Shadowing Practice: Office clips to watch instead of doing any work - Learn English Speaking with Video
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389 sentences
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1
You can say anything you want with total and complete immunity.
2
Oh, no, no. Yeah, come on.
3
Anybody.
4
Let it fly.
5
Okay, once in a while, I'll take a long lunch.
6
A siesta.
7
Time thief.
8
Time thief.
9
Fire him.
10
Dwight, you've really never stolen any company time?
11
Never.
12
You are a thief of joy.
13
I have never missed a day because of sickness.
14
I have had intestinal flu, scabies, lice, pink eye, mono, the pox.
15
I still come in.
16
Anybody else?
17
Yeah?
18
Sometimes I download pirated music onto my work computer. Who hasn't?
19
Good.
20
Good.
21
What else?
22
No, I'd like to hear more about that.
23
Well, remember when Andy had his engagement brunch?
24
Several of us got together to come up with excuses why we couldn't make it.
25
What?
26
Who else, Phyllis?
27
I don't want to say.
28
Yeah, because no one came.
29
And I threw a deli platter in the pool.
30
I once reported Oscar to the INS.
31
Turns out he's clean, but I'm glad I did it.
32
Well, let's keep this party moving on.
33
I've done some things I'm not proud of.
34
Committed some atrocities in Vietnam, uh, two years ago.
35
Prince's cruise lines.
36
Ryan.
37
Oh, but you mean other than embezzling?
38
Fraud, Jim.
39
Fraud.
40
Fraud.
41
Sure.
42
Last year, you guys were riding me really hard for the website, and I just peeled out my Z3, and I knocked the mirror off somebody's car.
43
I never said a thing.
44
Wait.
45
What?
46
I'll go.
47
Have you guys ever met Bruce Myers, the Scranton rep for Hammer Mill?
48
Bruce!
49
Well, for the past six years, I've been sleeping with him in exchange for discounts on our supplies and outback steakhouse gifts certificates.
50
Jackpot.
51
Ah!
52
Meredith, that is serious.
53
I mean, not only is that a conflict of interest, but there's also an exchange of goods.
54
Exchange of steak.
55
Have you ever had sirloin steak, honey?
56
That's crazy.
57
That's crazy talk!
58
Meredith!
59
The marinators, sleeping with suppliers.
60
Ooh!
61
Wow!
62
What time we got?
63
You know what?
64
That's a good place to end it.
65
Right there.
66
This, I think, was a great ethics seminar.
67
She has given us a lot of wonderful things to think about.
68
Right.
69
What is wrong.
70
Who's to say, really, in the end?
71
I mean, because it is unknowable.
72
But let's give her a round of applause.
73
Holly, everybody.
74
Holly!
75
Get back to work.
76
Great job.
77
I am truly impressed.
78
That, uh, you really pulled that one out.
79
Classic, classic meeting.
80
We should celebrate.
81
Michael, there's some serious issues with Meredith.
82
Oh.
83
I mean, all of you have done things I wouldn't have done myself, but Meredith's actions are really over the line.
84
Yeah.
85
What you gonna do? Is this real?
86
It is a screenplay.
87
Starring himself.
88
Agent Michael Skarn.
89
Of the FBI.
90
How long is that?
91
Oh, Pam.
92
Good work.
93
Oh, wait, stop.
94
Drawings.
95
What is that?
96
Oh, those are drawings.
97
In case the writing didn't really put a picture in your head.
98
And there he is, in the flesh, Agent Michael Skarn.
99
Now we know what he looks like.
100
All right, let's get this started.
101
I'm gonna be reading the action descriptions, and Phyllis, I would like you to play Catherine Zeta-Jones.
102
Is that the character's name?
103
You guys should not be doing this.
104
Why not, Dwight?
105
This is a movie.
106
I mean, this is for all of America to enjoy.
107
You took something that doesn't belong to you.
108
Dwight, do you want to play the lead role of Agent Michael Skarn?
109
A man, very good-looking, runs into a bank and kills a bank robber.
110
I'm Michael Scarn with the FBI.
111
Freeze.
112
Who's he saying freeze to if the bank robber's dead?
