Shadowing Practice: Lesson 51-1 - A Good Habit - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

A2
D.C is a popular city for marathons.
⏸ Paused
67 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
D.C is a popular city for marathons.
2
A marathon is a long race.
3
Many marathons raise money for charities.
4
You know, good works.
5
A marathon is a good fitness goal, too.
6
I want to challenge myself in a marathon.
7
And maybe win a medal.
8
Hey, there's Ashley.
9
Ashley, wait for me.
10
Donna!
11
Ashley!
12
Ashley!
13
Ashley!
14
Ashley!
15
Are you okay, Anna?
16
I just ran from over there.
17
Running is really, really hard.
18
Do you want to sit down, Anna?
19
Yeah.
20
Do you want some water?
21
No thanks.
22
You keep it.
23
Thanks.
24
Thanks.
25
I didn't know you liked to run.
26
I love running.
27
In fact, this weekend I will run in my first marathon.
28
Me too!
29
Really?
30
You are running in a marathon?
31
Yeah, in a couple of days.
32
Why do you ask like that?
33
What do you know about running in a marathon?
34
I know that there's a lot of running.
35
And sometimes you can win a medal.
36
And how long have you been training?
37
I started today.
38
I've been training for an hour, no, an hour and seven minutes.
39
Anna, training a little every day is a good habit to get into.
40
Not all at once.
41
Thanks for the advice Ashley, but I'm running in a special race.
42
What race is it?
43
I don't remember the name, but the website said everyone gets a medal.
44
Okay, well, good luck Anna.
45
Thanks Ashley, good luck to you too.
46
Thank you.
47
Bye.
48
Bye Anna.
49
See ya.
50
I'm here to enter the race.
51
But ma'am, you can't enter the race.
52
What?
53
How am I going to meet my goal?
54
Ma'am, this race is for children.
55
You can't run with the children.
56
Children.
57
Children.
58
That's perfect.
59
I just might win.
60
No, ma'am, you really can't run with the children.
61
I'm sorry. Of course.
62
I was only thinking of my goal.
63
Well, you could help us with our goal, which is to raise money for sick children.
64
Would you like to help us?
65
Awesome!
66
I've just found my new goal, and I get to wear a medal.
67
Good job!

Download App

Everything you need to speak fluently

AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Scan To Download
Scan To Download
Download on theApp Store
Get it onGoogle Play

Context & Background

In this engaging dialogue, two friends, Anna and Ashley, chat about their upcoming participation in a marathon. The city of Washington D.C. is recognized for its vibrant marathon scene, where runners can compete while also supporting charitable causes. Anna expresses her excitement for running her first marathon, while Ashley emphasizes the importance of consistent training and developing good habits. This exchange not only highlights the social aspect of running but also serves as a motivational conversation about setting fitness goals. It offers an excellent opportunity for learners to practice their English speaking skills, particularly by focusing on the challenges and achievements that come with training for a marathon.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Do you want to sit down?" - A polite way to offer someone a break or a rest.
  • "I love running." - Expressing a passion or fondness for an activity.
  • "A marathon is a good fitness goal." - Discussing personal fitness objectives.
  • "Good luck!" - A friendly way to wish someone success.
  • "Training a little every day is a good habit." - Encouraging consistency and dedication in practice.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize this interaction for english speaking practice, follow these steps:

  1. Listen Carefully: Watch the video and pay close attention to how Anna and Ashley communicate. Focus on their pronunciation and intonation.
  2. Repeat After Them: Use the shadowing site technique. Pause the video after each sentence and try to imitate the way the speakers talk. This method is known as shadow speech.
  3. Practice Out Loud: Once you’ve repeated a sentence a couple of times, try saying it out loud without the video for a more natural flow. This practice enhances your listening and speaking skills.
  4. Understand the Meaning: Look up any unfamiliar words or phrases used in the conversation. Understanding context will help you use these expressions appropriately in future conversations.
  5. Engage in Role Play: Find a partner and take turns acting out the dialogue. This will help you practice real-life communication and improve your confidence in speaking.

Engaging with this content through a shadowing technique is a fantastic way to learn english with youtube while building effective speaking habits. Incorporate regular practice, and you’ll see improvement in your conversational skills and overall fluency!

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.

☕ Buy us a coffee