Shadowing Practice: how to be insanely more fun to talk to - Learn English Speaking with Video

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If you've ever been in a conversation that feels forced, awkward, or boring, it's probably because you haven't learned how to be more playful.

I used to avoid people because I used to never know what to say.

I just blamed it on being a naturally anxious person.

Once I learned how to be more playful, being social actually became fun.

Most of us try to answer questions normally.

We try so hard to not be awkward or say something embarrassing.

especially when it's somebody that we want to impress.

Being playful is the opposite of that.

You stop trying to be perfect and you can just let go and actually have fun.

People will naturally be drawn to you, not because you became more impressive.

but because you actually look like you're having fun being yourself.

One of the easiest ways to become more playful is to stop giving the safest answer all the time.

Sometimes instead of giving the real answer right away, decide to make it playful and say something a little out of pocket, a little unexpected.

What's up guys welcome back today we're clabbing cheeks.

My boys.

you There's a photo behind the cash register of this Olympian, right?

That used to come to the restaurant as a regular.

And the last time she stopped by, we asked her to sign it.

When this person came up to the cash register and noticed the photo behind me, he asked me like, Oh, wow, she came here one time.

And I said, she used to work here, actually.

"What?

No way, really?" No man, I'm just kidding.

The whole time the person was laughing and he was like, "Hey, honestly, man, you should have stuck to the first story because that was really funny.

Like I really believed you for a second." For example, if you have a scar, right?

If you have a scar and someone's like, Hey, how did you get that scar?

And you know, you got it from cutting yourself from, you know, cooking last week instead of just giving them the real boring

answer you could be like oh yeah you know what two

weeks ago i had to fight off like seven gang members to save this old lady

and you know like one of them cut me the point is to get the other person laughing and joking with you.

Notice something light.

Decide to make it playful.

Give a surprising answer before revealing the boring answer.

Genuinely, if it's something you find amusing and is funny, then say it.

If you think my examples are funny, steal them, use them, try them and see how people react.

Make it your own and find ways to make it more fun for you.

The more that you're having fun yourself, the better that your jokes will land.

Teasing only works if it feels shared.

If it feels like You're laughing with them.

You're not laughing at the expense of somebody else.

But if you do this well, it can be one of the best ways to banter with anybody.

It shows affection without being too nice and being too safe.

And it shows that you can play.

It shows that you can have fun.

Look, she's literally wearing the flag.

She is the flag.

Wow!

I'm gonna make sure this man never gets in the moment.

You're playing with the moment.

The point isn't to make someone else feel bad.

It's for both of you to be comfortable and be laughing with each other.

Habit number three is fake seriousness.

This is something I do a lot with my friends

or I utilize this a lot at work when I want to have more fun.

Usually when customers come in and they ask for a napkin, it's obviously free, but sometimes I make it hard for them.

Napkin?

Sure.

It's going to be $5, sir, ma 'am.

I smile.

I look at them in the eye and they're like, no way.

And I'm like, I'm just joking.

You risk being a little bit annoying, but at the same time, people will feel so much more comfortable around you because you're comfortable enough to make jokes around them.

There was this girl in my class who was wearing a pink shirt, pink Nike shoes, and she had a pink phone case.

So when I sat next to her, I decided to say, "Hey, Can I guess?

Thank you.

And she looks at me and she's like, Guess what?

Can I guess...

your favorite color and she looks at herself in her phone

and oh oh my god i wonder what it could be So, can I?

And she's like, She gives me this face, right?

Sure.

Go ahead.

And I'm like, green You're not really trying to be clever or witty.

You're just showing that you're willing to look silly, to look dumb.

And that's what actually allows the other person to feel like they can also be silly with you.

And sometimes, you know, I like to push people's buttons, but I always try to make sure that I'm sensitive to the other person's actual insecurities.

And I dial it back if I feel like I'm being a little too mean, or a little too specific about my roasts or my jokes.

The only reason why I think I'm a little bit better at making people laugh to this day is

because I've said so many dumb things in my life, and a lot of them actually felt flat.

It was awkward.

People didn't laugh.

People thought I was weird or annoying.

But the moments that I've gotten people to laugh, is like the things I've stuck to and refined over the years.

When you show other people that you're confident enough to be teased also, that's what makes it safe to be around you and to be playful.

Yeah, I don't know.

It's just, I think it's sick.

I think it's sick when people can laugh at themselves and not take themselves so seriously.

One of the biggest mistakes I used to make is only being playful to the people that I was trying to impress.

What really changed is when I started The more comfortable you are at failing at anything in your life,

the more likely that you'll actually achieve it.

You might as well laugh and enjoy the process too.

And ironically, that's actually what makes you more fun to talk to.

My name is Karl.

If this video helped you at all, make sure to like, comment and subscribe and make sure to send this to someone who you think will benefit also.

And I'll see you.

on the next one.

Peace.

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73 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 96 sentences and 1126 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:25. The speaker talks at a natural 175 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
playful adjective	/ˈpleɪfl̩/	Enjoying play; sportive; prone to playing frequently, in the manner of a child or young pet (viz. puppy or kitten).
awkward adjective	/ˈɔk.wɚd/	Lacking dexterity in the use of the hands, or of instruments.
bore verb	/boɹ/	To inspire boredom in somebody.
scar noun	/skɑɹ/	A permanent mark on the skin, sometimes caused by the healing of a wound.
naturally adverb	/ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/	In a natural manner.
silly adjective	/ˈsɪl.i/	Laughable or amusing through foolishness or a foolish appearance.
joking verb	/ˈd͡ʒoʊkɪŋ/	Kidding, trying to fool.
impress verb	/ɪmˈpɹɛs/	To affect (someone) strongly and often favourably.
tease verb	/tiːz/	To separate the fibres of (a fibrous material).
pocket noun	/ˈpɑ.kɪt/	A bag stitched to an item of clothing, used for carrying small items.
impressive adjective	/ɪmˈpɹɛsɪv/	Making, or tending to make, a positive impression; having power to impress.
sensitive adjective	/ˈsɛn.sɪt.ɪv/	Having the faculty of sensation; pertaining to the senses.
reveal verb	/ɹɪˈviːl/	To uncover; to show and display that which was hidden.
steal verb	/stiːl/	To take illegally, or without the owner's permission, something owned by someone else without intending to return it.
habit noun	/ˈhæb.ɪt/	An action performed on a regular basis.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
come up to verb		To approach.
fight off verb		To succeed in defeating a challenge, or an attack.
go ahead verb	/ˌɡoʊ əˈhɛd/	To proceed with; to begin.

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 31 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, anxious /ˈæŋkʃəs/, affection /əˈfɛk.ʃən/
Long words — get the stress right: naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, unexpected /ʌnɪkˈspɛktɪd/, genuinely /ˈd͡ʒɛn.ju.ɪn.li/, ironically /aɪˈɹɑnɪkli/

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 playful, awkward, bore.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to avoid · used to come · used to work
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	you've ever been · I've said · I've gotten
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	be drawn · be teased

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: how to be insanely more fun to talk to - Learn English Speaking with Video

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