Shadowing Practice: INTERMEDIATE ENGLISH STORY 🌧️ Rainy Days 🎨 B2 | Level 4 - 5 | BRITISH ENGLISH ACCENT WITH SUBTITLES - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hello and welcome to Lovely English Stories.
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This story is written for intermediate English learners.
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You can download the PDF transcript of this and other stories on our new Patreon page.
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Ready?
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Let's get started!
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B2 English Story Rainy Days What is there to do on rainy days?
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The pitter-patter of the raindrops against the window are the sign of a day to be spent indoors.
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Is it time for reading and quiet contemplation?
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Or is it a day in front of the television?
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June sat on her large window seat and looked out across her street.
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Another windswept rainy day, June huffed to herself.
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She was desperate to get outside.
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She loathed being cooped up inside her small house.
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She had been stuck indoors quite a lot recently as she had broken her leg.
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A few weeks prior, she went for a run with her local running group and, quite dramatically by all accounts, tripped on a pebble on the pavement.
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She slipped to the ground and fell in a very awkward position.
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She heard the crunch of her leg and intuitively knew that something was terribly wrong.
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Luckily, her running friends were quick to react and they called an ambulance.
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June tried to keep as still as possible and took deep breaths to keep herself calm, even though the pain in her leg was immense.
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She had never been so pleased to see an ambulance.
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The paramedics were brilliant with her.
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They listened and were kind and gentle as they helped her into the ambulance.
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Then she was off to the hospital for an x-ray.
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Her suspicions were correct a broken leg.
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They applied a plaster cast and her friend came to pick her up.
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She was signed off work for six weeks.
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So for the last three weeks she had been stuck in the house unable to walk
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or run anywhere as the cast helped to heal her leg.
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She dreaded the thought of being so bored for another three weeks, but then she kept remembering the saying,
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only boring people get bored.
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She didn't want to be a boring person.
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She had tried to keep herself busy by reading and listening to her favourite audiobooks.
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She'd also finally caught up on all her favourite TV shows.
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Her friends and family had taken her out and about, but it wasn't the same as being independent and leaving whenever she wanted.
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She couldn't even go to work as her job as a children's nurse required her to be stood
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and walking for the majority of her shifts.
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As much as June didn't like to admit it, she was starting to get rather bored.
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She knew accidents happened, but she wished this one had happened in the summer, so she could at least sit in the garden and enjoy the warmer weather.
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She knew she had to make some changes.
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She couldn't mope around the house for another three weeks, rainy weather or not.
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She hobbled over to her table, took out her tablet and browsed the internet for some creative ideas.
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She had a drawer full of paints, pencils and some canvases which she was given as a birthday present the year before.
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She had attended a few painting classes in the past and really enjoyed it, but work and life had got in the way.
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Maybe she could pick it up again.
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She perused social media channels and different platforms to try and get some inspiration.
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She knew she had to start off small.
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She didn't want to overwhelm herself.
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She had a look on YouTube and discovered lots of talented artists.
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The one that stood out to her the most was a lady who drew beautiful flowers, landscapes and mystical creatures.
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June liked the escapism of her work and found her channel to be incredibly relaxing.
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After watching several of her videos, she decided to make herself a cup of tea, get out her art equipment and make a start.
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She had to admit she was rather nervous.
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She hadn't picked up a paintbrush in a long time.
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Then again she had to remember she was doing this for fun
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and didn't have to put any pressure on herself She set up her desk
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and laid some newspaper over it to protect the wood Then she hobbled to the kitchen
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and got a pot of water and some kitchen roll She also put on an old apron
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She took inspiration from the artist on YouTube and decided to paint some sunflowers.
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She had just been gifted some by a friend.
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She adored sunflowers.
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Just having a small bunch on her table really lit up her room.
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She started to draw, in pencil, an outline sketch of the flowers.
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Her hand trembled slightly, but she tried not to judge herself too much.
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Then she started mixing her paints together.
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She decided to use her new acrylics, and when she painted her first strokes, the paint moved across the canvas like silk.
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Before she knew it, she was adding details to each of the petals,
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and she decided to add a brash background to make the orange and yellow of the sunflowers stand out.
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As she painted, she listened to some relaxing jazz music.
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Before she knew it, hours had passed.
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No wonder she felt so thirsty.
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Her last cup of tea was cold.
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She had become so mesmerised by painting that the hours had flew by.
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June also felt much calmer and more relaxed.
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She didn't know painting could be so much fun.
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She leant back in her chair and observed her work.
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Not bad for a beginner.
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She slowly packed her paints away and gave the paintbrushes a thorough clean.
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Then she made her way to bed.
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The next morning, June woke up feeling much cheerier than she had the day before.
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The rain was still pouring, but June looked at it in a different light.
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Now she knew it was good for the garden and the plants.
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She made herself her favourite breakfast of pancakes, bananas and strawberries.
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She grabbed her walking sticks and shuffled into her room.
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The sight of her painting surprised her.
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As it had dried, the colours had become more vivid.
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She was quite impressed with herself.
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She placed the painting on her mantelpiece and decided that she would try to paint another.
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After all, the weather was terrible and she wasn't expecting any guests until later that evening.
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She had time to give it another go.
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Again, she meticulously set up her painting area, got the water for the brushes and laid out some kitchen roll.
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She browsed the internet looking for inspiration and landed on a photograph of some stunning red roses.
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June had never really been a fan of roses.
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She loved their smell, but preferred bigger, bolder flowers, like sunflowers.
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Like the day before, she drew out an outline on the canvas and started to mix her colours.
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Again, she became engrossed in the painting.
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Each stroke of paint upon the canvas was like a new adventure.
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She wasn't scared to experiment and kept trying new things.
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Before she knew it, lunchtime had passed and it was already 4pm.
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She only realised as it had started to become a little dusky outside.
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Again, her tea had gone cold and her stomach was grumbling.
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Good grief, she exclaimed.
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I'm turning into a painting zombie be.
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June grabbed her walking sticks and made her way to the kitchen.
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Her friend would be arriving in little over an hour to have dinner with her, so she made a small snack and started to prepare their meal.
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She kept glancing out at the rain.
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It hadn't stopped in days.
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She cleared the table covered in art materials as best as she could
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and added her new piece of art to the mantelpiece next to her painting of the sunflowers.
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Suddenly, the doorbell rang.
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Her friend had arrived.
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She hobbled over to the door and to her friend's surprise, she was covered in a rainbow of colours.
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When June caught sight of herself in her hallway mirror, she couldn't stop laughing.
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She had red all around her eyes from where she had scratched an itch
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and various shades of greens in her hair from when she had tied her hair back.
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I thought I'd come to a fancy dress party for a minute, laughed her friend.
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I've been so engrossed in painting, I didn't realise the time, never mind notice that I'm covered in the stuff.
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June explained to her friend how she had spent the last two rainy days.
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Her friend informed her about a local art group.
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You should go along, I bet you'd love it and your paintings are good.
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They're so vibrant.
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They make me smile when I look at them.
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June didn't feel like her work deserved such praise.
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After all, she was a complete beginner.
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She had only tried it a few times.
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She was by no means Van Gogh.
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Look, June, you've got to remember that art is subjective.
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What one person thinks is terrible, another might think is a masterpiece.
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and I, for one, think your work is quite magnificent.
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That night, after a wonderful evening laughing and joking with her lifelong friend,
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June picked up her tablet again and searched for local art groups.
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Perhaps when her leg was healed, she could venture out and join one.
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She found one in particular that tickled her fancy.
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It would work around her shift patterns as a nurse and was only down the road.
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Each week the group had a theme and created art based around that theme, depending on what their chosen medium was.
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For June, of course, her medium would be paint But it looked like the people who attended the group Knitted,
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used watercolours, created sculptures with found objects And used clay It was quite innovative
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and seemed to ignite something in June That she didn't know existed
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After a few days of boredom and what felt like constant rainy days
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June felt like there was light at the end of the tunnel.
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She had found another side to herself, a creative element that she looked forward to exploring further.
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Who would have thought that out of a broken leg, June could have found a new creative outlet?
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What do you like to do on rainy days?
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Tell us in the comments below.
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We hope you enjoyed this lovely English story.
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Thank you for stopping by and don't forget to like, subscribe and share.
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And remember you can download the PDF transcript as an all access Patreon on our new Patreon page.
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See you soon.

