Shadowing Practice: Learn English with HOME ALONE — Saving Christmas! - Learn English Speaking with Video

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- - Aw yeah!
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I'm Ethan, your real -life English fluency coach, and today we're learning English with everyone's favorite Christmas movie, Home Alone.
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I have 18 new expressions to teach you like these and native pronunciation.
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So if it's important for you to remember the new words
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and expressions that you learn so that you can actually use them when you get into a
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Home Alone lesson for free on the RealLife English app.
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You'll get a flashcard deck that has all the advanced expressions that you just saw.
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The magic is in the innovative spaced repetition technology, which you'll see helps you to remember the new words.
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forever.
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Trust me, it was essential for me in learning six different languages.
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Alright, so don't miss out on having the right words every time you need them.
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You can get it for free right now with the link down in the description.
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And now let's get started with this fun English lesson with Home Alone.
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This is how the lesson will work.
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First, you'll watch the clip with subtitles.
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Then, you'll learn all of the key vocabulary and pronunciation.
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And finally, you'll put it all to the test by watching the clips again without subtitles and answering some quiz questions.
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Hey!
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Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?
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Hey!
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He's in the living room!
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He went up the ladder!
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Why don't you guys try the stairs?
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Right.
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Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
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Don't you remember what happened last year?
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No. Watch this.
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Let's get 'em!
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Oh!
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He busted me right in my mouth, Marv!
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I want one.
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Don't worry, Harry!
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Oh.
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I'll get him!
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Ow!
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Right in the schnoz!
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That's two.
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Come on, let's get him.
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Oops.
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- Thank you.
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That's...
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Three.
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The burglar, if you remember what happened last year, which you can actually see in last year's Home Alone lesson that we did.
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The link is down in the description below.
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So they try to be smarter than Kevin by pretending that the trap is working.
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But Kevin already thought ahead.
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So now let's unbox some of the expressions.
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So which one of these is a ladder?
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Right.
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A ladder is a portable climbing tool with horizontal steps called rungs.
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You can lean it against a wall or use it to reach high places.
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There are two other terms that learners often confuse with ladder.
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These are called stairs, the permanent steps inside a building.
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And this one that moves is an escalator.
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Get him is a super common phrase that means to catch or grab someone, often used when chasing after someone.
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In action movies and games, you'll hear this all the time.
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Check out this other example.
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He's not a humping board!
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It's a board!
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Give it to him!
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Get him!
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That's it, he's right in front of you!
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Get him, get him, get him!
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"Oh!
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He busted me right in my mouth, Marv !" Now to bust someone in the mouth means to hit someone in the face.
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Specifically in or around the mouth.
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It's informal and a bit rough language.
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Bust here means to hit or strike forcefully.
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You might also hear "Bust someone in the nose" or "Bust someone in the jaw." Ouch.
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Schnoz comes from Yiddish language and adds a bit of a humorous tone to the conversation.
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It's a funny informal word for nose.
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You might use this when joking around with friends.
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That basketball hit me right in the schnoz.
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Alright, you want to speak naturally and understand fast speaking natives, right?
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Right.
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So now let's practice some connected speech.
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That's how we natives cut, reduce, and link our words together in fluent speech.
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So listen again to how Kevin said this: First of all,
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natives often reduce the pronoun "you" to just "ya".
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Then we have a common pattern here.
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When a word ending in T is followed by U, they morph together into a CHU sound.
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But because the "u" is reduced, we hear "cha" instead.
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So instead of "don't you know," Kevin said a fluent Don't you know?
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Don't you know?
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Your speaking will only get better with lots of practice, so try to say that just like Kevin.
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Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?
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Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?
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Now let's check out some more connected speech from Marv.
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He went up the ladder!
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He went up the ladder!
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Often in English when we have an N and T together, we drop the T sound, like in international.
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winner and 20.
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So the "T" in "went" was dropped, and it connects to "up." went up.
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went up the ladder.
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one of the latter.
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Listen to that again and try to say it just like Marv.
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Alright, now let's rewind a bit.
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Kevin tricked Marv and Harry into coming into this house that's under renovation, because earlier in the movie he ran into them in New York City
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and found out that they were planning to rob a toy store.
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A toy store whose generous owner donates all the sales on Christmas Eve to sick children in the hospital.
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At midnight tonight, we're hitting Duncan's toy chest.
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Five floors of cash.
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Then after that, we grab a couple of phony passports, then it's off to Rio.
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Ma!
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Ma, I wanna shut up.
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What's the difference?
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He's not gonna talk to anybody.
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except maybe a fish.
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- Okay.
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- Or the Undertaker's...
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- Let's just get him to the subway tunnel.
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I'll feel a lot better once we get him on ice.
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They will donate money to it.
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Right, check out these other examples.
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So the store was hit about two hours ago.
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They took mostly tablets, laptops, and cameras.
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That jewelry store that got hit last night, they have this hidden security camera.
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Sure looks like you.
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And there are a few metaphors that they use at the end.
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Listen again.
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I'll feel a lot better once we get him on ice.
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Those three terms are all euphemisms for someone being dead.
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Kevin obviously won't let these two criminals get away with their plan, so he sets up a trap at the toy store before
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making them follow him to the house where he has set up more tricks.
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The amazing thing is, we're fugitives from the law, we're up to our elbows in cash, and there's nobody that even knows about it.
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- He's back!
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He took our picture!
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How did my hair look?
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This is it.
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No turning back.
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Another Christmas in the trenches.
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Wow.
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All right, remember again to learn and practice all those expressions of the app
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so that you can use them confidently next time you get into an English conversation.
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Now that you know the whole story, let's watch a
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final great trap that Kevin sent.
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Like a rock, huh, Marv?
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Hey!
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Do you guys give up?
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Have you had enough pain?
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Never!
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You better say every prayer you ever heard before, kid!
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I hope your parents got you a tombstone for Christmas!
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Where'd he go?
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I'm up here and I'm really scared.
