Shadowing Practice: English for Project Management | Key Words & Phrases - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
255 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Jack, our weekly status update meeting starts in five minutes.
2
Are we on track with the new customer app?
3
Well, overall we're on track, but we're a little behind schedule on the login screen design.
4
Okay, thanks for telling me.
5
Since our last meeting, we finished the main user dashboard, so that is great news
6
but I need to flag a problem with the new payment feature the sales team wants to add.
7
Oh, no. Is that another feature request?
8
That sounds like scope creep to me.
9
Exactly.
10
If we add it now, it will delay our main deliverable and push back our launch date.
11
I see your point, but maybe we can ask the team for sign -off on the original plan first before we change anything?
12
That is a very smart idea.
13
Let's get the ball rolling on this meeting.
14
Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Daily Business English Talk.
15
I am Jack.
16
And I am Anna.
17
We are so happy you are listening to us today.
18
That quick chat you just heard was Jack and me getting ready for a project meeting.
19
And that brings us right to today's topic.
20
Today is a very special day because this is episode one of our 16 -episode series called English for Project Management.
21
That's right, Jack.
22
In this series, we will follow one main story from start to finish.
23
Jack and I work at the same company, and we are building a brand new customer app.
24
Through this project, you will learn real business English that you can use at your job every single day.
25
If you want to improve your business vocabulary, make sure to subscribe to the show so you never miss an episode.
26
Today, we are talking about speaking the language of projects.
27
We will look at what a project actually is, the five main phases of a project, and something very important called the triple constraint.
28
By the end of this episode, you will know how to give a clear status update, how to raise a problem politely,
29
and how to say no professionally when people ask for too many changes.
30
You know, Anna, before I learned about formal project management, I used to think a project was just any long task at work.
31
I remember my first month here when my manager asked me for a status update and I just said, I am working hard.
32
I had no idea what words to use.
33
That is so common, Jack.
34
Many English learners feel nervous when talking about projects because there are so many special terms.
35
But don't worry if this feels new to you we are going to break everything down using very simple words.
36
That makes me feel much better.
37
So, Anna, to start from the very beginning, how would you explain a project in simple English?
38
Think of a project as a temporary piece of work with a clear start and a clear finish.
39
It is created to make a specific product, service, or result.
40
For example, our new customer app is a project.
41
It has a start date, an end date, and a final result.
42
Ah, that makes sense.
43
A regular daily task like answering emails every morning is not a project because it never ends,
44
but building an app is a project because once the app is finished and launched, the project is done.
45
Spot on, Jack, and every project moves through five standard steps, which we call the project life cycle.
46
The project life cycle.
47
That sounds like a big term, but it just means the life story of a project from birth to death, right?
48
Exactly.
49
Simple as that.
50
The first phase in the project life cycle is initiation.
51
This is where you get the ball rolling.
52
To get the ball rolling is an idiom that simply means to start something or get a process moving.
53
In the initiation phase, you define the main idea and identify every stakeholder.
54
Let's pause there, Anna.
55
Stakeholder is a word I hear in almost every meeting.
56
What does it actually mean?
57
A stakeholder is any person or group who is interested in the project or affected by its outcome.
58
This includes your boss, your team members, your clients, and even the end users of the app.
59
Everyone who cares about the result is a stakeholder.
60
Got it.
61
So if the sales manager cares about our new app, she is a stakeholder.
62
Once we identify our stakeholders, what comes next?
63
The second phase is planning.
64
Here you create a roadmap.
65
You define your scope, which is the total work that needs to be done.
66
You also set your timeline and budget.
67
Scope is another huge word.
68
Scope just means all the features, tasks, and deliverables that are included in the project, right?
69
Yes, and a deliverable is simply the real result or item you produce.
70
For example, a design draft, a software update, or a final report are all deliverables.
71
In the planning phase, you also set milestones.
72
A milestone is an important.. important event or checkpoint on your timeline, like finishing the first working prototype.
73
I love reaching milestones.
74
It feels like leveling up in a video game.
75
But what happens after planning?
76
The third phase is execution.
77
This is where the actual work happens.
78
The team builds the product, writes the code, or designs the screens.
79
The fourth phase happens at the same time, monitoring and controlling.
80
This is where you check if you are following your plan, manage risks, and make sure you do not fall behind.
81
To fall behind means to move slower than planned and miss your schedule.
82
And finally, phase five is closing.
83
That is when the project is completely finished, the client signs off, and everyone celebrates.