113
I don't know.
114
Inside the FBI, Agent Michael Scarn sits with his feet up on his desk.
115
Catherine Zeta-Jones enters.
116
Sir, you have some messages.
117
Not now!
118
They're important.
119
Okay.
120
What are they?
121
First message is, I love you.
122
That's from me.
123
Not in a thousand years, Catherine.
124
We work together.
125
And get off my desk.
126
Yes, I have acted before.
127
I was in a production of Oklahoma in the seventh grade.
128
I played the part of Muti, the mailman.
129
They had too many kids, so they made up roles like that. That was good.
130
Let's maintain this.
131
Where are you going?
132
Home.
133
It's after five.
134
Yeah, but Michael said for us to stay until he got back.
135
Okay.
136
What is...
137
When he comes back, he's gonna see you're not here.
138
Okay.
139
Okay.
140
Don't let it affect your performance.
141
Here we go.
142
Phyllis.
143
The president called.
144
Business or social?
145
Both.
146
He has an assignment for you.
147
Very dangerous, maybe deadly.
148
And he wants you to be the best man at his wedding.
149
Put him through, but I'm only gonna talk business.
150
Hey, Michael.
151
How's it hanging?
152
It's hanging pretty good, Mr. President.
153
I understand you have a dangerous assignment, and I'm your man.
154
I do.
155
I have a dangerous assignment.
156
Are you my man?
157
You heard me the first time, you joker.
158
That would be pretty cool if Michael starred in a movie with Catherine Zeta-Jones.
159
She's so hot.
160
I bet a hundred.
161
Sir, the minimum bet is a thousand.
162
If you had let me finish my sentence, you would have heard me say, I bet $100,000.
163
Sam, get me my money bag.
164
Ha, ha, ha, ha.
165
Agent Michael Scarn, you so funny.
166
You da bomb.
167
Mm, yeah.
168
It kind of seems like all the movies that I like.
169
A man sitting several seats down who has a gold face turns to Michael Scarn.
170
Uh, ooh.
171
Oscar, you want to play Golden Face?
172
Mr. Scar, perhaps you would be more comfortable in my private jet.
173
Yes, perhaps I would, golden face.
174
Sam, get my luggage.
175
I forget it, brother.
176
Samuel, you are such an idiot.
177
You are the worst assistant ever.
178
And you're disgusting.
179
Dwigged?
180
Wait, who's Dwigged?
181
Here's what we think happened.
182
Michael's sidekick, who all through the movie is this complete idiot who's causing the downfall of the United States,
183
was originally named Dwight, But then Michael changed it to Samuel L.
184
Chang, using a search and replace.
185
But that doesn't work on misspelled words.
186
Leaving behind one twigged.
187
And Dwight figured it out.
188
Oops.
189
D-W-I-G-H-T.
190
Okay, you know what?
191
I am done with this.
192
That said, the end.
193
Well, some of us want to keep reading, so...
194
Uh, you don't speak for everyone, Jim.
195
Okay, announcement.
196
My uncle bought me some fireworks.
197
And anyone who wants to see a real show, come with me outside now.
198
That's actually a good idea.
199
We'll all take a brief intermission.
200
Bullets are flying everywhere.
201
Ooh, wait, last page.
202
Big finish?
203
Here we go.
204
Agent Skarn kicks open the plane door with a karate chop.
205
Kick and a chop are two totally different things.
206
Well, it's just a movie, Dwig.
207
It doesn't make any sense.
208
Yeah, now it doesn't make any sense.
209
Don't jump, Agent Skarn.
210
There are no parachutes.
211
Just then, Agent Chang gets a bullet in the head.
212
Oh, so close to retirement.
213
Another bullet heads towards Agent Michael Scarn,
214
but he jumps out of the plane without a parachute. Is that it?
215
Yep.
216
I think so.
217
Does he die?
218
I sincerely doubt it.
219
I have to say, I think this is a terrible movie.
220
Hey, are you going to Port Richards?
221
Well, not all.
222
You?
223
Maybe.
224
I'm going and sorry, both of you.
225
We're all going.
