Shadowing Practice: Office Gossip 4: An Office Romance? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
31 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Marcus, you won't believe who I saw last night!
2
Let me guess. Another celebrity in the elevator?
3
Even better! Priya and Sam were having dinner together, just the two of them.
4
Priya from accounts and Sam from IT? Seriously?
5
I was walking past that little Italian place on Clark Street,
6
and they were sitting by the window, laughing like old friends.
7
So they had dinner. Colleagues are allowed to eat together, you know.
8
Then why did she tell everyone she was working late?
9
Wait, she said she was working late? Okay, that's a bit strange.
10
And it gets better! When they left, it was pouring with rain.
11
They walked to the station together, sharing one tiny umbrella.
12
One umbrella? Okay, now I'm starting to see your point.
13
They must have been seeing each other for months, and nobody noticed!
14
Hold on, look over there! They're whispering at her desk again.
15
Did you see that? Why would she hide her phone when he walks past?
16
If I didn't know better, I'd say you were right this time.
17
Oh no, what if they're planning to leave the company together?
18
Calm down. Rumor has it she hates office gossip, so keep it between us.
19
Morning, you two. What's all the whispering about?
20
Oh! I'm so sorry. I saw you and Sam on Clark Street last night.
21
And now she's convinced you two are secretly dating.
22
Dating? Sam and I are cousins! We grew up on the same street.
23
Cousins? Wait, so the dinner and the umbrella were all family?
24
Our grandmother turns eighty next month, and we're planning a surprise party for her.
25
It has to stay a secret, because Grandma reads every message on our phones!
26
Cousins! How could I have gotten it so wrong?
27
I did tell you not to jump to conclusions.
28
Fine, you were right. From now on, my lips are sealed.
29
Really? So you won't tell a single person about the party?
30
Of course not! But I've already offered to help her plan it.
31
Of course you have. Poor Grandma doesn't stand a chance!
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
B130
34 sentences
Episode 1
Is the Boss Leaving?
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B1100
34 sentences
Episode 2
Why Does the New Guy Leave at Four?
American AccentBritish AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B14
34 sentences
Episode 3
Who Keeps Eating My Lunch?
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B27
31 sentences
Now playing
An Office Romance?
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B2209
30 sentences
Episode 5
The Secret Meeting
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
Same Channel
A11,210
A Day in My Life 29: Washing Mrs. Lee's Car
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A12,559
A Day in My Life 24: Watching TV
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A145
A Day in My Life 36: Going to the Library
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A15,159
A Day in My Life 1: Getting Up
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A2561
A Day in My Life 28: Renting a Car
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A1469
My First Swimming Lesson: I Can't Swim!
American AccentBritish AccentDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B13,071
Discipline Beats Motivation
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B2209
Office Gossip 5: The Secret Meeting
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A2151
A Day in My Life 31: Sending a Parcel
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A1901
A Day in My Life 2: Brushing My Teeth and Taking a Shower
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A1332
A Day in My Life 26: Reading a Book
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A2175
A Day in My Life 30: Taking the Car to the Garage
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A1494
A Day in My Life 3: Getting Dressed
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B1100
Office Gossip 2: Why Does the New Guy Leave at Four?
American AccentBritish AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
A2644
A Day in My Life 21: Taking a Taxi
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A21,396
A Day in My Life 19: Cleaning the House
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
A1130
Not Me! Who Ate the Cookies?
American AccentKidsDaily Conversation
B21,106
IELTS Speaking Part 2: Describe a Quiet Place You Like to Go
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepUniversity Students
B1141
SE-Ed: Why Do We Hiccup?
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C1123
IELTS Speaking Part 3: Competition in Schools, Sport and Work (Band 8.0)
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B21
217 sentences
Harvey Gets Involved with his Best Friend’s Sister | Suits
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
971 sentences
Most Hilarious Moments in Season 4: Part 2 | 2 Broke Girls
American AccentBusiness EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
B110
302 sentences
The Office BUT It's Just Outdated Tech
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
1206 sentences
Comedy Mystery Movie - The Ghost and the Guest (1943)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
1011 sentences
I Married Into a Rich Family, and Another Woman Did Everything to Take My Place.
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B28
426 sentences
The Ones Where They Work at Central Perk | Friends
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B24
114 sentences
第一次參加公司聚會，我才發現大家說的英文跟課本完全不一樣｜Real Life Office English
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B219
582 sentences
The Waiter Turns Out To Be A Tycoon
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
![SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION AUDIOBOOK [Chapter-1] 💕](https://img.youtube.com/vi/tJRgdfmBKdE/mqdefault.jpg)
B22
489 sentences
SPANISH LOVE DECEPTION AUDIOBOOK [Chapter-1] 💕
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B225 sentences
Evelyn spilled a string of juicy gossip. 🗣️😏#shorts
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Office Gossip 4: An Office Romance?”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Sam, umbrella, cousins, dinner. This video has 31 sentences and 346 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:09. The speaker talks at a natural 162 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 85% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 16 of its 31 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| cousin noun | /ˈkʌz(ə)n/ | Chiefly with a qualifying word: Any relation (especially a distant one) who is not a direct ancestor or descendant but part of a person's extended family; a… |
| umbrella noun | /ʌmˈbɹɛl.ə/ | A cloth-covered frame used for protection against rain or sun. |
| whisper verb | /ˈ(h)wɪspɚ/ | To speak softly or under one's breath, so as to be heard only by one near at hand; to utter words without sonant breath; to talk without that vibration of the… |
| desk noun | /dɛsk/ | A table, frame, or case, in past centuries usually with a sloping top but now usually with a flat top, for the use of writers and readers. It often has a… |
| conclusion noun | /kənˈkluːʒən/ | The end, finish, close or last part of something. |
| seal noun | /siːl/ | A stamp used to impress a design on a soft substance such as wax. |
| celebrity noun | /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/ | Fame, renown; the state of being famous or talked-about. |
| convince verb | /kənˈvɪns/ | To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence. |
| grandmother noun | /ˈɡɹæn(d)ˌmʌðɚ/ | A mother of someone's parent. |
| lip noun | /lɪp/ | Either of the two fleshy protrusions around the opening of the mouth. |
| pour verb | /poɹ/ | To cause (liquid, or liquid-like substance) to flow in a stream, either out of a container or into it. |
| secretly adverb | /ˈsiː.kɹɪt.li/ | In secret, covertly. |
| elevator noun | /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/ | Anything that raises or uplifts. |
| gossip noun | /ˈɡɑsɪp/ | Someone who likes to talk about other people's private or personal business. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| calm down verb | To become less excited, intense, or angry. |
| look over verb | To check quickly; to make a brief or cursory visual inspection of. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Marcus, you won't believe who I saw last night!
- Did you see that?
- What's all the whispering about?
- How could I have gotten it so wrong?
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 gotten · I've already offered |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are allowed · are sealed |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 11 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, they're, won't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- Long words — get the stress right: celebrity /səˈlɛb.ɹɪ.ɾi/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like cousin, umbrella, whisper.
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.