Shadowing Practice: No Partner? No Problem! (3 Ways to Practice Speaking Alone) - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Is it possible to become a fluent English speaker with no one to practice speaking with?
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I'm going to say yes.
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In fact, it is easy if you use the three tips from today's lesson.
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If you're new here, hi, I'm Vanessa from SpeakEnglishWithVanessa .com
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and I have been teaching real life English here on my
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YouTube channel for over the past 10 years to now more than 7 million of you.
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for learning English with me.
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And like always, I have created a free PDF worksheet,
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but I'm not going to tell you about today's special bonus inside this worksheet until a few minutes later.
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This is a surprise, but if you'd like to get today's free worksheet that includes everything you're about to learn today, all you need to do is click on the link in the description,
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enter your name and email address, and voila, it will land in your email inbox.
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bad news.
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Do you need to use English for work?
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If you need to use English in a professional situation, this is the number one most stressful situation for using English.
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You need to be professional.
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You need to represent yourself and your company well.
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You cannot start growing your confidence in English by speaking English in the workplace.
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You need to move to less stressful So let's imagine you're walking around New York City and you're lost.
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You need to ask for directions.
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So you confidently ask for directions,
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but when they reply, you have no clue what they're saying because it's true native English speakers speak very quickly.
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A lot of my students have found great success speaking with each other
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because who knows how you feel better than other English learners.
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They know that it is stressful, that you can feel nervous, that maybe you won't express yourself perfectly because they also know what it's like to learn English.
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But what if you have no other English learners to speak with?
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You don't have English learners to speak with?
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You're not ready to speak with native speakers yet?
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And in the workplace, forget about it.
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we need to move to the foundational level of growing your confidence speaking in English, and that is speaking alone.
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When you grow your confidence speaking alone, you can move to the other levels and you will be able to speak without stress.
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And in fact, you will speak fearlessly and confidently.
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So let me share with you my top three tips to help you become a fluent English speaker all alone,
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all by yourself and also introduce you to this beautiful location where I am here in Western North Carolina.
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Let's go with tip number one.
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The first tip to help you become a fluent English speaker alone is to practice speaking with common conversation topics.
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Let me give you an example.
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What do you usually do in the morning?
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Well, every morning I like to make myself a hot cup of black tea with some milk in it,
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and then I like to go outside and drink at least a few sips outside.
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Even if I don't have the time to drink my whole cup of tea outside,
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I like to get some fresh air and just enjoy a few moments of peace.
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What did you do last weekend?
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Well, last weekend was really special because my husband and I had the whole weekend without the children.
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My in -laws took the children for the whole weekend.
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So we went to one of our favorite places, which is Linville Gorge.
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It has beautiful views, lots of great hikes.
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You can even swim in the river.
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scary to go there with kids.
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There's too many cliffs, but to go there as adults, it is perfect.
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I love the view and we got to eat our lunch with a beautiful view.
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It was a great weekend and I hope to go back soon.
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Have you ever done something scary?
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I have.
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I'm not a fan of heights, so usually I don't get close to the edge of the cliff,
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but at this hike, we hiked to the top of Hawksbill, which is that little rocky point,
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and I decided to get close to get the best view possible.
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It was pretty scary.
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Do you want to see exactly where I was?
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So this is Linville Gorge and here I'm going to zoom in on a hawksbill.
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You're going to be able to see a little tiny point of a rock sticking out.
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That's where I was standing.
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Can you believe it?
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What do you like to do when it's hot in the summer?
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Well, I love to cool off in the water.
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Here we are in the Linville River at the bottom of Linville Gorge, and after a hot hike,
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we ended up at the river, and it felt so... so good.
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There's nothing better than diving in a swimming pool or a creek
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or a river and just enjoying feeling cool after a really hot day.
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To help you with this first tip, I have included a special bonus in today's free PDF worksheets.
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I have included 25 common conversation questions,
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plus I have added some sample answers so that you can know some common grammar,
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sentence structure, verb tenses, and vocabulary that you can use to answer common conversation questions.
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When you practice these yourself alone, you will be much when you have conversations out in the real world.
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So how can you get this free PDF worksheet plus the bonus 25 common questions and answers?
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All you need to do is click on the link in the description, enter your name and email address, and voila, this PDF worksheet will land in your email inbox.
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It is my gift to you.
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series here on YouTube.
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I have created a playlist for you with over five hours of speaking lessons.
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These videos have gotten millions of views altogether, and I know that you will love them so
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that you can go from feeling fearful or nervous
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or hesitant to speak English to feeling more confident and sure of yourself because that's the goal.
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So I have put a link to this five -hour sheets so that you can easily find it wherever you want,
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whenever you want.
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What are you waiting for?
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In each of the videos, you'll have the chance to learn some key vocabulary around different common conversation topics,
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and then you'll have the chance to practice speaking with me in a sample conversation.
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This is a great way to build the foundation of confidence
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and vocabulary that you need so that you can actually communicate and have great conversations about a variety of topics.
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The most important thing to do while you're watching those speak with me videos is to be active.
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When I ask you to speak and repeat with me, make sure that you do it.
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Don't be passive and just listen.
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You need to practice your speaking skills and hear your own voice.
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You'll be able to practice talking about a variety of topics like your weekend plans,
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You can grow your fluency in a variety of topics.