226
Hey, isn't there some rule against inter-obuscating?
227
I am not doing your dirty work for you.
228
I hear whispering.
229
Oh, hey, Mayor.
230
Hey.
231
Another vodka?
232
Yeah.
233
Jack, these are my coworkers.
234
Sup?
235
Ryan, Pam, Stanley, Kelly, Kevin, Creed.
236
How'd I do?
237
Mm.
238
Got me a munch.
239
Kevin, you and Stacy set a date yet?
240
Yeah.
241
Oh, my God, when is it?
242
It's complicated.
243
I would appreciate some space on this.
244
One, two, three, up chickens.
245
Dan Jenkins!
246
I think I heard the quarter over here. Where?
247
On this side.
248
No, it is definitely under one of these hands.
249
I kinda heard it on the other side too.
250
No, it is here.
251
Not here.
252
Not here.
253
Not here.
254
Not here.
255
Good thing you didn't listen to me.
256
Yeah, close one.
257
Not here.
258
Not here.
259
It's either here or here.
260
Not here.
261
Oh!
262
Yes!
263
Yes!
264
Yes!
265
I can read you like a book.
266
Oh, yeah?
267
You can't get anything from me.
268
Ah!
269
Bounce up!
270
Hey, Queen.
271
Hey!
272
So, what do you guys have to do?
273
Ah, hello.
274
You're the man, buddy.
275
I run a small fake ID company for my car with a laminated machine that I swipe from the sheriff's station.
276
Hi, Ryan.
277
Hey.
278
How are you doing?
279
I've missed you.
280
I've missed you too.
281
Don't you remember me?
282
Um, yeah, you gotta give me a hand.
283
Um, did you meet me at the gym?
284
No. Who the hell is Ryan talking to?
285
Are you a client to the other one?
286
Oh, not again.
287
Melissa!
288
Daddy!
289
Wait for me outside.
290
God.
291
She is 16 years old.
292
What is wrong with you?
293
Let me explain to you what happened.
294
I'll get him right up to me
295
there he is secret weapon Is that really necessary?
296
I've almost had my nose broken a dozen times.
297
All right, you guys, come on.
298
Let's bring it in.
299
Here we go.
300
Okay, listen, this is just going to be a friendly game, right?
301
We are all on the same team here.
302
The Dunder Mifflin team. Of course.
303
If you beat us, you're fired.
304
That's a joke.
305
Okay, let's do it.
306
Have a good game, man.
307
Yeah, me too.
308
Should be awesome.
309
All right, everybody, stretch out a little bit.
310
Stretch.
311
Stretch it.
312
Pull a stretch.
313
Ryan, you want to stretch?
314
I stretch before I can.
315
Okay.
316
Okay, Ryan, you have Daryl.
317
I have Roy.
318
Really?
319
I thought I'd take Roy.
320
I don't think Roy.
321
No, actually, I think Roy's our best player, not Lonnie.
322
So, Dwight, you have the East German gal.
323
Okay.
324
All right, you guys.
325
Okay, we'll be skins.
326
Then we'll be the teams.
327
Come on, Dwight.
328
What? Should I...
329
On or off? On.
330
Just put it on.
331
You sure?
332
Yes.
333
Uh, Pam, you kind of have your foot in both camps here.
334
Why don't you do the jump ball, okay?
335
Don't listen to him, Pam.
336
Trust me.
337
Tip it my way or you're sleeping in the car.
338
Stanley!
339
What?
340
You gotta be kidding me!
341
Oh Here we go Who's out?
342
Who's out?
343
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah over here over here three Go to zone.
344
Let's go in the zone defense defense defense
345
Oh, come on!
346
What is wrong with me today?
347
Usually hit those.
348
Quiet, I was open.
349
Alright, let's go.
350
Go, Jerry!
351
Jim, right here!
352
Right here!
353
You got me!
354
Jim!
355
Here we go.
356
Here we go.
357
Here we go.
358
Dwight's gonna get that.
359
Oh!
360
Okay!
361
Foul!
362
Charging!
363
Charging!
364
That's foul.
365
Okay, I'll take it.
366
Jim, Jim, Jim, right here!
