Shadowing Practice: LGCAM18T1-P3 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hi, Chantal.
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87 sentences
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Hi, Chantal.
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What did you think of the talk then?
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Hi, Hugo.
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I thought it was good once I'd moved seats.
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Oh, were the people beside you chatting or something?
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It wasn't that.
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I went early so that I'd get a seat and not have to stand.
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But then this guy sat right in front of me and he was so tall.
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It's hard to see through people's heads, isn't it?
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Impossible.
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Anyway, to answer your question,
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I thought it was really interesting,
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especially what the speaker said about the job market.
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Me too.
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I mean, we know we're going into a really competitive field,
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so it's obvious that we may struggle to get work.
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That's right.
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And we know we can't all have that dream job.
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Yeah, but it looks like there's a whole range of areas of work that we hadn't even thought of,
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like fashion journalism, for instance.
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Yeah, I wasn't expecting so many career options.
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Hmm.
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Overall, she had quite a strong message, didn't she?
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She did.
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She kept saying things like,
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I know you all think this, but...
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And then she'd tell us how it really is.
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Perhaps she thinks students are a bit narrow-minded about the industry.
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It was a bit harsh, though.
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We know it's a tough industry.
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Yeah.
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And we're only first years, after all.
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We've got a lot to learn.
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Exactly.
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Do you think our secondary school education should have been more career-focused?
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Well, we had numerous talks on careers,
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which was good, but none of them were very inspiring.
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They could have asked more people like today's speaker to talk to us.
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I agree.
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We were told about lots of different careers,
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just when we needed to be,
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but not by the experts who really know stuff.
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So, did today's talk influence your thoughts on what career you'd like to take up in the future?
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Well, I promised myself that I'd go through this course and keep an open mind till the end.
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But I think it's better to pick an area of the industry now
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and then aim to get better and better at it.
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Well, I think we'll just have to differ on that issue.
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One thing's for certain though.
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From what she said, we'll be unpaid assistants in the industry for quite a long time.
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I'm prepared for that, aren't you?
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Actually, I'm not going to accept that view.
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Really?
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But she knows it's the case,
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and everyone else says the same.
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That doesn't mean it has to be true for me.
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OK.
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Well, I hope you're right.
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I thought the speaker's account of her first job was fascinating.
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Yeah.
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She admitted she was lucky to get work being a personal dresser for a musician.
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She didn't even apply for the job,
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and there she was, getting paid to choose all his clothes.
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It must have felt amazing.
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Though she said all she was looking for back then was experience, not financial reward.
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And then he was so mean telling her she was more interested in her own appearance than his.
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But she did realise he was right about that,
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which really made me think.
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I'm always considering my own clothes,
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but now I can see you should be focusing on your client.
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She obviously regretted losing the job.
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Well, as she said, she should have hidden her negative feelings about him but she didn't.
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It was really brave the way she picked herself up and took that job in retail.
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Fancy working in a shop after that.
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Yeah, well, she recommended we all do it at some point.
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I guess as a designer you'd get to find out some useful information,
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like how big or small the average shopper is.
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I think that's an issue for manufacturers, not designers.
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However, it would be useful to know if there's a gap in the market, you know?
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An item that no one's stocking,
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but that consumers are looking for.
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Yeah, people don't give up searching.
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They also take things back to the store if they aren't right.
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Yeah.
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Imagine you worked in an expensive shop
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and you found out the garments sold there were being returned because they fell apart in the wash.
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Yeah, it would be good to know that kind of thing.
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Yeah.

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Context & Background

This dialogue features Chantal and Hugo discussing a recent talk they attended, which emphasized the realities of entering a competitive job market, particularly in the creative industries. The conversation highlights their reflections on the insights shared by the speaker, who challenged their preconceived notions about career opportunities. Chantal notes how her initial seating disrupted her experience, but her perspective shifted as she engaged with the speaker's message about the necessity for open-mindedness in career choices.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I thought it was good” - A simple way to express your opinion on an event or topic.
  • “It’s hard to see through people’s heads” - A humorous expression to convey difficulties in seeing something clearly due to obstructions.
  • “That’s right” - A way to agree with someone’s statement, reinforcing your consensus.
  • “We have a lot to learn” - A humble acknowledgment of your current level of knowledge and the willingness to grow.
  • “I think it’s better to pick an area” - An excellent phrase for discussing goal-setting and specialization in a field.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize this dialogue for improving English pronunciation and fluency, follow this step-by-step shadowing guide:

  1. Listen to the Transcript: Carefully listen to the audio of the transcript a few times. Pay attention to the intonation and stress of each speaker.
  2. Read Aloud: Read the dialogue out loud, focusing on pronunciation and rhythm. This aligns with the shadowspeak technique to capture the nuances of spoken English.
  3. Pause and Repeat: Use a shadowing site or audio player that allows you to pause after each sentence. Repeat exactly what you hear to practice your intonation.
  4. Record Yourself: Once you're comfortable, record yourself imitating the speakers. Listen back to identify areas for improvement in your pronunciation.
  5. Engage in Conversation: Find a partner to practice the dialogue together. Focus on using the top phrases naturally in your conversations—this will enhance your speaking confidence.

By following these steps, not only will you improve your English pronunciation, but you'll also develop your ability to participate in fluent conversations, making you more prepared for real-world interactions. Incorporate the shadowing technique regularly to reinforce these skills and you’ll notice marked improvements in your spoken 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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