Shadowing Practice: English Connected Reading | 美音连读 | 雅思口语Part2: Describe a family member you spend a lot of time with - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hey, what's up?
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It's Alex.
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Today, we're going to look at a sample IELTS answer to the question, Describe a family member you spend a lot of time with.
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Let's take a look.
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Well, when I was young, of course, I spent a lot of time with my parents.
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Well, when I was young.
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Well, when I was young.
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That le in well kind of disappears.
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It goes really to the back of the throat.
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Well, when I was young, well, when I was young, I spent a lot of time with my parents.
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Spent a lot of time.
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The t's in these words kind of become much weaker.
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Spent becomes spend, spend a lot of time, and a lot of, when I speak it very quickly and in a relaxed way,
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it becomes LADA.
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Spent a lot of time.
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When I was about four or five, though, I met my cousin Ben for the first time. About four or five.
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Here, the T in ABOUT becomes a glottal stop.
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About four or five.
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And the word OR shortens and it's just a ER.
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Four or five.
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I met my cousin ben for the first time at a
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family reunion met my met my again the t becomes a
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glottal stop met my cousin ben for the first time now first time first ends with a t
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and time begins with the t
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so the t is longer first time first time at a
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family reunion here at a the t flaps at a at a at a family reunion at a
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and we became best friends really quickly and we
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and we i just go from the nut to the what there's no duh here
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and we and we became best friends really quickly
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best friends that t in best disappears and the d in friends is always never pronounced
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friends best friends
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and we became best friends really quickly a lot of people have trouble with the word really
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when we say quickly it becomes really it really we can sometimes say it with a longer vowel.
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Really.
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But I normally don't do that, especially not in fast speech.
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Later on, he moved closer to me.
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Moved closer.
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The D kind of disappears here.
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Later on, he moved closer to me.
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And we started hanging out a lot more.
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We went to the same high school.
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Went to.
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Here, the T in went and the T in to connect it's a longer to.
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Went to the same, went to the same.
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And that phrase went to the, it's spoken very quickly.
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Went to the, went to the.
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We went to the same, we went to the same.
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Went to the, went to the same high school.
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And I used to bike to school early in the morning.
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Used to bike to school.
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Here we have to here twice, both becoming a very short sound.
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Used to bike to, used to bike to, used to bike to, used to bike to school, used to bike to school.
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Early in the morning, here in the connects together, early in the morning, in the morning, in the morning.
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To meet him before class, meet him.
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It's not meet him, meet him, meet him before class.
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Meet him.
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It's not meet him.
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Meet him.
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Meet him before class.
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Early in the morning to meet him before class.
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These days we both have jobs in town, but we still keep in touch.
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But we, but we, that T becomes a glottal stop.
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But we still keep in touch.
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But we still keep in touch and hang out with each other when we're free.
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Hang out with.
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Again, before a wuh, that T becomes a glottal stop.
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Hang out with.
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Hang out with each other. With each other.
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With each other.
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Here, the word each kind of splits in half.
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It becomes with each other.
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Hang out with each other.
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Hang out with each other. When we're free.
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Well, when I was young, of course, I spent a lot of time with my parents.
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When I was about four or five, though, I met my cousin Ben for the first time at a family reunion and we became best friends really quickly.
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Later on, he moved closer to me and we started hanging out a lot more.
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We went to the same high school
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and I used to bike to school early in the morning to meet him before class.
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These days we both have jobs in town, but we still keep in touch and hang out with each other when we're free.

About This Lesson

In this lesson, you will practice your English pronunciation by focusing on the connected speech common in natural conversations. By examining a sample answer for the IELTS question "Describe a family member you spend a lot of time with," you'll learn how native speakers blend words together and modify their pronunciation in casual and rapid speech. This exercise will enhance your ability to communicate more fluidly, aiding you in your English speaking practice and helping you improve English pronunciation.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Spent a lot of time - A phrase indicating how much time you shared with someone.
  • Family reunion - A gathering of family members.
  • Best friends - A term for very close friendships.
  • Moved closer - Referring to someone relocating nearer to another.
  • Went to the same high school - Describing attending the same educational institution.
  • Used to bike - Indicating a habitual action from the past.
  • Really quickly - A phrase to express speed in actions or emotions.
  • Glottal stop - A pronunciation feature where the sound is completely cut off.

Practice Tips

To effectively use this lesson for shadow speech and practice your speaking skills, follow these tips:

  • Shadow practice: While watching the video, try to mimic the speaker's pronunciation as closely as possible. Notice how words connect and how some sounds are softened or dropped.
  • Slow it down: If the video plays too quickly, use YouTube's playback speed settings to slow it down until you feel comfortable with the pace. Focus on clarity before increasing the speed.
  • Repeat phrases: After you hear a sentence, pause the video and repeat it aloud. This will help you internalize the rhythm and intonation of natural English speech.
  • Record yourself: Use your phone or computer to record your voice as you practice. Compare your pronunciation to that of the speaker, which can highlight areas for improvement.
  • Practice regularly: Consistency is key when you learn English with YouTube. Make this a daily habit, even if it’s just for a few minutes a day.

By focusing on shadowing and connecting with the fast rhythm of spoken English, you'll significantly enhance your skills and confidence in conversation. Engage with this content to truly improve English pronunciation and develop a more natural speaking style.

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.