Shadowing Practice: Important English Phrases For EVERYDAY LIFE - Learn English Speaking with Video
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In this lesson, I'm going to teach you 19 everyday English phrases to help you sound more natural and fluent.
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I'll explain each one and show you how to use them with simple, real -life examples.
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Hi there, I'm Derek and this is English for Professionals, the best place to improve your English communication skills for work.
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Normally, I only upload business English lessons on my channel, but sometimes we take a break and focus on everyday English.
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Because business people need everyday English too, especially when making small talk with colleagues and clients.
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Now before we get started with the lesson, make sure to get your free copy of the Professional English Phrase Booster.
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It contains over 50 essential phrases to help you with presentations, meetings, negotiations and projects.
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It's completely free for you to download and you'll find a link in the description below.
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We'll start off the lesson with some simple phrases for asking for and offering help.
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But make sure to stick around so you can learn three great phrases for talking about relaxation and taking a break.
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I think you'll really like them.
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And our first phrase is, do you need a hand?
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Do you need a hand?
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And this is a very informal way of asking somebody if they need help with something.
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Let's take a look at our example.
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Those bags look really heavy.
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Do you need a hand?
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Say it with me.
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Those bags look really heavy.
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Do you need a hand?
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Next up we have happy to help.
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Happy to help.
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And this is a great one to use when you're offering to help
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or to let someone know that you're glad to help.
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Here's an example sentence.
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Thanks for helping me carry my bags.
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No problem happy to help.
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Say it with me.
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Thanks for helping me carry my bags.
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No problem.
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Happy to help.
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Our next phrase is, can you do me a favor?
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Can you do me a favor?
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And this is a simple way of asking someone for help with something.
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Can you do me a favor and pick up some milk on your way home?
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Say it with me.
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Can you do me a favor and pick up some milk on your way home?
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The next phrase is don't mention it don't mention it
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and this is a polite way to respond
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when someone thanks you for doing something it's another way of
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saying you're welcome i really appreciate you driving me to the
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airport don't mention it happy to help say it with me
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i really appreciate you driving me to the airport don't mention it happy to help
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and now let's look at some phrases for being cautious
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or unsure and our first one is better safe than sorry better safe than sorry
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which means it's better to be careful
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and avoid taking risks than regretting it later let's take a
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look at an example double check the details before sending
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that email better safe than sorry say it with me double check the details before sending
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that email better safe than sorry next up we have I haven't a clue I haven't a clue
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which is a really informal and very common way of saying
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that you don't know something at all where did Alex go
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I haven't a clue I haven't seen him all day say
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it with me where did Alex go I haven't a clue
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I haven't seen him all day our next phrase is don't ask me don't ask me
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so this is what we say when we have no answer
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or we have no knowledge about something it's very similar to I haven't a clue why is the internet
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so slow today don't ask me I have no idea say it with me why is the internet
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so slow today don't ask me I have no idea next up we have I'm not
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so sure about that I'm not so sure about that
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and this is a polite way of saying that you doubt something
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or that you're unsure about it I think this shortcut will save us time hmm I'm not so sure about that.
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Say it with me.
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I think this shortcut will save us time.
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Hmm, I'm not so sure about that.
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And now we'll look at some phrases for being busy or overwhelmed.
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And don't forget to leave a comment when you've finished watching the lesson
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and let me know which of the phrases you like best.
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Which ones are you going to try out in your next conversations?
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Okay, now the first phrase for being busy
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or being overwhelmed is up to my eyes up to my eyes
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and this one we use when we are extremely busy sorry
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but I won't make it tonight I'm up to my eyes with work this week Say it with me.
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Sorry, but I won't make it tonight.
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I'm up to my eyes with work this week.
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Next we have snowed under.
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Snowed under.
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And we use this when we're overwhelmed with work and have too many tasks to do.
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We're snowed under at the office this month.
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Everyone's working overtime.
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Say it with me.
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We're snowed under at the office this month.
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Everyone's working overtime time.
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The next phrase is one that I use all the time.
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On the go.
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On the go.
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And this means to be always busy and moving from one thing to another.
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She's always on the go.
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I don't know how she has so much energy.
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Say it with me.
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She's always on the go.
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I don't know how she has so much energy.
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The next one is another favorite of mine.
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Time flies.
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Time flies.
