Shadowing Practice: Learn English Conversation for Beginners (A1) | Easy Speaking Practice | English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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And I'm Paul.
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Hi Emily, how are you today?
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Hi Paul, I'm doing great, thank you.
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The sun is shining and I'm so happy to be here with you and all our amazing listeners.
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How about you?
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I'm fantastic, Emily.
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Really good.
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It's always a pleasure to talk about English with you and with everyone listening.
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Yes, it is.
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Before we start our super fun chat today, remember to like this video, share it with your friends,
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and subscribe to Mr. English Channel.
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It really helps us a lot.
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Yes, please do.
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Your support means the world to us.
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And don't forget to turn on the notification bell so you don't miss any of our new episodes.
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That's right.
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Ding ding.
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So, Paul, today we're going to talk about something super important for learning English.
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Conversation.
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Ah, yes.
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Conversation is key.
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It's how we truly use the language, right?
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Not just knowing words, but using them.
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Exactly.
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It's how we connect with people, how we share ideas, and how we learn new things.
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Sometimes people are a little shy to start speaking.
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Hmm, yes, I understand that feeling.
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When I was learning Spanish, I felt a bit nervous at first.
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What if I make a mistake?
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What if they don't understand me?
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Oh, I totally get that.
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It's a very common feeling.
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But the good news is everyone makes mistakes, even native speakers sometimes.
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That's true.
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It's part of the learning process.
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The important thing is to just start.
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Don't worry too much about perfection.
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Just try to communicate.
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Yes, communication is the goal.
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So let's imagine we are meeting someone new.
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What's usually the first thing we say, Paul?
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Well, after a polite hello or hi, I usually ask, how are you?
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Or how's your day going?
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Simple friendly questions.
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Perfect.
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Perfect.
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And what if someone asks you, how are you?
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What do you say?
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I usually say, I'm good, thanks. And you?
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Or, I'm doing well, thank you for asking.
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It's polite to ask back.
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Yes, that's a great tip.
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Always ask the other person back.
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It shows you are interested in them, not just in talking about yourself.
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Good point.
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It keeps the conversation flowing.
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So after the how are you part, what's next?
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Well, you can talk about simple things.
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For example, the weather.
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It's always a good topic, right?
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It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
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Yes, the weather is a classic conversation starter, it's a bit cold today,
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or I hope it doesn't rain.
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Everyone can relate to the weather.
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So we have greetings and the weather.
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What other easy topics can we use to keep a conversation going?
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Hmm.
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You can talk about your hobbies.
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What do you like to do in your free time?
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Oh, that's a good one.
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And what if someone asks you that, Paul?
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What do you usually say?
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I might say, I like to read books, or I enjoy playing tennis, or even I like watching movies.
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Something simple and true.
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That's great.
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And you can then ask a follow -up question.
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For example, if Paul says, I like reading books, I can ask, oh, what kind of books do you like?
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Yes, exactly.
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Follow -up questions are like magic.
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They show you are listening and you want to know more.
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It's like, tell me more without saying, tell me more.
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That's a good way to put it.
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So, Paul, what kind of books do you like?
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I really like historical novels.
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And sometimes, a good mystery.
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How about you, Emily?
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What are your hobbies?
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I love to walk in the park, especially when it's sunny.
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And I enjoy cooking new recipes.
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It's fun to try different foods.
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Oh, that sounds lovely.
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What's your favorite thing to cook?
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Hmm, that's a tough question.
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I really like making Italian food, like pasta.
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It's delicious.
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Pasta.
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Yum.
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See?
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We're having a nice conversation about hobbies.
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It's easy.
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Yes, another good topic is work or studies.
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You can ask, what do you do?
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Or are you a student?
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And if someone asks me, what do you do?
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I can say, I'm a teacher.
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Or I work in an office.
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Keep it simple at first.
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And then you can ask, oh, what do you teach?
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Or what do you do in the office?
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More follow -up questions.
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Yes, always.
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It's like a tennis game, right?
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You hit the ball and they hit it back.
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That's a wonderful analogy, Paul.
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A conversation is like playing tennis.
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You need to keep the ball in play.
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So, we've talked about hobbies, work, and the weather.
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What if the conversation slows down?
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What can we do to keep it going?
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Hmm.
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Sometimes you can talk about recent events or things happening around you.
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Like, did you see the new movie that just came out?
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Or there's a new coffee shop on Main Street.
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Oh, that's a good idea.
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Something current.
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It makes the conversation feel fresh.
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Yes, exactly.
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Or you can talk about food and drinks.
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Everyone loves food.
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Do you like coffee?
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What's your favorite restaurant?
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Oh, absolutely.
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Absolutely.
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Food is a universal language.
