Shadowing Practice: English Mistakes Tourists Make - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B2
Hi ma'am, could you take me a picture?
161 sentences
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Hi ma'am, could you take me a picture?
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Okay.
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Ah, what are you doing?
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Just take me a picture here.
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Oh, you want me to take a picture of you?
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Yeah, take a picture of me, please.
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In the down position.
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Down position?
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Oh, I think you mean a landscape or a horizontal picture.
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Yeah, a horizontal picture.
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Done!
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Thank you very much!
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Hi everyone and welcome to my YouTube channel.
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I'm Giovanna and I teach English in a creative way.
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Today I'm on vacation in Italy
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and I'm going to teach you common phrases to use and mistakes to avoid while on trips.
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Let's get started!
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Excuse me, where do I find buses?
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In terminals?
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Huh?
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The question where do I find buses sounds strange in English,
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because you use the present simple do.
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It feels like you're talking about something permanent,
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like a fact in a book.
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When asking for directions, it's more natural to say where can I find buses?
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Oh, so where can I find buses?
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There's a bus stop right in front of the church over there.
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The bus comes every 30 minutes.
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Hey, your shoes are untied.
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What did you say?
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Don't say that.
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You sound rude.
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Saying what did you say to someone could sound like you're angry about what they said.
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To sound more polite when you can't hear or understand someone,
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say, Sorry, I couldn't hear you.
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Could you repeat that?
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Sorry, could you say that again?
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You can also use what or huh without sounding rude,
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as long as you say them softly and with a confused look.
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What?
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Huh?
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Oh, sorry, could you say that again?
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Sure, I said your shoes are untied!
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Too late!
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A few important phrases when helping someone are...
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Your shoes are untied.
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Your shoes are untied.
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Your fly is down.
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Your fly is down.
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Or, your fly is undone.
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Your fly is undone.
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You have a button undone.
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Or, hey, Hey, I think you missed a button.
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Hey, I think you missed a button.
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If my tips so far have been useful,
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give this video a like.
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Hey, you dropped something on the floor.
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When?
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Now.
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Look, it's on the floor.
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Oh, on the ground.
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I dropped my coin pouch on the ground.
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For anything we walk on outside.
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outdoors.
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We say ground.
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This is the ground.
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The surface you walk on inside a building.
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Inside is called floor.
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Oh, that's important.
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Excuse me, which side is downtown?
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Side?
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You mean way?
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Yeah, which way is downtown?
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This way, use way to ask the direction you should go.
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For example, north or south.
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So way is the direction you go to get somewhere,
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but side is more like where something is on the map.
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Downtown is on the north side of the city,
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but the way to get there is to go west from here.
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Okay, cool.
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Is there a train to downtown?
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You don't need to use to in this question.
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We don't use to with the word downtown.
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The word downtown already acts like a direction,
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so you don't use to before it.
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You can also say I'm going downtown.
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Let's go downtown tonight.
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There is a concert downtown tomorrow and so on.
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Oh, so is there a train that goes downtown?
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Yes, there are many trains that go downtown
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but the station is a bit far from here um i think i'm going to walk
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that way i can enjoy the the architecture we use this word
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when we are appreciating buildings structures or the style of a city the architecture I wonder what my next mistake will be.
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I need to speak English everywhere I go,
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but I'm scared of making silly mistakes.
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Hey, everyone who knows the language had to learn it from the beginning.
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When you and I were babies,
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we had to learn how to communicate.
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We made silly mistakes and our parents corrected us.
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It's all a normal process.
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But we're not babies anymore.
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We're young adults.
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That's right.
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We don't learn the same way babies do.
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To really learn English, we need a focused method,
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real-time feedback, and clear progress tracking, and conversation.
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We need to talk, talk.
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Absolutely.
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We need conversation and immersion in real dialogue.
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I'm visiting Italy.
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Actually, I'm visiting Milan in Italy.
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Great.
