Shadowing Practice: British English Conversation about FAMILY with my Mum - Learn English Speaking with Video

Hello everybody and welcome back to another British English conversation with my mum speaking about a specific topic,

all about family.

So I thought, well, if the topic is family, I should bring my mum back on to have a chat, right?

So, mum, how are you?

I'm very well, thank you.

Yes, I'm good.

Yes, I've been busy, but no more than usual.

I know you shouldn't say that when you're retired, but lots of other things to do.

But here we are.

Here we are.

And this is being released on a Friday and we're recording it on a Friday as well.

So happy Friday, everybody.

And as I said, the topic of the week is families.

So of course, in my group classes and private classes, I've been discussing this topic, having a look at phrasal verbs,

expressions, and lots of different things.

So for this conversation, we've chosen simply eight quick, easy questions that we're going to take it in turns to discuss.

So that being said, let's get started with a little bit of an introduction. So mum,

tell us, are you or are we from a big

or small family well i would say it's actually quite a

small family um my father he was an only child

so they only had the one child um so obviously

that cut down on the number of uncles and aunties

which i would have had or potential cousins um things like

that so um mum was one of four children sadly um you know one of her sister died quite young

and another later on

so we are quite a quite a small family really yes it's just sort of me dad you your sister

because I just finished after two two two was enough um

I mean sometimes I think another one would have been nice

but do you know what at the time it was the right thing to do I needed sleep

i think it's understandable for many people like

if you have two children especially if you have a boy

and a girl that's like the natural moment to say like okay i think we'll call it a day

if you've got one of each then it's the perfect size

but it's true

that i remember kind of asking you begging you a little bit like mom dad can i have a little brother

if only it was so easy you could have had another sister um

but yes i i do remember you asking us that um

but by then it was it was too far down the

line i think we'd moved on from the the baby phase um

but and and two it's nice because you've more you've more time

and yet i i love to see a big family

so slight regret sometimes

but also it's down to money sometimes it's just the the sheer cost of raising two children

and obviously I went to sort of part -time

and had some times when I was just at home stay -at -home mum

so yes it was it was the right choice for us.

I think having a big family is amazing

and of course having family gatherings and get -togethers with

so many different people is so fun you can never get bored

but I also understand from a parents point of view the financial burden

that you have if you need to bring up lots of children

and the fact that well you don't have as much freedom

if you're having kids every couple of years for 10 years

then now being an adult in my 30s I think about it

and it's like okay maybe maybe I'll have a family in the future

but for me two kids would be perfect boy and a girl and from

that moment it's like okay you can tick it off the list you can cross it off your list

and think that's it enough is enough i mean you say a boy

and a girl i actually think two girls

or two boys is nice as well

because they've got something in common your sisters they can be close

and brothers you know playing out football or whatever

so they could have some more shared interest

so they might have more in common with each other

but actually you and your sister you played together really well as little ones

and it's just nice

because I got to go to the dance classes with Chloe

I got to watch you on the football touchline getting wet through every Sunday maybe

that wasn't such such fun but it was all yeah it was very nice.

Absolutely well that's a very brief introduction and summary of our family

but let's keep going with more questions we often speak about food

and eating whenever we get together for these podcasts

so of course the second question has to be related to food

so how often does your family eat together both in the past

and nowadays mum what would you say well in the past i was very very keen

that we ate together and

when I say all of us um your dad was a photographer

and he worked shifts

so sometimes he was on um two o 'clock in the afternoon till 10 p .m at night

so obviously we were never going to eat together um

but I always made sure that I ate with you

and your sister and and there's an expression which people say the family

that eats together stays together and I think that's because

when you're around a table and you're eating the conversation tends to flow more naturally

so you can sort of chat about your day at school

or things like that so I was always very concerned

and also it teaches you good table manners um

when I did work at a school and we found

that the younger ones were coming in

and some of them they didn't really know how to use cochlear um I'm not blaming anybody here it's just

that sometimes if you're actually sort of sat down

and you're using the knife and the fork and

and you're sort of copying people without even realizing

so it's it's like a role model but i have to say now

when it is just me and dad we're quite lazy sometimes we'll make our tea

and instead of sitting at the dining room table which we should

and it's better for everything your digestion we sit on the city

and we have it on our knees so that is really bad

so hey what can you do we're just relaxing i mean what I think with like TV,

100

films, series, if you're really hooked, if you're really into it,

101

then you almost don't want to go to a table to have your lunch or have your dinner.