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Mm, blueberries.
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Mmm, for our third tip, to help you become a fluent English speaker all by yourself, we're going to need some internet.
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So let's go back to the cabin.
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Back due to popular demand is the 30 -day speaking challenge.
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In my opinion, the best way to find out about this challenge is to hear it directly from my previous students.
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My student Kong said, thanks to this challenge,
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speaking English no longer feels scary Speaking.
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Student Kristoff said, "The challenge significantly boosted my confidence and made speaking English feel easier and more enjoyable." Student Judy said,
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"I spent less time worrying about making mistakes and more time focusing on communicating my ideas.
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Over time, speaking English started to feel more natural instead of stressful." And my student Yishun said,
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"By non -stop speaking with Vanessa AI, I'm not afraid of talking with others in English." The speaking challenge sounds pretty great, right?
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But what is this Vanessa AI that Yishun said helped him to stop being afraid to speak in English?
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Let me tell you.
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Vanessa AI is only the best way to help you become a fluent English speaker even
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if you have no one else to speak with.
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You can become fluent alone.
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I've partnered with some of the world's language learning experts to help create the Speak with Vanessa AI app,
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where you can have unlimited speaking practice with my clone who has been trained on my voice
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and my teaching style so that you can speak without embarrassment and without any judgment.
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When you join the 30 day speaking challenge, you will get a mini conversation lesson each day, including useful vocabulary that you need to know.
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Plus, drum roll, you will get free access to the Vanessa AI app
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so that you can immediately use what you have learned so that you don't forget it.
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It's like learning with me and then having a conversation with me right away.
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Vanessa AI will even correct your vocabulary and grammar mistakes.
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Let me tell you, At work, your coworkers will never correct your mistakes.
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They will just politely smile and nod, and you will never know if you actually made a mistake.
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But with Vanessa AI, she, your teacher, me, will correct your grammar and vocabulary mistakes so that when you go out into the real world,
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you can speak with confidence because you know that you are communicating fluently, smoothly, and with confidence.
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week though, so if you want to join us
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and get a 20 % off discount and speak English better than you ever have before, all you need to do is click the link in the description to start speaking with me.
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I would love to speak with you every day, and thank you so much for learning English with me here on YouTube.
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Don't forget to download today's free PDF worksheet that includes the bonus of 25 common conversation questions,
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plus some common answers ideas of sentence structure,
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verb tense, and vocabulary that you can use so that you can really boost your fluency all by yourself.
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Well, all you need to do is click the link in the description, enter your name and email address, and this worksheet plus conversation bonus will land in your email inbox.
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It is my gift to you.
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Well, thanks so much for learning English with me today.
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I'll see you again next Friday for a new lesson here on my YouTube channel.
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Bye!
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But wait, do you want more?
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I recommend watching this playlist next where you can practice speaking with me for over five hours.
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Are you ready?
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Let's go!
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Why Practice Speaking with This Video?
In today's globalized world, being able to communicate fluently in English can open many doors, both personally and professionally. This video "No Partner? No Problem! (3 Ways to Practice Speaking Alone)" emphasizes that you don't need a conversation partner to improve your speaking skills. The speaker, Vanessa, shares practical and effective methods for learners to practice speaking English alone. By practicing conversations on common topics, you can increase your fluency and build confidence, enabling you to eventually engage with native speakers and handle real-life situations without stress.
Benefits of Alone Practice
- Increased Confidence: Speaking aloud alone helps reduce anxiety associated with real conversations.
- Personalized Practice: You can choose subjects that interest you, allowing for a more engaging learning experience.
- Real-Life Application: The situations you practice can reflect real-life challenges, such as asking for directions, which can enhance your speaking abilities in daily interactions.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
In this video, Vanessa uses a variety of grammatical structures and expressions that are essential for everyday communication. Here are a few key elements:
- Simple Present Tense: Vanessa illustrates using the simple present tense to describe routine actions, e.g., “I like to make myself a hot cup of black tea.” This tense is crucial for learners who want to express their daily habits.
- Past Tense for Experiences: She shares past experiences, such as “Last weekend was really special…” which can help learners discuss past events effectively.
- Conditional Statements: Phrases such as “If you need to…” give you the tools for expressing possibilities, a key aspect of conversational English.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice speaking alone using the tips from the video, be mindful of certain pronunciation challenges that may arise:
- Linked Sounds: Native speakers often link phrases together fluidly, which can make it difficult for learners to recognize words. For instance, in “a whole weekend” the sounds blend, and you may need to practice the connection between words.
- Quick Speech: Words like “last” and “weekend” can sound rushed. When practicing, slow down initially to ensure clarity, then gradually increase your speed.
- Vowel Sounds: Pay attention to different vowel pronunciations, particularly in common words. For instance, “directions” can vary in accent. Listening closely to the video and repeating phrases will help reinforce correct pronunciation.
By integrating these techniques and focusing on practical speaking exercises, you will enhance your English speaking practice skills. Utilize resources like this video, along with its accompanying free PDF worksheet, to support your journey. Start your IELTS speaking practice today and be well on your way to mastering English!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have created · have found · have included |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | places, which is · Hawksbill, which is |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | practice speaking · start growing · practice talking |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · The most important |
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.