Shadowing Practice: Daily Routine English Conversation | Lily & Tom Talk About Real Life | A1–B1 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hi friends!
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Welcome back to Daily English Talk, the place where we make English fun, easy, and part of your daily life.
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I'm Lily.
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And I'm Tom.
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And if this is your first time here, welcome to the family.
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If you haven't subscribed yet, go ahead and hit that button right now.
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Don't be shy.
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Don't be shy.
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Okay.
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Today's topic is something everyone can relate to.
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Daily routines.
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We're talking about work life, social life, and all the little things that happen in between.
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And this is a great episode for A1, A2, and B1 learners.
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We have vocabulary, grammar, real conversations, and personal stories.
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Real embarrassing personal stories.
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Tom's personal stories, mostly.
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Yeah, mostly mine.
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Tom, we have a new member.
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Oh, really?
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Yes.
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Her name is Mahdakt Farhung.
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Great job, Farhung.
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Welcome to our family.
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But before we jump in, I have a question for you.
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A fun one.
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Are you ready?
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Ooh, what is it?
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So, last week, Tom did something at work.
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Something a little unusual.
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Something that made his whole office stop and stare at him.
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Oh, no. Are we telling this story?
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We are absolutely telling this story, but not yet.
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Here's your question for today.
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What do you think Tom did at the office that made everyone stop and look at him?
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I can't believe this is happening.
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Write your guess in the comments right now.
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Was it something he said, something he wore, something he ate?
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Use your imagination.
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We'll tell you the answer at the very end of today's episode.
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I need a moment.
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You're fine.
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Okay, let's get into today's episode.
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So Tom, tell me about your mornings.
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What does a normal morning look like for you?
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Okay, honestly, chaotic.
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My alarm goes off at 7 and I always think, just five more minutes. And then what happens?
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And then it's 7.45 and I'm running around the apartment looking for my keys.
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Aw, Tom, every day?
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Almost every day.
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I wake up, I check my phone, I scroll for like 10 minutes, and suddenly I'm late.
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Okay, okay.
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So what time do you actually leave the house?
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Around 8.15, sometimes 8.20.
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I grab a coffee from the place downstairs, and I walk to the subway.
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Do you eat breakfast?
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Define breakfast.
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Tom!
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I eat something.
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Sometimes a granola bar, sometimes a banana.
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Once I ate cold pasta on the subway and a woman looked at me like I had two heads.
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Cold pasta on the subway?
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It was good pasta.
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Okay.
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And what time do you start work?
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Nine o'clock.
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I work in an office.
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I have a desk, a computer, a very uncomfortable chair.
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Have you told anyone about the chair?
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Three times.
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Nobody cares about the chair.
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Okay.
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What about your lunch break?
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What do you usually do?
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Lunch is my favorite part of the day.
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I go out with my co-workers, or sometimes I eat at my desk and watch videos on my phone.
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What time is your lunch break?
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One o'clock.
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I have 30 minutes, or 45 if my manager isn't looking.
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Tom!
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I'm just being honest.
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What about after work?
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What do you do in the evenings?
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It depends on the day.
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Sometimes I go to the gym, but usually I go home, I make something easy for dinner, and I watch TV.
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Aww, that sounds really relaxing, actually.
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It is.
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I like quiet evenings.
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But on Fridays, I go out with friends.
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We go to a bar or we get dinner somewhere nice.
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I love that.
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Social Tom!
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Okay, now my routine is a little different.
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Tell me.
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So, I wake up at 6.30.
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I know, I know.
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6.30?
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Voluntarily?
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Voluntarily.
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I make coffee, I do a short workout at home, and then I shower and get ready.
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I'm out the door by 8.
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That's so organized.
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A little jealous.
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I like mornings.
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I feel more productive when I start early.
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And I work from home three days a week, so on those days I don't even need to leave.
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Do you like working from home?
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Yes and no. I love the flexibility, but sometimes I miss being around people.
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It gets a little quiet.
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That makes sense.
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Do you take breaks when you work from home?
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Yes, I make lunch at home, which I love.