102

And maybe it's something we shouldn't do, or at least we shouldn't make a habit of it.

103

We shouldn't do it too often for maybe a Friday or a Saturday, it could be something special where you think like, oh, it's the weekend.

104

Shall we have tea on the sofa?

105

Shall we have tea on the settee?

106

Because you're right that I think if you have lunch and dinner together, then you learn better table manners.

107

And it's a moment to catch up, speak about the day and to let the conversation flow.

108

So I think it is nice to eat with your family.

109

And it's also nice to go out for lunch or go out for dinner with your family.

110

Whenever there is a birthday or something special to celebrate, I think it's nice to go out and make an event of it.

111

Because then, I don't know, it's more memorable.

112

And if you're out in a restaurant, you also learn different habits, It's different ways of eating,

113

starting a conversation, using a knife and fork.

114

So yeah, I agree with you.

115

It's something that you've passed on to me

116

that I think it's nice to share a meal with the rest of the family.

117

Now, I can hear in the background that I have roadworks on my street, but hopefully on this podcast, you won't even notice.

118

But yeah, if I get a little bit distracted, that's my excuse.

119

But we're going to keep going.

120

We're going to keep going with family holidays.

121

So this is the question.

122

Whereabouts do you go on family holidays in the past and at the moment?

123

Because, of course, I have lots of different memories of going to France, going to Spain, going to the beach in England as well.

124

But I want to hear it from you, Mum.

125

Whereabouts did we used to go on holiday and where do we go now?

126

Well, growing up, I was always taken to Filey, which obviously is on the coast.

127

I don't know why I say obviously.

128

You wouldn't know.

129

It's quite, quite small.

130

It's near to Scarborough, Bridlington.

131

It's sort of East Yorkshire, I believe.

132

But basically, it's got the most beautiful beach um now growing up what we used to do is

133

if dad was working especially in the six weeks holidays i

134

would go with grandparents um it'd take you your cousin my sister

135

and we'd just have a lovely time just all together just

136

one week dad would sometimes visit just for a day um

137

so it was just very traditional just you know paddling the

138

sea well weather permitting you know what the English weather is like

139

or if not we have pictures of you in cagoules in anoraks

140

and with an umbrella but you could still manage an ice cream

141

and so we did a lot of that growing up and we still actually

142

as a family we all go together we have two houses nearby um

143

and the younger generation tend to be in one

144

and the older generation in the other and you have one

145

which is on the cliff top so you can look out at the sea um

146

and then as you got older we tended to go to

147

france um sometimes it would be in a sort of i don't really think they were called airbnbs then

148

but you know it was like a house that we would rent

149

and i would just i studied a little bit of french at school growing up

150

so it was nice I was a bit rusty

151

but it was nice to try talk about it and then

152

when we had a little bit more money we actually progressed to going to Mallorca

153

which was lovely because you were almost guaranteed

154

that the weather would be sunny it would be hot um

155

I didn't really speak any Spanish then I I had a little phrase book

156

and I tried my best

157

and it was just nice to sample the different cultures um the different foods I always think

158

if I go abroad I want to try some different food I don't want to stick with English food um

159

so yeah yeah but I mean you obviously you've traveled all over Lewis so you tell me where do you like going?

160

I mean of course I like going to different places Spain is the number one destination for me

161

and thinking about the past I of course remember going to Filey every single summer

162

when we'd stay with the whole family in like caravans as well static caravans

163

so we wouldn't have that much space but

164

that almost made you have more fun

165

because you'd be playing more games we'd play different games watch series together we'd be chatting all of the time

166

and it was a really good moment to bond with my

167

cousin for example my auntie my uncle grandparents as well

168

so this is something

169

that we have continued to this day as you mentioned we now stay in houses rather than caravans

170

because you know

171

if you've got eight different adults in a caravan it's not going to be very comfortable

172

but i also remember in the past when

173

when i was quite young going to france

174

and we'd drive down to dover to then get the ferry across the channel then keep driving another five

175

or six hours and stay in one of these little cottages by the beach

176

but i think after one or two years

177

when it rained all the time

178

and we were thinking like oh wait this is kind of like being in england

179

so then it doesn't quite feel like as much of a

180

holiday of course the culture is different the architecture is different the sites are different

181

but if it wasn't sunny then in the summer holidays being brits it kind of lost a little bit of its appeal.

