Shadowing Practice: English for Business Meetings - Interactive Lesson - Learn English Speaking with Video
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In this interactive lesson, I'm going to teach you how to make and respond to suggestions during a meeting.
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You'll learn 12 extremely useful phrases and you'll practice using them with me in realistic meeting dialogues.
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Hi there, I'm Derek and this is English for Professionals, the best place to improve your professional communication skills for work.
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This lesson is actually one of 21 lessons in my 21-day meetings challenge.
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A complete course that gives you all of the phrases and strategies to go into any meeting and communicate confidently and professionally.
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The challenge also includes downloadable PDF guides,
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quizzes, mp3 audio to listen on the go and a complete meetings toolkit.
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I've left a link in the video description below
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so feel free to check it out and get more info
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and now let's start the lesson by talking about why making suggestions is important
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so first of all making suggestions helps bring new ideas
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and improvements often leading to better ways of doing things
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and the second point you have valuable ideas and opinions to share
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and you want to get involved you want to make your voice heard
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and making suggestions is a great way to do that.
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The other point we have here is that it supports teamwork.
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Sharing your ideas helps everybody to work together and consider different viewpoints which can be really important for building team spirit.
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Okay so those were a few notes about why making suggestions is important.
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Now let's move on to our key phrases.
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So the first section we're going to focus on is actually
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introducing ideas and suggestions and we look at a couple of informal examples first
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so these ones are for spontaneous ideas
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and suggestions first one i haven't thought this through yet
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but how about we try a new marketing strategy
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so how about we a great very very common way to make a suggestion second one this might sound crazy
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but why don't we organize a team building retreat Why don't we?
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Very similar to how about we.
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Next we have some neutral phrases so not informal or formal somewhere in the middle.
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Here's something that might be worth thinking about.
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Extending our customer service hours.
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Or I'm not sure if this will work in practice but maybe we could implement a flexible working schedule.
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Next we have some more formal ways to make suggestions.
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Perhaps we could consider partnering with a local charity for our next campaign.
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Or, one potential approach might be to invest in new project management software to streamline our processes.
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Okay so there we have some great phrases for introducing suggestions.
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Now let's take a look at reacting to suggestions.
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And first of all we look at reacting positively.
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Our first example is an informal one.
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Brilliant idea.
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I can't think of any reason not to try this new marketing strategy
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or the neutral one that's definitely worth considering it could really benefit our project timeline
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and the formal example i'm absolutely convinced
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that would work let's move forward with this plan now we don't always have to respond positively
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if a suggestion is made and we don't like it
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or we have a different viewpoint we should make our voices heard let's take a look
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so reacting negatively to
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or challenging suggestions an informal example wouldn't it be better to try option two first and see how it works
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a neutral example i'm sorry
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but i don't believe this is the right way forward we will probably lose a lot of customers
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if we go in this direction and the formal version i'm sorry
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but shouldn't we consider the potential impact this could have on our business operations?
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Excellent!
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So some really useful phrases there for responding to suggestions.
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Now it's practice time.
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We're going to practice four short meeting dialogues with my simple three-step method.
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First I'll read the whole dialogue and you just read along and listen.
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Pay attention to my pronunciation, sentence stress
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and my intonation then we'll read the dialogue together you'll take
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the role of you you'll see what I mean in a moment
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and finally we read the dialogue together a second time
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but this time the key phrase is missing can you remember it
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and the first dialogue we're going to practice is informal suggesting
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so I'm going to read the full dialogue first I haven't thought this through yet
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but how How about we host a monthly webinar to engage with our clients?
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That could work.
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What topics do you have in mind for the webinars?
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We could cover industry trends and provide tips on how to maximise the use of our products.
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OK and now we'll do it together.
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You take the role of you and I'll be the colleague.
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You can start now. That could work.
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What topics do you have in mind for the webinars?
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Okay, great.
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Now we're going to practice it again, but this time with the missing phrase.
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Are you ready?
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You can start now. That could work.
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What topics do you have in mind for the webinars?
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Okay, let's see if you got it right.
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Here's the answer.
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I haven't thought this through yet.
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It's a little bit difficult
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that one with with with all of those ths i haven't
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thought this through yet okay next dialogue to practice we're going to do a formal example
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and i'm going to read the full dialogue first this one
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is a conversation with your boss one potential approach might be
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to extend our customer service hours to improve client satisfaction that's
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a good suggestion how do you propose we manage the additional hours.
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We could rotate shifts among the current team and consider hiring part-time staff if needed.
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Okay, now let's practice it together and you can start now.