84
Exactly.
85
Now, to keep all these phases under control, project managers rely on three main things.
86
Scope, time, and cost.
87
Together, these three things are called the triple constraint.
88
The triple constraint.
89
Imagine a triangle.
90
One side is scope, which is what you build.
91
The second side is time, which is how long it takes.
92
The third side is cost, which is how much money you spend.
93
If you change one side, the other sides must change too.
94
That is the perfect picture, Jack.
95
If your manager asks you to add five new features to the app, the scope goes up.
96
That means you'll need more time, or more money, or both.
97
If you don't adjust time or money, the quality will drop.
98
When extra features get added slowly without extra time or money, we call that scope creep.
99
It creeps up on you silently, like a ghost, until your project is in trouble.
100
It really does to prevent scope creep, you need a solid baseline.
101
A baseline is your original approved plan for scope, time, and cost.
102
You compare your daily progress against this baseline to see if you're on track or falling behind.
103
That makes so much sense.
104
Now, let's practice how these concepts sound in real workplace conversations.
105
We have prepared three practical dialogues.
106
Listen closely to how we talk about progress, raise problems, and say no politely.
107
Let's jump into Scenario 1.
108
In this scene, Jack is updating me on his progress during our weekly stand -up meeting.
109
Hi, Anna.
110
Do you have two minutes for a status update on the app design?
111
Sure, Jack.
112
How are things going with the user interface?
113
Overall, we're on track.
114
Since our last meeting, we've finished the homepage layout and the login screens.
115
That is fantastic news.
116
Are we ready to move to the payment system?
117
We are a little behind schedule on the payment system because we had to wait for the security approval,
118
but we set a new milestone for Friday, and we expect to hit it easily.
119
Great work.
120
Thanks for keeping me updated.
121
Let's analyze that exchange.
122
Notice how I started with a summary sentence.
123
Overall, we're on track.
124
That gives Anna immediate peace of mind.
125
Then I use the phrase, since our last meeting, we've finished.
126
This shows clear progress.
127
And when Jack had a delay, he used a polite phrase, we're a little behind schedule.
128
He didn't panic.
129
He just explained the delay and shared the new milestone.
130
That is how professional project managers communicate.
131
Now let's listen to scenario two.
132
Here, I'm facing a technical blocker, and I need to raise a problem to Anna before it damages our timeline.
133
Anna, do you have a quick moment?
134
I need to flag a problem with our database integration.
135
Of course, Jack.
136
What's going on?
137
We ran into a severe bottleneck with the external server.
138
It is slowing down our entire critical path.
139
If we don't solve this by tomorrow, it will push back our launch date by two weeks.
140
I see.
141
Do we have anything in our risk register for this or a contingency plan we can use?
142
Yes, our contingency plan was to switch to a temporary cloud server.
143
What I need from you is your sign -off to spend the extra budget for that cloud service.
144
You have my approval.
145
Let's make that switch immediately so we don't fall behind any further.
146
In that scenario, I used the key phrase, I need to flag a problem.
147
To flag a problem means to bring attention to an issue before it becomes a disaster.
148
You also heard two very important technical terms, bottleneck and critical path.
149
A bottleneck is a point where workflow gets clogged or slowed down, like the narrow neck of a glass bottle.
150
And the critical path is the sequence of essential tasks that determines the total length of the project.
151
If a task on the critical path is delayed, the whole project is delayed.
152
That's why I asked for Anna's sign -off on our contingency plan.
153
A contingency plan is your backup plan B in case a risk becomes reality.
154
And sign -off means official written or spoken approval.
155
Finally, let's listen to Scenario 3.
156
Here, Jack comes to me with a new feature request from another department, and I have to push back politely.
157
Hey Anna, the marketing team just called.
158
They want to add a live video chat into the customer app before next month's launch.
159
I see your point, but adding video chat right now will cause major scope creep.
160
It will completely ruin our timeline.
161
They are a key stakeholder, though.
162
They say it is urgent for their campaign.
163
I understand, but we cannot move the goalposts at this late stage.
164
If we add video chat, we will miss our launch baseline what I need from you is to tell them
165
we can put it in phase two after the initial launch
166
we need buy -in from the project sponsor before we change the scope
167
that sounds fair I will explain the situation to them
168
and ask them to sign off on holding that feature for phase two in this third scene
169
Jack asked for a major change
170
and I had to push back to push back is a phrasal verb
171
that means to oppose or disagree with a plan or change politely.
172
For example, the engineering team had to push back when management requested three new features in one week.
173
Anna used the phrase, I see your point, but...
174
This is a brilliant phrase for English learners.
175
It shows respect for the other person's opinion
176
while allowing you to disagree without sounding rude
177
or aggressive i also used another great key phrase what i
178
need from you is this phrase gives clear direct instructions
179
so the other person knows exactly what action to take next
180
now let's take a closer look at the vocabulary phrasal verbs
181
and idioms we use today
182
so you can lock them into your memory let's start with
183
our four phrasal verbs the first one is push back as we just
184
First mentioned, to push back means to oppose or disagree with a plan or change politely.
185
For example, the engineering team had to push back when management requested three new features in one week.
186
The second phrasal verb is bring forward.
187
To bring forward means to move an event, task, or meeting to an earlier time or date than originally planned.
188
For example, because the client is traveling next week, we need to bring forward our final presentation to Thursday.
189
The third phrasal verb is fall behind.
190
To fall behind means to fail to keep up with a schedule or pace.
191
For example, if we lose two developers this month, we will fall behind on our software testing.
192
The fourth phrasal verb is sign off on.
193
To sign off on something means to give official approval to a document, decision, or deliverable.
194
For example, the The department director needs to sign off on the new budget before we hire any contractors.
195
Excellent.
196
Now let's examine our three idioms.
197
The first idiom is on track.
198
To be on track means that everything is happening according to plan and schedule.
199
For example, despite the bad weather, the construction team is completely on track.
200
The second idiom is get the ball rolling.
201
As we said earlier, this means to start an activity or start a project moving.
202
For example, let's set up a kickoff meeting tomorrow to get the ball rolling on the redesign.
203
The third idiom is move the goalposts.
204
To move the goalposts means to unfairly change the rules, expectations, or targets of a project while it is already in progress.
205
For example, every time we finish a draft, the client changes the requirements and moves the goalposts.
206
That is such a frustrating feeling.
207
Now, let's review the rest of our professional key terms in simple English exchanges.
208
Jack, how would you define risk register?
209
A risk register is simply a document or table where you list all possible problems that could happen during a project,
210
how serious they are, and how you will deal with them.
211
For example, we added server downtime to our risk register during the planning phase.
212
Perfect.
213
And what about buy -in?
214
Buy -in means getting agreement and enthusiastic support from key stakeholders for an idea or plan.
215
For example, we cannot start the project until we get buy -in from the finance department.
216
That's right.
217
And let's not forget baseline.
218
A baseline is your fixed reference point, your original approved schedule, cost, and scope that you measure future progress against.
219
For example, we are comparing our current spending against our financial baseline.
220
We also talked about bottleneck, which is any delay point that slows down the whole flow of work.
221
For example, the legal department's slow review process created a major bottleneck for our team.
222
And contingency means a plan or financial fund set aside to handle unexpected events or emergencies.
223
For example, we kept 10 % of our budget as a contingency for sudden price increases.
224
Finally, we had status update, which is a brief report on the current condition and progress of a project.
225
For example, I send a written status update to my manager every Friday afternoon.
226
Every single one of these words will help you sound confident, clear, and competent in any business environment.
227
That brings us to our question of the day.
228
Participating in this section is one of the best ways to practice your output.
229
Today's question is, think about a project you are working on right now at work, at school, or in your personal life.
230
Is your project on track, or are you a little behind schedule?
231
Answering this question helps your English
232
because it forces you to use today's key phrases in a real context about your own life.
233
When you connect vocabulary to your personal experience, you remember it much faster.
234
Here is a natural example answer you can copy or adapt.
235
Currently, I'm managing a website update for my company.
236
Overall, we're on track, but we're a little behind schedule on writing the new content.
237
What I need for my team is to finish the text by Friday.
238
Or you could say, I am planning a family trip for next summer.
239
Since our last meeting, we've finished booking the flight tickets.
240
I need to flag a problem with our hotel budget, but we have a contingency plan ready.
241
We would love to read your answers.
242
Please write your answer in the comments section or send us a message.
243
We try to read every response.
244
Remember, learning business English is a step -by -step process.
245
Don't worry about speaking perfectly right away.
246
The key is consistent practice and repetition.
247
Re -listening to this episode while walking or driving is a great way to let these patterns sink in naturally.
248
Absolutely.
249
In our next episode, episode two, we will dive into the topic of selling the idea.
250
We will learn how to present a new project proposal to your boss, get executive buy -in, and convince stakeholders to say yes to your plans.