182

So then that's when we decided, okay, to Spain it is because there in summer,

183

you're guaranteed to have sun 99 times out of a hundred.

184

And nowadays, I mean, I love going to Spain and I love visiting new places, but I'm not sure where I'm going to go next summer.

185

So it's something I need to mull over and think about.

186

So guys watching this, if you have any recommendations for a summer holiday destination next year?

187

Let us know in the comments.

188

All right, now moving on from families.

189

Well, not from families, from holidays, should I say, you see, being distracted by the roadworks, which luckily has stopped.

190

So let's hope it stays that way but here we have a phrasal verb

191

so do you think families should stick together stay together defend

192

each other no matter what regardless of the scenario mum do

193

you think families should stick together no matter what well there's two ways of looking at

194

that um i mean obviously we've I've been married a very long time to your dad.

195

We got married in 1985 and we're still together.

196

And sometimes you can have little ups and downs.

197

Yes, amazing.

198

And no marriage is perfect, but I think that you can work at it and you can enjoy it.

199

And it really, really is worth it.

200

And I think also, as you sort of progress through life, you can have different friendships and sometimes friendships can come

201

and go depending on where you are

202

or where you're living whereas you tend always

203

because of shared experiences you tend to stick together as a family

204

and they always say that blood is thicker than water

205

which means you know sort of stick to your family

206

and you're connected with them and

207

so I really do think families should stick together I'm not saying if you did something terrible table.

208

I would always be supportive.

209

You know, I do think that there must be some lines somewhere.

210

But I just think family is very, very important to me.

211

The only thing I would say is that

212

if you were in an abusive relationship or if parents were arguing constantly in front of children, then that's no good for anybody.

213

So sometimes you can parent better apart.

214

But, you know, generally, I love the fact that we do all still get together.

215

And, yeah, family is everything to me.

216

Sounds very, I don't know.

217

Well, yeah.

218

It's true.

219

I mean, family is the most important thing.

220

And as you said, this lovely expression, blood is thicker than water.

221

So we are supposed to stay in touch with family members to make an effort to meet up with them

222

if you're not in the same place.

223

And I think we should stick together as much as possible,

224

provided that there are no real big dramas going on.

225

As you mentioned, if there is some kind of abusive relationship, then it's normal to draw the line and say, okay, this is unacceptable.

226

I won't tolerate it.

227

I won't put up with it but most of the time

228

when family members are nice caring people kind people then of course you're gonna stick together

229

and it's lovely to see nephews nieces growing up

230

and to have cousins meeting up with each other

231

and playing together then this is so beautiful it's priceless so yeah I think families should absolutely stick together.

232

Perfect.

233

The next question then, we have another expression in this one.

234

So let me read the question and then I'll explain it before we answer it.

235

Do you think children should pull their weight around the house?

236

And what does it mean, pull your weight?

237

If you pull your weight, it means you contribute around the house, maybe doing housework, doing different chores, helping out.

238

So do you think children should contribute, pull their weight around the house?

239

And I'll begin by saying that I think I could have pulled my weight a little bit more growing up.

240

And, you know, I didn't always make my bed.

241

I didn't always do the washing up.

242

I probably could have done a little bit more.

243

I could have pulled my weight a little bit more, but mom, you were so nice and you never forced me to do anything.

244

So I think I took advantage of your kindness sometimes by thinking like, well, you know, mom's not telling me that I have to do it.

245

So I'm just gonna chill.

