Shadowing Practice: Funny English Mistake! | Speaking Practice Daily Use words, Question and answers - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Have you ever said something in English,
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Have you ever said something in English,
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and everyone looked at you in silence?
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One small sentence.
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One big misunderstanding.
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In today's story, Elena wants to say something,
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but the words she uses sound very different.
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Today, you will learn how to speak like a native.
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Let us begin.
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My best friend and I are in Miami Beach.
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We are here for one week.
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Sun, rest, fun, and practice.
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Her name is Carla.
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She speaks English better than I do.
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She learned it when she was younger.
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She helps me, but she also wants me to speak for myself.
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In the taxi, she says,
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So, Elena, what is your goal for this trip?
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I say, speak English every day.
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She smiles and gives me a thumbs up.
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Yes, that is the spirit.
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I tell her, no fear.
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I want to practice with real people.
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She says, then Miami is perfect.
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People speak English everywhere.
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At the hotel, we walk to the reception desk.
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Carla looks at me and says, You do it.
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Practice time.
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I feel nervous, but I walk forward.
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I say, Hello, my name is Elena.
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I have a reservation.
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The woman at the desk checks her computer.
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Yes, welcome.
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Room 304.
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She gives me the key.
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I say, Thank you.
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Carla smiles at me and says, Well done.
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I feel proud.
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It was simple, but I did it.
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We go up to the room.
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I sit down and write in my notebook.
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Day one, spoke English.
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Goal, every day.
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Then Carla opens the window and says,
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Wow, it is hot out there.
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I laugh and say, Yes, very hot.
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She fans her face.
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We need something cold to drink.
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We decide to go for lunch.
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In the hotel restaurant, the waiter walks over.
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He says, Hello ladies, table for two.
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Carla says, Yes, please.
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We sit and read the menu.
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I see grilled fish and iced tea.
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I like both.
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When the waiter comes, Carla says, You go first.
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I say, I want grilled fish and iced tea, please.
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He smiles.
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Great choice.
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Carla orders something else.
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We wait and talk.
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I say, I like this.
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Real English.
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Real practice.
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She says, You are doing great.
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Just speak, even if it is not perfect.
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After lunch, we go back to the room.
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The fan is on, but it is still warm.
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Carla says, let us take a walk before it gets hotter.
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I say, okay, but just a short one.
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We go outside.
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After 10 minutes, I feel my shirt sticking to my back.
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The sun is strong.
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The air feels heavy.
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I say, I am melting.
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Carla laughs.
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Miami style.
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Then she points.
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Look, there's the pool bar.
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Want to get something cold?
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I nod.
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Yes, I need something cold.
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Now, we walk to the bar.
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There are a few people.
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A man is behind the counter.
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I feel my face red, my arms hot.
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Carla says, ask for a drink, practice moment.
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I take a breath.
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I smile.
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I look at the bartender and say,
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excuse me, I am hot.
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Excuse me, I am hot.
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I say to the bartender with a smile.
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The words come out strong, clear.
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I feel proud.
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But then something strange happens.
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The bartender stops for a second.
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He looks at me.
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His face does not change,
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but he does not answer.
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I look at Carla.
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She is smiling, but also trying not to laugh.
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I ask her, what?
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What is wrong?
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She shakes her head.
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Nothing.
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Just wait.
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The bartender finally speaks.
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He says slowly, Um, do you want a drink?
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I say.
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Yes.
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Something cold.
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I am very hot.
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Again, the people near the bar look at me.
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One woman raises her eyebrows.
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Another man smiles behind his glass.
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I feel confused.
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Why are people looking at me like that?
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I only said I feel hot.
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That is true.
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I wipe my forehead.
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I say again, it is very hot today.
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Carla leans closer and whispers,
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Elena, the way you said it sounds like something else.
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I whisper back, what do you mean?
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She says, when you say I am hot like that,
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it can mean sexy.
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I open my eyes wide.
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What?
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No, I did not mean that.
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She laughs.