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That's a good suggestion.
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How do you propose we manage the additional hours?
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OK, and now let's focus on that key phrase.
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We're going to practice it now.
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Can you remember it?
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And you can start now.
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That's a good suggestion.
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How do you propose we manage the additional hours?
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Okay, let's see if you got it right.
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One potential approach might be two.
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Okay, good.
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Our third dialogue is where we're going to practice responding positively.
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So I'm going to read it in full first.
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It's an informal version.
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How about we create a dedicated feedback portal for our customers?
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Brilliant idea.
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I can't think of any reason not to try this approach.
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Great.
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I'll start working on the design and functionality of the portal.
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OK, great.
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So now let's read it together.
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I start.
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How about we create a dedicated feedback portal for our customers?
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Great, I'll start working on the design and functionality of the portal.
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Okay, and now with the missing phrase.
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I start.
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How about we create a dedicated feedback portal for our customers?
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Great.
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I'll start working on the design and functionality of the portal.
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Now, I hope you got that one right.
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It's a very short phrase.
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Brilliant idea.
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Okay, excellent.
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And now let's move on and practice our final short dialogue.
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This time we're responding negatively to a suggestion made by the boss.
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I suggest we cut down on employee training programs to save costs.
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I'm sorry, but shouldn't we consider the potential impact this could have on employee performance and satisfaction?
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Cutting training programs might hinder our team's development.
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I see your point, but we need to find a way to balance the budget.
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Can you suggest any other areas where we might cut costs?
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Okay, now let's read it together.
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I suggest we cut down on employee training programs to save costs.
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I see your point, but we need to find a way to balance the budget.
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Can you suggest any other areas where we might cut costs?
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Okay, and now with the missing phrase.
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Can you remember it?
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I suggest we cut down on employee training programs to save costs.
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I see your point, but we need to find a way to balance the budget.
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Can you suggest any other areas where we might cut costs?
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Okay, let's see if you got that one right.
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I'm sorry, but shouldn't we consider?
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Excellent.
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I hope you like this lesson
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and don't forget to check out the 21 day meetings challenge
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all of the info can be found in the link below
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and if you did like this lesson give it a thumbs up share with your colleagues leave a comment
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “English for Business Meetings - Interactive Lesson”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: suggestion, phrase, dialogue, practice, meeting. This video has 145 sentences and 1428 words to shadow. The speech runs for 11:16. The speaker talks at a steady 127 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| informal adjective | /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/ | Not formal or ceremonious. |
| portal noun | /ˈpɔːɹtl̩/ | An entrance, entry point, or means of entry. |
| webinar noun | /ˈwɛb.əˌnɑː/ | An interactive seminar conducted via Internet. Usually a live presentation, lecture or workshop that happens in real time, as users participate through… |
| dedicate verb | /ˈdɛdɪˌkeɪt/ | To set apart for a deity or for religious purposes; consecrate. |
| functionality noun | The ability to do a task, performance, or execution; a set of functions that something is able or equipped to perform. | |
| positively adverb | /ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɪv.li/ | In a positive manner. |
| propose verb | /pɹəˈpəʊz/ | To suggest a plan, course of action, etc. |
| react verb | /ɹiːˈækt/ | To act in response. |
| viewpoint noun | /ˈvjuː.pɔɪnt/ | The position from which something is observed or considered |
| negatively adverb | In a negative manner; so as to be damaging or not positive. | |
| colleague noun | /ˈkɒliːɡ/ | A fellow member of a profession, staff, academic faculty or other organization; an associate, a workmate. |
| satisfaction noun | /sætɪsˈfækʃən/ | A fulfilment of a need or desire. |
| confidently adverb | /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/ | In a confident manner; with confidence; with strong assurance; positively. |
| downloadable adjective | /ˌdaʊnˈloʊd.ə.bl̩/ | Capable of being downloaded. |
| hinder verb | /ˈhɪndɚ/ | To make difficult to accomplish; to act as an obstacle; to frustrate. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| read along verb | To read together with another person, or with another presentation (TV etc) |
| work together verb | To be coworkers with someone; to share a workspace with someone. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What topics do you have in mind for the webinars?
- I haven't thought this through yet.
- How do you propose we manage the additional hours?
- We're going to practice it now.
- I'm sorry, but shouldn't we consider?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | I've left · haven't thought |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is made · can be found |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 47 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: positively /ˈpɑ.zɪ.tɪv.li/, satisfaction /sætɪsˈfækʃən/, confidently /ˈkɑnfɪdəntli/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like informal, portal, webinar.
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.