Shadowing Practice: DAY 2 — English Shadowing Challenge | Practice Speaking Real-Life Conversations - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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For a lot of you, speaking is the hardest part of English.
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You can read it, you can understand it, but the moment it's your turn to talk, something happens.
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Your brain freezes.
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The words you knew yesterday are suddenly gone.
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So I made this challenge for you.
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Seven days, seven real-life conversations, shadowing every day.
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Shadowing makes you speak the real words out loud at the exact same time as the characters speaking.
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Not after, with them.
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Today is day two of the challenge and today we're at the coffee shop.
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As I promised, I brought the dog.
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You are the customer, you walk in, you order, and things do not go smoothly.
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Here are the words and phrases you need to know first. To go.
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When you order something to go, you want it packed up so you can take it with you rather than sitting down inside.
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Next for here.
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For here means you are staying to sit down and have it inside.
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It is the opposite of to go.
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Then to customize your order.
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When you customize your order, you are changing something about the standard drink, the size, the type of milk, or how sweet it is.
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Next, oat milk.
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Oat milk is a dairy-free alternative to regular milk made from oats.
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It has become very common in coffee shops over the last few years.
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Then a shot of espresso.
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A shot of espresso is a small concentrated amount of coffee.
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When you ask for an extra shot, you are making the whole drink stronger.
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Next, decaf.
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Decaf is short for decaffeinated.
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It is coffee with the caffeine taken out.
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People order it when they love the taste of coffee but want to avoid the caffeine.
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Then room at the top.
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When you ask for room at the top, you are asking the barista to leave a little space in the cup so you can add your own cream or milk.
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Next, to charge someone.
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To charge someone means to add a cost to their bill.
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When the barista says we charge extra for that, it means they are adding that amount to your total.
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Then, to ring that up.
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To ring something up means to put the order into the register and calculate the total price.
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And finally, hang on.
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Hang on is a very common informal way of saying, wait a moment.
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You will hear it constantly in everyday conversation.
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By the way, before we get into the next conversation, I want to tell you about a handbook a lot of you have been asking about.
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It's called 300 plus English words and expressions.
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And it's the handbook that goes with what we are doing in this challenge.
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The reason you freeze when you speak is not that you don't know the words.
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Sometimes the words you know are not the ones natives use in conversation.
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You learn delicious at school.
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Native speakers will most often say, oh my god, this is so good.
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You learn very tired, but natives be like, oh, I'm exhausted.
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Same idea, totally different vocabulary, more emotion.
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This handbook gives you over 300 of these expressions organized by situation with examples of how they are used in real sentences,
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coffee shops, restaurants, small talk, work, dating, traveling, the kind of vocabulary that makes you sound natural instead of like a textbook.
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It's a download, so you get it in your email a few minutes after you buy it.
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And you can use it for shadowing too, which is exactly what we're doing today.
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The link is in the description.
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Now let's get into our today's conversation.
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Ordering coffee.
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Now just listen to the full conversation.
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Get familiar with the words, the pacing, and the way it sounds in natural speech.
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Hi there.
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Welcome in.
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What can I get started for you?
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Hi.
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Can I get a medium latte, please?
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Absolutely.
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Is that for here or to go?
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To go, please.
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Perfect.
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And what kind of milk would you like?
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We have whole, skim, oat, almond, and soy.
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Oat milk, please.
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Actually, wait.
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Can I also add an extra shot of espresso? Of course.
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So that is a medium oat milk latte with an extra shot.
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You want any syrup in there?
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Vanilla?
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Caramel?
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Hazelnut?
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Hmm.
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You know what?
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Can I get half a pump of vanilla?
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Half a pump?
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Sure.
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We can do that.
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Just a tiny bit.
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Not too sweet.
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Oh, and actually, can you make a decaf?
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I know that probably sounds strange with an extra shot, but I just genuinely love the taste of espresso without the caffeine.
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Huh, honestly, you are not the first person to order that.
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Decaf, double shot, oat milk latte, half pump vanilla.
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Anything else I can add?
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Actually, yes, sorry, one more thing.
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Can you leave a little room at the top?
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I like to add my own cream after.
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No problem at all.
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Just so you know, the extra shot does add to the price.
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It is 75 cents on top.
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Oh, that is completely fine, yeah.
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Great.
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And can I get a name for the order?
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Alex.
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Alex.
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Perfect.
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Cash or card today?
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Card.
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Actually, hang on.
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Do you guys have any of those coffee cards?
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Like a loyalty card or something?
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We do.
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Every 10 drinks, you get one free.
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I can set that up for you right now if you want.
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It only takes a second.
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Oh yes, please, that would be great.
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Cool.
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Let me just grab one.
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Okay, so I am going to stamp it once for today's order.
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There you go.
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Nine more to go.
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Amazing, thank you.
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So, what is my total?
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So, with the extra shot that comes to $6.20.
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Sorry, quick question.
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Is the oat milk extra too, or just the shot?
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Just the shot.
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Oat milk is included in the base price here.
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Oh, nice.
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Good to know.
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Perfect.
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I will just need you to tap or insert whichever you prefer.
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Okay, here's my card.
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I will tap.
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Great.
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That has gone through.
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So your order is a decaf oat milk latte, double shot, half pump vanilla, room at the top.
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I will call out Alex when it is ready.
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Should be about three to four minutes.
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Perfect.
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Oh, and is there a sleeve on that cup?
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I always burn my hand.
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Always.
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Yes, we put a sleeve on all the to-go cups.
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You are good.
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Amazing.
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Thank you so much. Of course.
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Have a wonderful day.
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You too, thanks.
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Now it is your turn.
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The conversation will play again.
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And this time, say the customer's words out loud at the exact same time you hear them.
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Same pace.
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Do not wait.
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Here we go.
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Hi there.
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Welcome in.
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What can I get started for you?
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Hi.
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Can I get a medium latte, please?
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Absolutely.
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Is that for here or to go?
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To go, please.
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Perfect.
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And what kind of milk would you like?
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We have whole, skim, oat, almond, and soy.
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Oat milk, please.
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Actually, wait.
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Can I also add an extra shot of espresso? Of course.
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So that is a medium oat milk latte with an extra shot.
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You want any syrup in there?
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Vanilla, caramel, hazelnut?
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Hmm, you know what?
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Can I get half a pump of vanilla?
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Half a pump?
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Sure, we can do that.
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Just a tiny bit.
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Not too sweet.
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Oh, and actually, can you make a decaf?
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I know that probably sounds strange with an extra shot, but I just genuinely love the taste of espresso without the caffeine.
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Huh, honestly, you are not the first person to order that.
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Decaf, double shot, oat milk latte, half pump vanilla.
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Anything else I can add?
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Actually, yes, sorry, one more thing.
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Can you leave a little room at the top?
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I like to add my own cream after.
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No problem at all.
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Just so you know, the extra shot does add to the price.
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It is 75 cents on top.
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Oh, that is completely fine, yeah.
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Great.
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And can I get a name for the order?
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Alex.
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Alex, perfect.
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Cash or card today?
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Card.
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Actually, hang on.
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Do you guys have any of those coffee cards?
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Like a loyalty card or something?
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We do.
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Every ten drinks you get one free.
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I can set that up for you right now if you want.
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It only takes a second.
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Oh yes, please, that would be great.
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Cool.
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Let me just grab one.
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Okay, so I am going to stamp it once for today's order.
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There you go.
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Nine more to go.
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Amazing, thank you.
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So, what is my total?
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So, with the extra shot that comes to $6.20.
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Sorry, quick question.
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Is the oat milk extra too or just the shot?
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Just the shot.
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Oat milk is included in the base price here.
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Oh, nice.
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Good to know.
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Perfect.
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I will just need you to tap or insert whichever you prefer.
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Okay, here's my card.
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I will tap.
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Great.
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That has gone through.
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So your order is a decaf oat milk latte, double shot, half pump vanilla, room at the top.
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I will call out Alex when it is ready.
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Should be about three to four minutes.
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Perfect.
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Oh, and is there a sleeve on that cup?
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I always burn my hand.
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Always.
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Yes, we put a sleeve on all the to-go cups.
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You are good.
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Amazing.
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Thank you so much. Of course.
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Have a wonderful day.
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You too, thanks.
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That's day two, two down.
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Write day two done in the comments if you're finished today.
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And tell me, was the coffee shop harder or easier than the dog park yesterday?
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Tomorrow we're going clothes shopping for day three.
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See you there and bye-bye.