246

I'm gonna play on my xbox i'm gonna call a friend

247

so i admit i confess that maybe i didn't pull my weight as much as i should have so mum sorry

248

and do you agree did i pull my weight

249

or not you were a wonderful child we will say

250

that it's where you were loving you were kind um you

251

did your homework i didn't have to natter you i didn't have to make you do things like that

252

so i was probably a little bit more chilled about whether

253

your bed had been made um you're quite different to your sister

254

because she's very very neat very orderly and she just gets on with things

255

so that was perfect

256

because her bedroom was spotless nothing out of place even her shoes would be lined up your bedroom maybe not

257

so much and there was never like old food

258

or anything sort of gross or smelly

259

that it was just a bit untidy I would say a

260

little bit untidy it could have been tidier we did used to joke at one time

261

that your floor was your wardrobe

262

because she'd take the off you might be going to bed you drop it on the floor

263

but then I would actually sort of say Lewis the washing basket please

264

so you always did as you you were told you were you were very good really

265

and to be fair growing up as well um maybe you

266

could have done slightly more you you would take it in

267

terms to set the table you know to put the the cutlery out the knives for spoons

268

and clear away um and obviously as you were old we had a dishwasher

269

so that let you out of that really well

270

but you hurt you you were very good at pulling your weight there

271

because you had a paper round delivering newspapers I mean occasionally I did do

272

that as well if you had like a football match

273

that you needed to go to I wanted you to be part of a team um

274

and then afterwards when you were in the sixth form

275

so between sort of like 16 to 18 um you worked as a crash assistant

276

and at a nearby private school

277

so you weren't definitely weren't lazy you you worked to to buy things

278

so yeah I'll let you off for the um occasional

279

but you didn't really do as much as maybe you should

280

but you you were you were fantastic

281

so yeah no complaints i'll i'll just stick with

282

that you know you were fantastic we can forget all the other things just you were fantastic

283

and yeah i did pull my weight in insofar as working

284

because i always wanted to earn a little bit of money

285

some pocket money to be able to buy games clothes whatever it was

286

so that's why i wanted to get this paper round

287

and I wanted to get a job when I was in sixth form between 16 and 18 before going to uni.

288

And I think that's important as well, that children, when they're growing up, if it's possible

289

to get a little bit of an experience of what working is like and what being paid to do jobs is like.

290

So yes, I was a bit lazy at times around the house, not pulling my weight, but I wasn't lazy with everything that's for sure

291

now let's move on to the next question another phrasal verb the phrasal verb is to move out

292

and move out is well to stop living in a place

293

so at what age should children move out and this one Obviously it depends on the country,

294

the culture, each family and financial situation So sometimes there are factors that are beyond your control But in general,

295

mum, at what age do you think children should move out?

296

I think it very much depends on what happens

297

when they leave school Obviously you

298

and your sister both stayed at school until you were 18 years old

299

and then you went on to university so technically you and your sister both moved out and left home at 18.

300

I can remember when your sister obviously is older than you

301

and I remember dropping her off at university in Sheffield and I cried all the way home.

302

I thought oh this is terrible 18 she's gone already

303

but then when you're at uni you get so many holidays

304

so she was back and then the same with you i can remember dropping you off

305

and thinking i've got an empty nest which is like an expression

306

when the children have left home there was just me

307

and your dad i was thinking what will we do with all our time

308

so so you moved out to take teen um and then obviously

309

i think that's that is quite young but

310

because i knew you were at uni and then you never really came back

311

because after you'd graduated in your degree um you just went to america briefly and And then obviously on to Spain,

312

you followed your heart there and your beautiful girlfriend, fiance.

313

Now, your sister, when she finished her degree, didn't get a job where she was living in Sheffield.

314

So she came back and she actually stayed.

315

And this is the thing.

316

She stays for about three or four years because to rent somewhere would be so expensive.

317

She wouldn't be able to save a deposit for a house.

318

So by moving home, it enabled her to save some money.

319

So I think it's all relative because it's so hard to get onto the property ladder to buy a house now.

320

So sometimes I think you could be in your 20s

321

or even maybe your early 30s as some people can actually manage to move out

322

and that's a shame in some ways but then

323

if you have like a child who as an adult is

324

still quite quiet quite shy they might appreciate still being with

325

the family rather than just lonely on their own with no money

326

because it goes on rent

327

so it's all about circumstances i think really it just depends on

328

and and if you can have any help as well financially no i agree 100

329

and of course it depends as I mentioned

330

if you're very well off you're very wealthy then it's much easier to move out of your parents house

331

because your parents can probably help you to pay rent somewhere else

332

or even to get on the property ladder and pay the down payment

333

and get a mortgage but I think for most normal people let's say and it's common, at least in the UK,

334

to move out when you go to university.

335

And then when you graduate, it's that big decision time, like, okay, where am I going?

336

What shall I do?

337

What will my life be like?

