Shadowing Practice: improve your English speaking skills in just 14 minutes - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Just listen and repeat to improve your English listening,
229 sentences
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Just listen and repeat to improve your English listening,
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speaking, reading, and vocabulary, all in one video.
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Take one second, click the like button to support me,
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and let's jump in.
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Level one, starting off with an easy,
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basic, piece of cake sentence here.
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You can say with me or pause and repeat.
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Let's go.
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I was running.
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One more time.
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I was running.
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Okay, yeah.
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Not a lot we can say about level one.
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We've got a main character and they were running, running for some reason.
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Let's level up and find out why.
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Level two, some blue text has been added to our sentence,
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making it more challenging.
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I was running at full speed down the street.
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One more time, at a medium speed.
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I was running at full speed down the street.
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And now at a quick speed.
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I was running at full speed down the street.
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One more time.
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I was running at full speed down the street.
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Our main character, they weren't just running,
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they were running at full speed.
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We could also say as fast as they could.
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They were running as fast as they possibly could.
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In other words, they were running at maximum speed,
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or we could say at top speed.
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Throughout this video, you will see lots of green synonyms down here.
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They're different ways of saying the same thing.
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We still don't know why our main character is running at full speed,
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at top speed, at maximum speed,
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as fast as they can down the street.
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Let's level up again.
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Slow read.
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Say with me, I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad.
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Again, at a medium speed.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad.
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Okay, so our main character,
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they were running full speed and they were waving their arms like mad,
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waving their arms like crazy in a crazy way, waving their arms crazily.
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We could also say maybe trying to get someone's attention.
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Let's say this at a quick speed and then we'll level up once more.
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Are you ready?
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad.
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Level four, slow speed.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention.
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Ah, okay.
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Now the picture of what is happening in the story is coming into focus.
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Yeah, things are starting to become more clear.
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We see why our main character is running down the street,
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sprinting down the street, waving their arms crazily.
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They are doing what?
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What are they doing?
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They're trying to get a bus driver's attention,
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trying to get the bus driver to look at them,
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to notice them, to engage with them,
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to pay attention to them.
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Let's go right to the quick speed
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and then we will keep leveling up are you ready i was running at full speed down the street
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and waving my arms like mad trying to get the bus driver's attention level five say with me
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or pause and repeat i was running at full speed down the street
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and waving my arms like mad trying to get the bus driver's attention before they took off
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and left me behind okay yeah
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so the bus driver is about to take off right about
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to depart to leave to go off to get going right they're about to go away basically
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and our main character is running waving trying to get their
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attention before this happens right they don't want to miss the bus Level 5, quick speed.
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Here we go.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before they took off and left me behind.
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Level 6, are you feeling the burn yet?
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Let's go.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind,
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but eventually the bus disappeared into the distance.
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Ah, okay, so unfortunately our main character did in fact miss their bus.
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Eventually, right, after some time,
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after a while, after a little bit,
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they're running, they're chasing, they're waving their arms,
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trying to get his attention But after a while,
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after some time, eventually the bus disappears into the distance, right?
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It vanishes.
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It slips out of view.
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It goes away.
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Level seven.
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Here we go.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind.
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but eventually the bus disappeared into the distance and I knew I would have to find a different way to work.
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Okay, our main character, they are coming to terms with their situation here.
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They are starting to face the facts, face the facts, right?
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They're starting to face reality And the reality of the situation is,
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the fact of the matter is, the bus is gone.
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There is no hope of making it onto the bus,
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so they are going to have to find a different way to work.
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Yeah, they're going to have to come up with something else.
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They're going to have to think of something new.
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Hmm, maybe they'll need to get creative here.
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Level eight, a little bit faster now, guys.
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Push yourselves, really work that speaking muscle.
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Ready?
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind.
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But eventually, the bus disappeared into the distance,
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and I knew I would have to find a different way to work.
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With a sigh, I fired up the Uber app.
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Okay, so our main character does this with a sigh,
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with an exasperated sigh.
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Maybe we could say, exasperated sigh.
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They're really tired.
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They're frustrated.
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They're not in a great mood, right?
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What do they do with a sigh, with an exasperated sigh?
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They fire up the Uber app.
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Okay, if you fire up an app,
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you fire up a service or a machine, right?
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That means you start it up.
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You open it up.
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You start using it.
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You get it going.
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We could say, I fired up the Uber app to book a ride.
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I fired up the delivery app and started looking for dinner.
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I fired up my computer and got to work.
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Level nine, if you guys are still with me, you're doing great.
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Let's keep pushing through.
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Ready?
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind.
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But eventually, the bus disappeared into the distance,
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and I knew I would have to find a different way to work.
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With a sigh, I fired up the Uber app and waited patiently for a driver to accept the ride.
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This is getting to be a real challenge, a real mouthful.
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Okay, so our main character, what do they do?
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They fire up the Uber app.
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Now they are waiting patiently for a driver to accept the ride, right?
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They have put out a request,
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put out a request to be picked up by a driver, right?
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So now they just need to wait and wait patiently for a driver to accept the ride.
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Wait calmly, wait without complaining,
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without moaning and groaning, right?
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moaning and groaning.
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They need to wait while maintaining a good attitude,
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keeping a good attitude, right?
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Okay, let's level up to level 10,
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the final level of this super sentence and really challenge ourselves.
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Are you ready?
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Now, because level 10 is the final level,
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we are going to do two reads,
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first slow and then quick at a native speed.
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Let's start slow.
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Are you ready?
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind.
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But eventually, the bus disappeared into the distance,
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and I knew I would have to find a different way to work.
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With a sigh, I fired up the Uber app
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and waited patiently for a driver to accept the ride
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while simultaneously texting my boss to let him know I'd be running a few minutes late.
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If you are new here on my channel and this is the longest sentence you've ever spoken in your entire life,
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I want you to comment new record, new record.
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You guys are doing great.
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As your YouTube English teacher,
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I'm super proud of you.
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Here's a really tricky word to pronounce.
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Simultaneously.
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Practice saying that a couple of times out loud with me.
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Simultaneously.
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Simultaneously.
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Simultaneously.
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What does it mean?
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It means two things are happening concurrently.
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Concurrently.
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Or two things are happening at the same time.
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In our story here, our main character is waiting patiently,
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and at the same time,
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they are texting their boss to let their boss know that they're going to be running late.
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So two things are happening concurrently.
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Two things are taking place at the same time, happening simultaneously.
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All right, are you guys ready to say this one final time at a native speed?
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Let's do it.
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I was running at full speed down the street and waving my arms like mad,
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trying to get the bus driver's attention before he took off and left me behind.
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But eventually, the bus disappeared into the distance,
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and I knew I would have to find a different way to work.
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With a sigh, I fired up the Uber app
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and waited patiently for a driver to accept the ride
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while simultaneously texting my boss to let him know I'd be running a few minutes late.
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Take your hand and give yourself a pat on the back.
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You're doing amazing, my friend, but don't leave yet.
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Let's do a cool-down exercise together.
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For our speaking cool down exercise,
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I want to summarize what happened in today's super sentence story.
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Yeah, take today's story and paraphrase,
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paraphrase, put it into your own words.
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I want you to push yourself to speak for a full minute, a full minute.
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Even if you are making mistakes, that's all right.
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Just keep pushing, push all the way through that minute.
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I will go first.
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You can practice your listening skills
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and I'll give you a demonstration of what I would like you to try and do when it's your turn.
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In today's super sentence, we saw a pretty chaotic story,
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a pretty crazy story, a pretty hectic story.
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Our main character in the beginning was sprinting,
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running at full speed, at top speed,
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as fast as they could,
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trying, trying to flag down a bus,
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trying to wave down a bus.
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But unfortunately, they ended up missing the bus.
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Yeah, they were not able to make the bus.
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And so they had to turn to plan B.
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Yeah, they had to turn to a different plan and think of something else.
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So what did they do?
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They got out their phone and they fired up the Uber app.
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They booked a ride on Uber while simultaneously at the same time letting their boss know that they would be late.
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That was my one minute summary of today's story.
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Now it's your turn.
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Pause the video and really push yourself to speak for one full minute.
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I know you can do it.
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I'd like to give a huge shout out to my channel members.
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You guys really make my work possible.
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guys become a member today to get all of these benefits it's only five dollars
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and it really supports me
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so very much I could not do what I do without my channel members
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and if you're in the middle of a study session I'm going to take another video
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and throw it up on the screen don't stop now keep going keep learning I'll meet you there
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Context & Background
The video titled "Improve Your English Speaking Skills in Just 14 Minutes" is designed to help English learners enhance their speaking, listening, reading, and vocabulary skills through an engaging and interactive approach. By presenting simple sentences that progressively increase in complexity, the video guides learners in mastering English usage in a real-world context. The speaker employs the shadowing technique, where viewers listen and repeat sentences while absorbing the rhythm and intonation of natural speech. This method is particularly effective for developing fluency and pronunciation, allowing learners to blend shadow speech practices into their daily routine.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- I was running. - A basic yet useful sentence that conveys action.
- I was running at full speed down the street. - A more descriptive phrase that adds detail and urgency.
- Waving my arms like mad. - Expressive language that portrays a vivid image, adding emotional context.
- Trying to get someone's attention. - A practical phrase useful in various social interactions.
- As fast as I could. - A colloquial way to express maximum effort, highlighting the urgency of a situation.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively use the shadowing technique while following this video, it's essential to approach it methodically. Here's a step-by-step guide to enhance your experience:
- Listen Actively: Start by listening to the sentences without repeating. Pay attention to the pronunciation and intonation of the speaker.
- Repeat After the Speaker: Utilize the shadowing app or site of your choice to engage in shadow speech. Pause the video after each sentence to repeat, mimicking the rhythm and tone exactly.
- Break It Down: Focus on breaking down complex sentences into smaller parts. For example, take "I was running at full speed down the street" and practice each segment before combining them.
- Use Visual Aids: If your shadowing technique includes graphics or text overlays, like synonyms, use them to enrich your vocabulary. Try replacing the words in the sentences with the synonyms provided.
- Practice with Variation: Once comfortable, vary your speed. Practice saying the sentences slowly, then at a medium pace, and finally at a quick speed, making sure pronunciation remains clear.
By consistently practicing these phrases and employing the shadowing technique, learners can significantly improve their speaking fluency and confidence in English communication. Don’t forget to incorporate this practice into your daily routine using online resources, which can help make learning convenient and flexible.
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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