Shadowing Practice: AMERICAN ACCENT TRAINING / Advanced Pronunciation Lesson - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello!
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Hello!
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Welcome to English for Everyone.
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Today we're going to practice American pronunciation and intonation with this dialogue.
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Maria asks a question, but first she says,
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excuse me, excuse me, do you know there's a Starbucks near here?
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The intonation goes down for excuse me.
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It's a positive statement, so the intonation goes down at the end.
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Excuse me.
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We put the stress on the important word.
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Excuse.
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Excuse me.
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And pronunciation changes.
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We don't say excuse me.
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We say excuse me.
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We start with the s sound.
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Excuse.
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Excuse me.
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Excuse me.
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And the question.
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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It's a yes or no question.
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So the intonation goes up at the end for a yes or no question.
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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We stress important words.
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No is the verb, important word.
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Starbucks is a noun, important word.
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So we stress no and Starbucks.
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Pronunciation changes with this question.
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Do you?
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We don't say, do you.
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We say, do you?
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Do you?
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Link the sounds together.
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Do you?
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Do you know?
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Know if.
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We link the sounds.
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Know if.
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We use this W sound to connect to the next vowel.
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with with no with do you know it do you know it do you know it you know
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if there's a starbucks near here
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so the man on the street responds yeah there's one right around the corner intonation goes up before a comma
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so before a comma the intonation goes up yeah there's one
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right around the corner intonation goes down at the end of a positive statement so the intonation goes down at the end.
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There's one right around the corner.
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There's one right around the corner.
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Together?
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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We stress important words.
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Here, right is the important word because you're emphasizing that it's not far.
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Right around the corner.
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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Pronunciation changes?
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Right.
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Because the T is between two vowels,
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we pronounce it with a D sound.
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So you hear ride, d,
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ride a, right around the corner,
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ride a, right around the corner.
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Here, around the corner, around the.
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Here is a stop D,
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around the tongue comes up,
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but the next consonant is TH,
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so it goes together
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and you don't hear it around the around the corner around
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the corner link the sounds around the corner right around the
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corner right around the corner you don't hear the d together
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yeah there's one right around the corner yeah there's right around
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the corner there's one right around the corner there's one one has the sound—well
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so remember that sound
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and link the sounds there's there's there's make it very soft
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there's there's one there's one there's one there's one right around
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the corner yeah there's one right around the corner let's practice
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excuse me do you know there's a starbucks near here excuse me do you know if there's a starbucks near here
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Very good.
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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Very good.
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Maria asks a question.
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How far is it?
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It's an information question, so the intonation goes down at the end.
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How far is it?
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We stress important words.
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Far is the important word so we stress far.
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It's an adjective.
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We stress adjectives.
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How far is it?
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How far is it?
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Pronunciation?
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It.
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We don't say it.
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We say it.
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We use a stop T after a vowel.
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A T after a vowel is a stop T.
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So stop the air.
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It.
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How far is it?
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How far is it?
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And the man on the street answers.
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He says it's not too far.
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It's not too far.
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The intonation goes down at the end because it's a positive statement.
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It's not too far.
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It's not too far.
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We stress important words.
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NOT.
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It's negative.
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It's a negative statement so NOT is the important word.
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Stress NOT.
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It's not too far.
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It's not too far.
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Pronunciation changes.
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NOT to.
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NOT to.
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NOT is a stop T so you put your tongue up
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and stop the air not to you link to the next sound
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which is a full T listen not to not to not
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to it's not too far it's not too far pronunciation it's you can say it's
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but you will hear sometimes it's not too far,
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it's not too far." Both are correct.
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It's not too far or it's not too far.
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And the man on the street answers,
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he gives directions, he says,
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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The intonation goes DOWN at the end because it's a positive statement.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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...just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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We stress important words.
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Straight down In important directions stress Straight down We stress street.
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It's a noun It's a noun.
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Go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Stress left, important information for the directions.
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Turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Let's look at pronunciation.
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Just go, just go.
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The T is between two consonants, so it's silent.
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You don't hear just, you hear just, just go.
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just go straight down the street and turn left at the light just goes straight TR,
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makes the CH sound S CH,
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straight just goes straight down the street turn left at the light straight,
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down we have a Stop T,
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straight connected to a D sound so the tongue goes up straight,
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BI straight down straight down the street
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just goes straight down the street and turn right at the light
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just goes straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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This street.
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Just go straight down this street.
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Connect the sounds.
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This street.
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Not this street, but this street.
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Link the words.
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Just go straight down this street.
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Street has a tr so we use the ch sound.
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street just go straight down the street when we link street
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and we have two possible pronunciations one pronunciation is the T is pronounced as a D
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because it's between two vowels so we hear street street in street in the
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and we don't pronounce the D because it's not stress you hear
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and and and so together street n street n just go straight down the street
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and turn left at the light just go straight down the street
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and turn left at the light that's one possible pronunciation another one is I can use a stop T street
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because the T after a vowel
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when I connect the stop T to the N you hear
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this street n street n just go straight down the street and turn left at the light street So two possible pronunciations.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Or just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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More pronunciation changes.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Turn left at the light.
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Left at, we're going to pronounce that T because it's before a vowel.
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Left at, left at, left at.
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At is a stop T.
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Left at.
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connected to the TH sound,
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link the words left at the at the,
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at the, at the left at the.
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remember this is not a,
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it's more of a closed sound because it's not stressed left at left at the light,
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left at the light left at the light at the light we don't say the light,
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we say the the, the,
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the, left at the the light.
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Let's link the words.
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Left at the light.
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Left at the light.
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Left at the light.
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Altogether, just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Light.
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We have a stop T again.
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So we don't say light.
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Say light.
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Light.
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Stop the air with your tongue.
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Light.
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Light at the light.
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At the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the straight and turn left at the light.
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And she answers, thank you so much.
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Thank you so much is a positive statement.
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The intonation goes down at the end.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much.
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We stress important words.
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Thank so are the important words.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much.
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Let's practice.
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How far is it?
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How far is it?
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It's not far.
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It's not far.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Very good.
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Thank you so much.
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Very good.
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Let's practice.
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Listen and repeat.
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Excuse me, do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Excuse me, do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Very good.
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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Very good.
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How far is it?
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How far is it?
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It's not too far.
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It's not too far.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Very good.
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Thank you so much.
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Thank you so much.
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Very good.
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Excuse me.
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Do you know if there's a Starbucks near here?
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Yeah, there's one right around the corner.
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How far is it?
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It's not too far.
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just go straight down the street and turn left at the light.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging in advanced pronunciation lessons, such as this American accent training video, offers learners a dynamic way to enhance their speaking skills. By acting out dialogues, you immerse yourself in authentic conversational scenarios, which is essential for IELTS speaking practice. This method not only aids pronunciation but also boosts your intonation, rhythm, and stress patterns—key components of fluent speech. Practicing with context-rich dialogues can help you feel more confident while conversing and can lead to improvement in your listening abilities as well.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the dialogue, several grammatical structures and expressions stand out:
- Polite Requests: The phrase “Excuse me, do you know if there’s a Starbucks near here?” showcases how to ask questions politely while maintaining a friendly tone.
- Yes/No Questions: The structure “Do you know…” emphasizes the importance of intonation, where your voice rises at the end to indicate a question.
- Linking Sounds: Notice how the dialogue transitions between words: “Do you know if…” becomes “Do you? Know if…”, demonstrating how native speakers connect their speech for fluidity.
These structures and expressions not only aid in flexible communication but are also beneficial when utilizing a shadow speak technique, enhancing overall fluency.
Common Pronunciation Traps
When practicing with this video, pay attention to these common pitfalls that English learners may encounter:
- Word Stress: The word “excuse” should be stressed in the phrase “Excuse me.” Improper stress can lead to misunderstandings.
- Intonation Patterns: The intonation shifts between statements and questions can be challenging. For instance, notice how intonation drops at the end of “Excuse me.” but rises at the end of the question “Do you know if there’s a Starbucks near here?”
- Sound Linking: The transition from “Do you” to “know” can be tricky. It’s common for learners to pronounce them separately, but in natural speech, they merge into “Do you know?”
Utilizing a shadowspeak approach can help reinforce proper pronunciation and intonation, making your practice sessions more effective and engaging. Incorporating a shadowing app can facilitate this practice, allowing you to mimic intonation and speech patterns accurately.
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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