked bag by mistake.
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Oh, the panic!
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Tom, you didn't!
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I did!
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I ran back through the entire terminal.
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My suitcase was already on the belt.
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I was sweating, Lily.
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Completely sweating.
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Always keep your passport in your carry-on bag, everyone.
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Always.
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Always.
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That is not a suggestion.
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That is a rule.
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Repeat after me.
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Passport.
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Here is my passport.
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Can I see your passport?
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The second words is, my personal favorite, purpose of visit.
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The officer will ask, what is the purpose of your visit?
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This means, why are you here?
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The correct answers are tourism,
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business, to visit family, to study, to attend an event.
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Use a full sentence.
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I am here for tourism.
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I am visiting my family.
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I am attending a business conference.
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And if your brain goes blank, do not say fun.
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Do not say fun.
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You can also say, I am a tourist.
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Simple, clear, perfect.
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Repeat after me.
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I am here for tourism.
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I am here for business.
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I am visiting my family.
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Number 3.
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How long will you stay?
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The officer wants to know your travel dates.
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You say, I will stay for,
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plus the number of days or weeks.
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I will stay for 5 days.
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I will stay for 2 weeks.
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I will stay for 1 month.
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I once met a man at the airport who said forever as a joke.
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The officer did not laugh.
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No?
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He spent 45 minutes explaining he was joking.
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45 minutes.
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Ah, poor man.
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Jokes at immigration, not recommended.
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Repeat after me.
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I will stay for one week.
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I will stay for 10 days.
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I will stay for two weeks.
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Number four.
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Where will you stay?
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They want your address or hotel name.
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Say, I will stay at the Maple Hotel in Toronto.
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or I will stay with my friend.
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Her name is Sarah.
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She lives in Vancouver.
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Always have your hotel booking ready on your phone or printed on paper.
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Show it if they ask.
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I always screenshot my hotel confirmation.
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Very helpful.
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Great idea.
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Screenshot everything, everyone.
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Flight, hotel, everything.
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I will stay at the Grand Hotel.
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I will stay with my family.
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I have a hotel booking.
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Number five, do you have anything to declare?
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This is a customs question.
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Declare means to officially report something.
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Like food, plants, large amounts of money,
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things the country needs to know about.
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If you have nothing special,
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say, no, I have nothing to declare.
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If you are carrying something,
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say, yes, I have some food items,
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or yes, I have gifts for my family.
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I once forgot I had an orange in my bag.
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An orange lily.
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They found it in the x-ray.
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An orange?
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I didn't declare my orange.
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They were not happy.
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What happened?
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They took the orange.
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They looked at me very seriously.
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They let me go, but I felt like a criminal for one orange.
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One orange?
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Always declare your fruit, everyone.
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Always.
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Repeat after me.
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No, I have nothing to declare.
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Yes, I have some food.
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I have gifts for my family.
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Number six, do you have a return ticket?
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They want to know you are going home.
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Say, yes, I have a return ticket.
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Or, yes, my flight back is on the 15th.
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Have the ticket ready to show.
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On your phone is fine.
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If you are traveling one way for a long stay,
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say, I have a one-way ticket.
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I will return by train.
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Just explain clearly.
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Clarity is your best friend at immigration.
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Repeat after me.
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Yes, I have a return ticket.
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My return flight is on Friday.
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Here is my ticket.
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Number seven.
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Are you traveling alone or with someone?
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Simple but important.
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Say, I am traveling alone.
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Or, I am traveling with my friend.
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Or, I am traveling with my family.
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Mark, Tom, and I traveled together,
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so we said, we are traveling together.
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And then the officer looked at both of us and said,
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so you are together?
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And we both said at exactly the same time, we are colleagues.
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At the same time, like a comedy show.
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The officer smiled.
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That was the only smile I got from any officer that day.
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Repeat after me.
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I am traveling alone.
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I am traveling with my friend.
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We are traveling together.
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And number eight, my favorite phrase to hear, have a pleasant stay.
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This is what the officer says when you are finished,
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when you can go.
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You say, thank you very much.
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Big smile.