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Have you tried the new pizza place downtown?
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Or what's your favourite type of food?
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Mm -hmm.
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Those are great.
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And remember, you don't need to have a long, complicated answer.
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Simple answers are good, like, Yes, I love coffee.
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Or, My favourite food is sushi.
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And if you don't know the answer or you don't have a favourite,
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it's okay to say, Hmm, I don't know.
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I like many things.
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Or, I haven't thought about it.
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Yes, honesty is good.
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You don't need to invent something.
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Just be yourself.
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Another thing I find helpful is to show interest with my face and body,
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like nodding, smiling, or saying, oh really, or wow.
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Oh, that's super important.
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It shows you're engaged, not just listening with your ears, but with your whole self.
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Yes.
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And a little mm -hmm or, ah, I see, shows you are following along.
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It makes the other person feel heard.
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Sometimes people worry about their English accent.
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They think they need to sound like a native speaker.
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That's a common worry.
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But it's really not important.
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Your accent is part of who you are.
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What matters is being understood.
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Yes.
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Focus on clear pronunciation, not a perfect accent.
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People appreciate the effort, and they will understand you.
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Absolutely.
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I remember when I was learning Spanish, I had a very strong English accent, but people understood me, and they were patient.
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That's a great experience to share, Paul.
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It shows that people are usually very kind when you are trying to speak a new language.
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They really are.
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And it's a good feeling when you communicate something successfully, even if it's a simple sentence.
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It's a wonderful feeling.
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Like a small victory.
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What if you don't understand something the other person says?
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Ah, good question.
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Don't be afraid to ask them to repeat or speak slowly.
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You can say, Could you please repeat that?
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Or, Could you say that more slowly, please?
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Yes, those phrases are very useful.
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Or even simpler.
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Pardon? or sorry, it's much better to ask than to pretend you understand.
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Exactly.
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Because if you pretend, then the conversation can get lost later.
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It's better to clarify in the moment.
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And what if you don't know a word?
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You can describe it.
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For example, if you don't know the word umbrella, you can say, it's the thing you use when it rains to keep you dry.
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Oh, that's a fantastic tip.
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It shows creativity and helps the other person understand.
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They might even teach you the word.
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Yes, exactly.
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And that's how you learn new words in a real conversation.
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It's very effective.
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So, Paul, can you share an experience where you had a nice conversation with someone in a new language?
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Hmm.
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Yes.
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I remember when I was in Mexico.
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I met a woman at a local market.
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I wanted to buy some fruit, but I didn't know the names of all the fruits in Spanish.
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Oh, interesting.
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What happened?
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I pointed to a fruit and tried to describe it.
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I said, Es rojo y pequeño y es dulce.
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It's red and small and it's sweet.
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She understood immediately and told me it was a fresa, a strawberry.
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That's a great story.
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You used your limited vocabulary, but you communicated effectively and you learned a new word.
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Yes, and then we started talking about the market and she told me about other local fruits.
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It was a simple conversation, but very enjoyable and I learned a lot.
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That's a perfect example of how small conversations can be so rewarding.
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My experience is similar.
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When I first started learning French, I was very shy.
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I can imagine.
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It's a big step to use a new language.
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Yes, but one day, I was in a bakery in Paris and I wanted to order a croissant.
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I knew the word croissant, of course. Of course.
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Essential French vocabulary.
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Right.
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But then the baker asked me something and And I didn't understand.
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I just smiled and said, Un croissant, s 'il vous plaît.
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A croissant, please.
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And she just smiled back and gave me a delicious croissant.
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Sometimes a smile and a simple phrase are all you need.
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Exactly.
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Then I pointed to a pastry and asked, What is that?
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And she told me the name.
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It started very simply, and then I asked more questions.
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It wasn't perfect, but I got my delicious pastry and practiced my French.
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See?
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These small interactions are so important.
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They build confidence.
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They really do.
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And it shows that people are generally happy to help you.
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So, Emily, what are some practical tips for our listeners to practice their conversation skills?
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That's a great question, Paul.
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First, don't be afraid to start small.
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You don't need to have a deep philosophical conversation.
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Simple hellos and how -are -yous are perfect.
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Yes, start with baby steps.
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Like our tennis game analogy, just hit the ball back.
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Exactly.
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Secondly, second tip, listen.
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Actively.
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Pay attention to what the other person is saying.
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This helps you ask good follow -up questions.
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Active listening is super important.
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It shows respect, and it helps you understand better.
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And it helps you find new topics to talk about.
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My third tip is to find opportunities to speak, even if it's just practicing with yourself in the mirror or with a language partner online.
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Oh, yes.
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A language partner is fantastic.
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You can find people online who are also learning English and practice together.
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You can also talk to shopkeepers, baristas, or anyone you meet who speaks English.
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Even if it's just for a minute or two, every little bit helps.
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Yes, every little bit adds up.
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My fourth tip, don't worry about mistakes.
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Seriously, nobody is perfect.
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Mistakes are part of learning.
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Embrace them.
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That's so true, Paul.
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Mistakes are like stepping stones.
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You learn from them and move forward.
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And my final tip is to be patient with yourself.
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Learning a language takes time.
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Some days will be easier.
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Some will be harder.
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Keep going.
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That's wonderful advice, Paul.
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Patience is key.
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And remember to celebrate your small victories.
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Every time you have a conversation in English, even a short one, it's a victory.
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So, Emily, we've talked a lot about conversation today.
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It's been fun!
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It has been, Paul.
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I hope our listeners feel more confident now about starting their own conversations in English.
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I hope so, too.
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Remember, practice makes progress, not necessarily perfect.
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Just keep trying.
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Yes, exactly.
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And remember, communication is the goal, not perfection.
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Just try to express your ideas.
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That's the spirit.
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So, before we say goodbye for today, Emily, what should our listeners do?
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Well, first, thank you so much for listening to Mr. English Channel.
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We love having you here.
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Please subscribe to our channel if you haven't already.
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Yes, hit that subscribe button.
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And remember to like this episode if you enjoyed our chat about conversation.
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And please share this episode with your friends,
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your family, or anyone who wants to learn English and feel more comfortable speaking.
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And finally, we'd love to hear from you.
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In the comments below, tell us what is your favorite simple conversation starter in English?
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Oh, that's a great question.
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We can't wait to read your answers.
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Yes, we love reading your comments.
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They help us make better content for you.
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Thank you again for joining us today on Mr English Channel.
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We'll be back soon with more fun and easy English lessons.
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Bye everyone.
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Keep practicing.
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See you next time.
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Bye bye.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Learn English Conversation for Beginners”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: conversation, English, Paul, simple, learning. This video has 303 sentences and 2141 words to shadow. The speech runs for 18:14. The speaker talks at a steady 117 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 49 of its 303 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| tennis noun | /ˈtɛnɪs/ | A sport played by two players (or four in doubles), who alternately strike the ball over a net using racquets. |
| accent noun | /ækˈsɛnt/ | A higher-pitched or stronger (louder or longer) articulation of a particular syllable of a word or phrase in order to distinguish it from the others or to… |
| hobby noun | /ˈhɑ.bi/ | An activity that one enjoys doing in one's spare time. |
| listener noun | /ˈlɪs(ə)nɚ/ | Someone who listens, especially to a speech or a broadcast. |
| delicious adjective | /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/ | Pleasing to the sense of taste; tasty. |
| communicate verb | /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ | To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell. |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| pretend verb | /pɹəˈtɛnd/ | To speak or behave so as to give a false or simulated appearance. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| starter noun | /ˈstɑɹ.tɚ/ | Someone who starts, or who starts something. |
| perfection noun | /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/ | The quality or state of being perfect or complete, so that nothing substandard remains; the highest attainable state or degree of excellence. |
| pasta noun | /ˈpɑ.stə/ | Dough made from wheat and water and sometimes mixed with egg and formed into various shapes; often sold in dried form and typically boiled for eating. |
| polite adjective | /pəˈlaɪt/ | Well-mannered, civilized. |
| vocabulary noun | /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/ | A usually alphabetized and explained collection of words e.g. of a particular field, or prepared for a specific purpose, often for learning. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| follow up verb | To take further actions remaining after an event; to continue, revisit, or persist; especially, to maintain communication or verify. | |
| add up verb | To take the sum of; to total. | |
| ask back verb | To invite an interviewee to a further interview. | |
| come out verb | /ˌkʌm ˈaʊt/ | To be discovered; to be revealed. |
| following along | Keeping up with; understanding. | |
| move forward verb | To cause to make progress. | |
| slow down verb | To decelerate. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What if I make a mistake?
- What if they don't understand me?
- What do you usually say?
- What's your favorite thing to cook?
- You can ask, what do you do?
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 | we've talked · Have you tried · haven't thought |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | start speaking · enjoy playing · enjoy cooking |
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was learning |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might say · might even teach |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 39 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, didn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: delicious /dɪˈlɪ.ʃəs/, perfection /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, patience /ˈpeɪ̯.ʃəns/, shine /ʃaɪn/
- Long words — get the stress right: communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/, analogy /əˈnæləd͡ʒi/, universal /ˌjunəˈvɜɹs(ə)l/, necessarily /ˌnɛs.əˈsɛɹ.ə.li/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like topic, tennis, 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.