Shadowing Practice: How to Talk About Deadlines & Timelines in English - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.

273 sentences

If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.

Music.

Hello everyone and welcome back to another episode of Daily Business English Talk.

I am Anna.

And I am Jack.

We are so happy to have you tuning in with us today.

Whether you are listening on your morning commute, during a coffee break, or while relaxing at home, we are glad you are here.

That is right, Jack.

If you are working to improve your spoken English for your career and want to speak with confidence at work, you are in the exact right place.

Before we jump in, if you love our episodes, please take a quick second to subscribe to our channel.

It helps us continue making these episodes for you, and you will never miss a new lesson.

Absolutely.

Today we are focusing on a topic that comes up almost every single day in office life.

We are going to learn how to talk about deadlines and project timelines in English.

Deadlines can create a lot of pressure, can't they, Jack?

Knowing how to talk about time, schedules, and delivery dates clearly and politely is so important.

It helps you manage your workload and prevents misunderstandings with your team or your manager.

It really does, Anna.

By the end of today's conversation, our listeners will have practical, polite phrases to talk about timelines,

ask for extensions, and give progress updates without feeling stressed or sounding blunt.

That is our goal today.

So Jack, let us start with a little warm -up conversation.

Speaking of timelines, have you ever found yourself in a tight spot with a deadline at work recently?

Oh, definitely, Anna.

Just last week, actually.

I was working on a marketing report that was due on Thursday afternoon, but on Wednesday morning, two new urgent tasks were given to me.

My schedule became completely packed, and I realized there was no way I could finish the report by Thursday without making mistakes.

Oh, I know that feeling so well, Jack.

Your heart starts racing and you think, how am I going to get all of this done in time?

What did you end up doing?

Well, years ago, I probably would have stayed up until two in the morning trying to rush through it, or I would have stayed quiet and just turned it in late.

But this time, I took a deep breath.

I reached out to my manager, explained the situation, and asked if we could push back the due date by one day.

That was a smart move.

And how did your manager react?

completely understanding.

She told me that because I let her know early, it was not a problem at all.

She gave me until Friday morning.

That extra time allowed me to deliver high quality work without burning out.

That is a classic example of good workplace communication.

You see, many language learners feel that asking for more time makes them look unprofessional or lazy.

But in reality, communicating early about timelines shows that you care about quality and that you're organized.

Exactly.

It's all about how you frame it.

If you stay silent until the deadline passes, that creates trouble.

But if you speak up ahead of time using clear, polite English, people Well said, Jack.

So today, let us break this down step by step so our listeners feel ready to handle any timeline conversation.

Don't worry if some of these phrases feel new right now.

We'll practice them together through clear situations.

I'm ready, Anna.

Let us start with the basics.

How do we state when a project or task needs to be finished?

What are the standard ways to express a target date?

Good starting point.

The most common word, of course, is deadline.

You can say, "The deadline for this report is Friday,"

or "The project is due next Monday." The word "due" is so useful, isn't it?

The report is due on Friday.

The presentation is due by five o 'clock.

Yes.

Notice the prepositions there, Jack.

That's a small detail that makes a big difference.

We say "do on Friday" when referring to a specific day,

but we say "do by Friday" when we mean "on or before that time." Ah, that's a great tip.

"Do by Friday" means Friday at the absolute latest.

Exactly.

Another common expression teams use when planning is "target completion date." For example,

our target completion date for the new website is the end of the month.

Target completion date.

That sounds very formal and professional.

It shows that you have a plan, even if things might shift slightly along the way.

under a tight deadline.

Oh, I use those all the time.

We are on a tight schedule this week.

It immediately tells your team that everyone needs to stay focused because time is limited.

Precisely.

Now, let us talk about checking in on progress.

As a manager or a teammate, you often need to ask others how a project is going without sounding like you are policing them.

Jack, how do you usually ask someone about their timeline?

I like to keep it friendly and open.

I might ask, how are things coming along with the design project or are we on track to finish by Wednesday?

Those are excellent phrases, Jack.

Are we on track?

That is one of the most popular idioms in business English.

To be on track means that everything is happening according to the original plan.

Yes.

If things are going well, you can simply answer, yes, we're on track or everything is on schedule.

It's short, clear and reassuring.

But what if things are not going according to plan?

What if you run into unexpected obstacles?

or extra work like you did last week.

Ah, that's where people tend to get nervous.

If you're falling behind, you can say, "We're running a bit behind schedule," or "We've hit a slight delay."

Notice how Jack used the word "a bit" and "slight" there.

Just like we talked about in our previous episode on workplace problems, using softeners helps keep the tone calm.

Saying, "We are running a bit behind schedule" sounds controlled and professional.

Exactly.

You do not need to panic.

You are simply sharing an objective update.

Now, Anna, what is the best way to actually ask for more time?

100

If I see that I cannot meet a deadline, what words should I use?

101

a clear reason, propose a new specific date, and ask politely.

102

You can use phrases like, "Would it be possible to extend the deadline to Tuesday?"

103

or "Could we push back the due date by two days?" Pushing back a deadline.

104

That's another phrase we hear all the time in offices.

105

To push back means to postpone or move a date to a later time.

106

The opposite, by the way, is to bring forward, which means moving a date to an earlier time, though that happens less often.

107

Right.

108

Usually people are asking to push things back.

109

Let's put these pieces together for our listeners.

110

Suppose you're working on a financial report, but you're still waiting for data from the accounting team.

111

How would you phrase that request to your project lead?

112

I would say something like this.

113

Hi, Mark.

114

I wanted to give you a quick update on the financial report.

115

numbers from accounting.

116

Would it be possible to extend the deadline to Friday morning?

117

This will ensure the data is completely accurate.

118

That was fantastic, Anna.

119

Notice how Anna explained the reason, offered a solution with a new date, and added a benefit, ensuring the data is accurate.

120

That makes it very easy for Mark to say yes.

121

Thank you, Jack.

122

Giving a reason that focuses on quality is always a great strategy.

123

If you just say, "I need more time," it sounds vague. But

124

if you say, "I need an extra day to make sure the figures are accurate," it shows you take pride in your work.

125

Before we move on to our dialogue examples, let's talk about another scenario.

126

What if someone asks you to finish a project in a time frame that you already know is impossible?

127

How do you negotiate the timeline right at the start?

128

Oh, that is such a crucial skill.

129

If a manager says, can you have this 30 page proposal ready by tomorrow morning

130

and you know it takes at least three days, you should manage expectations immediately.

131

realistically, right?

132

Exactly.

133

You do not want to say yes immediately and then fail to deliver.

134

Instead, you can say, to be honest, that timeline might be a bit tight.

135

Or, given our current workload, a more realistic completion date would be Friday.

136

Given our current workload, a more realistic completion date would be Friday.

137

That is such a polite, confident way to negotiate.

138

You are not saying no, you are offering a realistic path forward.

139

Precisely.

140

You can also offer options by prioritizing.

141

For example, you could say, "If you need it by tomorrow, I can prepare a short summary." However, if you would like the full report, I will need until Friday.

142

Wow, that is brilliant, Anna.

143

Offering choices puts the control back in the manager's hands while keeping your workload manageable.

144

It really works wonders in real office situations.

145

Now, let us listen to how all these phrases sound in real life through some practical conversations.

146

Yes, let's bring these ideas to life.

147

In this first scenario, imagine that Anna and I are working on a shared project.

148

timeline for a presentation next week.

149

Listen to how the conversation flows naturally.

150

Sounds great.

151

I'm ready when you are.

152

Hey, Anna, do you have a quick minute?

153

I just wanted to check in on the slides for next week's client presentation.

154

Are we still on track for our Thursday deadline?

155

Hi, Jack.

156

Thanks for checking in.

157

For the most part, yes, everything is progressing well.

158

However, I'm running a bit behind on the financial chart section because I received the data later than expected.

159

I see.

160

Do you think you will still be able to finalize everything by Thursday afternoon?

161

To be realistic, Thursday afternoon might be a bit tight.

162

Would it be possible to push back the final review to Friday morning?

163

That way I can double check all the charts and make sure there are no errors.

164

Friday morning works completely fine for me.

165

That still gives us plenty of time before the client meeting on Monday.

166

Thanks for letting me know early, Anna.

167

Thanks for understanding, Jack.

168

I'll keep you in the loop if anything changes.

169

That was such a realistic office exchange.

170

if we were on track, Anna shared a minor delay calmly, proposed a new date, and I accepted it because it still left enough time.

171

Exactly.

172

No stress, no drama, just clear, professional communication about time.

173

Now let's try a second scenario.

174

This time, let's imagine I'm a team manager and Anna is presenting a project proposal to me.

175

I'm going to ask for a faster timeline and Anna is going to manage my expectations politely.

176

Let's do it.

177

is set for the end of next month.

178

Is there any way we can move that forward and launch two weeks earlier?

179

I understand that launching earlier would be great for the team, Jack.

180

However, given our current resources, pulling the date forward by two weeks might compromise the quality of our testing phase.

181

Hmm.

182

I see your point.

183

Quality is our priority.

184

Is there any part of the project we could deliver earlier, though?

185

What we could do is launch the core features by the middle of the month as a trial, and then release the remaining updates by the originally planned.

186

How does that sound?

187

That sounds like a solid compromise.

188

Let's go with that plan.

189

Great.

190

I'll update the project timeline document and send it over to you by this afternoon.

191

That was another great demonstration.

192

You acknowledged my request, clearly explained the risk to quality, and then offered a practical alternative.

193

It is all about collaboration.

194

Deadlines are rarely set in stone.

195

They are often negotiated based on resources, quality, and realistic expectations.

196

Before we move into our vocabulary review, let us encourage our listeners: If you are listening to these dialogues, try imagining yourself in Anna's or Jack's shoes.

197

Think about how you would adapt these sentences to your own job and your own daily routine.

198

Yes, visualization is a powerful learning tool.

199

Think about a project you are working on right now.

200

How would you describe its timeline in English?

201

Practice saying the sentences out loud.

202

Absolutely.

203

Speaking out loud, even to yourself, builds muscle memory in your mouth and makes speaking during real meetings much easier.

204

Now, let us take some time to naturally revisit eight key words and phrases that we used throughout today's episode.

205

We want to make sure these stay fresh in your mind.

206

Perfect!

207

Let us start with the first phrase, "on track." Anna, how would you explain "on track" in simple terms to a friend?

208

To be on track simply means that everything is happening according to the plan and schedule.

209

For example, if your manager asks if you will finish by Friday and you're on time, you say, "Yes, we are on track." Excellent.

210

And what about our second phrase, "running behind schedule"?

211

Running behind schedule means that work is moving slower than planned, and you might be late if things do not change.

212

For instance, you might say, "I'm running a bit behind schedule today because of unexpected phone calls." Very clear.

213

The third phrase is one of my personal favorites: "Push back a deadline." What does that mean in everyday workplace terms?

214

To push back a deadline means to move the due date to a later time or date.

215

If your task was due on Tuesday, but you asked to turn it in on Thursday, you are asking to push back the deadline.

216

Right, and our fourth phrase is the opposite concept, bring forward.

217

Exactly.

218

To bring forward means to move an event, meeting, or deadline to an earlier time than originally planned.

219

For example, they brought forward the meeting from 3 o 'clock to 1 o 'clock.

220

That makes sense.

221

Our fifth expression is "manage expectations." Why is this phrase so important in business, Anna?

222

Managing expectations means being honest with clients or team members about what is realistic, so they don't expect more than what can actually be delivered.

223

For example, you manage expectations by telling a client a job will take five days, instead of promising it in two days and failing.

224

That's such an essential professional skill.

225

Our sixth phrase is tight schedule or tight deadline.

226

That describes a situation where you have very little time to complete a lot of work.

227

You could say, "We are working under a tight deadline this week, so we need everyone's full focus." The seventh phrase is "Target Completion Date."

228

That is the planned date when you expect a project or task to be finished.

229

It gives the team a clear goal date to work toward.

230

And our eighth phrase is "Give an update."

231

Giving an update simply means sharing the current status or progress of a project with others.

232

For example, I'll give you an update on the sales numbers by the end of the day.

233

What a great list of phrases.

234

These eight expressions will help anyone sound more natural, professional, and composed when discussing schedules at work.

235

They really will.

236

Remember, you do not need to memorize all eight at once.

237

Focus on using two or three of them this week until they feel natural, and then add more to your vocabulary over time.

238

Great advice, Anna.

239

And now it is time for our question of the day.

