Shadowing Practice: CELPIP Exam Speaking Practice | Difficult Situation - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Take a look at this woman.
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She's taking the CELPIP exam
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and on the speaking part of the exam she has to answer a question about a difficult situation
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and she has one minute to read the question and think about it and another minute to speak.
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Okay now she doesn't know what to say.
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Do you know what to say?
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Well, in this lesson, I'm going to teach you what to say for this question.
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Now, I'm making a lot of videos on Selpip, so make sure you hit that subscribe button right down there.
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Okay, so here's the question.
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A close cousin who lives in another country is coming to visit for a year.
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She tells you that she would like to stay at your place to explore your country's culture
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and to spend some time with you.
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Your roommate does not agree and says you will have to move out if she comes.
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Okay, so here's a difficult situation.
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Now, you have to choose one.
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Either talk to your cousin, explain why she cannot move in for a year, or talk to your roommate,
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explain why your cousin should be allowed to move in with you for a year.
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Okay, so the first thing you need to do is decide who you're going to talk to.
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Which would be easier?
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Personally, I think it would be a little bit easier to talk to your cousin or my cousin in this case.
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So here's what we're going to do.
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Okay, we're going to take some notes.
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Okay, now it might take you like 60 seconds to read the question.
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Look how long this question is.
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Can you read all of this and all of this in one minute?
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I hope so.
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You need to be able to read all of it.
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But that's a long time and you only have a minute.
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So you might not have too much time to take notes.
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But if you have 10
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or 20 seconds to take some notes then just take some
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really short notes try to think of of why she can't
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stay with you in your apartment hmm okay our apartment is too small
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so you just write too small my roommate has a girlfriend
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and that would be a little bit awkward so you just write girlfriend
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My roommate has a crazy work schedule where sometimes he works days,
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sometimes he works nights, and so it would be very challenging if you were to stay with us.
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Okay, so you just write schedule.
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Okay, that way when you're speaking you can look at your notes and remember what you want to say.
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Okay, so remember when you're answering this question you're talking to a person.
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okay
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so in this case you're going to say something like this
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hi cindy it's mark calling here okay that's how you're going
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to start you're going to pretend like you're talking to your
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cousin on the phone okay then you're going to introduce the topic you're going to make a decision
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or tell Tell her about your decision.
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And then you're going to explain the reasons.
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So follow this structure when you answer the question.
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Now here's how you introduce the topic.
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You're going to say, hi Cindy, it's Mark calling here.
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I talked to my roommate today and he doesn't really like the idea of someone living with us.
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So then this is your decision.
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So unfortunately you won't be able to stay here.
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Okay this is a very good word to use in this question.
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When you have to make a tough decision,
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when you have to tell someone no I can't do this or you can't do this then you should say unfortunately.
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Okay unfortunately it won't work or unfortunately you won't be able to stay here.
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Okay, so that's the decision.
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This is how you introduce the topic.
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It's just, it's one sentence, but you start like this.
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You don't just call your cousin and say, hi Cindy, you can't stay with us.
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Bye.
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Okay, that's, that would be pretty rude.
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Okay, so this is the best way to do it in English.
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Okay, So then you're going to explain the reasons why she can't stay with you in your apartment.
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Okay, so the apartment is really small.
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We only have one bathroom, so it would be a little bit awkward.
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You know, just whatever you want to say about that.
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And then my roommate has a girlfriend.
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She likes to come over and watch movies.
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and so if you were living with us in our living room
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that would make their relationship a little bit uh
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that would be strange for their relationship okay
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and my roommate's work schedule is really strange you know he likes to have peace
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and quiet at home so he doesn't want to come home
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and suddenly there's you in the living room okay so you're going to sit try to be very polite
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very nice when you're speaking, but you're going to talk about your reasons.
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Okay, so this is going to be most of what you talk about, right?
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Like at the beginning, this is only one sentence, so it's going to take you maybe five or ten seconds to say this,
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and then you're going to spend most of the time in the question answering these things here, talking about the reasons.
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Okay, so I want to give you an example of how I would answer this question.
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Okay, are you ready?
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If you want to try first, then click on the pause button right down there.
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And then after you finish trying, then you can click on the play button and hear my answer.
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Okay, but here is my answer right here.
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Okay, we've started.
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Hi Cindy, it's Mark calling here.
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I was talking with my roommate earlier today about you coming to visit
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and he actually doesn't like the idea of someone coming to live with us for a while.
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So unfortunately you can't stay here with us.
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You know our apartment is actually really small.
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We only have one bathroom so that would be a bit awkward with all of us sharing the same bathroom.
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Also he has a girlfriend and she likes to come over
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and watch movies and they like to cook together
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so it would be a little bit awkward for their relationship if you were to stay with us.
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Also, his work schedule is a bit strange.
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Sometimes he works days, sometimes he works nights.
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And so he just likes to have a really quiet, peaceful place to live.
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So I'm really looking forward to seeing you when you come visit.
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I hope you can find a great place to stay when you come.
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Take care.