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I know, but people do not know that.
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In English, if you just say I am hot,
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some people understand it as attractive, not sweaty.
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Now I feel more hot.
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From embarrassment, I put my hands on my face.
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Oh no, I said it to everyone, out loud.
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Carla says, relax, it happens,
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it is funny, and now you will never forget.
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I shake my head.
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I wanted a drink, not attention.
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She says, then ask again,
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this time use different words.
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I turn to the bartender.
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I smile, a little nervous.
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I say, sorry, can I have something cold to drink, please?
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He smiles back.
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Of course.
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Ice water?
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Lemonade?
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I say, lemonade, please?
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He prepares the drink.
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Carla still laughs a little.
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I say, next time you order for me.
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She says, No way.
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You are learning.
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And this was a good lesson.
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Then she says something that helps me feel better.
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In English, mistakes are not bad.
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They are stories.
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Now you have one.
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And she is right.
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Now I have a funny story.
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And a new phrase to learn.
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I sit with my cold lemonade in my hand.
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Carla takes a sip of her drink and looks at me.
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She says, You were very brave.
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I laugh.
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Brave?
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I was just confused.
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She says, Yes, but you spoke.
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That is how people learn.
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I say, I want to say I feel hot, but without sounding strange.
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She nods.
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Good.
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Let me help you.
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Then she takes out her phone and writes on a napkin.
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She says, these are better ways to say it.
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I look at the napkin.
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It says, I feel hot.
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It is really hot today.
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I am burning up.
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It is boiling out here.
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I am sweating bullets.
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I read each one slowly.
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I ask, what does burning up mean?
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She says, it means you feel very, very hot, like fire.
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And boiling?
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She laughs, like water in a pot.
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You are not really boiling,
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but it feels that way.
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I ask, what about sweating bullets?
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She says, it means you are sweating a lot,
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a funny way to say it.
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I repeat the phrase slowly.
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Sweating bullets.
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I like that one.
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I write the phrases in my notebook.
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I say each one out loud.
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Carla repeats with me.
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We say them slowly, clearly.
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We laugh together.
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Then I try to make real sentences.
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I say, it is boiling in Miami.
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She says, yes, and I am sweating bullets.
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We both laugh again.
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I say, now I know what to say next time.
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Carla says, and you will never say I am hot again like that.
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I say, only in private or in winter.
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We finish our drinks.
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I feel better.
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The embarrassment is gone.
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Now it is just a funny memory and a lesson I will not forget.
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Before we leave, I turn to the bartender.
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I smile and say, thank you.
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That lemonade saved my life.
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He smiles and says, anytime.
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Stay cool.
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I walk away thinking about his words.
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Yes.
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Stay cool.
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In weather, in language, and in life.
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After the lemonade and the laughter,
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Carla and I walk back to the hotel room.
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I feel more relaxed now.
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The sun still shines, but I do not feel nervous anymore.
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I say, that was a big mistake, but a good one.
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Carla says, that is how real learning happens.
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I open my notebook and look at the phrases I wrote earlier.
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I am burning up.
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It is boiling in here.
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I am sweating bullets.
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They sound fun but also useful.
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I say to Carla, I like learning like this.
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Real life.
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Real feelings.
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She says, Exactly.
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Books help, but real English lives in real moments.
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I ask her, Do you know other phrases like these?
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She thinks for a moment and says,
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I am roasting, like food in the oven.
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It is like a sauna, very hot and humid.
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I am cooking out here.
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Another funny way to say the heat is too much.
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I laugh and say, English has many ways to say the same thing.
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She says, yes, and people love to use funny images to talk.
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Then she gives me another tip.
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She says, When you learn new phrases, use them right away.
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Say them out loud.
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Make a sentence.
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So I try.
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I feel like I am roasting right now.
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She says, Perfect.
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You sound like a native.
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Later that night, we meet a group of people in the hotel lounge.
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They speak English.
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Carla talks with them first.
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Then she says, Elena, come and join us.
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I feel a little nervous,
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but I remember today's lesson.
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I smile, take a deep breath, and speak.
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I say, it is boiling outside, right?
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One man laughs and says,
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yes, Miami is like that.
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another person says, and we are all sweating bullets.
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We all laugh, and just like that,
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I am part of the conversation.
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No one corrects me.
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No one laughs at me.
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They understand me, and I feel great.
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In that moment, I think,
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my English is not perfect,
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but it is real, and it is growing.
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And all it took was one small mistake in front of a bartender.
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Now, let us review the most important phrases from today's story.
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When I said, I am hot,
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I wanted to say that I felt very warm.
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But many people understand that phrase in a different way.
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Sometimes it means, I am attractive.
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That can cause confusion.
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So, here are better and safer ways to say that you feel warm.
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Basic phrases.
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1. I feel hot.
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This is more natural and sounds less strange than I am hot.
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2. It is hot today.
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Use this to talk about the weather.
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3. Can I have something cold to drink?
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Very useful when you want to cool down.
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Fun and natural expressions.
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4. I am burning up.
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You feel very hot, like your body is on fire.
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5. It is boiling like water on the stove.
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Very common and natural.
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Example.
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It is boiling outside today.
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6. I am sweating bullets.
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This means you are sweating a lot.
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It is informal but fun.
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7. I am roasting.
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This means you feel like food in the oven.
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8. It is like a sauna.
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Use this when the air feels hot and wet.
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Example.
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This room feels like a sauna.
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9. I am cooking out here.
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Another funny way to say the sun is too strong.
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Example Let us go inside.
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I am cooking out here.
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How to practice Repeat the phrases out loud.
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Say them slowly and clearly.
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Try using them in your real day,
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at home, outside, or with a friend.
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For example Wow, I am burning up today.
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It is boiling in this kitchen.
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After my walk, I was sweating bullets.
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Use these phrases and you will sound more natural in English.
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And avoid any funny mistakes.
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Thank you for listening to Fluent English 10.
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If you liked this story,
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please give it a like,
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leave a comment, and share it with a friend.
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Do not forget to subscribe for more real stories and simple English practice.
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See you next time!
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Context & Background
In the world of language learning, real-life conversations provide the best practice opportunities. This lesson revolves around Elena, who travels to Miami Beach with her friend Carla. As a non-native speaker striving for fluency, Elena faces typical challenges that language learners encounter, such as building confidence to speak and forming sentences correctly under pressure. The dialogues offer valuable insights into common phrases and interactions, which are essential for effective daily communication.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- Hello, my name is [Your Name]. - A crucial introduction phrase to initiate conversations.
- I have a reservation. - Useful in hotel or restaurant settings to indicate prior arrangements.
- What is your goal for this trip? - A question that encourages personal expression and sharing intentions.
- It is hot out there. - A relatable observational comment that can spark further dialogue.
- We need something cold to drink. - A practical statement that demonstrates needs or desires.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively tackle the content from this video and improve your speaking skills, consider using the shadowing technique. This method involves repeating what you hear as closely as possible, mimicking not just the words but the intonation and rhythm. Follow these steps to utilize this method:
- Listen Carefully: Start by watching the video a couple of times without focusing on mimicking. Pay attention to the dialogue and pronunciation.
- Segment the Audio: Break down the phrases into manageable parts. This can be helpful if you're using a shadowing app that allows you to isolate sections of audio.
- Practice Aloud: Use the shadow speak technique by repeating each segment after hearing it. Try to match Elena’s tone and enthusiasm, just as if you are coming right after her.
- Record Yourself: Use your phone or a recording device to capture your shadow speech. Listening to yourself can help identify areas for improvement.
- Seek Feedback: If possible, practice with a partner who can provide constructive criticism or enjoy speaking sessions using shadowspeaks.
By consistently applying these steps, you can bolster your confidence and fluency in English. Practice daily, just like Elena aims to, and soon you will be engaging in conversations with ease!
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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