Shadowing Practice: Make polite requests - 05 - English at Work would like you to watch - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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English at Work Welcome back to English at Work.
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English at Work Welcome back to English at Work.
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We're still in Anna's first week in the busy offices of tip-top trading.
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How's it going, Anna?
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Everything's still so new to me.
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I keep needing to ask people for help.
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Well, that's only natural at the beginning.
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To ask people politely for help,
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use the words would and could.
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You can also use the word please,
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but don't make the mistake of thinking that's enough to make what you say polite.
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Er, OK.
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Hello, Anna.
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Oh, hi, Paul.
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I was wondering if you could do something for me.
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Yes, of course.
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Would you be able to print out a file for me?
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It's a document on CBL, Convincing Bananas Limited.
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They're one of our suppliers.
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The file should be on the system,
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and could I have it in the next ten minutes please as they're on their way here for a meeting?
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Yes.
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Oh no, I have no idea how to find it.
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Tom?
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Er, ask Denise, she should know.
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Okay, thanks Tom, I'll ask her.
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I'd warned her, you know,
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I said, Victoria, if you don't change your hairdresser...
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Denise!
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One day you'll...
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Hold on a moment.
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Anna?
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Please email me the background file of CBL.
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Er...
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Thank you.
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Who does that girl think she is?
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Anna.
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New girl.
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I told you about her.
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Yes, with the saucepans.
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That's the one.
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She's only been here five minutes and she's already acting like the Queen of Sheba.
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Oh, and Denise, please send it to me within five minutes.
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Paul needs it soon.
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Thank you.
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Well, honestly.
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Good to see who's the boss, eh, Denise?
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Really?
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Er, Anna, I think you've upset Denise.
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Upset Denise?
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You were a bit rude when you asked her for help.
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Was I?
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Remember what I said, Anna?
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Just using please to ask someone to do something can sound a little rude.
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Oh.
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Instead of saying, please send me the file,
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you could say, could you possibly send me the file?
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Or, would you mind sending me the file?
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Oh, English is so confusing.
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I'll try to remember that.
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Oh no, the printer isn't even set up.
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Tom?
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Yeah?
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Please help me with, I mean,
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could you possibly help me with the printer?
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Er, I really need to finish this email.
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It's to a really important new client.
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But it's really urgent.
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Would you mind writing your email later?
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OK, since you asked so nicely, let's have a look.
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Well, it's a good thing Anna has understood how to use could
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and would to ask for things before she upsets anyone else.
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Let's hear those phrases again.
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I was wondering if you could do something for me.
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Would you be able to print out a file for me?
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Could I have it within 10 minutes, please?
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Could you possibly help me with the printer?
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Would you mind writing your email later?
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The printer seems to be working well,
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but how well are Anna and Denise working together?
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Are these two going to be enemies?
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Really?
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Denise do this, Denise do that.
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I'm telling you, Sharon, I've almost had enough.
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I get treated like some kind of servant bye bye

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Context & Background

In the video "Make polite requests - 05," we follow Anna during her first week at Tip-Top Trading, a dynamic workplace filled with challenges and learning opportunities. As she navigates her new environment, Anna frequently needs assistance from her colleagues but struggles to ask for help politely. This scenario highlights the importance of mastering polite communication in a professional setting, which is essential for anyone looking to learn English with YouTube or prepare for their IELTS speaking practice. Understanding how to frame requests properly can enhance your interactions and make you a more effective communicator.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Could you please...? - A gentle way to request assistance, e.g., "Could you please help me with this task?"
  • Would you be able to...? - This phrase is effective for formal requests, such as "Would you be able to email me the report?"
  • Can I ask you to...? - Use this to make a polite request, e.g., "Can I ask you to print the file?"
  • Please, could you...? - A direct yet polite format that shows urgency, such as "Please, could you send that to me shortly?"
  • Thank you for your help! - Always close your requests with gratitude to maintain a positive tone, like "Thank you for your help on that!"

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Improving your English speaking skills through shadow speech can be highly beneficial. Here’s how to tackle the specific challenges presented in this video:

  1. Watch the video actively: Focus on how Anna communicates her needs. Listen carefully to the phrases she uses when asking for help.
  2. Repeat phrases out loud: Utilize the shadowing app to practice. Echo Anna’s requests immediately after she speaks. Pay attention to her tone and intonation.
  3. Record your voice: After shadowing, record yourself mimicking Anna’s sentences. This will help you identify areas where you need improvement.
  4. Practice with a partner: If possible, find a language partner to take turns making polite requests. You can role-play different workplace scenarios to enhance contextual understanding.
  5. Reflect on feedback: After practicing, consider how you felt during your requests. Did you sound polite? Were there phrases you found particularly challenging? Use this reflection to guide future practice.

By incorporating these strategies into your routine, you can effectively enhance your communication skills for professional settings and beyond. Embrace the power of shadow speech to transform your English learning journey.

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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