367
Jim, give me the ball!
368
Ryan, cut!
369
My bad.
370
Push!
371
Push!
372
There you go!
373
There you go! Where you at?
374
Where you at?
375
You over there?
376
I'm over here!
377
There you go.
378
There you go!
379
Where you at?
380
Oh, yeah!
381
Oh, that like the robot That's cool,
382
that's fine
383
We will open a little bit of coffee.
384
That's how it sounds.
385
Hold your hands.
386
Oh, my God.
387
You're too cute.
388
You're a dick with me.
389
Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Office clips to watch instead of doing any work”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Michael, Agent, Jim. This video has 389 sentences and 1918 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:53. The speaker talks at a steady 121 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 68 of its 389 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| thief noun | /ˈθiːf/ | One who carries out a theft. |
| assignment noun | /əˈsaɪn.mənt/ | The act of assigning; the allocation of a job or a set of tasks. |
| bullet noun | /ˈbʊlɪt/ | A projectile, usually of metal, shot from a gun at high speed. |
| parachute noun | /ˈpæɹəʃut/ | A device, generally constructed from fabric, that is designed to employ air resistance to control the fall of an object or person, causing them to float… |
| chop verb | /t͡ʃɑp/ | To cut into pieces with short, vigorous cutting motions. |
| holly noun | /ˈhɑli/ | Any of various shrubs or (mostly) small trees, of the genus Ilex, either evergreen or deciduous, used as decoration especially at Christmas. |
| steak noun | /steɪk/ | Beefsteak: a slice of beef, broiled or cut for broiling. |
| foul adjective | /faʊl/ | Covered with, or containing unclean matter; dirty. |
| freeze verb | /ˈfɹiːz/ | Especially of a liquid, to become solid due to low temperature. |
| atrocity noun | /əˈtɹɑsɪti/ | An extremely cruel act; a horrid act of injustice. |
| brunch noun | /bɹʌnt͡ʃ/ | A meal eaten later in the day than breakfast and earlier than lunch, often in a leisurely, festive, and/or social way, and often consisting of typical foods… |
| embezzle verb | /ɪmˈbɛz.əl/ | To steal or misappropriate money that one has been trusted with, especially to steal money from the organisation for which one works. |
| firework noun | /ˈfaɪɚˌwɚk/ | A device using gunpowder and other chemicals which, when lit, emits a combination of coloured flames, sparks, whistles or bangs, and sometimes made to rocket… |
| intermission noun | /ɪntɚˈmɪʃən/ | A break, especially between two performances or sessions, such as at a concert, play, seminar, or religious assembly. |
| intestinal adjective | /ɪnˈtɛs.tɪ.nəl/ | Relating to the intestines. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| come back verb | To return to a place. | |
| come up with verb | To manage to produce, deliver, or present (something) by inventing, creating, thinking of, or obtaining it. | |
| get back verb | Return to where one came from. | |
| get back to verb | Return to (an activity) | |
| get off verb | To move from being on top of (something) to not being on top of it. | |
| leave behind verb | To abandon. | |
| make up verb | /ˌmeɪk ˈʌp/ | To constitute, to compose. |
| turn out verb | To end up; to result. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Dwight, you've really never stolen any company time?
- Have you ever had sirloin steak, honey?
- Don't you remember me?
- Are you a client to the other one?
- What is wrong with you?
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 | you've really never stolen · have never missed · have had |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should celebrate · should not be · Should I |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the worst · our best |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | I'll take · I'll go · We'll all |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 61 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: thief /ˈθiːf/, ethics /ˈɛθ.ɪks/, seventh /ˈsɛvənθ/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: parachute /ˈpæɹəʃut/, intermission /ɪntɚˈmɪʃən/, flesh /flɛʃ/
- Long words — get the stress right: atrocity /əˈtɹɑsɪti/, intermission /ɪntɚˈmɪʃən/, intestinal /ɪnˈtɛs.tɪ.nəl/, mononucleosis /ˌmɑnoʊnukliˈoʊsɪs/, unknowable /ʌnˈnoʊ.ə.bəl/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like thief, assignment, bullet.
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.