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walk away calmly do not run Tom ran I did not
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run you power walked very fast I was excited to be
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through it was a long 25 minutes repeat after me have
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a pleasant stay thank you very much thank you I am
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happy to be here okay let's review today's lesson eight important
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phrases for airport immigration number one passport always carry it in
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your handbag number two purpose of visit i am here for
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tourism number three how long will you stay i will stay
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for one week number four where will you stay i will
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stay at the grand hotel number five do you have anything to declare No,
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I have nothing to declare.
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And please declare your fruit.
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Number six, return ticket.
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Yes, I have a return ticket.
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Number seven, traveling alone or with someone.
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I am traveling with my friend.
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And number eight, have a pleasant stay.
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Thank you very much.
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You now have everything you need for immigration.
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Speak slowly, speak clearly, stay calm.
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And if you make a mistake, it is okay.
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Take a breath, correct yourself.
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The officers are doing their job.
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They are not your enemy.
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They just need correct information.
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Give it to them clearly and you will be fine.
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Now, here is your comment challenge for today.
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Write one sentence in the comments using a phrase from today's lesson.
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For example, I am here for tourism or I will stay for one week.
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We read every comment.
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We love seeing your answers.
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Show us what you learned today.
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Okay, are you ready for the answer to our question?
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Here it comes.
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The question was, the officer asked Tom a simple question.
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Tom's answer caused a big problem.
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What did Tom say?
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I said, I am here for fun.
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I am here for fun instead of I am here for tourism.
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My brain chose the word fun,
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not tourism, not vacation, fun,
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like a five-year-old at a birthday party.
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The officer did not know what that meant exactly,
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so he asked more questions,
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and Tom panicked and started talking about trees.
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Canadian trees, which are, by the way, magnificent.
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The lesson?
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Know your phrases before you travel.
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I am here for tourism.
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Practice it until it is automatic.
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Write it down.
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Say it out loud ten times.
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I am here for tourism.
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You are ready.
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Thank you so much for watching today.
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If you learned something new,
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please give this video a thumbs up.
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It helps our channel grow so much.
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And we upload a brand new English lesson every single day.
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So come back tomorrow.
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We will be here.
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Take care of yourselves, keep practicing,
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and we will see you in the next lesson.
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And may all your immigration officers be kind.
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Goodbye, everyone!
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Bye!
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Why practice speaking with this video?
Understanding airport immigration language is crucial for any traveler, and this video provides an excellent context for practicing your English speaking skills. Engaging with real-life scenarios helps you become familiar with the vocabulary and expressions you will encounter at immigration. By watching and repeating the dialogues, you can boost your confidence and fluency in a high-pressure situation. Remember, practicing speaking through shadow speech techniques can significantly enhance your learning experience.
Benefits of Using YouTube for Learning English
By utilizing videos like this one, you have access to natural English conversations. This immersive method allows you to learn English with YouTube in a way that textbooks often cannot provide. Not only will you hear the phrases in context, but you also get to observe non-verbal communication cues that are important for effective interaction. Consider using techniques like shadowing to mimic the speakers and improve your pronunciation.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key expressions and grammatical structures are highlighted. Here are a few to focus on:
- “What is the purpose of your visit?” – A common question at immigration that requires a clear and concise answer.
- “I am here for fun.” – A simple yet effective way to respond to inquiries about the reason for your visit. Note how this can vary in formality and specificity.
- “Can you explain what you mean by fun?” – This phrase can be useful when you need clarification, demonstrating that it’s okay to ask questions to ensure understanding.
- “I like trees?” – An example of how humor may not always translate well in serious contexts like immigration. This highlights the importance of knowing when to be formal and direct.
Practicing these sentences through shadow speak can help you grasp their usage and improve your conversational skills.
Common Pronunciation Traps
When practicing with this video, pay attention to certain words and phrases that might pose challenges to non-native speakers. Common pronunciation traps include:
- “immigration” – Watch for the correct emphasis on syllables to pronounce it clearly.
- “purpose” – Ensure you articulate the "p" sound distinctly.
- “explain” – The initial "ex" can sometimes be pronounced too softly; practice to ensure it is clear.
Being aware of these tricky pronunciations and practicing them using shadowspeak techniques can greatly enhance your speaking skills. Repeating phrases on the video after the speakers will help solidify your pronunciation and intonation, making you sound more natural in conversations.
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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