338

And in the UK, I think it's easier to move out of your parents' house,

339

because maybe generally speaking, the job market is quite good, comparing it with other countries,

340

because people can get a job when they graduate and usually

341

that job will allow them to afford to pay rent somewhere

342

so at least in my circle none of my friends really stayed with their mom

343

and dad for that long after university but if I compare

344

that with Spain where there is a bit of a housing crisis

345

and it's so unaffordable to buy a flat in a city it's normal

346

that you stay with your parents for a little bit longer

347

because that way you can save up a little bit more in order to afford a flat

348

so for parents i'm sure it might be a little bit sad

349

when you have an empty nest but most of them are probably maybe not wishing

350

and celebrating but they want their children to be independent for sure so there's some mixed feelings there perhaps

351

okay now we have one final question and it is related to christmas

352

so what's christmas like in your family obviously in the uk christmas is the biggest holiday

353

that we have of course we also have easter

354

and random bank holidays but christmas is really the biggest holiday

355

and the biggest celebration and the biggest moment when the family gets together

356

and usually has a meal together

357

so mum christmas in our family describe it to people how do we celebrate what do we do

358

well growing up your grandparents had actually moved to to the yorkshire dale

359

so they were further away and

360

so we have an awful thing about you know grandma

361

and granddad on my side were close

362

so it's like who do we go to

363

so the we did it on christmas eve we would travel to the yorkshire dales

364

and have like a pre -christmas you know christmas eve meal um

365

but then we would come all the way back

366

because it was always important that you got to sleep in your own bed

367

because obviously father christmas santa saint nicholas ever you want to call him came through the night on his sleigh

368

so basically we spent christmas day at home you would get up

369

and i would be tending sort of saying bruce you know

370

come on the children are getting up it's it's five o 'clock in the morning we need to go

371

and you'd be all excited opening stockings and presents then after

372

that we'd chill a bit and then we would go over to my mum and dad

373

and other members of the family would join them um there's

374

a lovely get together nice big meal now we traditionally do tend to have turkey as well

375

and as grandma

376

and granddad got older i remember thinking this isn't going to work much more the final time was

377

when um because grandma by that time was probably in her 80s

378

and just cooked a huge turkey here

379

and we traveled over maybe just half an hour

380

but for half an hour the car smelled of turkey you

381

and your sister in the back you had pans

382

and casserole dishes with vegetables so basically we cooked a full christmas dinner

383

and took it over after that grandma kate

384

and granddad they came to us it was much easier

385

and we had more

386

and then it was just like a big meal as i

387

said turkey with the trimmings you know the stuffing balls obviously your sister is vegetarian

388

so you have to have a nut roast

389

and mushroom sauce we would have like trifle christmas pudding pavlova

390

so basically you'd eat eat a lot um

391

and then there will be some more presents to unwrap um maybe the television usually a repeat that's something

392

which had been shown before, like, I don't know, a film, a sentimental film usually.

393

Love Actually, Home Alone, The Holiday, one of these classic Christmas films.

394

Oliver or Mary Poppins.

395

But people would just sort of, well, vegetate a little bit then.

396

And then we'd just have like a picky tea, so little bits and pieces.

397

So it was just a really chilled day.

398

Hey, bye all together um

399

and occasionally i would have gone to church maybe the evening before um

400

and it's just it's christmas is just very nice

401

but maybe too commercialized now but um i don't know

402

because you spent christmas in australia one year um did you not have a barbecue not sure yeah yeah we did Yeah.

403

Of course, I've been in the UK for Christmas practically every year of my life, but there have been a couple of exceptions.

404

So Christmas is exactly like mum explained, where you're eating a lot with the family,

405

then you're lying down, feeling a bit sorry for yourself with a bit of a food coma as well, watching Love Actually on TV.

406

So it's quite nice.

407

But as he mentioned, I went to Australia and spent one Christmas there

408

when I was surrounded by some friends from home and friends I had made there.

409

And we went to a big park where you had these public barbecues.

410

So we went to the supermarket beforehand to buy loads of food and drinks.

411

And we spent the entire day playing some games, having a chat, wearing shorts and a t -shirt, and cooking on the barbecue.

412

And I remember we could see some skyscrapers of like the Melbourne skyline in the background as well.

413

We were right next to the river too.

414

So one of the best Christmases I've ever had.

