Shadowing Practice: Friends | Joey works at Central Perk - Learn English Speaking with Video
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92 sentences
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1
I can't pay for this right now because I'm not working
2
so I've had to cut down on some luxuries like paying for stuff.
3
Well if you want you can work here.
4
I don't know it's just see I was a regular on a soap opera, you know, and to go from that to this,
5
it's just, and plus, you know, I'd have to wait on all my friends.
6
Okay, but the money's good.
7
Plus, you get to stare at Rachel as much as you want.
8
What?
9
Flexible hours.
10
Maybe I could be a waiter.
11
Hey, Ross, listen, now, you want anything to drink?
12
Because I'm heading up there.
13
Uh, yeah, I'll take a coffee.
14
Thanks, man, sure.
15
Coffee?
16
Coffee?
17
Because I'm going up there.
18
Oh, no, thank you.
19
Do you guys need anything?
20
Because I'm heading up there.
21
I'd love ice water.
22
You got it.
23
Joey, what are you doing?
24
Just being friendly.
25
Joey, I don't think you're supposed to go back there.
26
No, no, it's okay.
27
Right, Gunther?
28
Don't wink at me.
29
And put on your apron.
30
Okay.
31
I don't see you asking any other paying customers to put on aprons.
32
Joey, do you work here?
33
No. Waiter?
34
Yeah.
35
Joey, what's going on?
36
Why didn't you tell us you work here?
37
Well, that's kind of embarrassing, you know?
38
I mean, I was an actor.
39
Now I'm a waiter.
40
It's supposed to go in the other direction.
41
so's your apron you're wearing it like a cape
42
i mean the job's easy and the money's good you know i guess
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if i'm gonna be hanging out here anyway
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i might as well get paid for it right just feel kind of weird serving you guys you know
45
joey come on i did it
46
and it was fine yeah why would it be weird hey joey uh can i get some coffee okay
47
i guess it doesn't seem
48
that weird seriously i asked you before you still haven't gotten
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it see now it's weird again you know what this is great finally
50
i have someone i can pass on my wisdom to let me tell you about a couple things i learned
51
while working at the coffee house um first of all the customer is always right a smile goes a long way
52
And if anyone is ever rude to you, sneeze muffin Thanks, Rach Hey,
53
you guys are just terrific, you know Now how about clearing out of here so I can get some new customers, huh?
54
It's all about turnover
55
Joey, seriously, can I get my coffee?
56
I'm sorry, Ross, I'll get it for you right now
57
And since I made you wait, I'll toss in a free muffin
58
Hey, Gunther Can you cover for me?
59
I just got an audition
60
No, I'm leaving to get my hair dyed Really?
61
I like your natural color
62
Come on, man, it's a great part
63
Look, check it out I'm the lead guy's best friend
64
And I wait for him in this bar and save his seat
65
Listen, listen I'm sorry, that seat's saved
66
if that's the whole part okay maybe he's not his best friend but
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okay i'll see you in an hour oh man i could totally get
68
that part i'm sorry the seat is taken oh excuse me
69
hey buddy boy how'd the audition go oh not good no i i didn't get the part
70
and uh I lost my job here, so...
71
Wow, that is a bad audition.
72
How did you lose your job here?
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Well, I had the audition, but Gautter said I had to stay here and be in charge so he could go get his hair dyed.
74
So I went anyway, and then he fired me.
75
He left work in the middle of the day to do a personal errand
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and left you in charge when you've been working here for two days?
77
That's not right.
78
Yeah, what are you going to do?
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No, Joey, you can't let him get away with that.
80
But you know what?
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I'm not going to let him get away with that.
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I'm going to say something to him.
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No, I really shouldn't say it.
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No, I should say something to him.
85
Guthrie, I want you to give
86
Joey his job back.
87
That is really not fair that you have to hire him.
88
What?
89
He can have his job back.
90
That's right.
91
He can have his job back.
92
Glad we got that all straightened out.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
The speaker keeps coming back to these words: joey, coffee, audition, weird, apron. This video has 92 sentences and 745 words to shadow. The speech runs for 4:53. The speaker talks at a natural 153 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 21 of its 92 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| audition noun | /ɑˈdɪʃən/ | A performance, by an aspiring performer, to demonstrate suitability or talent. |
| waiter noun | /ˈweɪ̯təː/ | A male or female attendant who serves customers at their tables in a restaurant, café or similar. |
| dye noun | /daɪ/ | A colorant, especially one that has an affinity to the substrate to which it is applied. |
| buddy | /ˈbʌdi/ | A person far removed from the conversation. |
| hire verb | /ˈhaɪɹ/ | To obtain the services of in return for fixed payment. |
| luxury noun | /ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi/ | Very wealthy and comfortable surroundings; the state of being that they create. |
| cape noun | /keɪp/ | A piece or point of land, extending beyond the adjacent coast into a sea or lake; a promontory; a headland. |
| wisdom noun | /ˈwɪzdəm/ | An element of personal character that enables one to distinguish the wise from the unwise. |
| opera noun | /ˈɒp.ə.ɹə/ | A theatrical work, combining drama, music, song and sometimes dance. |
| rude adjective | /ɹuːd/ | Lacking in refinement or civility; bad-mannered; discourteous. |
| soap noun | /soʊp/ | A metallic salt derived from a fatty acid, commonly used in cleaning products. |
| flexible adjective | /ˈflɛk.sɪ.bəl/ | Capable of being flexed or bent without breaking; able to be turned or twisted without breaking. |
| stare verb | /stɛɚ/ | To look fixedly (at something). |
| toss verb | /tɔs/ | To throw with an initial upward direction. |
| terrific adjective | Very strong or intense; excessive, tremendous. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get away with verb | To get away, or escape, taking (something) with one. |
| head up verb | To lead or take the lead in; to direct; to take charge of. |
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
| straighten out verb | To make straight. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Do you guys need anything?
- Joey, what are you doing?
- Joey, do you work here?
- Why didn't you tell us you work here?
- Joey, seriously, can I get my coffee?
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 had · haven't gotten |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | shouldn't say · should say |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | I'm not working · I'm heading · I'm going |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | gonna be · are you going to do · I'm not going to let |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 36 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, I'll. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: audition /ɑˈdɪʃən/, luxury /ˈlʌk.ʃə.ɹi/
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 audition, waiter, dye.
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.