Shadowing Practice: LEARN ENGLISH WITH THE WORD WORTH - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Today we meet the English word worth and a famous cosmetics company that tells us that we are worth it.
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Today we meet the English word worth and a famous cosmetics company that tells us that we are worth it.
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Worth means simply the value that something has.
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Sometimes we use it in a literal way to mean how much money would people pay.
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But often we use it figuratively to mean how much time and effort and energy would people pay.
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Here are some examples.
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Kevin is, as I'm sure you know,
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a fan of the loudest punk rock group in the world, Futile Vendetta.
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He has all their records and CDs.
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His collection of records and CDs is worth about £300,
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which means that if Kevin sold them,
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he might get £300 for them.
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But he's not going to sell them.
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They are worth much more than £300 to him.
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Kevin's friend George lives in a flat.
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George owns the flat.
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He does not rent it from a landlord.
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George wants to move to another flat, closer to his work.
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The first thing he does is to ask an estate agent to look at his flat
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and tell him how much it is worth.
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That is, how much somebody might pay for it.
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When he knows this, George can work out how much he can afford to pay for a new flat.
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Last summer, Kevin and Joanne went for a holiday in the Lake District in the northwest of England.
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They climbed a mountain called Scorfell Pike.
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Scorfell Pike is less than a thousand meters high,
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but it is still the highest mountain in England.
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It was a long climb.
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After about an hour, their legs were tired and their feet were sore.
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They were out of breath and it had started to rain.
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Their clothes were wet and Kevin had water in his boots.
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Eventually they reached the top.
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Suddenly the sun broke through the clouds,
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they could see all the way to the sea,
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far away to the west and the south.
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They could see the other mountains around and the valleys and lakes far below.
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It was magic.
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It was worth the aching legs and the wet clothes.
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Or, as we often say in English, it was worth it.
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If you say that something is worth it,
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you mean that that thing has a bigger value than the money you paid,
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or the work you did,
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or the time you spent,
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or the emotional upset which you had in order to get that thing.
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Here are some other things which are worth it, or not worth it.
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Kevin's football team United has paid £10 million for a new striker.
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The first time he played for United, he scored twice.
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He was worth it.
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Joanne wants to see a new film,
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but the only cinema which is showing it is on the other side of town.
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It would take nearly an hour to get there.
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Is it worth it?
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Wonders Joanne.
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George's dad grows vegetables in his garden.
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It is hard work, but George's dad says that fresh,
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homegrown vegetables are worth it.
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Jimmy and Carol, whom we met in an earlier podcast,
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and who were doing fine the last time we saw them,
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have had a row.
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Joanne finds Carol in tears.
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Don't get so upset, says Joanne.
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He's not worth it.
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And finally, we come to the French cosmetics company L'Oréal.
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L'Oréal sells industrial chemicals that people put on their bodies to make themselves look younger or smell sweeter.
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Some of their products are quite expensive,
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but as L'Oréal tells us in their advertisements on TV, you're worth it.
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They mean you are wonderful and beautiful,
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you want to stay wonderful and beautiful.
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So it is worth spending lots of money on our products,
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and worth spending time putting them on your face and taking them off afterwards.
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Trust L'Oreal, you are worth it.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the video “Learn English with the Word Worth” offers an excellent opportunity for learners to enhance their English speaking practice. By focusing on the concept of value, both in a financial and emotional sense, this lesson allows speakers to explore expressing opinions and thoughts about the worth of various experiences. The inclusion of relatable examples, such as Kevin’s collection and Joanne’s decision to watch a film, creates a context that encourages fluent conversation. Practicing with this video helps you use everyday vocabulary in meaningful contexts, which is essential for real-life interactions.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

This video introduces valuable grammatical structures and expressions that are beneficial for IELTS speaking practice and beyond. Here are three key expressions analyzed:

  • “is worth” – This phrase is fundamental when discussing value. For example, “His collection of records and CDs is worth about £300.” This structure helps learners articulate opinions about monetary and emotional value.
  • “is it worth it?” – This rhetorical question allows you to assess value in a given situation, stimulating discussions such as, “Is the effort I put in worth the outcome?” This is a critical aspect of effective speaking skills.
  • “It was worth it.” – Used to summarize the benefits of an experience, this expression is great for sharing personal stories and reflections, enhancing conversational depth.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While practicing speaking, pay attention to specific words and phrases that might pose pronunciation challenges:

  • “worth” – This word often causes trouble due to its distinct "th" sound. Ensure you practice the “th” to correctly convey this term.
  • “it was worth it” – The rhythm and intonation of this phrase are crucial. Emphasizing “worth it” will help convey your sentiment effectively.
  • “£300” – Familiarize yourself with how numbers are pronounced in English, particularly in conversational contexts, to enhance clarity.

Using the shadowing technique, you can practice repeating these phrases after the speaker in the video. This will significantly improve your fluency and accent, making your English sound more natural. By continuously integrating these exercises into your study routine, you develop not just vocabulary but also the confidence to communicate effectively in English.

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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