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I can actually cook something nice instead of eating a sad sandwich at my desk.
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I eat many sad sandwiches.
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I know you do, Tom.
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And in the evenings, I usually call a friend, read a book, or watch something.
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On weekends, I try to do something outdoors.
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Like what?
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Walking, visiting a market, meeting friends for brunch.
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I love brunch.
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Brunch is life.
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It really is.
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Okay, let's talk a little about the grammar we've been using in our conversation.
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Did you notice anything?
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We used a lot of present simple.
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Exactly!
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The present simple tense.
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We use it to talk about things we do regularly, every day, all the time.
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Habits and routines.
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So, I wake up at 7, she goes to the gym, we eat lunch together.
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Perfect.
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The structure is simple.
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For I, you, we, they, just use the base verb.
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I wake up, they go out.
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And for he, she, it, add an S.
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She wakes up, he goes, it starts at 9.
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And for questions, we use do or does.
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What do you eat for breakfast?
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What does Tom do in the evening?
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Tom does very little in the evening, apparently.
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Also useful?
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Time expressions.
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Words like usually, always, often, sometimes, never.
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These help you talk about how often something happens.
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I always check my phone in the morning.
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I sometimes eat cold pasta.
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I never wake up on time.
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All true.
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All grammatically correct.
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Great job, Tom! job, Tom.
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Now let's look at our key vocabulary for today.
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We'll go through the most important words and phrases, and we'll use real examples for each one.
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Ready?
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Ready!
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Our first words, alarm, wake up, and get up.
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These are slightly different.
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How?
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Wake up means your eyes open.
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You stop sleeping.
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Get up means you actually leave the bed you stand up.
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I wake up at 7, I get up at 7.45.
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There's a big difference.
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Exactly!
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My alarm goes off at 6.30.
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I wake up immediately and I get up about five minutes later.
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Show off.
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Let's try it together.
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Repeat after us.
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My alarm goes off at 7.
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I wake up, but I don't get up right away.
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Good!
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Those phrases will sound so natural.
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Okay, next words.
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Commute, subway, rush hour.
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Tell us about your commute, Tom.
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My commute takes about 25 minutes.
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I take the subway.
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Two stops, then I walk five minutes.
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A commute is the trip you take from home to work or school.
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It can be by subway, bus, car, or even walking.
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Rush hour is the busy time, usually in the morning around 8 or 9, and in the evening around 5 or 6.
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The subway is very, very crowded.
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Very crowded.
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I avoid the subway during rush hour when I can.
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I leave early to beat the crowds.
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She leaves at 7.55 just to avoid people.
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Lily hates crowded places.
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I do not hate people.
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I just prefer space.
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She hates crowds.
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Okay, fine.
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Let's repeat.
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My commute takes 30 minutes.
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I take the subway during rush hour.
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It's very crowded in the morning.
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Next, break, lunch break, and take a break.
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A break is a short rest during your work or school day.
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A lunch break is when you stop to eat lunch.
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How long is a typical lunch break?
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In my office, officially 30 minutes.
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In practice, it depends on the day.
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I take a break from work every couple of hours, even just 5 or 10 minutes.
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It helps me focus better.
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I take too many breaks, honestly.
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I call it being social.
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That is not what that is called.
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Let's repeat.
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I take a 30-minute lunch break.
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I need to take a break.
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I'm tired.
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She takes a break every two hours.
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Now let's talk about life after work.
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Three great words.
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After work, unwind, and socialize.
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What does unwind mean?
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Unwind means to relax, to let go of stress after a busy day.
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Like when you sit on the sofa with a cup of tea and just breathe.
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I unwind by watching TV or playing video games or just sitting quietly and doing nothing.
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That sounds really peaceful, actually.
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It is.
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And socialize means to spend time with other people, to talk, laugh, go out together.
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I socialize more on weekends.
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During the week I'm usually tired after work, but on Saturdays I meet my friends for coffee or brunch.
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I socialize on Friday nights.
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My group of friends goes out almost every Friday.
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We've been doing it for years.
