Shadowing Practice: Pass the PMP with NO STUDY - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
Is it possible to pass your PMP with no study at all?
2
I'm David McLaughlin
3
and over the last year I've helped more than 30,000 people pass their PMP through my Udemy course and YouTube videos.
4
In fact, hundreds of thousands of people have watched my YouTube videos and millions over the last few years.
5
And what I've found for people who have passed their PMP, they have five things in common when they're taking the PMP test.
6
It's a test strategy.
7
You can use this test strategy and it will significantly increase your chances of passing the PMP.
8
So do you want to know what they are?
9
I'm going to go through them here.
10
But it's also part of my course, my Udemy course.
11
So if you do use these five tips to pass the PMP exam, people have been absolutely raving about it.
12
But let's get into these five tips right now.
13
And the first thing we need to know is just the way that the questions are structured.
14
So when you're taking the PMP exam, the majority of the questions are going to be scenarios.
15
So scenario-based questions, multiple choice with four different answers, usually one, two, three, or four.
16
And something is going wrong in this scenario, and we need to solve the scenario using our project management and people skills.
17
So two or three answers will often seem to be correct, and we have to choose the most correct answer.
18
Now that is why the PMP exam is so difficult and so hard.
19
One, project management is quite hard already, but when you have something going wrong and two or three answers are seemingly correct,
20
then it just adds to how difficult this exam really is.
21
But we can help that with these five PMP test strategy tips, and here they are.
22
You're going to love this.
23
The first one, because it's so simple as well, anyone can do it.
24
And also, some people know the material inside and out, but they're just not good at taking tests.
25
That was the case with me.
26
I got nervous, and I didn't manage my time, and I couldn't focus properly.
27
And so these five tips really helped me as well.
28
The first one is read the question and highlight all the key words.
29
Everything you need to know is going to be in the question.
30
So always assume that all the information is there.
31
There's no extra or hidden information that you can't see.
32
it's all in the question.
33
So highlight the key words in that question and we do that to figure out if the project is predictive, agile or hybrid.
34
So if we've got keywords like change control or predictive risk management processes, management reserves or contingency reserves,
35
that's probably going to be a predictive sequential project and we'll answer that a little bit differently to an Agile project.
36
So the keywords we might have is like product owner or iterations or product reviews,
37
sprints, definition of done, definition of ready, all of these things, Kanban and Kanban boards.
38
These are your keywords for agile questions. And hybrid, we'll have a couple of questions in there about hybrid processes where we've got a little bit of predictive
39
and a little bit of agile.
40
So when we highlight the keywords, we just want figure out is it predictive is it agile
41
so that we can answer it appropriately and then once we've done
42
that determine which topic or principle from the PMBOK the question is addressing is it about
43
risk is it about procurement is it about change control
44
or something else what is it about in the question what is it asking us to do
45
and we can highlight those words as well
46
and then we just strike through any answers that don't directly address that project methodology or the PMBOK principle that you identified.
47
For example, if the question is about risk, then we can get rid of the answers that are about procurement or change control.
48
And now, if we select one of the remaining answers, we've got a much higher chance of success.
49
Maybe there's only two left to choose from, and it's much easier for us to see which one directly answers that question.
50
Those five tips alone can help people pass the PMP exam.
51
Now there's two extra ones that we do need to know and that is to make sure that you answer every question.
52
So just in case because if you don't answer it, you can't get the points for it.
53
So always make sure you answer every question.
54
Flag the ones that you're unsure of.
55
You can always come back to it later and you might get hints from future questions or future answer options.
56
So that's always good.
57
And the last one is know your timing.
58
You have 230 minutes for 180 questions.
59
That gives us about 1 minute and 15 seconds for each question.
60
Now, there are usually, it's split into three sections.
61
You'll get two 10-minute breaks if you need them.
62
For the first 60 questions, you should have around 155 minutes remaining.
63
And once you're up to 120 questions, you should have around 80 minutes remaining.
64
So manage your time, make sure you try and stick within that 1 minute and 15 seconds.
65
That's part of the challenge.
66
And because there are so many as well, keeping your focus for that entire time is extremely important.
67
But that's the last tip.
68
Now we've got those 7 amazing tips.
69
Do they actually work?
70
Can we put these together?
71
Let's go through a PMP question and just see if we can use this methodology to see how it works.
72
So you're working as a product owner in an agile team.
73
Now here's our keyword already.
74
We've got a product owner and it's an agile team so it's probably going to be agile questions.
75
During a recent risk review, that's a promising keyword, the team have uncovered various risks that will impact your project.
76
You brainstorm risk responses with your team and the project customer would like them to be mitigated as soon as possible.
77
So it's asking us to mitigate them as soon as possible.
78
It's about risk and it's risk in agile.
79
So already we have some amazing clues here.
80
What are we going to do next?
81
Now, do we ask our team to work on the risk responses and get them done as soon as possible?
82
Well, we want them to be mitigated as soon as possible.
83
So that's quite a good one.
84
We'd put that as a high maybe for that one.
85
It's not agile specifically, but let's see.
86
Ignore the risks.
87
Initially, some people may, some of these risks may dissipate over time and only the important ones will be left.
88
Now this is definitely no because we want to be mitigating them as soon as possible.
89
What is it asking us to do?
90
Assign the risk responses to all stakeholders around your project team to share the load.
91
Does that, is that agile?
92
Is it about, is it a risk process and does it mitigate those risks?
93
Not really.
94
So I'm going to put that as we can get rid of that.
95
We can strike through it like we were talking about that one and this one as well.
96
So that just leaves two.
97
Let's check out this last one.
98
Prioritize the risks by comparing the expected monetary value of the risk to the anticipated return on investment of upcoming deliverables.
99
Wow, okay.
100
Now that's a mouthful, but do you know what that is?
101
That is our risk adjusted backlog.
102
So we're adjusting the backlog for risks, the impact of the risks versus the value of the deliverables,
103
and we're prioritizing them in our agile backlog.
104
The risk-adjusted backlog is an agile way of working for risk
105
and we're mitigating them as soon as possible because we're prioritizing them.
106
So all of a sudden this becomes the clearest answer.
107
Let's go with answer D.
108
And there it is.
109
So in this way this method has truly helped us with a PMP question just by highlighting the keywords, figuring out if it's agile,
110
predictive, or hybrid and figuring out the PMBOK idea
111
that we're talking about and figuring out what the question is asking us to do.
112
Amazing, amazing stuff.
113
Now, that could have been a fluke.
114
So let's just quickly try one more and see if we can actually do this, see if it works.
115
Let's get this right in our heads and really, really get this good.
116
This is really going to help you when you're passing the PMP exam.
117
So you're planning a project where supply chains have been impacted.
118
Okay.
119
And the requirements are complex and intertwined with other areas of the business.
120
All right.
121
Do you see any PMBOK principles yet?
122
Maybe requirements.
123
Your project sponsor asks you to manage these risks.
124
Okay.
125
Well, here we go.
126
That's what they're asking us to do.
127
Manage these risks before the project moves to execution.
128
That's pretty clear.
129
and what are we going to do next it doesn't say
130
agile specifically it doesn't say predictive specifically oh before the project moves to execution
131
so perhaps that's more predictive we've got initiating and then planning
132
and then executing and then monitoring and controlling
133
and then closing remember those process phases in the PMOK guide so potentially a predictive project Okay,
134
we've got some clues.
135
Move the project to execution so you can work through the risks as they happen.
136
Well, the project sponsor wanted us to do it before it moves to execution.
137
So that's a big no. Remember?
138
So that's already a clue.
139
Move to an agile way of work so you can deliver faster and also deal with the complexity.
140
Does that solve our problem?
141
Not necessarily, not directly.
142
And also we're already working in a predictive project.
143
So you might do a hybrid, but usually we won't completely switch.
144
So that's also a no. Note the risks with appropriate controls and add a contingency reserve in the project budget.
145
Contingency reserve does handle risks.
146
So that's important.
147
We need to know that.
148
And all of a sudden that keyword matches up with what we're trying to do.
149
So it could be good.
150
Let's check the last one just in case.
151
Assign a management reserve.
152
Okay now all of a sudden this one can be a no
153
because management reserve is for unforeseen scope
154
but a contingency reserve is definitely for risks
155
so we're highlighting this word risks it's a predictive project risks
156
that uses a contingency reserve
157
so all of a sudden answer c becomes our absolute best idea here let's check it out
158
and there it is we did it just using
159
that those five simple steps the pmp test strategy amazing stuff now this is part of the pmp fast Track,
160
which is also in my Udemy course.
161
The PMP Fast Track is the fastest way to get up to speed.
162
It's under an hour and people have used only that to study
163
and pass for the PMP once they have their 35 contact hours of course.
164
But I really recommend checking out the Udemy course and the PMP Fast Track.
165
You won't regret it.
166
It will truly take your study and your project knowledge to the next level.
167
This has been a whole bunch of fun.
168
I hope you've enjoyed it.
169
I certainly have and I'll see you in the next video.
170
Bye for now.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your English speaking skills using videos like this one on passing the PMP exam is incredibly beneficial. The context of project management encapsulated in the speaker's delivery provides a rich environment for learning. By engaging with the content, you can effectively utilize the shadowing technique to improve your pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm. The speaker’s dynamic approach captivates attention, making it easier to reflect on key concepts while simultaneously practicing your speaking skills. This method not only enhances comprehension but also helps reinforce vocabulary related to project management, which can be crucial if you are pursuing a career in this field. Make sure you focus on articulating the terms effectively, as they will help expand your English speaking practice beyond everyday conversation to a professional context.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

