Shadowing Practice: Everyday English: Sorry for Being Late | American English Connected Reading - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Hey, what's up?
2
It's Alex.
3
Today I'd like to talk about the connected sounds in a short piece where somebody is apologizing for being late.
4
Let's take a look.
5
Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late.
6
Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late.
7
So hear this word I'm, I'm, I'm so sorry I'm late.
8
If I'm speaking slowly and clearly, you can hear that there's kind of a glottal stop and a strong I sound there.
9
But when we speak a little bit faster, it becomes um, um, hey um, hey um, I'm so sorry,
10
um, hey I'm so sorry I'm late.
11
Hey I'm so sorry I'm late.
12
At the end, at the end of late, we're going to turn the T into a glottal stop.
13
Late, late.
14
There's no T sound there.
15
I took the wrong exit.
16
I took the wrong exit.
17
Just try to connect ng to exit.
18
Wrong exit.
19
Wrong exit.
20
I took 282 instead of 283.
21
I took 282.
22
282. Remember to try to tap that t in 80.
23
282 instead of 283.
24
282 instead of 283.
25
So when we say 80, try to tap that T.
26
It's not a T.
27
It's 80.
28
80. Next, of loses its the here.
29
Instead, instead.
30
Try to connect it to instead.
31
Instead of 283.
32
Then it was all one-way roads for like three miles.
33
Then it was all one-way roads.
34
Then it was all, then it was.
35
We have a glottal stop here for it.
36
Then it was all, was all one-way roads.
37
Now that l sound in all gets reduced actually.
38
The l is not a very strong dark L.
39
You can kind of think of it as a half dark L.
40
My tongue is getting ready to say L but it's not going all the way up to the top of my mouth.
41
What's important though is that my lips aren't rounding.
42
I'm not saying O, I'm saying all, all.
43
It was all, it was all one-way roads.
44
It was all one-way roads for like three miles.
45
We'll change four into fur here for like, for like three miles until I could turn around again and get back on the highway.
46
Until I could turn, could turn.
47
We're going to connect the D in could and the T in turn. Could turn.
48
Until I could turn around again and again and nn, nn, get back.
49
So there's no d there in and.
50
Turn around again and get back on the highway.
51
Get back.
52
We're going to take the t in get and turn it into a glottal stop.
53
Get back on the highway.
54
Get back on the, on the.
55
Connect the n and the th together.
56
Just think about it as the th tongue position is going over the n tongue position on the,
57
my tongue is already between my teeth when I say and, on the highway, and then, same thing here, and then,
58
we take out the d in and, then the n has the th tongue position,
59
and then, and then, and then the traffic started getting backed up, and then the traffic started getting backed up.
60
Started getting, started getting.
61
I connect the D and G here.
62
I get ready to say D, started, started, but instead of finishing the D sound,
63
I just say G instead.
64
Started getting, started getting backed up, backed up, backed up.
65
Now at the end of a sentence it's not necessary to say up with the final P sound.
66
We could just say up, up, and close our mouths without actually releasing that sound.
67
But either one is okay.
68
It's your own preference.
69
I can't believe it took so long.
70
I can't believe.
71
I can't believe.
72
We have a glottal stop here instead of a T in can't.
73
I can't believe.
74
I can't believe it took.
75
It took.
76
Connect T and T together.
77
It took it took so long.
78
I'm never taking that exit again.
79
I'm never taking that exit again. That exit.
80
That exit again.
81
I'm never taking that exit again.
82
So here, I'm never, I'm never, we want to connect the m and n sounds but still have separate sounds.
83
I'm never.
84
So we change to the N halfway through the sound.
85
I'm never taking that exit again, that exit again.
86
Both T's here in that and in exit are tapped.
87
That exit again, that exit again, exit it again, that exit again.
88
Hey, I'm so sorry I'm late.
89
I took the wrong exit.
90
I took 282 instead of 283.
91
Then it was all one-way roads for like three miles until I could turn around again and get back on the highway, and then the traffic started getting backed up.
92
I can't believe it took so long.
93
I'm never taking that exit again.

Context & Background

In the video titled "Everyday English: Sorry for Being Late," the speaker, Alex, analyzes a typical scenario where someone apologizes for being late. This dialogue reflects a casual, conversational tone often used in everyday American English. Understanding the nuances of such interactions can greatly enhance your listening and speaking skills. By focusing on the connected sounds and informal speech patterns, learners can gain a more authentic grasp of the language, making communication smoother and more natural.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I’m so sorry I’m late.” - A polite way to apologize when arriving behind schedule.
  • “I took the wrong exit.” - A common phrase indicating a navigational mistake, useful for discussing travel or routes.
  • “Instead of [number].” - A phrase for making comparisons or clarifying choices.
  • “It was all one-way roads.” - Describing a situation where directions are limited, often used in travel contexts.
  • “Until I could turn around.” - Expresses the need to correct a mistake or change directions.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively improve your English pronunciation and fluency using this video, follow these steps to practice shadow speaking:

  1. Watch the video without sound: Familiarize yourself with the context and the emotions conveyed in Alex’s tone and body language. This will help create a frame of reference for shadowing.
  2. Listen carefully: Play the clip multiple times, paying attention to how words are connected. Notice the glottal stops and reductions, like the transformation of “late” into “lait” and “could turn” into “cud turn.”
  3. Repeat phrases: Use a shadowing app or record yourself while you speak along with the video. Focus on mirroring not just the words but the rhythm and intonation of Alex's speech.
  4. Isolate difficult parts: Break down challenging phrases, such as “wrong exit” and “one-way roads,” to practice them multiple times until they feel comfortable.
  5. Practice regularly: Consistency is key. Dedicate time each day to shadow speak these phrases and incorporate them into your daily conversations to solidify your learning.

By engaging in this practice, you’ll not only enhance your listening skills but also improve your English pronunciation significantly. Consider using resources tailored for learners, such as videos or shadowing applications, to continue developing your speaking abilities.

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.