Shadowing Practice: How do you say sorry? ⏲️ 6 Minute English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
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6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
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Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English.
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I'm Neil.
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And I'm Beth.
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In English, there are many ways to apologise, depending on the situation.
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In formal situations, you could say please forgive me, while to a friend you might just say my bad.
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And of course, there's the most common phrase of all, I'm sorry.
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Can you remember a time when you had to apologise, Beth?
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Oh, I had to apologise this morning because I stepped on someone's toes on the tube.
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OK.
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Well, apologising depends on what you've done.
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So sorry is fine if you accidentally step on someone's toes like you did this morning, Beth.
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But what if you do something really serious, like the Ghanaian journalist Afia Pukua, who publicly criticised the king of the Ashanti tribe?
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Here's BBC World Service programme The Fifth Floor covering the story.
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I guess it's not every day that you end up offending a king, but let's say you did.
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Would you know how to apologise to him?
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Recently in Ghana, a journalist made some comments on television about the king of the Asante tribe and soon she found herself at his palace apologising.
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The presenter says it's not every day that you offend a king.
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The phrase it's not every day that highlights that what's happened is very unusual.
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So, how do apologies change from culture to culture?
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Well, that's what we'll be finding out in this episode, along with some useful new words and phrases.
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And remember, you'll find all the vocabulary from this episode on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
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Now, I have a question for you, Beth.
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We know that people from different in different ways.
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But what might someone do to say sorry if they were from India?
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Would they a.
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offer a gift, b.
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pull their earlobes, or c.
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bow down?
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Oh, I am going to guess c.
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bow down.
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OK, well, we'll find out if you're right at the end of the programme.
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Let's return to Afiya Pakur, the journalist who criticised the king of the Ashanti tribe.
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Her comments divided opinion in Ghana, but eventually Afia decided to say sorry to the king, following strict traditional rules that she dress in black and apologise kneeling down on her knees.
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Afia's story shows the influence of culture on how people say sorry.
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Let's listen now as three BBC journalists from different countries explain to World Service programme The Fifth Floor how to say sorry in their culture.
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I would say that Pakistanis generally, they're not really expressive.
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And we're also very cheeky.
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So what we generally do is we would slide an apology in the middle of a conversation, and then very quickly move on to a new topic so that we don't have to sort of be very upfront about it.
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In Russia, we also have a tradition called Forgiveness Sunday, which happens on the last Sunday before Easter.
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The tradition is that you call your family and friends and apologize for any swerves you've caused.
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In Korea, the way of saying sorry varies depending on the relationship between the speaker and the listener due to the complex and horrific system in the language.
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In many cases, we say 죄송합니다.
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This is used in formal situations or with people we don't know well.
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And we often bow when saying 죄송합니다.
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Journalist Asam Mahmood thinks apologising in Pakistan is different because people are not expressive.
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They don't usually show what they think or feel.
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Rather, he says Pakistanis tend to be cheeky, an adjective meaning slightly rude, but in a funny, playful way.
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In Pakistan, people sometimes avoid being upfront about what they've done.
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If you're upfront about something, you speak openly about it, so everyone knows your feelings and intentions.
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Moving now to Russia, the journalist Liza Focht describes a tradition called Forgiveness Sunday, when people apologise to friends and family for sorrows they have caused.
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Sorrows are sources of sadness or regret.
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And finally, in Korea, how you say sorry depends on who you're apologising to.
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Korea has a complicated, honorific system dictating how people above you, in the social order, should be addressed.
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Honorific means showing respect and honour to someone.
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Well, there's a saying that sorry is the hardest word.
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But who knew there were so many ways to say it?
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Yes.
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And it's not just words.
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If you're really sorry, you do something to make things right – like giving a small gift.
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So Neil, what do people in India do?
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What's the answer to your question?
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Yes, well I asked what people in India do to apologise.
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And what answer did you give me, Beth.
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I said bow down.
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Is that right?
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I'm afraid that was the wrong answer.
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You should apologise to me for that.
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It is in fact B in India.
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It's common to tug your earlobes when apologising.
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OK, let's recap the vocabulary we've learned, starting with the idiom, it's not every day that, which is used to say that something is very unusual.
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An expressive person shows what they think or feel.
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The adjective cheeky means slightly rude in a funny, playful way.
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When you are up front about something, you speak openly and clearly so people know your true intentions.
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Sorrows are sources of sadness or regret.
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And finally, the adjective honorific means showing respect and honour to someone.
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Well, I'm sorry to say that once again our six minutes are up.
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But if you are ready for more just head over to our website bbclearningenglish.com for a quiz and a worksheet for this episode.
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Bye for now!
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Goodbye!
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Why practice speaking with this video?

The video "How do you say sorry?" serves as an engaging platform for English learners to enhance their speaking skills through contextual understandings of apologies. By listening to Neil and Beth's discussion, learners can grasp how to appropriately express remorse in varying situations—ranging from casual interactions with friends to formal apologies that adhere to cultural guidelines. Practicing with this video not only improves English pronunciation but also exposes learners to the nuances of expressive language in social contexts. It's a perfect opportunity to utilize shadow speak techniques, incorporating new vocabulary while embedding the flow of conversational English into your speaking practice.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the video, several key structures enrich the English language experience:

  • Use of "I'm sorry": This phrase is the most common way to apologize in English. It is versatile and can fit many situations, making it essential for everyday conversations.
  • Formal Apologies: The phrase "please forgive me" is a polite way of requesting forgiveness. This structure is particularly significant in formal situations, reinforcing the importance of tone and word choice according to the context.
  • Cultural References: The language around apologies reflects cultural norms. For instance, the use of "kneeling down" in the Ghanaian context emphasizes respect in addressing authority, which can be applied when learning to apologize across different cultures.
  • Descriptive Terms: Words like "offended" and phrases such as "novel situation" highlight the importance of context in language use. Using shadowspeak methods can help learners embody these expressions more naturally.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As learners practice speaking, they may encounter some tricky words and accents highlighted in the video:

  • Apologize: The pronunciation can differ based on regional accents. Be mindful of the vowel sounds and stress, especially in American versus British English settings.
  • Cultural Terms: Understanding and correctly pronouncing terms like "forgiveness" and "respect" is essential. These words are often used in contexts surrounding apologies and can significantly impact clarity if mispronounced.
  • Shadowing Techniques: Utilizing shadow speaks can help learners mimic the intonation and pace of the speakers, aiding in overcoming pronunciation challenges. Practice saying phrases like "please forgive me" to refine your accent and fluency.

Engaging with the content of this video not only improves your vocabulary but also sharpens your pronunciation, equipping you with the skills needed for effective communication. Embrace these methods in your practice to experience a real improvement in your English 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.

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