Shadowing Practice: Cách tư duy bằng tiếng anh trong khi nói. How to think in English when speaking. - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

B1
Hi there!
⏸ Paused
105 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hi there!
2
Welcome to another video on my YouTube channel.
3
It's a long time I haven't uploaded a video, and today I want to talk about thinking in English.
4
sounds like a very daunting task for English learners.
5
Because like, there's a problem for people when they learn English, and not just English, but any other languages,
6
is that we tend to translate what we hear other people saying into our own mother tongue.
7
Now, I'm not saying that you have to stop doing this, but this is a bad habit.
8
And over time, it can waste a lot of time when you are having a conversation with someone,
9
or it can even hinder your ability to get better at English.
10
For example, for a lot of people, I'm speaking at a normal tone and not too fast, but not too slow.
11
But if you have trouble understanding what I'm saying, then you need to pause the video several times,
12
translate in your own language, and then continue watching my video.
13
Now, I'm not saying that if you are a beginner in learning English, then you should stop translating.
14
For me, this, when it comes to thinking in English, it usually applies to intermediate,
15
for people who are already familiar with the language.
16
So when you reach a certain level in learning English,
17
you should try to have a habit of not translating in your own language and instead try to think in English more.
18
So, of course, this is not going to happen overnight.
19
Like, of course, when you finish watching this video, then magically you're going to know how to think in English.
20
It's impossible for that to change overnight.
21
but what you do need is patience
22
and what you do need is the ability to keep on trying and following what you have set out for yourself.
23
So let's come to some ways on how you can apply to think in English.
24
And if you are consistent, you're patient and you are willing to put in the hard work,
25
then I promise you that your hard work will be rewarded.
26
Okay, so first of all,
27
the first thing you can do is change all of the settings and notifications on your phone into English.
28
For example, if there are some messages
29
instead of the Vietnamese line or your own mother tongue that you have a new message.
30
Try to change it into English and all the things, all the apps or all the notifications on your phone into English.
31
That is the first step that you can familiarize yourself with English.
32
Secondly, when you are learning English,
33
try to use the English dictionary instead of the Vietnamese or your own language dictionary,
34
which means when you are searching for the word, let's say consistent, then instead of looking for a Vietnamese meaning,
35
try to look for an English meaning, an easy English meaning.
36
For example, consistent means that you keep on trying and never give up.
37
So by that way, You can actually immerse yourself in the language and understand that word more.
38
Since you are already an intermediate, you have reached a certain level in English.
39
If you are just a beginner, then I don't think that these tips apply to you.
40
But when you have reached a certain level in your English learning journey,
41
then it will be very beneficial for you to start using a dictionary that has an English meaning for words.
42
Secondly, try to immerse yourself in English whenever possible, which means listening practice.
43
You have to read extensively and write regularly.
44
How do you listen?
45
For example, if you're doing the housework, then just open some English videos and just listen to them.
46
Sometimes you don't have to understand the content 100%.
47
But if you do this consistently and if you are patient with this,
48
then over time, your mind and your brain will start to absorb in the vocabularies
49
and grammatical structures in those English videos and you will understand it more.
50
So remember to listen anywhere everywhere you go.
51
For example, if you're waiting for the buzz, open a music video in English.
52
It doesn't have to be a boring news.
53
It can be your favorite English songs and try to sing through to the melody as well.
54
Secondly, try to create a habit of reading.
55
Read a lot.
56
You can read some fairy tales, some easy stories, or read the news.
57
By reading those, then you will start to learn more vocabulary and learn more grammatical structures.
58
Because I think like if you just open a book full of grammar and learn from the book,
59
it'll be really boring and it'll be very slow for you to understand and learn those grammatical structures.
60
Instead, for me, the way I learn my grammatical structures is basically read a lot of news articles
61
and read a lot of books.
62
You know, slowly but surely,
63
I will start to absorb and understand the grammar structures that they usually use in books and in movies. And thirdly, write regularly.
64
You don't have to write two-page, three-page essay, no.
65
So every day you just need to write a small paragraph about your day
66
or maybe once a week because writing a long essay can be really hard.
67
So to get familiar with the writing, you should try to write short paragraphs,
68
a few sentences each day to help you get familiar with writing
69
and kind of like understand and apply the grammatical structures and vocabulary you just learned from listening and from your books.
70
Now, the third thing you need to do is to reduce translating in Vietnamese
71
or in any languages that is your mother tongue.
72
How do you do this?
73
You have to create a mindset that translating is not good.
74
And also, you can apply this structure.
75
is the structure five W's, which I have actually introduced you in my previous videos.
76
Like the who, what, where, when, why.
77
For example, in your kitchen, instead of saying, oh, that is the cooker, the rice cooker in Vietnamese,
78
you can actually stick some sticky notes on some items inside your house so that you can start thinking that,
79
oh, this is the rice cooker, but actually in English.
80
And when you're speaking in something or when you're describing something, try to use the five dad we used.
81
For example, I'm a student.
82
I am living in a place where there are lots of people.
83
It's a city.
84
And I usually go to school every single day.
85
And I love my school because there I get to meet my friends.
86
And I get to learn a lot of wonderful things from peers and teachers.
87
That is how I applied the formula who, what, where, when, why.
88
And if you apply this formula for anything that you're learning, for answering questions, or just for thinking inside your head, it'll be very good.
89
For example, instead of having a conversation with your sister or your siblings in your mother tongue in Vietnamese,
90
try to practice speaking more.
91
because the number one thing you should do is stop being shy.
92
If you're timid, you're shy, and you're nervous that you're going to make mistakes,
93
then it's kind of like impossible for you to even start applying all of those tips I've just mentioned.
94
So make sure that you're not shy and you're willing to put in the hard work.
95
So yes, let's review all of those tips I've just mentioned.
96
Number one is make sure you use an English dictionary.
97
Number two, immerse yourself in English by listening a lot, reading a lot, and practice writing some small paragraph.
98
Number three is you can reduce translating in Vietnamese by setting the notifications on your phone in English
99
and try to think in English all the items.
100
For example, this is a notebook instead of thinking in Vietnamese, a notebook.
101
This is a pen.
102
So try to like create a mindset that you have to think in English.
103
And in that way, your English learning journey will be much easier.
104
So I'll see you in the next episode.
105
Bye.

