Shadowing Practice: Lesson 185: An expensive place you visited💸 - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Hi, this is IELTS, IELTS .com, Lesson 185.
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This week we are looking at a part 2 cue card
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that asks you to speak about a place you visited where everything was expensive.
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I'll read the cue card to you now.
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Talk about a place you visited where everything was expensive.
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You should say: what the place was when you went there, why you think everything there was expensive,
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and explain whether or not you would visit this place again.
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Alright, first thing, let's listen to the sample so you can hear the model spoken naturally.
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Here it is.
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We will now start part two of the exam.
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Start speaking now, please.
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A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is Dubai, UAE.
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I visited the city about two years ago during my winter holidays.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa and I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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The hotels, restaurants, and even everyday activities seem tailored to a high -end clientele.
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For instance, I recall dining at a restaurant with a view of the Dubai fountain, and while the meal was amazing, the bill left me speechless.
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There are a few reasons why everything there is so expensive.
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For one, Dubai is a global hub for luxury tourism, catering to wealthy visitors from around the world.
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The city invests heavily in creating world -class entertainment, and the costs are naturally passed on to consumers.
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Also, many of the goods and services are imported, And this, of course, adds to their price.
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Despite the high costs, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there
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because the city offers a unique blend of cultural experiences and stunning architecture.
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I would happily visit again.
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Thank you.
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Okay, we will now start this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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In this week's free sample exercise, you will repeat the first few sentences from the response.
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I'll read the section of the response again to you now just to refresh your memory.
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A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is Dubai, UAE.
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I visited the city about two years ago during my winter holidays.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa.
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I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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Okay, let's go ahead and start this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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If this is your first time doing a speech shadowing exercise, remember you should be speaking aloud as you listen.
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So, you will first hear a portion of the sample, and then you will be given a pause within which to repeat what you have heard.
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And the point of the exercise is to try to adjust your pronunciation to sound as much like the model as possible.
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Okay, here is this week's speech shadowing exercise.
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Enjoy.
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We will now start part two of the exam.
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Start speaking now please.
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A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is Dubai, UAE.
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that I found to be exceptionally expensive,
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exceptionally expensive, exceptionally expensive, that I found to be exceptionally expensive,
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A place I visited, A place I visited,
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A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is Dubai, UAE.
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A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is Dubai, UAE.
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I visited the city about two years ago during my winter holidays.
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During my winter holidays, Winter holidays.
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Winter holidays.
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during my winter holidays.
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I visited the city about two years ago.
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About two years ago, About two years ago,
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I visited the city about two years ago,
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I visited the city about two years ago during my winter holidays,
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I visited the city about two years ago during my winter holidays.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa and I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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opulence everywhere, opulence.
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Opulence.
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opulence everywhere.
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I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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I was immediately struck by the truth.
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I was immediately struck by the truth.
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I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa.
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I stayed in a luxurious area luxurious area,
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luxurious area, I stayed in a luxurious area,
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa and I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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I stayed in a luxurious area near the iconic Burj Khalifa and I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
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Thank you for leaving a like or share on this episode.
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If you have found these exercises helpful and would like more training, go to IELTSIELTS .com where you can find over 100 lessons to learn from.
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Thank you for leaving a 5 -star review at iTunes and join me again next week for another speech shadowing exercise.

Context & Background

The video titled "An expensive place you visited" focuses on improving English speaking skills through personal narrative. The speaker shares their experience of visiting Dubai, UAE, highlighting the luxurious nature of the city and describing how high costs influenced their trip. By recounting specific instances, the speaker provides learners with a relatable context that helps in understanding how to articulate thoughts on expensive travel experiences.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • A place I visited that I found to be exceptionally expensive is...
  • I stayed in a luxurious area near...
  • I was immediately struck by the opulence everywhere.
  • Despite the high costs, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there because...
  • I would happily visit again.

These phrases are ideal for English speaking practice as they encapsulate key experiences and sentiments associated with travel. By incorporating them into daily conversations, learners can enhance their vocabulary related to luxury travel and personal reflections.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Engaging in shadow speech can significantly boost your speaking skills. Here’s a structured approach to help you effectively utilize the shadowing technique presented in the video:

  1. Choose Your Material: Start with the provided transcript or audio clip from the video, focusing specifically on the sentences narrated by the speaker.
  2. Listen Carefully: Play a segment and pay attention to the speaker's pronunciation and intonation. You can use a shadowing app to facilitate this process.
  3. Repeat Aloud: After listening, pause the audio and repeat what you heard. Aim to mimic not just the words, but also the rhythm and emotion in the speaker's voice.
  4. Practice Regularly: Consistent practice is key. Make this shadowing exercise part of your daily routine, ensuring to vary the phrases you practice.
  5. Self-assess: Record yourself while shadowing and compare it to the original track. Analyze areas for improvement in pronunciation and fluency.

By following this guide, you can make the most out of your english speaking practice sessions. Incorporating shadowing into your daily learning not only enhances your language skills but also builds confidence in real-life conversations. Happy practicing!

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 nowhave heard · have found
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itare imported · will be given

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 →