Shadowing Practice: English for Your First Day at Work | Beginner English Conversation - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Imagine this.
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It is your first day at a new job.
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You walk into the office.
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You see many new people.
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Your manager comes towards you and says, Good morning.
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You must be Leo.
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Welcome to the team.
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Good morning.
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I'm Leo Carter.
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Today is my first day here.
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Welcome, Leo.
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We're happy to have you.
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Leo wants to answer confidently, but suddenly he forgets what to say.
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What should he say?
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Don't worry.
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By the end of this lesson, you will know exactly what to say on your first day at work.
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You will learn how to introduce yourself, meet your co-workers, ask simple questions, and talk to your manager with confidence.
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And most importantly, you will practice real English that you can actually use.
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Let's start with Leo's first day.
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Leo has just started a new job at a small company.
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He arrives at 8.45 in the morning.
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He takes a deep breath and walks into the office.
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Good morning, I'm Leo Carter.
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Today is my first day here.
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Good morning, Leo.
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Welcome.
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Are you joining the marketing team?
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Yes, I am.
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Great, I'm Marta.
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I'm the team manager.
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Nice to meet you, Marta.
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Nice to meet you too.
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Come with me.
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I'll introduce you to the team.
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Okay, thank you.
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Leo walks with Marta toward the rest of the team.
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Everyone, this is Leo.
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He's our new marketing assistant.
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Hi, everyone.
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Nice to meet you.
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Leo, this is Emily.
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Hi, Leo.
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I'm Emily.
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Hi, Emily.
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Nice to meet you.
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Nice to meet you, too.
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Welcome to the team.
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Thanks.
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I'm happy to be here.
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Notice some useful phrases Leo used.
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Nice to meet you.
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You can say this when you meet someone for the first time.
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Nice to meet you.
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Now you try.
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Good.
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Another useful phrase is, I'm happy to be here.
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This is a friendly way to show that you are excited about your new job.
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I'm happy to be here.
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Try it.
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Excellent, let's continue.
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So, Leo, where are you from?
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I'm from Spain.
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Oh, nice.
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Is this your first job here?
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Yes, it's my first day.
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I mean, is this your first job at this company?
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Oh, yes.
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Sorry, I misunderstood you.
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No problem.
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This is another important phrase.
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I misunderstood you.
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You can use it when you understand the words, but you understand the meaning incorrectly.
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For example, sorry, I misunderstood you.
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Or simply, sorry, I didn't understand.
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Both are useful.
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If someone speaks too quickly, you can also say, could you say that again, please?
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Let's practice.
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Imagine your co-worker says something too quickly.
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You say, could you say that again, please?
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Good.
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You can also say, could you speak a little more slowly, please?
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This is a polite way to ask someone to slow down.
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Now repeat.
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Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
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Great, now Marta takes Leo to his desk.
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This is your desk.
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Oh, great.
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Thank you.
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Your computer is already set up.
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You'll use this system to check your emails and messages.
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Okay.
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Your first meeting is at ten o'clock.
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Where is the meeting?
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It's in conference room two.
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Sorry, where is that?
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It's down the hall next to the kitchen.
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Okay.
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Got it.
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If you have any questions, just ask me.
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Thank you, I have one question.
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Sure.
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What time is lunch?
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Usually around one o'clock.
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Okay, thank you.
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Did you notice Leo's question?
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What time is lunch?
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This is a simple but very useful question.
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You can use the same pattern in many situations.
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What time is the meeting?
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What time does work start?
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What time does the office close?
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What time is the training?
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The pattern is, what time is.. or, what time does...
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Let's practice.
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You want to know when the meeting starts.
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Say, what time is the meeting? the meeting.
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Good, now you want to know when work finishes.
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Say, what time does work finish?
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Excellent Leo now receives his first task.
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Leo, can you check these customer emails before the meeting?
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Sure, when do you need them?
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Before 10 o'clock if possible.
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Okay, I'll do my best.
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Sure is a very common way to say yes.
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You can say, sure.
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Sure, I can do that.
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Sure, no problem.
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Another useful phrase is, when do you need them?
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This means you want to know the deadline.
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For example, when do you need this report?
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When do you need the information?
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When do you need it?
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These phrases are extremely useful at work.
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Now imagine your manager gives you a task.
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You don't know the deadline.
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Ask, when do you need it?
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Perfect.
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Leo starts working.
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But then he has a small problem.
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He doesn't know how to use the company's email system.
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He looks at the screen.
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Hmm.
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Leo, do you need some help?
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Yes, please.
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I'm not sure how to send this message.
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No problem.
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Click here.
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Here?
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Yes.
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Then type the person's name.
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Okay.
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And then click send.
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Oh, I see.
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Thanks for your help.
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You're welcome.
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I really appreciate it.
