Shadowing Practice: How to Talk About Your Future in English | English Conversation Practice for Beginners | Podcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr English Channel,
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Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr English Channel,
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where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hello everyone.
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This is Paul, joining Emily today.
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Hey Emily, how you doing?
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Hi Paul.
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I'm great, thank you.
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A little bit excited, actually.
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And you?
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How are you feeling today?
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Oh, I'm feeling good, Emily.
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Really good.
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The sun is shining, and we are here ready to talk about a super interesting topic.
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What do you think our topic is today, Emily?
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Hmm.
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That's a good question, Paul.
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Our topic today is – drum roll please – talking about your future.
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Wow, that's a fantastic topic.
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I love talking about the future.
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It's always fun to think about what comes next, isn't it?
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Yes, exactly.
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It's all about hopes and dreams and plans.
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And for our lovely listeners,
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it's a great way to practice English.
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So, before we start, a quick reminder to our amazing listeners.
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Please like this video, share it with your friends.
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And subscribe to Mr. English Channel.
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It helps us a lot,
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and we love having you here.
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Yes, please do.
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Your support means the world to us.
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So, Emily, when you think about the future,
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what's the first thing that comes to your mind?
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Like, a small future plan?
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Hmm.
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A small future plan.
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Well, tomorrow I plan to bake cookies.
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Is that a good future plan?
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That's a wonderful future plan, Emily.
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I love cookies.
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What kind of cookies?
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Chocolate chip, of course.
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The best kind.
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What about you, Paul?
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Any small future plans for tomorrow?
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Let me see.
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Tomorrow, I plan to water my plants.
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They need some love.
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And maybe, just maybe, I will go for a walk in the park.
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Oh, that sounds lovely, Paul.
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It's good to have small plans, isn't it?
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They make the day better.
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Absolutely.
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They add a little bit of joy to the everyday.
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So, we are talking about the future,
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and we just talked about small,
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simple plans, but what about bigger plans,
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like for next year, or in five years?
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That's where it gets really interesting.
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When we talk about the future,
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we often use some special words and phrases in English.
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For example, we use will a lot.
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Ah, yes, will.
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Can you give us an example, Emily?
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A simple one.
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Of course.
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For example, I will travel more next year.
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Or, I will learn a new skill.
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Simple, right?
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Yes, very simple and clear.
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So, for me, I will try to read more books next year.
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I love reading, but sometimes I don't have enough time.
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That's a great goal, Paul.
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Reading is wonderful.
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So, we use will for things we decide now or for predictions about the future.
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What else do we use?
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Well, we also use going to for future plans,
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especially when we have already decided something.
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For example, I am going to visit my family next month.
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I bought the tickets already.
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Oh, that's a perfect example, Paul.
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So, going to is for plans we already made.
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Like, I am going to start a new English course next month.
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It's decided.
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Yes, exactly.
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So, will for general future actions or predictions,
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and going to for plans you have decided.
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It's simple, but sometimes people get confused.
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Yes, but with practice it becomes easy.
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So Paul, let's talk about some common future plans people have.
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What are some things you often hear people say they will do or are going to do in the future?
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Hmm.
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Let me think.
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Many people talk about traveling.
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Like I will visit Italy someday.
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Or I am going to go to the beach next summer.
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Yes, travel is a big one.
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Everyone loves to explore new places.
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I hope I will visit Japan in the future.
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That's a big dream of mine.
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What about other common plans?
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Another common one is about work or career.
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People often say, I will get a new job,
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or I am going to start my own business.
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That's true.
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Career goals are very important.
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I hope I will keep learning new things for my job.
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Learning is endless.
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Definitely.
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And sometimes people talk about learning new skills,
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like, I will learn to play the guitar or I am going to learn a new language.
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That's fantastic.
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Learning a new skill is so rewarding.
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I remember I said, I will learn to knit one day.
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I haven't done it yet,
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but it's still in my future plans.
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Well, you still have time, Emily.
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What about family plans?
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People often talk about those, too.
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Oh, yes.
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Like, I will spend more time with my family.
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Or we are going to have a big family dinner next Sunday.
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These are lovely plans.
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They are.
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And sometimes people talk about moving to a new place.
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I will move to a bigger house next year.
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Or, I am going to live in the countryside.
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Yes, changing your home is a big future plan for many.
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It's exciting.
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So we have travel, career,
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new skills, family, and moving.
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What else comes to mind?
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People also talk about health and well-being.