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It's a perfect use of the present continuous tense.
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But with someone who corrects me in an okay way,
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not rude, in a smooth way,
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the Lerna AI app matches all your needs then.
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The avatar corrects you in a smooth way and knows exactly what you need to improve.
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So that avatar is your secret?
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That's how you speak so good?
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Speak so well?
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Yeah, thanks.
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I've been learning and practicing my English every day with Learna AI.
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Really?
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Yeah, instead of memorizing words,
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you actually learn by practicing and using them even five minutes a day can make a difference.
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I need to start it!
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Download it now through the link in my description and get a limited time discount only for my audience.
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Hey, is this water...
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Sorry, is this water clean?
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Yeah, it's transparent.
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No, can I drink this water?
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Oh, you mean is this water safe to drink or is it drinkable?
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When talking about food, you can use the words fresh,
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safe to eat, safe to drink, drinkable or edible.
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Say fresh for bread or produce,
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like is the bread fresh?
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Are the tomatoes fresh?
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Say drinkable or safe to drink for safe liquid and edible
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or safe to eat for safe food oh is it drinkable yeah i guess thank you
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but i think i won't drink this water i'll drink a
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bottle you mean bottled water that's great you decide what you want to drink there's bottled water
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which is sold in bottles and tap water which is the water from the faucet
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Sorry to bother you, how long does it take to get to the mall?
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By foot.
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On foot?
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Yeah, on foot.
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Remember that we use the preposition on to say on foot.
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For most other means of transportation, we use by.
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For example, by car, by bus,
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by train, by bike and by horse.
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Do I have to follow this street?
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Yeah, you can walk down this street.
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We often say walk down the street when we follow the street in its direction.
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Keep going straight along this street and turn right when you see a museum.
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Thank you so much again.
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Italy is gorgeous.
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Which country should I visit next?
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Let me know in the comments.
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And if you enjoyed this video,
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please like, share, and subscribe to my channel.
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I love you guys.
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Context & Background
In this exciting English learning session, Giovanna shares her experiences while on vacation in Italy, highlighting common mistakes that tourists make when speaking English. Through real-life interactions, she illustrates how to communicate effectively and politely in unfamiliar environments. The dialogue captures moments that many travelers encounter, making it a valuable learning tool for those looking to improve their English speaking skills and navigate through daily conversations.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- Where can I find buses? - This phrase is essential for asking directions in a natural way, making it clear that you're seeking assistance.
- Sorry, could you say that again? - A polite response when you didn’t hear someone; it helps maintain a friendly tone.
- Your shoes are untied. - A practical phrase to help others, showing your willingness to assist in a friendly manner.
- Your fly is down. - Another helpful phrase that can be used discreetly and politely.
- Do you have any recommendations? - A great way to engage locals for tips on attractions or dining options.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively master the phrases and improve your English speaking skills, follow this structured shadowing approach:
- Listen Carefully: Start by watching the video attentively. Pay attention to how Giovanna uses each phrase in context. This will help you understand the nuances of pronunciation and intonation.
- Repeat After the Speaker: Use the shadow speech technique to repeat what you hear. Pause the video after each phrase and try to mimic Giovanna’s tone and rhythm. This practice will enhance your English pronunciation.
- Practice in Context: Create scenarios where you might use these phrases. For example, simulate a conversation asking for directions or providing polite corrections. Use this as a chance for English speaking practice with friends or language partners.
- Record Yourself: Make recordings of your pronunciation attempts. Compare your recordings with Giovanna’s to identify areas for improvement and focus on pronunciation nuances.
- Review and Master: Regularly revisit these phrases and practice in different scenarios to solidify your learning. Incorporating shadowspeak elements will also deepen your understanding of the language flow.
By actively engaging with this content and practicing regularly, you will improve your English pronunciation and gain confidence in your speaking abilities. Utilizing resources like learn English with YouTube can significantly benefit your learning journey. Happy practicing!
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.
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