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Here are two useful phrases.
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Thanks for your help.
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and I really appreciate it.
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The first one is simple and common.
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The second one sounds a little warmer and shows that you are thankful.
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You don't need to say I really appreciate it every time, but when someone takes time to help you, it is a great phrase to know.
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Now let's practice.
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Someone helps you at work, you say thanks for your help.
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Good, now try.
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I really appreciate it.
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Excellent.
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It's almost 10 o'clock.
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Leo's first meeting is about to begin.
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Let's listen to the meeting without explanations.
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Listen carefully.
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Try to notice the phrases you already learned.
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Okay, everyone.
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Let's get started.
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Sorry.
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Is this the marketing meeting?
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Yes, it is.
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Great.
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Thank you.
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Leo, this is your first day, so don't worry.
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Today we'll talk about your responsibilities.
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Okay.
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You'll help us manage our social media accounts and answer some customer messages.
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Sounds good.
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Do you have any questions?
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Yes.
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What should I do first?
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First, check the customer messages.
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Then, you can work on the social media posts.
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Okay.
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Got it.
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And if you need help, just ask.
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Thank you.
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You're welcome.
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How much did you understand?
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Let's look at a few important phrases.
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Let's get started.
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This means, let's begin.
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For example, let's get started with the meeting.
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Let's get started with the project.
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Let's get started.
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Very useful.
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Another phrase, sounds good.
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This means you agree with an idea or plan.
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Someone says, we'll meet it too.
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You can say, sounds good.
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Someone says, I'll send you the information this afternoon.
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You can say, sounds good.
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Now you try.
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Your co-worker says, let's meet after lunch.
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You say, sounds good.
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Great.
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Another important sentence from the meeting was, what should I do first?
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This is an excellent question for a new employee.
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When you don't know what to do, don't stay silent and guess.
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Ask, what should I do first?
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You can also ask, what should I do next?
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Let's practice both.
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What should I do first?
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What should I do next?
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Excellent.
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These two questions can help you in many situations.
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Now it is lunchtime.
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Leo sits with Emily.
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So, Leo, how are you feeling about your first day?
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A little nervous, to be honest.
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That's normal.
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I was nervous on my first day, too.
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Really?
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Yes.
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I didn't even know where the kitchen was.
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That's good to hear.
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Why?
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Because I made a few mistakes this morning, too.
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Don't worry about it.
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You're learning.
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Thanks.
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Everyone has been really helpful.
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You'll feel comfortable soon.
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This is a good example of natural workplace conversation.
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You don't always need to talk about work.
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Small talk is important too.
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Here are some easy questions you can ask a co-worker.
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How's your day going?
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How was your morning?
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How are you finding the job? Do you live nearby?
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What do you usually do for lunch?
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You don't need complicated English.
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Simple questions are enough.
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Let's practice one.
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Imagine you're sitting next to a new co-worker.
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Ask, how's your day going?
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Good.
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Now ask, what do you usually do for lunch?
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Very good.
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Now let's make it a little more difficult.
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Imagine your co-worker asks, what do you usually do on your lunch break?
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How would you answer?
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You could say, I usually eat here, or I usually go to a cafe, or I usually bring lunch from home.
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Choose one answer and say it out loud.
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Great job.
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It's two o'clock.
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Leo has another small problem.
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Marta gives him a document, but one part is confusing.
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Leo, could you update this document before tomorrow?
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Yes, I can.
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Great.
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Sorry, I have a question about this part.
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Sure.
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What's the question?
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I'm not sure what this means.
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This part?
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Yes?
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It means that we need to contact the customer again.
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Oh, okay.
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Now I understand.
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Good.
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Could you show me an example? Of course.
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Look at this older document.
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Oh, I see.
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You can use this as a guide.
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That's very helpful.
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Thank you.
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Leo used another excellent phrase.
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I'm not sure what this means.
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This is much better than pretending you understand.
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If you don't understand something at work, ask.
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You can say, I'm not sure what this means.
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Could you explain that, please?
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Could you show me an example?
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Could you say that again?
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These are simple, polite, and useful.
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Now let's practice.
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You see a word you don't understand, say, I'm not sure what this means.
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Good.
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Now ask for an example.
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Could you show me an example?
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Excellent.
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Remember, asking a question is not a bad thing.
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On your first day, you are expected to have questions.
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Now let's do a quick challenge.
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I will give you a situation.
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You need to answer in English.
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Ready?
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Situation 1.
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Your manager gives you a task, but you don't know the deadline.
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What do you say?
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The answer is, when do you need it?
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Good.
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Situation 2.
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Your co-worker is speaking too quickly.
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What do you say?
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Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
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Excellent.
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Situation 3, you don't understand something in a document, what do you say?
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I'm not sure what this means.
