Shadowing Practice: IELTS Speaking Part 1– Family - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hi everyone, welcome to IELTS Time.
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Today we're looking at the part one topic, family.
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You'll watch two mock interviews featuring Finn and Blondie, and then we'll break down some useful vocabulary and expressions you can use in your own answers.
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Let's get started with Finn.
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Do you have a large family or a small family?
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I'd say I have a fairly small family.
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There are four of us all together, my parents, my younger sister and me.
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Most of my relatives live in different cities, so growing up it was usually just the four of us at home.
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Who do you get on best with in your family?
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Why?
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I'd probably say my sister.
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Even though she's a couple of years younger than me, we have a lot in common.
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We both enjoy watching movies, playing video games, and talking about random things, so it's easy to spend time together.
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We rarely argue, which is a bonus.
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How much time do you usually spend with your family?
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Since I'm at university, I don't spend as much time with them as I used to.
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During the week, I usually just give my parents a quick call in the evening.
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If I'm home for the weekend or during the holidays, we have dinner together every day and catch up properly.
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What do you usually do together as a family?
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Nothing too fancy, to be honest.
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We normally have dinner together, watch a film on Friday nights, or go out for lunch at the weekend.
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Sometimes we also go for a walk in a nearby park if the weather's nice.
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I think it's those simple moments that bring us closer.
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Do all of your family members live in the same house?
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Not anymore.
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My parents and sister still live together, but I live in student accommodation near my university.
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I go back home whenever I have a break from university, so I still get to see them quite often.
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Do you have a large extended family?
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Yes, I'd say I do.
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I have quite a few aunts, uncles, and cousins on both sides of the family.
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We don't see each other very often because we live quite far apart, but we usually get together during major holidays or family celebrations.
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Do you get on well with your family?
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Why or why not?
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Yes, I do.
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We're very supportive of one another, and I know I can always rely on them if I have a problem.
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Of course, we don't agree on everything, especially when it comes to small everyday issues, but we always manage to talk things through instead of holding grudges.
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Why is family important to you?
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For me, family is important because they're the people who know me best and support me no matter what.
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Whenever I'm feeling stressed about university or uncertain about something, they're always there to encourage me and give me honest advice.
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Knowing I have that kind of support gives me a lot of confidence.
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That brings us to the end of Finn's interview.
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Next, let's hear from Blondie answering the same set of questions from the perspective of a working professional.
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Do you have a large family or a small family?
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I come from quite a small family.
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It's just my parents, my younger brother and me.
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Even though I've moved out and live on my own now, we've always been very close, so the distance hasn't really changed our relationship.
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Who do you get on best with in your family?
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Why?
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I'd probably say my dad.
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We've always had a really good relationship and that's only grown stronger over the years.
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We have similar interests, especially when it comes to sports and current affairs, so we can chat for hours without running out of things to talk about.
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He's also the person I usually turn to when I need practical advice, because he always has a calm, sensible way of looking at things.
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How much time do you usually spend with your family?
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Since I work full-time and have my own place, I don't get to see them as often as I used to.
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I usually go back home every couple of weeks and spend the weekend with them.
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We also keep in touch almost every day through our family group chat, so we never really lose touch.
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What do you usually do together as a family?
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When we're all together, we usually cook a big dinner and catch up over a long meal.
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If the weather's nice, we'll go for a walk or stop by a local cafe for a coffee.
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Nothing too exciting, but it's a great way for us to relax and spend some quality time together.
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Do all of your family members live in the same house?
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No, not anymore.
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My parents and my brother still live in my childhood home, but I moved out a couple of years ago to be closer to work.
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Living on my own has taught me to be more independent, but I still enjoy going home whenever I get the chance.
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Do you have a large extended family?
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Yes, I do.
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My mum is one of six siblings, so I have quite a few aunts, uncles and cousins.
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We don't all see each other very often because everyone lives in different places, but whenever we get together for holidays or family celebrations, it's always lively and a lot of fun.
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Do you get on well with your family?
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Why or why not?
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Yes, I do.
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In fact, I think we get on even better now that I'm living independently.
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Having a bit of space has made us appreciate the time we spend together more, and we all respect each other's opinions.
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We still tease one another from time to time, but it's all in good fun, and I genuinely enjoy being around them.
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Why is family important to you?
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To me, family is my biggest support system.
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Living on my own and building my career can be stressful at times,
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so it's reassuring to know there's always someone I can turn to for advice or encouragement.
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No matter what's going on in my life, they're always there for me.
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And that gives me a real sense of security.
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That brings us to the end of Blondie's interview.
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Throughout these answers, we heard a range of natural expressions for talking about family relationships communication and personal experiences.
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Let's take a closer look at some of these phrases
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and explore how you can use them naturally in your own speaking answers.
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Have a lot in common.
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This expression means that two people share similar interests, experiences, opinions or personality traits.
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We use this phrase when explaining why we have a good relationship with someone.
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It is It is especially useful for IELTS questions about family, friends, relationships or people you admire.
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For example, you could say, I get on really well with my cousin because we have a lot in common.