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What's that sound?
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- Thank you.
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That was the sound of a tool chest.
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falling down the stairs.
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"Come on Harry." "Marc, are you sure this is safe?" "Oh yeah.
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Yep, I've worked all the kinks out."
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To work all the kinks out of something means to fix all the issues so it works Perfectly.
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A kink is a small problem.
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Check out these other examples of kinks.
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Your last brilliant plan had some kinks in it.
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So what kind of security surveillance are we looking at?
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And here they use the expression ironing out the kinks, which means the same as working the kinks out.
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"How stable is it?
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Still ironing out the kinks."
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So Marv is saying he's fixed all the problems with his tower of furniture and it should be safe to climb up.
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You might say, "I need to work the kinks out of my presentation." Or, "We're still working the kinks out of the new system." "Yep, I've worked all the kinks out.
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It should be solid as a rock." And solid as a rock is a simile meaning extremely reliable, sturdy, or dependable.
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As strong and immovable as a rock.
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use this for plans, relationships, or physical objects.
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Don't worry this ladder is solid as a rock.
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Or their friendship is solid as a rock.
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Of course as Harry observes shortly after, Marv is completely wrong.
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Hey, you guys give up have you had enough pain?
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Hmm do you guys give up?
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What do you think Kevin is asking?
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Do you want to surrender and stop fighting?
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Do you want to climb higher?
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Do you want a gift?
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That's right!
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To give up means to surrender, quit, or stop trying.
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It's one of the most common phrasal verbs in English.
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You can give up on a task, give up in a fight, or give up a bad habit.
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And I hope that fun English lessons like this one motivate you to not give up until you're a fluent English speaker.
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Check out these other examples.
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When I gave up teaching to join the CIA, I thought everything was going to be different.
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I thought I was going to be this amazing spy.
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I'm just the same boring person I was before.
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No, no, no, no, no, no, no!
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Ah!
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Giving up already?
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"You better say every prayer you ever heard before, kid !" "I hope your parents got your tombstone for Christmas !" Whoa, dark humor from Harry.
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A tombstone is a stone marker placed on someone's grave after they die, usually with their name and dates carved into it.
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Marv is threatening Kevin by saying he's going to need a tombstone.
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In other words, he's going to be dead.
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Of course, this is just movie villain talk, and we know that Kevin will outsmart them.
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Let's check out another instance of connected speech there.
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Where did he go?
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Wow, it's pretty easy to miss that question.
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In pronouns like he, her, and them, we often drop the first sound.
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did reduce to just a /d / sound and links to /he /, so we hear /d/.
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D. This links to "where", so it's Where'd he go?
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Where'd he go?
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Now it's your turn.
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That was the sound of a tool chest.
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falling down the stairs.
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A tool chest is a large heavy box or container used to store and organize tools like hammers, screwdrivers, wrenches and nails.
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These are usually made of metal and can be quite heavy, especially when full of tools.
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So when one falls down the stairs onto you, ouch!
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Actually, we heard this word chest used earlier.
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The name of the toy store the criminals tried to rob is Duncan's Toy Chest.
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So similarly to a tool chest, a toy chest is a big box where you store toys.
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Ah yeah, you've done awesome so far.
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It's really nice to get to celebrate the holidays and also improve your English.
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But we're not done yet.
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This is actually what I would say is the most important part.
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You're gonna test everything you learned today by watching again without
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subtitles to see how well your comprehension has advanced by learning all these terms and pronunciation.
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questions.
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Let's do this.
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Hey!
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Don't you know a kid always wins against two idiots?
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Harry!
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He's in the living room!
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Why do you have to bring him?
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He went up the ladder!
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Bring him!
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Bring him!
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Bring him!
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Match the climbing equipment to its picture.
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I'm going to go to the next one.
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Why don't you guys try the stairs?
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Right.
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Wait a minute, wait a minute, wait a minute.
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Don't you remember what happened last year?
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No. Watch this.
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Let's get 'em!
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Oh!
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He busted me right in my mouth, Marv!
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Don't worry, Harry!
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- I'll get him!
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Ow!
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Right in the schnoz!
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Which one of these is a schnoz?
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you That's two!
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Come on, let's get 'em.
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Oops!
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- Max!
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three "We spent nine months in jail thinking we had the worst luck in the universe." "We were wrong, little buddy." "We're busted out of the clink
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and we're doing fine." Fill in the blank with the correct slang term for jail.
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After robbing the bank, the thieves spent five years in the clink.
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We're busted out of the clink and we're doing fine.
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We're gonna be doing even better because we're not robbing houses anymore.
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Now we're robbing toy stores.
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At midnight tonight, we're...
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Duncan's toy chest.
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If you hear someone say that they are going to hit the jewelry store, what do they probably mean?
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At midnight tonight, we're hitting Duncan's toy chest.
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Five floors of cash.
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Then after that we grab a couple of phony passports.
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Boss!
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Boss, you wanna shut up?
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What's the difference?
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He's not gonna talk to anybody.
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Except maybe a fish.
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- Okay.
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Or The Undertaker's...
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Let's just get him to the subway tunnel.
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I'll feel a lot better once we get him on ice.
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Come on, Harry.
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Mark, are you sure this is safe?
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Oh, yeah.
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Yep, I'm working on the...
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Complete this ADM. I've been working on this project for months, and I finally worked all the kinks out.
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It should run smoothly now.
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Yep, I've worked all the kinks out.
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Solid as a rock.
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Like a rock, huh, Marv?
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Hey!
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- Do you guys give up?
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Have you had enough pain?
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- Never!
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You better say every prayer you ever heard before, Captain!
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I hope your parents got you a tombstone for Christmas!
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Where'd he go?
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I'm up here and I'm really scared.
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What's that sound?
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That was the sound of a tool chest.
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falling down the stairs.
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Oh.
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How dare you enter my chamber uninvited?
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My grandmother told me that if I read the inscription on your grave, you would grant me second sight.
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The crack in your monochrome armor is...
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Overbearing arrogance.
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You positively reek of the stuff.
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Tyler and Francoise Gelbin.
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I need to find them.
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There's no time to waste.
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A life hangs in the balance.
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What are you willing to endure to excavate the truth?