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Bye.
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Okay, a minute.
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Exactly a minute.
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So, I said I talked a lot, okay?
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Try to talk from the beginning to the end.
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I mean, it's going to cut you off.
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After a minute is up, it's going to cut you off.
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So maybe it's good to try to stop talking three or four seconds before you get cut off.
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But don't stop talking like half a minute early.
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Okay, that would be bad.
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You need to use most of your time.
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Okay?
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So that's how I would answer this question.
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Let's take a look at another difficult situation.
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Here's the situation.
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You promised your nephew that you would be at his birthday party next weekend, but your boss has asked you to go on a business trip that weekend.
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You need to call one of them and tell them that you can't make it.
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Okay, so here's another difficult situation.
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You promised your nephew that you would go to his birthday party next weekend, but then your boss asked you to go on a business trip that weekend.
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So you need to decide.
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Who are you going to talk to?
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Are you going to talk to your boss and tell him you can't go on the business trip?
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Or are you going to talk to your nephew and say that you can't go to his birthday party?
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Well, I think it would be much easier to talk to the nephew.
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Right?
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That would probably be easier.
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It would be hard to talk to your boss and say, Hey, I can't go on the business trip because my nephew's birthday party is that weekend.
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Your boss would say, What?
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I'm going to fire you.
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Well, if he was nice, he would understand, but you don't want to risk your job, right?
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Okay, so again, you're going to introduce the topic.
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You're going to tell your nephew about the decision you made.
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and then you're going to talk about the reasons.
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Okay, so let's just take a few notes.
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What are our reasons going to be?
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Well, my job is really important.
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I need money right now because I just bought a house.
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So I need to make the payments on my house.
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Then you could say, hey, can we party together next week?
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I have some holidays coming up next week so I'd love to spend three or four days with you.
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We can play games and stuff.
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Whatever you want to say here.
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Now this isn't really a reason why you can't go to his birthday party
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but it's just something nice to say to encourage him
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or to show him that you care about him and that you love him.
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Okay?
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Then you could say something like this.
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I bought you a cool present.
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I think you're going to love it.
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I can't wait to see you.
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I can't wait to give you your present.
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Okay, so there are our reasons.
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So then it's going to say, start speaking now.
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And then you need to start speaking.
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Okay, so I'm going to give this one a try.
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Again, if you want to try this before I do, then click on the pause button down there.
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Otherwise, I'm going to start right now.
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Now remember, when you're talking to him, you're talking to your nephew.
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So you're going to say something like, hi, Peter, it's Uncle Mark calling.
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Or if you're a woman, you could say, Hi, Peter.
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It's Auntie Linda calling.
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You can say Auntie or Auntie.
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We pronounce...
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Yeah, I think it's more common.
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I actually don't know which is more common.
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You can decide.
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Auntie, Auntie.
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There's two ways to pronounce that word, okay?
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If it's a really small kid, then you might say Auntie or Auntie.
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But if it's like an older kid, like a teenager, you might just say Aunt.
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Aunt Jillian or Aunt Linda or Aunt, however you want to say it.
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Usually we put the E at the end of a word if it's a small kid.
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Like a small kid will call his parents Mommy and Daddy.
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But when the kid grows up, they just say Mom and Dad.
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Okay, so I'm going to start this by saying, Hi Peter, it's Uncle Mark calling.
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Okay, ready?
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Here we go.
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Hi Peter, it's Uncle Mark calling.
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I know I promised to be at your birthday party next weekend,
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but unfortunately my boss has asked me to go on a business trip that weekend, so I won't be able to make it to your party.
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I'm really sorry about that.
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My job is really important right now and I can't risk losing my job
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because I just bought a house and I have to pay the mortgage payments on my house.
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So I really need to keep my job.
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Can we party together next week?
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I have some holidays coming up and I want to come visit you for a few days.
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We can play some games, bake a cake and have a great time together.
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And I bought you a really cool present.
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I know you're going to love it so much, so I can't wait to give it to you.
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Okay, I'm really sorry again, and I can't wait to see you soon.
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All right, love you.
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Bye.
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Okay, 59 seconds.
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That was perfect.
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Okay, a minute.
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All right, I had one more second to talk.
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Okay, so that's an example of how I would answer this question.
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Those are my tips for this question, but let's do some homework.
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Okay, I want you to answer this difficult situation down there in the comments.
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Okay, so you are going to the hospital to see your grandma.
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Your grandma is sick or she got rushed to the hospital.
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So you're going to see her.
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A cop pulls you over for speeding.
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How do you explain your situation?
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A cop is a police officer.
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and speeding means driving too fast.
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You were driving to the hospital really fast.
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A cop, okay, puts on his sirens and pulls you over for speeding.
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So you need to explain your situation.
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What do you tell the cop?
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Let me know down there in the comments and I'll see you over in the next episode of Mad English TV.
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Take care.
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Thank you.

Context & Background

In this video, the focus is on a challenging scenario presented in the CELPIP exam's speaking portion. The speaker describes a situation where a person’s close cousin plans to visit for a year, seeking to stay in their home while the roommate vehemently opposes this arrangement. This dilemma requires the candidate to choose whom to address, either the cousin or the roommate, and to articulate their reasoning effectively. Such exercises in situational dialogues help learners practice critical thinking and structured speech in real-life contexts. Engaging with the content allows learners to enhance their English skills through practical application, making it ideal for those looking to learn English with YouTube.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Hi [Name], it's [Your Name] calling here. – A friendly way to initiate a conversation.
  • I understand your perspective, but... – A respectful way to introduce a differing opinion.
  • Unfortunately, my place is too small. – A direct and clear explanation of your situation.
  • My roommate has a unique work schedule. – A phrase that highlights external factors affecting the decision.
  • Perhaps we can find another solution. – An open-ended suggestion that promotes collaboration.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To master the skills necessary for addressing complex speaking tasks like the CELPIP exam, practicing with a shadowspeaks method can be extremely beneficial. Try the following steps to improve your proficiency in shadow speech:

  1. Watch the video attentively: Pay close attention to the dialogue structure and how emotions are conveyed.
  2. Take notes strategically: Use the limited preparation time wisely. Write down key points that resonate with the dialogue—this will help you recall important information while speaking.
  3. Practice repeating phrases: Use a shadowing app to mimic the speaker’s tone and pacing. This builds fluency and confidence.
  4. Engage in role-play: With a language partner or through a shadowing site, recreate the dialogue, switching roles. This practical application solidifies your understanding.
  5. Reflect and improve: After practicing, review your performance. Identify areas for improvement and adjust your speaking strategies accordingly.

Using these techniques consistently can significantly enhance your speaking abilities, preparing you for the CELPIP exam and everyday conversations alike. By engaging in this structured practice, you are not only preparing for your exam but also developing skills that are invaluable in real-life interactions.

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.