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And this means that time seems to pass very quickly, especially when you're busy with work or when you're having fun.
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I can't believe it's already Friday.
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Time flies.
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Say it with me.
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I can't believe it's already Friday.
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Time flies.
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And now let's look at some phrases for expressing emotions or reactions and the first one is absolutely delighted.
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Absolutely delighted and we use this to say that we're extremely happy about something.
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I was absolutely delighted when they offered me the job.
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Say it with me.
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I was absolutely delighted when they offered me the job.
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I really like this next phrase.
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It made my day.
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It made my day.
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So this is when something makes you really happy and puts you in a good mood, puts a big smile on your face.
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It made my day.
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Your message really made my day.
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Thanks very much.
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Say it with me your message really made my day thanks
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very much next up we have on top of the world on top of the world
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which means feeling extremely happy and successful I felt on top of the world
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when I finished my first marathon say it with me I felt on top of the world
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when I finished my first marathon and now it's time for some phrases about relaxation
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and taking a break and the first one is take it easy take it easy
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which means to relax
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and avoid doing anything too stressful do you like taking it
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easy it's been such a hard week I'm just going to take it easy
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and watch Netflix all weekend say it with me it's been
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such a hard week I'm just going to take it easy
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and watch Netflix all weekend I I wonder if you've heard this next one.
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To have some me time.
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Have some me time.
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And this means to take time for yourself to relax and recharge your batteries.
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I love having some me time in the evening with a cup of tea and a good book.
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Say it with me.
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I love having some me time in the evening with a cup of tea and a good book.
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The next phrase is to put your feet up.
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To put your feet up, which means to sit down and relax and rest after a busy or tiring day.
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You've been on the go all day.
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Go and put your feet up for a while.
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Say it with me.
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You've been on the go all day.
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Go and put your feet up for a while.
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And the The next phrase is basically the same as put your feet up, but it's more common in American English.
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Take a load off.
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Take a load off.
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And again, like put your feet up, it means to sit down, relax and rest after a busy or tiring day.
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You look tired.
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Why don't you take a load off and I'll pour you a glass of wine.
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Say it with me.
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You look tired.
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Why don't you take a load of and I'll pour you a glass of wine.
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Don't forget to get your free copy of the Professional English Phrase Booster with 50 essential phrases to help you with meetings, presentations and much more.
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And don't forget to leave a comment and let me know which of the phrases from this lesson you like best.
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If you like this lesson, give it a thumbs up and watch one of these next.
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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
Everyday English phrases are the backbone of natural communication, and this video is a goldmine for learners aiming to sound fluent in real-life situations. Whether you’re making small talk with colleagues, asking for help, or responding to thanks, the phrases taught here—like "do you need a hand?" and "happy to help"—are used daily by native speakers. Practicing with this content through shadowspeak (repeating phrases aloud in sync with the speaker) helps build muscle memory for pronunciation and intonation, making your speech sound more authentic. It’s perfect for english speaking practice because the examples are simple, relatable, and focused on high-frequency usage.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The video emphasizes practical, conversational structures. Let’s break down three key ones:
- "Do you need a hand?": This informal question uses "need a hand" as a phrasal verb substitute for "need help," showing how native speakers simplify language in casual settings.
- "Happy to help": A short, idiomatic response to thanks, demonstrating how ellipsis (omitting "I am") is common in spoken English for flow.
- "Better safe than sorry": A proverbial phrase used to justify caution, illustrating how fixed expressions add nuance without complex grammar.
These structures are easy to integrate into daily speech, making them ideal for shadow speech practice.
Common Pronunciation Traps
Even simple phrases can trip up learners. Watch out for:
- "Favor": The American pronunciation is "FAY-ver," not "FAH-ver"—listen closely to the speaker’s short "a" sound.
- "Don’t mention it": The contraction "don’t" is often reduced to "dohn’t" in fast speech, with the "t" softening. Practice blending the words to avoid sounding stilted.
- "Haven’t a clue": The "a" is nearly silent, making it sound like "haven’t clue"—focus on linking the words smoothly.
Using a shadowing site to repeat these phrases in real time can help you master these subtleties, ensuring your pronunciation matches native speakers.
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 | haven't seen · you've finished · have snowed |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | avoid taking · finished watching · avoid doing |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll explain · you'll find · We'll start |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to teach · are you going to try · I'm just going to take |
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.