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Context & Background

In the lively English lesson inspired by the classic Christmas movie, Home Alone, your real-life English fluency coach, Ethan, introduces viewers to various expressions and vocabulary. The transcript showcases Ethan's approach to teaching English through engaging dialogue that learners can relate to. By leveraging iconic scenes from the movie, he not only enhances vocabulary but also demonstrates the importance of correct pronunciation, making the learning process enjoyable and effective. This method allows English learners to connect familiar content with language acquisition, celebrating the joy of learning through culture.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "He’s in the living room!" - A simple way to indicate someone's location.
  • "Why don't you guys try the stairs?" - Perfect for suggesting alternative actions.
  • "I want one." - An expression of desire that can be used in various contexts.
  • "Right in the schnoz!" - A humorous phrase that illustrates a direct hit, useful for colorful conversations.
  • "Don't worry!" - A comforting phrase that can help reassure friends in everyday scenarios.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To make the most of the lesson, follow this structured approach to improve your speaking skills through shadowing. This method will help enhance your fluency and mimic native pronunciation, making it an invaluable technique for IELTS speaking practice.

  1. Watch the Clip: Begin by watching the selected Home Alone clip with subtitles. Pay close attention to the dialogue, tone, and rhythm.
  2. Identify Key Expressions: Take note of the highlighted phrases listed above. These expressions are commonly used in daily conversations and can greatly enhance your communicative abilities.
  3. Repeat and Shadow Speak: Play the clip again, this time trying to repeat what you hear simultaneously. This technique, known as shadow speech, will help you practice pronunciation and intonation.
  4. Use a Shadowing App: If possible, utilize a shadowing app to track your progress. This technology allows you to practice at your own pace and provides feedback on your pronunciation.
  5. Test Your Understanding: Watch the clip a final time without subtitles. Challenge yourself to recall the expressions and respond to quiz questions or participate in discussions based on the content.

By consistently integrating these shadowing practices into your routine using popular media like Home Alone, you'll effortlessly learn English with YouTube content, making your language journey both fun and effective.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters nowhas set · Have you had · I've worked
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare called · is followed · is reduced

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →