Shadowing Practice: How to Talk About Problems at Work in English - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to another episode of Daily Business English Talk.
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I am Anna.
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And I am Jack.
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We are so happy to have you here with us today.
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If you are learning English for your job or if you want to feel more confident speaking at work, you are in the perfect place.
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That is so true, Jack.
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In this podcast, we share easy, practical tips to help you speak professional English naturally.
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Before we start, if you enjoy our episodes and find them helpful, please take a moment to subscribe.
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It really helps our channel grow, and you will never miss a new lesson.
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Exactly.
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Today, we are going to talk about a topic that everyone has to deal with at some point.
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No matter where you work or what your job is, you will experience this.
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We're talking about how to describe problems at work in English.
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Yes, workplace problems.
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They happen to all of us.
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But speaking about them in a foreign language can be very scary.
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You might worry about sounding unprofessional, or maybe you're afraid of making the problem sound worse than it actually is.
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That is a very common feeling, Jack.
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When we do not have the right words, we tend to use very direct, strong language.
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Or even worse, we say nothing at all because we are too afraid.
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Today, we want to help our listeners feel relaxed and ready.
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We will show you how to talk about these situations calmly, politely, and professionally.
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I love that.
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We want our listeners to feel guided and confident.
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So, Anna, let us start with a little warm -up.
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Have you had any funny or stressful problems at work recently?
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Oh, yes.
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Just last week, I was preparing for a very important presentation with our big clients.
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Five minutes before the meeting started, my computer decided to install a major update.
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The screen went completely black.
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I couldn't open my slides, and I couldn't join the online meeting call.
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I felt my heart beating so fast.
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Oh no, that sounds like a total nightmare.
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What did you do?
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Did you panic?
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Well, a few years ago, I definitely would have panicked.
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I probably would have sent a message saying, My computer is dead.
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I cannot do the meeting.
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But this time, I breathed in deeply.
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I used my phone to send a quick, professional message to my manager.
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I explained that I was having a minor technical issue and that I would be online in five minutes.
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That's a great way to handle it.
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You used the phrase minor technical issue.
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That sounds so much better than my computer is dead.
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Yes, exactly.
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It sounds professional and in control.
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My manager replied immediately and said, no problem, we'll wait for you.
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And everything turned out fine.
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What about you, Jack?
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Have you faced any challenges lately?
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Well, yesterday, I realized I had a bit of an oversight.
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I forgot to send an important spreadsheet to our department head.
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The deadline was at noon, and I realized my mistake at 1 o 'clock.
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I felt so bad.
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Oh, that's a tough situation.
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A missed deadline is always stressful.
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How did you talk to your manager about it?
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I didn't want to make excuses.
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I just went to her office and said, I'm so sorry.
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There was a slight oversight on my part, and I missed the noon deadline.
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I have the files ready now, and I'm sending them to you immediately.
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That was excellent, Jack.
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You owned up to the mistake, but you used very professional words.
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You said, a slight oversight on my part.
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That sounds polite and responsible.
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Thanks, Anna.
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She was actually very nice about it.
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She thanked me for telling her directly and told me not to worry too much.
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See?
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That's the power of using the right words.
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It changes how people react to you.
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Today, we're going to explore how to do this step by step.
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Don't worry if this feels new to you right now.
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By the end of this episode, you will have some really great tools to use.
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Yes, do not worry at all.
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We are here to guide you.
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Let us start by talking about how to soften bad news.
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Anna, why is it important to soften the way we talk about problems?
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In business English, we want to avoid sounding too negative or panicked.
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If we use strong words, it can make people feel stressed.
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So we use softeners.
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These are small words that make a problem sound smaller and easier to manage.
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Ah, softeners.
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Can you give us some examples of these words?
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Sure.
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Instead of saying there is a big problem, we can say there seems to be a slight issue.
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The word seems and the word slight are excellent softeners.
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They make the situation sound calm.
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That makes a lot of sense.
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So instead of saying, we have a problem, we can say, there seems to be a slight issue.
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Let me practice that.
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There seems to be a slight issue.
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How was my pronunciation, Anna?
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That was perfect, Jack.
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Very natural.
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Another great softener is the word minor.
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For example, instead of saying, we have a broken system, you can say, we're experiencing a minor technical difficulty.
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Oh, I like that.
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We are experiencing a minor technical difficulty.
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It sounds like something you hear at an airport or in a big office.
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It makes me feel like the team is already fixing it.
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Yes, it sounds very professional.
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Another useful word is challenge.
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In business English culture, we often prefer the word challenge over the word problem.
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A problem sounds like a dead end, but a challenge is something we can overcome
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that is a really nice way to think about it
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so instead of we have a problem with this project we
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can say we are facing a challenge with this project exactly
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Jack you are facing a challenge it sounds proactive it shows
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you are ready to work on it let us think about another common situation what about
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when we are late with our work this happens to everyone maybe you have too much work
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or you were waiting for someone else how do we say
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that we are late without sounding lazy That is a very important question.
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If you say, I'm late, it can sound a bit irresponsible.
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Instead, we can use phrases that explain the situation gently.
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For example, you can say, I'm running a bit behind schedule.
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I'm running a bit behind schedule.
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That sounds really professional.
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It shows that you respect the schedule, but you just need a little more time.
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Yes.
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Another good phrase is, we are experiencing a delay.
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This is very helpful when the delay is not your fault.
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For example, maybe you're waiting for a supplier to send you materials.
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You can say we are experiencing a slight delay due to shipping.
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Oh, that's perfect.
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It explains the reason clearly.
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Let me try using that in a sentence.
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We are experiencing a slight delay, but we should have the report ready by tomorrow morning.
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How does that sound?
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That sounds excellent, Jack.
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It's polite, clear, and you also gave a time when it will be finished.
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That's actually the next step we should talk about.
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In business, when you share a problem, you should always try to offer a solution, or at least a next step.
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Yes, the golden rule.
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My old boss used to say, don't just bring me problems, bring me solutions.
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At first, I thought that was mean, but now I understand why it's so important.
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It is extremely important.
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It shows that you're thinking ahead and that you're responsible.
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Even if you don't have the perfect solution, you can share what you're doing to fix it.
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How can we phrase that?
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What are some good words to start sharing a solution?
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You can use phrases like, to resolve this, I suggest, or what we can do is, you can also say, I'm currently working on a fix.
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Let us try to connect the problem and the solution together.
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This will help our listeners see how it works in real life.
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Let's imagine this situation.
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You're working on a website and there's a bug.
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The login page is not working.
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How would you say this to your team?
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I would say we're experiencing a minor issue with the login page.
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To resolve this, I suggest we ask the IT department to restart the server.
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That's wonderful.
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It's so clear.
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You stated the problem using a softener, and then you immediately offered a suggestion to fix it.
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Now, let us try another one, Jack.
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Imagine you were working on a budget, but you do not have all the numbers from the sales team.
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You cannot finish the budget on time.
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How would you explain this to your manager?
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Let me try.
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I would say, there seems to be a slight delay with the budget because we're waiting on the sales numbers.
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What I can do is send them a reminder email right now to speed things up.
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That was fantastic, Jack.
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You explained why there is a delay, and you showed that you were taking action to solve it.
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Your manager would be very happy to hear that.
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Thanks, Anna.
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It really is about choosing the right words.
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Let's share some more practical examples.
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Here's how this usually sounds in real life.
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We can do some short dialogue so our listeners can hear these phrases in action.
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That is a great idea.
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Let's do a simple office situation.
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Imagine we are colleagues, and I need to tell you that I cannot attend our meeting because of an urgent client call.
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Listen to how we talk.
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Hi, Anna.
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Are we still meeting at 2 o 'clock to discuss the marketing plan?
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Hi, Jack.
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I'm so sorry, but I'm running a bit behind schedule today.
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I have an urgent client call that is taking longer than expected.
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Would it be possible to reschedule our meeting to 3 o 'clock?
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No problem at all, Anna.
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Client calls are important.
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3 o 'clock works fine for me.
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See you then.
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Thank you so much, Jack.
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I appreciate your flexibility.
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That was so smooth.
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It was simple, polite, and we solved the scheduling conflict in just a few seconds.
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Yes, and notice how I proposed a new time immediately.
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I didn't just say, I can't make it.
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I offered a solution by asking to move it to 3 o 'clock.
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This makes it very easy for the other person to agree.
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Let's do another situation.
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This time, let's imagine a technical problem during an online video call.
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This is a very common issue nowadays.
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Let's say you can't hear me or see my screen.
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How do we handle that?
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Let us try it.
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I'll start.
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Jack, I'm trying to share my screen, but I think there's a connection issue.
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Can you see my presentation?
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Actually, Anna, it seems to be taking a moment to load.
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I can see your video, but your screen sharing is blank.
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Ah, I see.
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We seem to be having a minor technical glitch.
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Let me try stopping the share and starting it again.
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Sometimes that does the trick.
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Take your time.
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Oh, yes, now it's working perfectly.
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I can see your slides clearly now.
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Perfect.
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Thank you for letting me know, Jack.
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Let's proceed.
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That was a very realistic situation.
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We used the words connection issue and minor technical glitch.
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Those are perfect words to use during online meetings.
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They really are.
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And notice how we kept our voices calm.
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When technology doesn't work, it is easy to feel stressed.
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But keeping a calm voice and using clear phrases makes everyone feel relaxed.
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Before we move on, let me ask you, Anna.
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What if we make a mistake that affects a customer?
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That can be very scary.
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How do we talk to a customer about a problem?
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That is a very important situation.
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When talking to clients or customers, we must be extra polite, professional, and honest.
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We should avoid blaming anyone else.
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We should take responsibility as a company and offer a solution quickly.
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Right.
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No one likes to hear excuses.
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So what phrases can we use with clients?
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You can start by saying, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
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This is a very professional way to say sorry then you
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can explain what you are doing to correct the situation oh please accept our apologies for the inconvenience
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that is a beautiful phrase it sounds very respectful let us try a quick dialogue where I am a customer
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and you are helping me with a shipping delay let us do it hello I'm calling
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because I ordered some office chairs last week they were supposed to arrive yesterday
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but I have not received them yet hello thank you for calling let me check that for you.
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Ah, yes, I see your order.
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Please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
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There was a slight shipping delay at our warehouse.
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Oh, I see.
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When can I expect them to arrive then?
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We have resolved the issue, and your order is now on its way.
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To make up for the delay, we have upgraded your delivery to express shipping.
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You should receive them tomorrow by noon.
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Well, thank you.
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I appreciate you fixing this so quickly.
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You are very welcome.
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Thank you for your patience and have a wonderful day.
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Wow, Anna.
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If I were that customer, I would feel very valued and happy.
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You apologized politely, explained the situation without too much detail, and offered a wonderful solution.
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Thank you, Jack.
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That is the goal.
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When you handle a problem well, you can actually build a stronger relationship with your client.
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They see that they can trust you to fix things when they go wrong.
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That is a great point.
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Problems are not always bad.
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There are also opportunities to show how professional you are.
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Now, let us take some time to review the key words and phrases we use today.
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This will help our listeners remember them and feel confident using them in their own conversations.
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Great idea.
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Let us go through them one by one.
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The first one is a slight issue or a minor issue.
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We use this to describe a problem without making it sound too big or scary.
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Anna, can you give us a quick example? Of course.
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You can say, there is a slight issue with the printer today, but we're looking into it.
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Perfect.
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The second phrase is, a minor technical difficulty or a technical glitch.
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This is perfect for computer or internet problems.
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For example, we are experiencing a minor technical difficulty with our online system.
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Yes, and it sounds so much better than, the system is broken.
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Our third phrase is a slight oversight.
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This is a polite way to talk about a mistake, especially a small mistake, like forgetting to send an email or file.
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Jack, how would you use that?
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You could say, there was a slight oversight in the report, but I've corrected it now.
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Exactly.
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It shows you made a mistake, but you have already fixed it.
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Our fourth phrase is running behind schedule.
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This is a polite way to say you're late.
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For example, I'm sorry, I'm running a bit behind schedule today.
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That is so much more professional than just saying I'm late.
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The fifth phrase is experiencing a delay.
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This is very useful when you want to explain why something is not ready.
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For example, we are experiencing a short delay with the final design.
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It sounds very clear and objective.
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The sixth phrase is to resolve this, I suggest this is a great way to introduce your solution.
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For example, to resolve this, I suggest we schedule a quick call.
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Yes, it immediately moves the conversation to a positive action.
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The seventh phrase is, please accept our apologies for the inconvenience.
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As we discussed, this is the perfect formal way to apologize to clients or customers.
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And our eighth phrase is, Keep you in the loop.
