Shadowing Practice: Do You Really Need to Study English Every Day? | B2-C2 English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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And of course they start to cut the grass the second I start recording.
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Hello, hello, welcome or welcome back.
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If you're new here, hello, I'm Jean.
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It's nice to meet you.
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Today we have another episode of English Extras.
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This podcast is to help intermediate and advanced learners improve their English.
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And today, once again, I have my question jar.
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This question jar related to learning English.
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So let's see what we get today.
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Thank you.
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Okay, today's question is, do you really need to study English every day?
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Do you really need to study English every day?
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Okay, this is an interesting question.
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This is actually a question that I get pretty often.
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So let's talk about it.
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So very often...
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when I am live streaming.
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And currently I live stream twice a week for everyone, Fridays and Sundays.
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I very often get asked about My advice to improve English.
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Usually my advice is find what works for you.
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Find what you can do with English consistently.
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I really talk about and push this idea of connecting with English,
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every day and having good habits that let you connect with English every single day.
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I want to be clear.
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I'm not talking about studying.
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English every single day.
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You do not have to have a textbook or a course or a class to learn English.
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So I believe that you do not have to study English every day,
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but I do think you should use English every day.
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So I have a couple of tips for you about how to do this, because I do think it's important.
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And before I give you these tips, I will explain why I think this is important.
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So the difference between studying and using.
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Studying is a very focused active practice.
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Think things like classes, courses, grammar drills, writing practice, things like this.
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That's studying.
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That is active, focused, practice versus using English.
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Using English is more organic less structured,
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more natural, and it's more about exposure and engagement.
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So thinking things like YouTube videos that are about topics you're interested in,
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not grammar, not lessons, just something you find interesting.
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Or Watching a movie or a TV show.
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Listening to music.
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These are all ways to use English.
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Personally, I think that using English
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Meaning having consistent exposure
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and engagement with the language is the key to real fluency versus the kind of memorization that comes from school and studying.
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Now, here's the thing.
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I do understand that daily routines are busy.
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You have a lot to do.
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You're working hard or you have a family or you're working hard and you have a family.
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And also things like motivation changes.
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Like motivation is not reliable.
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I actually have an entire episode about that, about why you shouldn't.
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rely on motivation, I believe that even small moments count.
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Actually, I think small moments are the most important
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because it's small moments that make up the fabric of our day -to -day lives.
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So the question is, how can you make English part of your life?
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without making it a chore.
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So let's get to those tips.
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Tip number one is turn your passive time into English time.
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So what I mean by that is While you're doing something else, Like...
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Doing chores.
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Cooking dinner.
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going to work, exercising.
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While you're doing things that are already part of your daily life,
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these kind of like, dead moments or the dead time in your life listen to something in English.
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to a podcast, a YouTube video, music.
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If you're going to be doing something else anyway, you might as well put English on in the background.
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You don't have to focus on it.
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But bringing it into your life helps keep the language alive.
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It's about consistent exposure which is more important than focus.
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I think.
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So you don't have to focus on it.
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You don't have to worry about it.
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Just have it in the background.
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Let your brain do its thing.
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Because your brain will find patterns even if you're not consciously thinking about it.
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My second tip is to switch one small thing to English.
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So switching your phone, like the entire phone, to English might be a bit much,
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but switch the language of a single app to English.
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Not something important like your banking app or anything like that, but something you use consistently, like social media.
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Actually, social media can be a fantastic way to bring English naturally into your daily life.
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follow accounts on social media, in English, read the comments in English,
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or put on English captions.
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All of these are small bite -sized ways to bring English into your life naturally.
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Tip number three is to make English part of your inner world.
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So what do I mean by inner world?
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So something that I hear a lot is how do I improve my speaking?
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I can understand, but I can't speak.
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I recommend.
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something like this.
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Make English part of your inner world.
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Start narrating your life your day -to -day life in English.
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even silently to yourself in your head.
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Start telling yourself what you're doing.
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You would be surprised how effective
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this exercise is because you will very quickly start to realize gaps in your vocabulary or in your grammar.
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Another way is to write short notes or to -do lists in English.
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So when you are planning your work day or planning your week, write your to -do lists in English.
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or if you like to journal, or keep a diary.
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Do that in English.
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And also, I think, don't be afraid to mix English with your native language.
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We live in a multilingual world.
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People already mix English with their native languages.
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So don't be afraid to start mixing English expressions in with your native language.
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Encourage yourself in English.
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Tell yourself that I can do this.
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I got this.
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Talking to yourself positively in English can help you boost your fluency,
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make you more confident, make you feel better about the language, which in turn helps you stay more consistent,
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which helps you build fluency.
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It's a nice little self -fulfilling cycle.
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In general, I think that it's not about studying daily.
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English daily.
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The important thing here is that small steps add up.
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It's about the 1 % every day.
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That's what will help you become fluent.
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I think that true fluency comes from consistent exposure,
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consistent engagement, not focused studying.
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So keep these three tips in mind.
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Turn your passive time into English time, switch small things to English,
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and make English part of your inner world.
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You don't have to aim for perfect discipline, aim for connection.
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Let English live alongside you, with you.
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It's not just something you do for a few hours every week.
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Make it something you do consistently throughout your day.
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So I'm curious, let me know what do you do with English?
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What are your current English daily habits?
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How do you bring English into your daily life?
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If you don't currently, engage with English every day.
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What are some ways that you could bring English into your daily life?
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What does that look like for you?
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Make sure to drop me a comment to let me know.
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As always, thanks for being here, my friends.
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Until next time, bye you
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Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging with the "Do You Really Need to Study English Every Day?" video is a fantastic opportunity to improve your English pronunciation while discovering effective learning strategies. The speaker, Jean, emphasizes the importance of using English in real-life contexts rather than confining your learning to textbooks and classrooms. This approach not only helps in acquiring new vocabulary and expressions but also allows you to experience the language in a more organic and enjoyable way.
By learning English with YouTube, you can immerse yourself in authentic conversations that enhance your listening skills as well. Regularly watching and practicing with videos like this creates a natural flow of communication, making you more confident in speaking.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key structures and phrases are worth noting:
- “Do you really need to…” - This phrase is commonly used to introduce a subject that may require clarification or discussion.
- “Find what works for you” - An important expression that encourages learners to customize their study habits according to their preferences.
- “You do not have to study…” - This structure is a great way to express necessity or obligations, useful in various scenarios.
- “Having good habits that let you connect with English” - This conveys the idea of consistent practice, underscoring the importance of routine in language acquisition.
These expressions not only serve as functional language components but also reflect common phrases that can pop up in daily conversations. By shadowing the speaker, you can better grasp their correct use while enhancing your overall fluency.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Pay attention to specific words and phrases in the video that might be challenging for non-native speakers:
- “English” - The way "English" is pronounced might differ across accents. Make sure to practice the /ɪŋ/ sound to ensure clarity.
- “Study” - The pronunciation of this word can be tricky, especially in rapid speech. Listen closely and repeat to master the subtle intonation.
- “Consistent” - Another word that tends to trip up learners with its multiple syllables. Breaking it down into parts (con-sis-tent) can assist with articulation.
To overcome these challenges, consider using a shadow speech technique with your video practice. Repeating after the speaker while mimicking their intonation and rhythm not only solidifies your understanding but also allows for assessed improvements in your pronunciation.
To further refine your speaking skills, visit a reliable shadowing site and explore additional resources tailored for English learners. Incorporating elements from the video into a daily practice routine is an excellent way to stay motivated and engaged!
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.