240

This is the moment in our show where we give you a chance to practice your English right away.

241

That is right.

242

Today's question is: Do you currently have a project at work or school with a tight deadline?

243

How's it going?

244

And are you on track?

245

That is a wonderful, practical question.

246

Answering this helps you take what you listen to today and apply it directly to your own real life.

247

Let us give our listeners two quick example answers that they can use for inspiration or adapt for themselves.

248

Sure.

249

Here's the first example answer.

250

Right now, I'm preparing a sales report for my team.

251

The deadline is this Friday, and we are currently on track to finish it on time.

252

Perfect!

253

And here's a second example answer: I'm currently working on updating our company website.

254

We're running a bit behind schedule because of tech issues, so we might need to push back the launch date by next week.

255

Those are both clear, simple, and realistic answers.

256

Listeners, we would love for you to share your answer in the comments section or write it in your practice notebook.

257

Reading your responses is one of our favorite parts of making this podcast.

258

Yes, please share your thoughts with us.

259

We read your comments and love seeing your progress.

260

Now, before we say goodbye, let us do a quick, friendly recap of what we covered in today's lesson.

261

Today, we explored how to talk about deadlines and project timelines in English with ease and confidence.

262

We learned how to say when tasks are due, how to check if a project is on track, how to politely explain delays,

263

and how to request to push back a deadline without feeling uncomfortable.

264

We also talked about the importance of managing expectations up front and giving clear updates to your team.

265

Communicating clearly about time shows responsibility and builds trust with your colleagues.

266

With these phrases in your toolkit, you are well equipped to handle scheduled discussions calmly and professionally.

267

Thank you so much for spending your time with us today.

268

We hope you feel guided, motivated, and ready to speak English at work.

269

Keep practicing, keep listening, and remember that every small step you take brings you closer to fluency.

270

Have a wonderful week at work, everyone!

271

Take care, stay confident, and join us next time on Daily Business English Talk.

272

Goodbye.

273

Goodbye, everyone.

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence

IPA PracticeMaster every sound

VocabularyBuild your word bank

Vocab GameLearn while playing

Scan QR

Download on theApp Store Get it onGoogle Play

Same Channel

FOR YOU

Recommend Video

130

29 sentences

Calling a Client to Explain a Project Delay

Business EnglishWorking Adults

18 sentences

1000 English Collocations in 10 Minutes a Day – Lesson 26 – Time

Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

170 sentences

老闆明明寫著「No rush」，星期一卻問我怎麼還沒處理｜Real Life Office English

Business EnglishWorking Adults

705 sentences

How to Give a Clear Work Update in English | Business English Speaking Practice

Business EnglishWorking Adults

17 sentences

English in a Minute: Call It a Day

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

22 sentences

The Friday Deadline

Business EnglishWorking Adults

280 sentences

Master Project Management in English Essential Phrases for Professionals [BEL218]

Business EnglishWorking Adults

960 sentences

How to explain a project you workede on in 30 Minutes | Business English Learning

Business EnglishInterview EnglishWorking Adults

42 sentences

Talk about Work - Vocabulary Lesson

Business EnglishInterview EnglishWorking Adults

67 sentences

[B2] How to Change Your Life – Stop Wasting Time | English Listening & Speaking Practice

Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

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 Talk About Deadlines & Timelines in English - Learn English Speaking with Video

Choose a practice mode

Download App

Same Channel

How to Talk About Project Budgets & Cost Estimation in English

Business English for Meetings | 7 Project Management Phrases You Must Know

How to Talk About Problems at Work in English

How to Discuss Budgets, Costs & Expenses at Work In English

Recommend Video

Calling a Client to Explain a Project Delay

1000 English Collocations in 10 Minutes a Day – Lesson 26 – Time

老闆明明寫著「No rush」，星期一卻問我怎麼還沒處理｜Real Life Office English

How to Give a Clear Work Update in English | Business English Speaking Practice

English in a Minute: Call It a Day

The Friday Deadline

Master Project Management in English Essential Phrases for Professionals [BEL218]

How to explain a project you workede on in 30 Minutes | Business English Learning

Talk about Work - Vocabulary Lesson

[B2] How to Change Your Life – Stop Wasting Time | English Listening & Speaking Practice

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?