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Like, I will exercise more.
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Or, I am going to eat healthier food.
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These are very good future plans for personal health.
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Those are very important.
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Taking care of yourself is vital.
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I plan to take more walks in the park, as you mentioned, Paul.
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So, I am going to walk more often.
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Good plan, Emily.
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And speaking of plans, sometimes we use might or may to talk about the future when we are not 100% sure.
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For example, I might go to the party tonight,
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meaning it's possible but not certain.
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Ah, yes, might and may.
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They show possibility.
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So, I might buy a new car next year means it's a possibility,
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but not a definite plan yet.
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Exactly.
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Or, it may rain tomorrow.
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We are not sure, but it's possible.
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So, will for sure things,
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going to for decided plans,
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and might may for possibilities.
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Good summary, Paul.
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This is really helpful for our listeners.
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Let's try some examples.
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Paul, tell me something you will do next year,
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something you are sure about.
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Okay.
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I will definitely learn some new songs on my guitar.
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I love playing, and I want to improve.
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That's a sure thing for me.
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That's wonderful, Paul.
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And what is something you are going to do soon?
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Something you have already decided?
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I am going to buy a new book for my reading club next week.
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I already picked it out.
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Perfect.
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And what is something you might do in the distant future?
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Something that's a possibility.
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Hmm.
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In the distant future, I might learn to speak Italian.
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I love Italian food and culture,
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so it's a nice dream,
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but I'm not sure yet.
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That's great, Paul.
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Italian is a beautiful language.
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So you will learn new songs,
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you're going to buy a book,
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and you might learn Italian.
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Good job.
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Thank you, Emily.
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Now it's your turn.
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Tell me something you will do next week.
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Next week, I will call my grandmother.
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We talk every week, so it's a sure thing.
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That's lovely.
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And what are you going to do this weekend?
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This weekend, I am going to visit a new coffee shop.
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My friend told me about it,
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and I want to try their coffee.
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Oh, nice.
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And something you might do next year?
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Next year, I might plant a small garden.
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I love flowers, but I am not sure if I will have enough time.
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So it's a possibility.
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Excellent examples, Emily.
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Our listeners can practice these phrases too,
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thinking about their own future plans.
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Yes, exactly.
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Thinking about your own life makes it easier to remember.
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That's a good point, Emily.
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So we've talked about our personal plans.
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But what about things that will happen in the world?
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We use will for predictions about the future,
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often based on what we think.
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Right.
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For example, the weather forecast says it will be sunny tomorrow.
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Or, I think technology will change a lot in the next ten years.
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Yes, we often use I think or I believe with will for predictions.
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I think people will travel to space more often in the future.
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That's a big prediction.
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That's a very big prediction, Emily.
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I hope so.
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So it's not just about our personal lives,
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but also about the world around us.
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Exactly.
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And sometimes when we talk about the future,
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we also talk about goals and aspirations.
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A goal is something you want to achieve.
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An aspiration is a strong hope or ambition.
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That's a good point.
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My goal is to finish reading this very long book by the end of the month.
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My aspiration is to write my own book one day.
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Wow, Paul!
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That's a wonderful aspiration.
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I hope you will do it.
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My goal is to learn ten new English words every week.
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My aspiration is to help many,
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many people learn English through our podcast.
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And you are doing a great job, Emily.
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You are already helping so many people.
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So when we talk about goals,
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we often use phrases like,
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My goal is to learn English.
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Or, I want to achieve success.
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Yes, or I hope to travel.
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For aspirations, we might say,
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My dream is to fly.
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Or, I aspire to be a good person.
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These are all ways to talk about our future.
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It's so important to have dreams and goals.
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They give us direction, don't they?
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Absolutely.
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They give us something to work towards.
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And even if a plan changes, it's okay.
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Sometimes our future plans change,
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and that's a part of life.
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Yes, life is full of surprises.
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So if your plan to bake cookies tomorrow suddenly changes because you have to work, that's okay.
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You can bake them another day.
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Exactly!
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Flexibility is key.
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So, listeners, don't worry if your future plans change.
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It's normal.
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The important thing is to keep learning and keep trying.
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That's a great message, Emily.
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So, we've covered will, going to,
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might, may, and we We talked about goals and aspirations.
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What about common questions people ask about the future?
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Oh, yes.
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Very important for conversations.
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A common question is, what are your plans for the weekend?
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Yes, or what are you doing after work today?
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These are simple, everyday future questions.