Context & Background

In this English learning practice session, we focus on navigating daily conversations you might encounter in a coffee shop setting. Speaking can often feel like the most challenging aspect of mastering English. While you may read and understand the language, the moment you need to speak, your mind may go blank. This is where the shadowing technique comes in, allowing you to practice english speaking practice by mimicking the speech of native speakers as they converse in real-time. Today's challenge aims to help you overcome that hesitation and develop your fluency.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • To go: This means you want your order packed up for takeout.
  • For here: Indicates that you will be dining in at the coffee shop.
  • Customize your order: This means to change the standard aspects of your drink, such as size or ingredients.
  • Decaf: Short for decaffeinated coffee; a great option for coffee lovers who wish to avoid caffeine.
  • Hang on: An informal way of saying "wait a moment," often used in conversation.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To make the most of this English shadowing practice, follow these steps to improve english pronunciation and gain confidence:

  1. Choose a Quiet Space: Find an environment free of distractions where you can focus entirely on the audio.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Play the video and listen to the speaker. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation. After a line is spoken, repeat it out loud immediately, using the shadowspeak method.
  3. Practice with Variations: Once you feel comfortable, try using the phrases in different sentences. For example, instead of just saying "I’d like a coffee for here," try "I’d like a cappuccino to go, please."
  4. Record Yourself: Use your phone or any recording device to capture your voice as you practice. Listening back can help you identify areas for improvement.
  5. Engage with Others: If possible, practice speaking with a partner or friend who is also learning. You can create mock coffee shop scenarios to make it more engaging and practical.

By incorporating shadowing technique into your daily routine through exercises like this, you'll advance your English speaking capabilities and feel more comfortable engaging in real-life conversations.

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.