Shadowing Practice: American English Connected Reading ｜Shopping - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hey what's up, it's Alex.
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Today I'd like to look at the connected readings in a
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short passage where somebody is asking somebody else to buy things at the store.
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Let's take a look.
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Hey, could you stop by the store while you're out? Could ya? Could ya?
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In some other connected reading videos, I've talked about could you being occasionally okay to pronounce as could you could you this works
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if you're reading text aloud or speaking in a more formal context
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but in completely rapid relaxed speech we always say could you could you stop by the store
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while you're out stop by the P
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and B sounds connect together stop by stop by the store
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while you're out now that T at the end of out is kind of special.
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While you're out, while you're out, while you're out, I could choose to release the T and say out,
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while you're out, with a very, very quiet T at the end of a sentence.
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Or I could just make it into a glottal stop.
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While you're out, while you're out, could you get a, let's see,
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could you again we have could jump could you get a kid now
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when we're looking for words in English
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when we don't really know what we're gonna say we say oh
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and if the word before it ended in a T we often connect that T to the sound could Could you get...
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Could you get... Could you get...
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Let's see.
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Now that T could be a glottal stop, or it could be a very weak T before an S.
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Let's see.
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Let's see.
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Now that T could be a glottal stop, or it could be a very weak T before an S.
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Let's see.
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But the important thing is to connect the S sounds together.
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Let's see.
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Let's see.
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Eggs, rice, a couple ears of corn.
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Ears of corn becomes ears of corn ears of corn, ears of corn, and see if they have any,
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and see, that D in and completely gets removed,
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and see, and see if they have any good looking strawberries.
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If they don't, it's fine.
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If they don't, it's fine.
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Now, if I speak slowly, I say don't, it's fine.
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But when I speak a little faster, I might say, if they don't, it's fine, and connect that T to its.
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If I speak really fast, I might say, if they don't, it's fine, don't, it's fine, and completely remove the T.
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If they don't, it's fine, don't worry about it.
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Now here, don't worry, before a wha sound, I always remove the T.
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Don't worry about it, don't worry about it.
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Here, the T in about turns into a tap, about it.
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about it about it now the t in it turns into a glottal stop so we have tap it glottal stop
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don't worry about it about it thanks hey could you stop by the store while you're out could you get
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let's see eggs rice a couple ears of corn and see
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if they have any good looking strawberries if they don't it's fine don't worry about it thanks

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing speaking with this video, titled "American English Connected Reading ｜Shopping," offers learners the opportunity to improve their English pronunciation in a casual, real-world context. By analyzing a dialogue centered around shopping, you not only learn useful vocabulary related to everyday activities but also gain insight into how native speakers interact. This type of practice can significantly enhance your IELTS speaking practice, allowing you to respond more fluidly in similar scenarios.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Throughout the conversation in the video, several key structures and expressions stand out:

  • Polite requests: The phrase "could you" is frequently used to make polite requests (e.g., "Could you stop by the store?"). Understanding this structure helps you form courteous inquiries in English.
  • Connection of phrases: The phrase "stop by the store" becomes "stop by" in rapid speech. This highlights the importance of connecting phrases for smoother conversation, a vital part of shadow speaks practice.
  • Conditional contexts: Phrases like "if they don't, it's fine" teach learners about conditional statements, which are commonly used in everyday communication to express uncertainty or conditions.
  • Substituting sounds: Expressions can change when spoken quickly; notably, the transition from "don’t worry about it" to "don't worry about it" illustrates how to adapt speech for conversational settings.

Common Pronunciation Traps

In the video, there are several pronunciation traps for English learners. Pay attention to the following:

  • Glottal stops: The speaker uses glottal stops, particularly with words ending in 't' (e.g., "out" and "don't"), which may be challenging for non-native speakers. Practice this technique to improve English pronunciation.
  • Weak consonants: The T in "about" becomes a tap, making it sound like "about it." This is common in connected speech, and mastering it is crucial for enhancing your fluency.
  • Connected sounds: Phrases like "ears of corn" connect smoothly, becoming "ears of corn" in casual conversation. Focus on linking sounds to sound more natural and confident in your speaking.
  • Vowel reduction: Words like "and" become “n see” in rapid speech, which can complicate understanding. By practicing shadowing these phrases, learners can better grasp the rhythm and flow of American English.

By concentrating on these aspects, English learners can refine their speaking skills and boost their confidence in everyday conversations. Incorporate these techniques into your practice sessions to experience the full benefits of shadowspeak.

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.