Context & Background

This engaging story set on a rainy day introduces us to June, an intermediate English learner faced with the challenges of being indoors due to a broken leg. As the rain patters against her window, June's thoughts unfold, revealing her longing for adventure and the struggle against boredom. She reflects on her recent accident while considering ways to stay occupied and creative, showcasing typical life experiences that many English learners can relate to. Through June’s journey, we gain insight into how to effectively manage downtime while enhancing language skills in a relatable context.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “The pitter-patter of the raindrops” - A picturesque way to describe the sound of rain, useful for conversation about weather.
  • “I loathe being cooped up inside” - An expressive phrase indicating strong dislike, perfect for discussing personal feelings.
  • “I dreaded the thought of being so bored” - A relatable way to convey anxiety about inactivity or having nothing to do.
  • “I had to make some changes” - A constructive phrase for discussing personal improvement or new plans.
  • “I was stuck in the house” - Useful for expressing limitations or confinement, common in daily discussions.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize this video for English speaking practice, follow this structured approach:

  1. Familiarize Yourself with the Content: Watch the video once without subtitles. Focus on understanding the overall theme and context.
  2. Use Subtitles for Clarity: Re-watch with subtitles to catch phrases and pronunciations. This reinforces learning through a shadowing site experience.
  3. Shadow Speaking: Play short segments and repeat after the speaker. Emphasize intonation and rhythm to enhance speaking fluency and confidence.
  4. Practice Regularly: Use the extracted phrases during casual conversations or writing practice. Incorporate them into your IELTS speaking practice for a practical approach to learning.
  5. Reflect on Your Progress: After a few practice sessions, record yourself speaking the phrases and compare to the original audio. This helps identify areas for improvement.

By following these steps, you can effectively enhance your English language skills while enjoying the engaging context of June’s story. Join the community of learners who are committed to expanding their capabilities using shadowspeaks and effective practice strategies!

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.