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That's so sweet! a Friday tradition.
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We call ourselves the Friday Crew.
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Very official.
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Let's repeat.
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After work, I like to unwind at home.
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On weekends, I socialize with my friends.
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Unwinding is important for your mental health.
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Last vocabulary set.
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Productive, routine, and balance.
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These are great words for talking about your lifestyle.
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Protective means you do a lot of useful things.
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You finish tasks, you make progress.
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I had a very productive day at work.
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A routine is the set of things you do regularly, in the same order.
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Wake up, coffee, commute, work.
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That's my morning routine. And balance.
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This is so important.
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Work-life balance means you have time for both work and the things you enjoy.
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Friends, hobbies, rest.
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Ah, I'm still working on my balance.
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Me too, honestly.
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Some weeks I work too much, but I always try to make time for the people I love.
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Aw, that was deep, Lily.
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Sometimes I say deep things.
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Repeat with us.
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I try to be productive in the morning.
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A good routine helps you feel organized.
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Work-life balance is very important.
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Okay, let's do a quick summary of everything we covered today.
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First, we talked about morning routines.
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Wake up, get up, alarm.
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And remember the difference.
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Wake up means your eyes open.
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Get up means you leave the bed.
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Second, commuting.
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Subway, bus, car, rush hour.
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Try to tell someone about your commute in English this week.
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Third, work life.
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Lunch break, take a break.
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Even short breaks are good for your focus and energy.
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Fourth, after work life.
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Unwind, socialize.
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Both are important.
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Rest is important.
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Spending time with people is important.
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And fifth, big life words.
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Productive, routine, and balance.
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These are great words for talking about your daily life in English.
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Now, here's your homework.
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In the comments, write one sentence about your daily routine in English.
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It can be simple.
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I wake up at 7.
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I take the bus to work.
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I unwind by watching TV.
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Just one sentence.
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We read every single comment.
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Seriously, we love seeing your answers.
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And don't forget your guess from earlier.
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What do you think Tom did at the office?
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We're about to tell you.
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If you learned something new, give this video a like.
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It really helps our channel grow. And subscribe.
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We upload a brand new episode every single day.
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Every single day.
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We'll see you tomorrow.
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Keep practicing.
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Keep going.
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You're doing amazing.
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Bye for now, everyone.
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See you in the next one.
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Goodbye.
About This Lesson
Welcome to today's lesson focused on daily routines in English conversation! Whether you're at the A1, A2, or B1 level, this session is designed to help you engage with relatable topics about work and personal life. As you practice speaking with your peers or through a shadowing app, you'll explore vocabulary and real-life conversations that enhance your communication skills. This lesson emphasizes understanding the typical phrases and expressions used in everyday situations, making it perfect for anyone who wants to improve English pronunciation in a natural context.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Alarm goes off - The sound that wakes you up in the morning.
- Chaotic - A state of complete confusion or disorder.
- Scrolling - Moving through content on your phone or computer screen.
- Running around - Moving quickly and in a disorganized way.
- Late - Not on time; after the expected time.
- Daily routines - The series of actions regularly followed in order to structure the day.
- Make everyone stop and stare - To attract attention in a surprising or embarrassing way.
- Guess in the comments - An encouragement to interact, often used in conversation starters.
Practice Tips
To effectively utilize this lesson in your practice, consider the shadowing technique. Listen to Lily and Tom's conversation about daily routines and try to repeat what they say. This method can significantly improve English pronunciation by mirroring their intonation and rhythm. As you practice, use a shadowing app to get instant feedback on your pronunciation and clarity. Aim for a calm pace when starting, but challenge yourself later to match the natural speed and tone of the dialogue.
Incorporate pauses to digest phrases and repeat them back to ensure they stick in your memory. Don't be afraid to replay sections—staying engaged with both the vocabulary and the context will make your practice more effective. If you’re preparing for tests like the IELTS, this immersive speaking practice can boost your confidence and readiness.
Lastly, remember to connect with others—share your daily routines in English with friends or language partners. This not only gives you practice but also makes the learning process 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.