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And if it's a bigger future plan,
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someone might ask, what will you do after you finish school?
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Or where do you see yourself in five years?
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Ah, where do you see yourself in five years?
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That's a classic interview question too.
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It makes you think.
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It does.
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And a good way to answer is,
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in five years, I will be working in a new job.
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Or I hope to be living in a different city.
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Yes, practice makes perfect.
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So listeners, try to answer that question for yourselves.
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Where do you see yourself in five years?
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Great idea, Paul!
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about it and try to use will or going to in your answer.
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So Emily, what is one thing you are most excited about for your future, big or small?
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Hmm, that's a lovely question, Paul.
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I am most excited about continuing to learn and grow.
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I think I will always be a student of life,
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and that excites me.
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And you, Paul?
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That's a beautiful answer, Emily.
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For me, I am most excited about meeting new people and having new experiences.
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I believe I will meet many interesting people in the future,
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and that makes me very happy.
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That's wonderful, Paul.
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Life is an adventure, isn't it?
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It truly is.
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And learning English is part of that adventure for our listeners.
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By talking about the future,
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they are building their English skills step by step.
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Yes, exactly.
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Every word, every phrase helps them on their journey.
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So, we hope this episode helped you understand how to talk about the future in English.
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It's a very useful skill.
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It certainly is.
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And remember, practice makes perfect.
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Try to talk about your own future plans in English every day,
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even just for a few minutes.
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Yes, even if it's just,
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I will make coffee now.
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Every little bit helps.
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That's a great example, Emily.
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So, Emily, are you ready to say goodbye for today?
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Yes, I am.
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But not before our usual reminder.
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Dear listeners, thank you so much for joining us today on Mr. English Channel.
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We really appreciate you being here.
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Please don't forget to like this episode,
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share it with your friends who are learning English,
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and most importantly, subscribe to our channel.
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And we would love to hear from you.
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In the comments below, tell us what is one thing you are going to do next week?
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Or what is one thing you will do in the future?
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Use the phrases we talked about today.
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Yes, we love reading your comments and learning about your future plans.
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It helps us a lot too.
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So to me, Emily and Paul, thanks again for listening.
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Keep practicing your English and we'll see you in the next episode.
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Bye everyone, keep learning.
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Bye bye, see you next time.
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Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing your English speaking skills with this video is essential for several reasons. First, it creates a natural conversational context where you can learn to express hopes, plans, and dreams about the future. Engaging with the content helps solidify your understanding of future tenses and phrases. Second, by listening to lively dialogue between Emily and Paul, you can immerse yourself in practical English usage that captures real-life scenarios—a crucial aspect for any learner aiming to improve their English pronunciation and fluency.
Moreover, speaking along with the video provides an effective method known as shadow speech. This technique involves mimicking the speakers in real-time, which not only aids in mastering pronunciation but also boosts your confidence. As you repeat their words and intonations, you engage your cognitive memory—making the learning experience more effective. Therefore, make sure to watch it multiple times, repeating each segment to maximize your progress.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Throughout the video, several key structures are highlighted that can significantly enhance your speaking skills:
- Future Plans: The speakers frequently use phrases like "I plan to" and "I'm going to," which are commonly used to talk about future actions. For example, "Tomorrow, I plan to bake cookies." Understanding how to use these phrases can empower you to discuss your own future plans confidently.
- Using 'will': Phrases such as "I will go for a walk" introduce another way to express future intentions. This construction is essential to know regardless of the context in which you find yourself speaking.
- Questions and Responses: Engaging in conversation often involves asking questions. The interaction between Emily and Paul showcases how to ask about future activities in a conversational manner, e.g., "What about you?" This structure encourages back-and-forth dialogue.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice speaking along with this video, pay close attention to certain words that may present challenges:
- Words ending in -ing: Terms like "planning" or "walking" may be pronounced too softly. Focus on clearly enunciating the ending sound “-ing” to improve English pronunciation.
- Contractions: Pay attention to phrases such as "I'm" and "you're." These contractions can slip into casual speech and might confuse non-native speakers. Practice saying them more distinctly.
- Intonation Patterns: Notice how your speakers use rising and falling tones, which can change the meaning of sentences in conversation. Emphasizing the right words also enhances your shadow speak practice, making it a more engaging experience for listeners.
Utilize this video as a shadowing site to boost your pronunciation and fluency. Consistent practice will help you master these nuances, making you a more proficient English speaker!
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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