415

And the other Christmas that I had, which was also in the Southern Hemisphere, outside of Europe, was when I was in Argentina,

416

because I stayed with an Argentinian family for six months, more or less.

417

And I thought, hey, why not stay until just after Christmas?

418

And I remember that was kind of similar

419

because the meal was almost like a barbecue and they had a swimming pool as well.

420

So people were sunbathing, having a dip in the pool and having a party, essentially.

421

And instead of wearing lots of Christmas jumpers, you might be wearing a Christmas T -shirt or christmas swimming shorts

422

so wherever you are in the world whether it's the northern hemisphere

423

or the southern hemisphere christmas is always a good time for you know enjoying yourself eating drinking

424

and spending time with the people you love the most your family yes

425

and actually louis it works out really well because quite often you have christmas here but then in spain you're there Therefore,

426

there's almost like a second Christmas because they celebrate with presents and things a little bit later, the three kings.

427

So it's the best of all.

428

I'm spoiled, you know, with two Christmases, essentially.

429

Now, that's it for today's podcast.

430

But as always, let me just do a recap of some of the advanced words

431

and phrases that I've been writing down during the conversation.

432

So I'll go through them nice and quickly.

433

First of all, we have the phrasal verb cut down on.

434

Cut down on means to reduce.

435

If you are wet through, it means you're soaked, you're drenched, you're really wet.

436

Mum mentioned that my dad used to work shifts, and shifts are periods of work, a night shift, a morning shift,

437

etc. If you paddle in the sea, it just means that you dip your feet in, that you like walk in the sea.

438

You're not swimming, but you're paddling.

439

And a family, as we said, should stick together, stay together, defend each other, no matter what, more or less.

440

And you can have ups and downs in a family or in a marriage.

441

Ups and downs, you know good times

442

and bad times lovely expression related to family is blood is thicker than water meaning

443

that you know family members should be closer should stay together more than friends

444

or acquaintances if you pull your weight around the house it means you help and contribute.

445

Mum said that my sister was very neat, very tidy.

446

I was a little bit messy in comparison.

447

And in the UK, between 16 and 18, if you are studying and preparing for university, this is called sixth form.

448

So at sixth form, I worked as a crash assistant.

449

Mum then said, don't worry, Lewis, I'll let you off.

450

If you say, I'll let you off, it means I forgive you.

451

I'm not going to punish you for it.

452

Then if your children move out, then you have an empty nest because your kids fly the nest.

453

This is another way of saying to move out of the family house.

454

And if you buy your first property, you get on the property ladder.

455

So you get a mortgage, you pay the down payment in order to become an owner of a property.

456

And then the final two things.

457

One is related to Santa, Father Christmas, who comes on his sleigh.

458

You could also call it a sledge.

459

And a picky tea.

460

Mom said that for Christmas, we have a roast dinner, a Christmas dinner.

461

But then in the evening, we have a picky tea, which is when you have maybe some cheese, some little snacks.

462

So you can just pick at it without sitting down and having a proper meal.

463

So there we have the recap.

464

So, mum, thank you so much for getting together and having a chat about family.

465

You're welcome.

466

And we'll have another conversation about weddings next week

467

so thanks for watching leave a like if you enjoyed it and we'll see you next week bye bye

📺 Same Channel

✨ Recommend Video

173 sentences

Real English Conversation with MY MOM 💛 (talking about family, parenthood, and growing up)

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

22 sentences

Perrie on being a working mum #perrie #happyplacepodcast

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

31 sentences

Downsizing: Talking Dad into Selling the Family Home

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

6 sentences

Speaking practice: How often do you spend time with your family? #fy #family

Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students

6 sentences

English Speaking | #english #shorts

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

323 sentences

once i gave myself permission to not have kids, everything became easier

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

137 sentences

Big Family - Family Life - Learn American English - Conversation Practice - Key Vocabulary Review

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

39 sentences

chapter02 cut 181sec

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

41 sentences

Lesson 5+6(1)

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

203 sentences

Do Brits Really Respect Their Mothers?