251
You won't want to miss it.
252
Thank you so much for spending your time with us today.
253
Keep practicing, stay positive, and build your confidence every day.
254
Goodbye everyone and happy learning.
255
See you next time on Daily Business English Talk.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
B212
How to Talk About Project Budgets & Cost Estimation in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B13
Business English for Meetings | 7 Project Management Phrases You Must Know
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B26
How to Talk About Problems at Work in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
How to Talk About Deadlines & Timelines in English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2How to Discuss Budgets, Costs & Expenses at Work In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B23
1012 sentences
Project Management English — Key Terms and 7 Real Meetings | Business English Podcast
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2134
29 sentences
Calling a Client to Explain a Project Delay
American AccentBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B21
44 sentences
Day in the life of an Assistant Project Manager
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2705 sentences
How to Give a Clear Work Update in English | Business English Speaking Practice
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B23
344 sentences
Meet New People! Self Introduction in English: Business English at Work
Business EnglishInterview EnglishUniversity Students
B27
960 sentences
How to explain a project you workede on in 30 Minutes | Business English Learning
Business EnglishInterview EnglishWorking Adults
B23
62 sentences
10 Words: Change Your Basic English to Business English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B2512
28 sentences
Weekly Team Meeting: Project Status Update
American AccentBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B22
198 sentences
English for Working In a Team - Business English Conversation Lesson
British AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B26
506 sentences
English Podcast for Learning English | Real English Conversation Practice | I Choose Myself
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2747 sentences
Business English for Project Managers | 100 Essential Phrases & Real Meeting Conversations
Business EnglishWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “English for Project Management”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: project, example, Jack, scope, phase. This video has 255 sentences and 2866 words to shadow. The speech runs for 17:56. The speaker talks at a natural 160 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 85% 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
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| scope noun | /skəʊp/ | The breadth, depth or reach of a subject; the extent of applicability or relevance; a domain, purview or remit. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| baseline noun | /ˈbeɪslaɪn/ | A line that is a base for measurement or for construction. |
| delay noun | /dɪˈleɪ̯/ | A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity. |
| verb noun | /vɝb/ | A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being. |
| creep verb | /kɹiːp/ | To move slowly with the abdomen close to the ground. |
| milestone noun | /ˈmaɪlˌstoʊn/ | A stone milepost (or by extension in other materials), one of a series of numbered markers placed along a road at regular intervals, typically at the side of… |
| scenario noun | /sɪˈnɛəɹioʊ/ | An outline or model of an expected or supposed sequence of events. |
| timeline noun | /ˈtaɪmˌlaɪn/ | A graphical representation of a chronological sequence of events (past or future). |
| server noun | /ˈsɝvɚ/ | A program that provides services to other programs or devices, either in the same computer or over a computer network. |
| define verb | /dɪˈfaɪn/ | To determine with precision; to mark out with distinctness; to ascertain or exhibit clearly. |
| triple adjective | /ˈtɹɪp.əl/ | Made up of three related elements, often matching |
| disagree verb | /dɪsəˈɡɹi/ | To fail to agree; to have a different opinion or belief. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| fall behind verb | To be late (for a regular event) | |
| bring forward verb | To call up for consideration. | |
| slow down verb | To decelerate. | |
| sign off verb | To log off; to stop using a computer, radio, etc.; especially, to stop talking. | |
| go up verb | To move upwards. | |
| keep up with verb | To manage to remain beside or just behind someone or something that is moving away from one. | |
| set up verb | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | To make ready for use. |
| stand up verb | To rise from a lying or sitting position. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Are we on track with the new customer app?
- Once we identify our stakeholders, what comes next?
- Are we ready to move to the payment system?
- Anna, do you have a quick moment?
- Jack, how would you define risk register?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If we add it now, it will delay · If we add video chat, we will miss |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Everyone who cares · scope, which is · time, which is |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is created · be done · are included |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have prepared · we've finished |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 21 contractions and reduced forms, such as we're, don't, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: initiation /ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/, presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, execution /ˌɛk.sɪˈkjuː.ʃən/, integration /ˌɪn.tɪˈɡɹeɪ.ʃən/, instruction /ɪnˈstɹʌkʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, temporary /ˈtɛmp(əˌɹ)ɛɹi/, initiation /ɪˌnɪʃ.iˈeɪ.ʃən/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, participate /pɑːˈtɪs.ɪ.peɪt/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like scope, phrase, baseline.
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.