Download App

AI scoring for every sentence you speak

Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play
TRENDING

Popular

About This Lesson

Welcome to this lesson focused on enhancing your English speaking abilities through the practice of thinking in English. Many learners struggle with translating from their native language to English during conversations, which can slow down responses and hinder fluency. This lesson will guide you on how to immerse yourself in the English language, encouraging a natural flow of thought in English during speaking. By applying the techniques discussed here, you will move closer to achieving fluency, making your IELTS speaking practice more effective and engaging.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Think in English: The ability to process thoughts in English rather than translating from your native language.
  • Intermediate: Refers to learners who have a basic understanding of English and are ready to expand their skills.
  • Immersion: The practice of surrounding yourself with English in various contexts to deepen your understanding.
  • Consistency: Regularly practicing English to build confidence and fluency.
  • Dictionary: A resource for definitions and meanings; using an English dictionary enhances vocabulary.
  • Shadowing Technique: A technique where learners listen and repeat speech immediately, mimicking speed and tone.

Practice Tips

When working on your English speaking practice, consider utilizing the shadowing technique to improve your fluency. As you listen to the transcript provided in the video, you can employ shadowspeak by repeating phrases immediately after hearing them. This exercise is excellent for practicing at a normal speaking rate, even if it feels challenging at first.

Start by watching the video and pausing it after a sentence. Repeat what you heard, mimicking the tone and speed of the speaker. Remember to allow yourself time to absorb the content; you don’t have to understand everything right away. For effective IELTS speaking practice, consistently practice this shadowing method, focusing on clear articulation and intonation. Over time, your brain will adapt, allowing you to think in English more freely without translating from your mother tongue.

Additionally, make daily efforts to immerse yourself in English. Change your device settings to English, listen to English podcasts or videos while performing daily tasks, and gradually incorporate English dictionaries into your study habits. By actively engaging with English in this way, you are not just practicing speaking—you are training your mind to naturally think in English, making your future conversations smoother and more enjoyable.

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee