Shadowing Practice: How to Speak English Fluently — Step by Step | Easy English for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Enjoy English Talks, where every conversation helps you learn.
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Enjoy English Talks, where every conversation helps you learn.
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I'm Judy.
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Hello, Judy.
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Hello, everyone.
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I'm Jake.
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How are you today, Judy?
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I am wonderful, thank you.
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I had a very nice weekend.
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I read a book in English.
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The whole book.
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And you, Jake?
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I am good, thank you.
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But I have a question for you today, Judy.
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A question?
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Tell me.
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My cousin started learning English two months ago, and he asked me, how do I become fluent?
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What should I do first, and second, and third?
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That is a great question.
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What did you tell him?
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I said, listen to enjoy English talks.
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But then he asked, and then what?
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And you did not know what to say next?
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No. I know many tips, but I do not know the order.
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What comes first?
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What comes second?
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What is the path?
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The path.
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I love that word.
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And that is exactly our topic today.
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We are going to talk about the path to fluency?
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Yes.
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Today I will give you a roadmap, a step-by-step plan, five steps from beginner to fluent, in order.
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Five steps in order?
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Like a map.
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I love maps.
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Let's go.
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But first, we have a small request.
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Yes.
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If you like our podcast, please click the like button.
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Please subscribe to enjoy English talks.
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And share this episode with your friends and family.
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Thank you.
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It helps us so much.
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We love our listeners.
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Okay, now let's start.
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First, let me explain the big problem.
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Many people want to speak English fluently, but they do not know where to start.
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That is me and my cousin and probably many of our listeners.
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Some people start with grammar books.
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Some people start with vocabulary lists.
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Some people try to speak on day one.
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I tried to speak on day one.
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It did not go well.
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And that is the problem.
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They do not have a plan.
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They do not have an order.
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Today, I will give you the order.
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Five steps.
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Each step builds on the one before.
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Builds on?
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What does that mean?
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It means step two needs step one first.
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Step three needs step two.
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Like building a house.
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You need the floor before the walls.
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You need the walls before the roof.
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Floor, walls, roof.
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I understand.
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So what is our floor?
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Step number one.
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Fill your brain.
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Fill my brain? With what?
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With English, step one is all about input.
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I-N-P-U-T.
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Input means English going into your brain, through your ears, through your eyes.
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So, listening and reading?
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Yes, but mostly listening.
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At the beginning, your job is simple.
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Listen to English every day.
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Podcasts, songs, simple videos.
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Just listen.
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But what if I do not understand everything?
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That is okay.
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You do not need to understand everything.
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Your brain is like a sponge.
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S-P-O-N-G-E.
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A sponge absorbs water.
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Your brain absorbs English.
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Even the words you do not understand, your brain is learning the sounds, the rhythm, the music of English.
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My brain is a sponge.
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I like that picture.
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And the more you listen, the more your brain absorbs.
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10 minutes a day, 15 minutes, while you walk while you cook while you ride the bus
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so step one is not about speaking no not yet step
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one is about filling your brain with English you cannot pour
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from an empty cup first fill the cup fill the cup first then pour or later.
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Exactly.
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Many people try to speak before they listen enough, and they get frustrated.
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But if you listen first, a lot, speaking will come more easily later.
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How long should I stay on step one?
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There is no exact time, but a good sign is when you start to recognize words.
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When you hear a sentence and think, oh, I know that word, that means your brain is full enough to move to step two.
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Step 1.
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Fill your brain.
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Listen every day.
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Be a sponge.
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Perfect.
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Step number 2.
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Copy what you hear.
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Copy?
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Like a copy machine.
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Yes, like a copy machine.
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In step 1, you listened.
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Now, in step 2, you repeat what you hear.
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This is called shadowing.
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Shadowing.
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We talked about this before.
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Yes, and it is so important that it gets its own step.
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Shadowing means you listen to a sentence, then you repeat the same sentence.
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You copy the words, the speed, the rhythm.
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Listen, then repeat, listen, then repeat.
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Yes, and here is why this step is so powerful.
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When you shadow, you train your mouth.
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Your mouth learns how to make English sounds.
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Your tongue learns where to go.
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Your lips learn how to move.
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I never thought about my tongue and lips.
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Most people do not.
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But speaking is physical.
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Like playing the piano, your fingers need practice.
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Speaking English, your mouth needs practice.
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So, step two is mouth training?
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Yes.
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And the best part is, you do not need a partner.
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You do not need a teacher.
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You just need a podcast or a video.
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Listen to one sentence, pause, repeat.
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Listen to the next sentence, pause, repeat.
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Let me try right now.
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You say something.
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I will shatter you.
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Okay.
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I would like a cup of coffee, please.
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I would like a cup of coffee, please.
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Good.
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Now try to match my rhythm.
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I would like a cup of coffee, please.
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I would like a cup of coffee, please.
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Much better.
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Did you feel the difference?
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Yes.
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Some words are stronger.
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Some words are softer.
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That is English rhythm, and shadowing teaches your mouth to feel it, not just your brain, your mouth.
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So step two is copy what you hear, shadow every day, train my mouth.
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You got it.
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Step number three, talk to yourself.
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Talk to myself?
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People will think I am crazy.
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Maybe, but it works.
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Step three is about practicing alone, without a partner, without pressure, just you and your voice.
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But what do I say?
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Narrate your life.
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N-A-R-R-A-T-E.
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Narrate means to describe what you are doing, like a movie narrator.
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You are in the kitchen.
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Say, I am making breakfast.
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I am putting bread in the toaster.
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Now I'm pouring coffee.
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Like a sports announcer?
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Jake is walking to the kitchen.
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Jake opens the fridge.
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Jake takes out the milk.
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Exactly like that.
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And it sounds funny, but it is very effective, because you practice real sentences about real life.
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And nobody can judge me.
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No mistakes to be embarrassed about.
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Exactly.
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That's the beauty of step three.
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Zero pressure.
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You can make mistakes.
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You can stop, you can try again.
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Nobody is listening.
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Well, maybe my cat is listening.
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Your cat does not judge your grammar.
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That is true.
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My cat only judges my cooking.
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And here's another way to practice alone.
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Before you go to bed, think about your day and describe it in English.
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Today I went to work.
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I had lunch with my friend.
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I came home and watched TV.
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Like a daily review? In English.
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Yes, three or four sentences.
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That's enough.
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Every night.
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And you'll notice, after a few weeks, the sentences come faster.
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You don't need to think so hard.
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Because my brain is used to it.
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Because your brain and your mouth are working together now.
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Step one filled your brain.
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Step two trained your mouth.
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Step three connects them.
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That makes so much sense.
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Brain, mouth, connection.
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Three steps so far.
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And now you're ready for the next step, the big one.
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Step number four, talk to others.
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Talk to others?
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Real people?
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Real people.
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In steps one, two, and three, you practiced alone.
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Now it's time to use your English with someone else.
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But that's scary, Judy.
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What if I make mistakes?
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What if they don't understand me?
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I understand.
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It is scary.
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But here's the truth.
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You will make mistakes, and that's okay.
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Mistakes are how you learn.
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Every mistake makes your English stronger.
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Every mistake makes me stronger.
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I will try to remember that.
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And you don't need to start with a stranger.
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Start small.
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Talk to a friend who speaks English.
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Or find a language partner online.
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Someone who is also learning.
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A language partner?
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Someone like me?
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Yes.
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There are many apps and websites for this.
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You can practice together.
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Help each other.
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You help them with your language.
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They help you with English.
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That sounds less scary.
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Two learners together.
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And when you're ready, try small conversations in real life.
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At a coffee shop.
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I would like a coffee, please.
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At a store.
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Excuse me, where is the milk?
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Small conversations first, then bigger ones.
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Yes.
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And here is a secret.
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Most people are very kind.
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If they see you're trying, they will help you.
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They will speak slowly.
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They will smile.
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Really?
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They won't laugh at me?
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No. Most people respect someone who is learning a new language.
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It's brave and they know it's hard.
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That makes me feel much better.
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Small steps, not a big jump.
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And every conversation, even a short one, is practice.
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Every time you open your mouth and speak English to another person, you are growing.
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Mmm, I remember my first English conversation.
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I was so nervous.
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My hands were shaking.
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And now you are talking to me every episode, in English.
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Look how far you have come.
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That is true.
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I did not even notice.
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That is because growth happens slowly.
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You don't see it every day.
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But one day, you look back and think, wow, I have come so far.
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Step 4.
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Talk to others.
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Start small. Be brave.
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Make mistakes.
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And enjoy it.
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Conversations are fun.
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Step 5.
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Think in English.
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Think in English?
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Not speak?
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Think?
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Yes.
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This is the final step, the highest level.
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When you think in English, you do not translate from your language anymore.
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English comes directly.
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Right now, I think in my language first, then I translate, then I speak.
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Three steps in my head.
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And that takes time.
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It slows you down.
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Fluency means you skip the translation.
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English comes straight from your brain to your mouth.
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One step, not three.
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One step?
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That sounds fast.
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It is fast, and it feels amazing.
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You know you are fluent when you think in English without trying.
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But how do I get there?
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By doing steps one through four.
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A lot.
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Over time, your brain starts to think in English naturally.
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You stop translating.
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But there are also some things you can do to speed it up.
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Tell me!
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First, First, label things in English.
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Look at your desk.
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Think pen, notebook, phone, water bottle.
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Do not think the word in your language.
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Think the English word directly.
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Pen, notebook, phone, water bottle.
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Okay, I can do that.
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Second, when something happens, react in English.
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You drop your keys.
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Instead of saying, oh no, in your language, say, oh no, in English.
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You see a cute dog, say, so cute, in English.
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English.
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React in English.
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I like that.
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And third, dream in English.
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Dream in English?
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I cannot control my dreams.
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You cannot, but many language learners say one day they had a dream in English, and that's when they knew I am becoming fluent.
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That is beautiful.
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I want to dream in English someday.
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You will.
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And you know it's funny.
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You don't choose when it happens.
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It just happens one morning.
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You wake up and think, wait, I was speaking in English in my dream?
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And that's a wonderful moment.
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I cannot wait for that moment.
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It will come.
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I believe in you, Jake.
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Step five.
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Think in English.
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Stop translating.
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Let English live in my brain.
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Perfect.
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Now let me put all five steps together.
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Your roadmap to fluency.
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Yes, the whole map.
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Step one.
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Fill your brain.
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Listen to English every day.
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Be a sponge.
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Input.
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Ears open, brain absorbing.
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Step two.
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Copy what you hear.
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Shadowing.
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Train your mouth.
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Listen, pause, repeat.
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Every day.
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Step three.
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Talk to yourself.
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Narrate your life.
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Practice alone.
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No pressure.
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No judgment.
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Just me and my voice.
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Step four.
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Talk to others.
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Start small, be brave.
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Real conversations.
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Small first, then bigger.
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Step five, think in English.
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Stop translating.
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Let it flow.
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English becomes part of me, not a foreign thing, just me.
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That is beautiful, Jake.
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And remember, these steps are not fast.
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They take time, weeks, months, maybe years.
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But every day you move forward, even if it's just one small step.
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One small step every day.
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I can do that.
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You are already on this path.
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You are already moving forward.
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Be proud of where you are today.
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Okay, let's review.
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Yes, let's see what we learned.
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Today we talked about speaking English fluently, step by step.
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Five steps.
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Yes.
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First, fill your brain.
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Listen a lot.
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Good.
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Then copy what you hear.
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Shadowing.
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Then talk to yourself.
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Practice alone.
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Then talk to others.
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Have real conversations.
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Then, think in English.
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Stop translating.
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Perfect.
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You remembered everything.
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I learned a lot today.
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Me too.
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Well, that's all the time we have for today.
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Thank you so much for listening to Enjoy English Talks.
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Yes, thank you, everyone.
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It was fun.
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Please subscribe to Enjoy English Talks.
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Give this episode a like.
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And share it with a friend.
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Now, we have a question for you today.
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Yes, please leave a comment below.
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Tell us, which step are you on right now?
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Step 1, step 2, step 3, step 4, or step 5?
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We would love to read your answers.
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See you next time.
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Bye everyone, keep practicing your English.
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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
Engaging with this video provides a structured approach to learning English that is especially beneficial for beginners. As Judy and Jake discuss the journey to fluency, they emphasize the importance of a step-by-step path. This format not only makes it easier to follow but also compartmentalizes the learning process into manageable segments. Practicing speaking through this method enhances your shadowing technique, allowing you to mimic native speakers' intonation, rhythm, and pronunciation. By actively participating in the dialogue, you gain confidence and improve your speaking skills, which is essential for IELTS speaking practice. Additionally, the conversational context presented in the video allows learners to understand language use in real-life scenarios, enriching their vocabulary and comprehension.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the transcript, several key structures can be analyzed to enhance your speaking skills:
- Question Forms: Judy and Jake use questions to engage each other: "How are you today, Judy?" and "What should I do first?" Practicing this structure helps learners initiate conversations and keep dialogues flowing.
- Conditional Sentences: When discussing tips for fluency, Judy implies conditions with phrases like "If you like our podcast, please click the like button." This encourages learners to understand the relational aspects of language.
- Use of Simple Past: Expressions like "I read a book in English" provide insight into expressing past actions. Practicing these forms in your own speech allows you to communicate experiences clearly.
Common Pronunciation Traps
In the video, certain words and sounds may be challenging for English learners, particularly if they are non-native speakers. Here are some common pronunciation traps:
- Fluency: This word may be difficult due to its vowel sounds and syllable stress. Practice saying it slowly at first, focusing on the ‘flu’ and ‘ency’ parts.
- Roadmap: The merging of sounds in “roadmap” can be tricky. Ensure correct pronunciation by breaking it down into “road” and “map.” This will help when speaking faster or in normal conversation.
- Emphasis on Words: The casual conversation style requires learners to understand the importance of stress and intonation. For example, in the phrase "What comes first?", the emphasis on "first" highlights importance, which is crucial for conversational fluency.
By using the shadow speak technique, you can repeat these phrases and focus on their pronunciation. Listening closely to native speakers in this video will help you avoid common pronunciation pitfalls and improve clarity in your spoken English.
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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