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

51 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “British English Conversation about FAMILY with my Mum”. This video has 467 sentences and 5695 words to shadow. The speech runs for 36:25. The speaker talks at a natural 156 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
phrasal adjective	/ˈfɹeɪzəl/	Relating to, or used in the manner of, a phrase.
caravan noun	/ˈkæɹəvæn/	A convoy or procession of travellers, their cargo and vehicles, and any pack animals, especially camels crossing a desert.
verb noun	/vɝb/	A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being.
nest noun	/nɛst/	A structure built by a bird as a place to incubate eggs and rear young.
grandma noun	/ˈɡɹænmɑː/	Grandmother.
chill verb	/tʃɪl/	To lower the temperature of something; to cool.
lazy adjective	/ˈleɪ̯zi(ː)/	Unwilling to do work or make an effort; disinclined to exertion.
granddad noun		grandfather
grandparent noun	/ˈɡɹæn(d)pɛəɹənt/	The parent of someone's parent.
picky adjective	/ˈpɪki/	Fussy; particular; demanding to have things just right.
hemisphere noun	/ˈhɛmɪsfɪə/	Half of the celestial sphere, as divided by either the ecliptic or the celestial equator .
ladder noun	/ˈlæd.ɚ/	A frame, usually portable, of wood, metal, or rope, used for ascent and descent, consisting of two side pieces to which are fastened rungs (cross strips or…
swim verb	/swɪm/	To move through the water, without touching the bottom; to propel oneself in water by natural means.
auntie noun	/ˈæn.ti/	Term of familiarity or respect for a middle-aged or elderly woman.
paddle noun	/ˈpædl̩/	A single-bladed version is typically used on canoes and some other small boats.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
grow up verb	To mature and become an adult.
move out verb	To leave one's present location; to leave somewhere for another place.
stick together verb	To physically combine or join together by adhesion.
get together verb	To meet, to gather together, to congregate.
stay together verb	To remain loyal in times of stress or difficulty; to avoid separation despite pressure to do so.
come back verb	To return to a place.
get up verb	To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb.
back onto verb	To reverse a vehicle onto something.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

I'm very well, thank you.
Yes, I've been busy, but no more than usual.
Shall we have tea on the sofa?
Shall we have tea on the settee?
What will my life be like?

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to go · used to do · used to joke
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on	I've been discussing · I've been writing
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result	If you say, I'll let · if you enjoyed it and we'll see
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	being released · being said · be related

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 132 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: wealthy /ˈwɛl.θi/, gathering /ˈɡæð.ɚ.ɪŋ/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, mushroom /ˈmʌʃˌɹuːm/, punish /ˈpʌnɪʃ/, sheer /ʃɪɚ/, traditionally /tɹəˈdɪʃ.ə.nə.li/
Long words — get the stress right: destination /dɛstɪˈneɪʃən/, vegetarian /vɛ.d͡ʒɪˈtɛ.ɹi.ən/, supermarket /ˌsupɚˈmɑɹkət/, unacceptable /ˌʌn.ækˈsɛp.tə.bl̩/, traditionally /tɹəˈdɪʃ.ə.nə.li/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like phrasal, caravan, verb.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: British English Conversation about FAMILY with my Mum - Learn English Speaking with Video

Aging Like a Fine Wine | British English Podcast

How to go from B1 to C1 in English

British English Conversation about Living Abroad

How to go from B1-C1 in English | 10 Steps to follow

English Idiom Masterclass | British English Pod

20 British English Phrases That Textbooks Don't Teach You!

Walk & Talk By The Beach | Comprehensible Input in English

Can you understand this British English Conversation?

Improve your English with SHORT STORIES | British English Podcast

Walk & Talk in the English Countryside | Comprehensible Input

British English Shadowing with 25 Phrasal Verbs | PART TWO

Kitchen Vocabulary with Mum | Comprehensible Input in English

Can you understand this British English Conversation?

It's my BIRTHDAY! | British English Podcast

How to speak about Business in English

Real English Conversation with MY MOM 💛 (talking about family, parenthood, and growing up)

Perrie on being a working mum #perrie #happyplacepodcast

Downsizing: Talking Dad into Selling the Family Home

Speaking practice: How often do you spend time with your family? #fy #family

English Speaking | #english #shorts

once i gave myself permission to not have kids, everything became easier

Big Family - Family Life - Learn American English - Conversation Practice - Key Vocabulary Review

chapter02 cut 181sec

Lesson 5+6(1)

Do Brits Really Respect Their Mothers?

Daily conversations B1-B1 3

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?