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Very good.
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Situation 4, someone helps you with your computer, what do you say?
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Thanks for your help.
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Or, I really appreciate it.
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Excellent.
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Now let's practice a complete first day conversation.
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This time, imagine you are the new employee.
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I will be your manager.
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Listen to my question, then answer out loud.
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Ready?
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Hi, I'm Marta.
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Nice to meet you.
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What's your name?
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Good.
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Welcome to the team.
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Is this your first day?
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Good.
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How are you finding the job so far?
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Good.
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Do you have any questions?
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Good.
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Okay, if you need any help, just let me know.
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You could say, thanks, I really appreciate it.
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Great.
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Let's quickly review the most useful phrases from today's lesson.
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Number one, nice to meet you.
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Use it when meeting someone for the first time.
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Number two, I'm happy to be here.
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Use it to show that you're pleased to join the company or team.
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Number three, could you say that again, please?
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Use it when you didn't hear or understand someone.
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4. Could you speak a little more slowly, please?
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Use it when someone is speaking too quickly.
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5. What time is the meeting?
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Use it to ask about the time of an event.
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6. When do you need it?
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Use it to ask about a deadline.
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7. What should I do first?
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Use it when you need to know your first task Number 8 Could you show me an example?
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Use it when you need help understanding how to do something
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Number 9 I'm not sure what this means Use it when something is unclear And number 10 Thanks for your help, I really appreciate it
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Use it when someone helps you
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Now say these 5 phrases with me Nice to meet you I'm happy to be here What should I do first?
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Could you show me an example?
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Thanks for your help.
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Excellent.
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You don't need perfect English to have a good first day at work.
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You need a few useful sentences, the confidence to ask questions, and the willingness to practice.
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If you make a mistake, that's okay.
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You are learning.
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And remember Leo.
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At the beginning of the day, he was nervous.
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He didn't understand every question.
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He needed help with his computer.
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He asked questions.
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But by the end of the day, he felt much more comfortable.
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That's how learning works.
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You don't become confident before you practice.
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You become confident because you practice.
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Now it's your turn.
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Imagine tomorrow is your first day at a new job.
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Write one sentence in the comments introducing yourself.
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For example, Hi, I'm Leo.
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Nice to meet you.
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I'm happy to be here.
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Then say your sentence out loud.
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If this lesson helped you, like the video and subscribe for more simple, practical English lessons.
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And remember, don't wait until your English is perfect.
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Use it.
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Practice it.
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And keep going.
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See you in the next lesson.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 388 sentences and 2195 words to shadow. The speech runs for 14:34. The speaker talks at a natural 151 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ (noun) — A short written or spoken expression.
- worker /ˈwɝ.kɚ/ (noun) — One who works: a person who performs labor for a living; traditionally, especially, manual labor.
- lesson /ˈlɛs.ən/ (noun) — A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided.
- deadline /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ (noun) — A time limit in the form of a date on or before which something must be completed.
- introduce /ˌɪntɹəˈdus/ (verb) — To cause (someone) to be acquainted (with someone else).
- desk /dɛsk/ (noun) — A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a…
- helpful /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ (adjective) — Furnishing help; giving aid; useful.
- polite /pəˈlaɪt/ (adjective) — Well-mannered, civilized.
- practical /ˈpɹæk.tɪ.kəl/ (adjective) — Relating to, or based on, practice or action rather than theory or hypothesis.
- complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/ (adjective) — Difficult or convoluted.
- carefully /ˈkɛɹf(ə)li/ (adverb) — With care; attentively, circumspectly.
- silent /ˈsaɪ̯lənt/ (adjective) — Free from sound or noise; absolutely still; perfectly quiet.
- explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/ (noun) — The act or process of explaining.
- arrive /əˈɹaɪv/ (verb) — To reach; to get to a certain place.
- pretend /pɹəˈtɛnd/ (verb) — To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- look at (verb) — To observe or watch.
- do for (verb) — To doom; to bring about the demise of someone; to injure or harm someone.
- talk about (verb) — Used to draw attention to the speaker's characterization of someone or something.
- walk into (verb) — To collide with by walking.
- ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
- come with (verb) — To join and come along.
- set up /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ (verb) — To make ready for use.
- sit with (verb) — To consider (something) slowly and carefully, to reflect on.
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 56 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, thankful /ˈθæŋkfəl/
- Long words — get the stress right: complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/, explanation /ˌɛkspləˈneɪʃən/, importantly /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/, incorrectly /ˌɪnkəˈɹɛk(t).li/, misunderstand /mɪs.ʌn.də(ɹ)ˈstænd/
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 phrase, worker, lesson.
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 | has just started · has been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | is already set · are expected |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should he say · should I do |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will know · will learn · will practice |
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.