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We both enjoy travelling and trying different types of food.
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You could also use it when describing differences between people.
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Although my brother and I have different personalities, we still have a lot in common, especially our sense of humour.
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This phrase is useful because it helps you explain why you are close to someone, instead of simply saying, we have a good relationship.
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Catch up.
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When you catch up with someone, you talk to them and find out what's been happening in their life, especially when you haven't seen each other for a while.
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It's a very natural expression for talking about family and friends, particularly when you don't see them regularly.
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For example, you could say, I usually call my parents at the weekend so we can catch up.
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You could also use it when talking about meeting an old friend.
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We hadn't seen each other for months so we spent the afternoon catching up.
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Talk things through.
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This expression means discussing a problem or disagreement calmly in order to find a solution.
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It is a useful phrase because it shows that someone deals with problems in a mature and positive way.
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You might use it when answering questions about relationships, disagreements, teamwork or communication.
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For example, you could say My family members don't always agree with each other, but we usually talk things through and find a solution.
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You could also use it in a workplace context.
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If there is a misunderstanding between colleagues, it's better to talk things through rather than ignore the problem.
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This phrase is more natural than simply saying solve the problem because it focuses on the communication process.
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Hold grudges.
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To hold a grudge means to continue feeling angry or upset with someone because of something that happened in the past.
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This is a useful expression because it describes a long lasting negative feeling.
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A common way to use this phrase is when talking about relationships and conflicts.
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For example, you could say, I sometimes disagree with my family members, but we don't usually hold grudges.
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You could also use it when describing your personality.
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I try not to hold grudges because I think it's better to forgive people and move on.
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This is more precise than simply saying stay angry because it suggests that the negative feeling continues over time.
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Tease one another To tease someone means to make jokes about them or make playful comments, usually in a friendly way.
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This expression is useful for describing close relationships because people often tease the people they feel comfortable with.
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For example, you could say, my brother and I often tease each other, but we know it's just a bit of fun.
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You could also use it when talking about friendships.
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My friends always tease me about being late, but I don't take it seriously.
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Remember that teasing can be positive or negative, depending on the situation.
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So make sure the context shows that it is friendly.
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Live quite far apart.
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This means that two people or groups of people live in different places, with a significant distance between them.
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It's particularly useful when you want to explain why you don't see someone very often.
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For example, you could say, Most of my relatives live quite far apart, so we don't get to see each other very often.
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You could also use it when talking about a friend.
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My best friend and I live quite far apart now, but we still keep in touch regularly.
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Notice that far apart focuses on the distance between people or places.
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So instead of simply saying, my relatives live in different cities, you can say, my relatives live quite far apart when the distance itself is important.
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Turn to someone for advice.
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This means asking someone for help, guidance or an opinion when you have a problem or need to make a decision.
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You could say, I usually turn to my parents for advice because they have more life experience than me.
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You could also use it in other situations.
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When I have an important decision to make, I usually turn to my closest friends for advice.
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This is a great alternative to basic phrases like ask someone for help.
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Alright, that's it for today's lesson.
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Try answering these questions on your own and see which of these expressions you can use naturally in your answers.
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If you'd like more practice like this, you can join our membership for extra lessons and speaking topics.
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Keep practicing and I'll see you in the next one.
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Who Can Benefit from This IELTS Speaking Practice Video?
This video is ideal for intermediate to advanced English learners prepping for the IELTS Speaking test, especially those targeting Band 6.5 or higher. It’s perfect for anyone struggling to craft natural, detailed responses to family-related questions—one of the most common Part 1 topics. Whether you’re a student or working professional, the mock interviews model realistic, conversational answers that balance fluency with depth, making it a great resource for learn English with YouTube enthusiasts.
Essential Words & Phrases to Elevate Your Answers
The dialogue is packed with standout expressions that impress examiners. Here are key terms to add to your toolkit:
- Fairly small: A subtle way to describe size without being too direct (instead of "small").
- Get on best with: Natural phrasing for "have the best relationship with" (e.g., "I get on best with my sister").
- Catch up properly: Means to have a meaningful conversation after time apart (great for talking about family visits).
- Hold grudges: To stay angry about past issues (shows advanced vocabulary; use it to explain conflict resolution: "We never hold grudges").
- Nothing too fancy: A casual way to say "nothing special" (relatable and conversational).
Mastering Pronunciation for IELTS Fluency
To sound like the speakers in the video, focus on two key pronunciation tips—critical for nailing the "pronunciation" criterion in IELTS. First, practice the schwa sound in words like "together" (təˈɡeðər) and "family" (ˈfæməli)—this softens your speech and makes it sound more natural. Second, work on stress patterns in phrases like "catch up properly": stress "catch" and "properly" to emphasize the action and its importance. For extra practice, use the shadowing technique: play a 5-second clip, pause, and repeat it immediately, mimicking the tone and rhythm. Tools like a shadowing site can help refine this, but even repeating the video aloud daily will boost your fluency. Remember, IELTS examiners reward clarity and naturalness—so focus on mimicking the speakers’ relaxed pace, not perfect accent.
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.