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This means to keep someone informed about what is happening.
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For example, I'll check on the delivery and keep you in the loop.
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Oh, I love that phrase, keep you in the loop.
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It's very common in modern business settings.
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It shows that you will continue to communicate.
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It really does.
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All of these phrases are so useful.
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I hope our listeners are writing them down or repeating them aloud.
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Remember, you don't have to memorize all of them today.
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Just choose two or three that you really like and try to use them this week.
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That is wonderful advice, Jack.
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Start small.
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Practice makes progress.
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Now, it is time for our question of the day.
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This is a simple question we ask in every episode to help you practice your writing and thinking skills in English.
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Yes, answering our question is a fantastic way to active your
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English today's question is what is a common problem you face at work
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and how would you explain it to your team using one of today's phrases
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that is a great question Jack to help our listeners let us give them two quick example answers
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that they can copy
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or adapt sure here is one example answer at my job our internet is sometimes very slow
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if this happens during a meeting I can say I am experiencing a minor technical difficulty with my connection.
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That is a perfect answer.
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Here's another one.
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I often have too many projects, so sometimes I miss deadlines.
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Next time, I will write, I am running a bit behind schedule with the report, but I will send it by Friday.
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Those are excellent examples.
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Listeners, please share your answers in the comments section
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or write them down in your notebook we would love to read your answers
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and support your learning yes please do we enjoy reading your comments
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so much before we finish let us do a very brief
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recap of what we learned today today we learned how to talk about workplace problems calmly
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and professionally we talked about softening bad news using words like slight
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and minor we also learned how to explain delays and tech issues
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and most importantly how to always offer a solution and we learned some wonderful phrases to apologize to clients politely.
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Remember, everyone makes mistakes and every job has problems.
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The important thing is how you communicate about them.
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Absolutely.
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With these phrases, you will look professional, responsible, and confident, even when things go wrong.
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Thank you so much for listening to today's episode.
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We hope you found it helpful and that you feel more confident about speaking English at work.
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Yes, thank you all.
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Don't forget to practice, repeat the phrases, and return for our next episode.
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Have a great day at work, and see you next time.
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Goodbye, everyone.
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Have a wonderful week.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 337 sentences and 3182 words to shadow. The speech runs for 17:44. The speaker talks at a natural 179 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| slight adjective | /slaɪt/ | Minor; small in amount |
| delay noun | /dɪˈleɪ̯/ | A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| polite adjective | /pəˈlaɪt/ | Well-mannered, civilized. |
| clock noun | /klɑk/ | A chronometer, an instrument that measures time, particularly the time of day. |
| difficulty noun | /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/ | The state of being difficult, or hard to do. |
| resolve verb | /ɹɪˈzɑlv/ | To find a solution to (a problem). |
| oversight noun | /ˈəʊvəˌsaɪt/ | An omission; something that is left out, missed, or forgotten. |
| deadline noun | /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ | A time limit in the form of a date on or before which something must be completed. |
| apology noun | /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/ | An expression of remorse or regret for having said or done something that harmed another: an instance of apologizing (saying that one is sorry). |
| inconvenience noun | /ɪnkənˈvinjəns/ | The quality of being inconvenient. |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| scary adjective | /ˈskɛə.ɹi/ | Causing fear or anxiety |
| loop noun | /luːp/ | A length of thread, line or rope that is doubled over to make an opening. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| run behind verb | To be late; to be behind schedule. | |
| turn out verb | To end up; to result. | |
| warm up verb | /ˌwɔː(ɹ)m ˈʌp/ | To become warmer. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 42 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: smooth /smuːð/, sixth /sɪksθ/, breathe /bɹiːð/, seventh /ˈsɛvənθ/, eighth /eɪtθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, suggestion /səˈd͡ʒɛst.ʃən/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, pronunciation /pɹəˌnʌn.siˈeɪ.ʃən/, spreadsheet /ˈspɹɛd.ʃit/
- Long words — get the stress right: difficulty /ˈdɪfɪkəlti/, apology /əˈpɑ.lə.d͡ʒi/, inconvenience /ɪnkənˈvinjəns/, apologize /əˈpɑləˌd͡ʒaɪz/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/
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 phrase, slight, delay.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have not received · have resolved · have upgraded |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | will be finished · is broken |
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.