The transcript presents several important structures that are valuable for English learners:

  • Conditional Statements: The phrase “if you do use these five tips” showcases a conditional form that explains the consequences of certain actions. Understanding this construction can be useful for discussing potential outcomes based on different scenarios.
  • Present Perfect Tense: The speaker says, “I have helped more than 30,000 people.” This tense indicates ongoing relevance and is often used when talking about experiences or achievements that continue to impact the present.
  • Action Verbs: The use of verbs such as “pass,” “solve,” and “choose” emphasizes the importance of action in project management. Learning to incorporate strong action verbs can significantly enhance your speaking efficacy and keep your audience engaged.
  • Descriptive Language: Phrases like “something is going wrong” demonstrate how to express problems in a concise manner. Effective communication involves not just delivering facts but also presenting situations in a relatable context.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While practicing with this video, there are a few tricky words and pronunciation patterns to pay attention to:

  • “PMP”: Pronounce it clearly as individual letters “P-M-P” rather than as a single word. This clarity adds professionalism to your speech.
  • “Scenario”: The emphasis on the second syllable (scenário) can sometimes be neglected. Practice the correct stress to make your speech sound more natural.
  • “Highlight”: Ensure that you pronounce the “h” clearly to avoid misunderstandings, especially in professional communication contexts.
  • “Contingency”: This longer word can be challenging. Breaking it down into three parts—con-ting-en-cy—can make it easier to pronounce.

Incorporating the shadow speech method by mimicking the speaker will help you conquer these pronunciation traps while making the learning process enjoyable. By practicing consistently on a shadowing site, you can refine your English speaking skills effectively.

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.