Shadowing Practice: Practice English Speaking with Topic : What was your first job? - Learn English Speaking with Video
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English Speaking Course
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Hey, uh, you are Jackson, the newcomer, right?
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Hello, you are...
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I'm James, I'm from your department too.
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Hello James, nice to meet you.
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How is everything so far?
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Good?
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Yes, I just read through some documentaries this morning.
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Everything is good so far.
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Jackson, you graduated from university, right?
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Yes, I just graduated last August.
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So, is this your first time working? working?
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No, not really.
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I actually have worked before.
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This is my second job.
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Oh, really?
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What was your first job?
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It was not an office job like this one.
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I worked part-time at McDonald's when I was in my second year of university.
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That's great!
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What did you do there exactly?
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My job was mainly working as a cashier.
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I took orders for customers, collected payments, and took care of the cash registers.
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At the end of my shift, I always had to balance the cash registers, double-checking all the payments.
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That sounds a lot more difficult than I expected.
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I've always thought that being a cashier, all you've got to do is taking orders and taking the money.
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Haha, no. It's not as simple as that, but...
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I've learned a lot from the job, especially the customer service skills.
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I think I got better talking to people thanks to the job.
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For how long did you work there?
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I only worked there for around a year.
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I quit when my study at school started being more hectic.
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I see.
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You are such a hardworking person.
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No, no, I'm not that hardworking.
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Many students have part-time jobs now.
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What about you?
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Did you start working here right after graduating like me?
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Oh, me?
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This is my second company after graduating.
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What was your first company then?
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I worked for a pharmaceutical company.
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Wow, you know how to make medicines and stuff?
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No, it's not like that.
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I worked in the department of sales as well.
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I see.
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Why did you leave the company?
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I thought that the salary was not enough to compensate for the amount of work.
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I had to work overtime a lot.
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Besides, selling medicines was not too enjoyable, so I decided to switch things up.
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For how long did you work there?
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I think around two years.
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Yeah, and now with this company, it's the fifth year already.
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I really like working here.
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Glad to hear that.
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I felt like I have made the right decision.
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You definitely did.
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Well, it's time to go back.
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See you.
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Bye.
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Hey Jane, what are you doing?
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Nothing much.
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There's no customers yet, so I'm pretty bored now.
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You are done with the preparation in the kitchen?
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Yeah, all things are set up.
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I'm pretty bored now too.
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Want to talk?
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Yeah, sure.
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Great.
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Oh, I'm pretty curious.
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Have you ever had a part-time job before?
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Because I see that even you are new here, you didn't need much training as others.
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Oh, yeah.
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I've worked as a cashier for a restaurant before, so I know all the basics.
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Oh, really?
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Was your old job much different from this one?
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Yeah, I think it was pretty different.
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When I worked as a cashier at a restaurant, I only needed to take care of the cash register.
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Taking orders was the job of the waiters.
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But at this shop, I have to do both, so it was a bit difficult for me at first.
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But you have got used to it by now, right? Of course.
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That's great.
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Why did you leave your old place, though?
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Actually, there was nothing to complain about in my old workplace.
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The payment was good, and my old co-workers were super nice as well.
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But suddenly I had to move and the new apartment was a bit too far, so I quit.
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Oh, then you found this job?
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Yeah, I just want to work at places near my house.
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Luckily I found this burger shop.
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Working here is pretty nice, though it's more tiring to be honest.
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I see, but don't worry, I will help you whenever I can.
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Really?
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You are so kind, Justin.
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Thank you.
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Oh, a guest.
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Right.
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I have to get back to work now.
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Talk to you later.
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Later, Jane.
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Hello, I'm coming for an interview for the part-time barista position here.
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Uh, you must be Tim, right? Have a seat, please.
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And can I have your resume?
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Thank you.
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Here it is.
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I'm Jason, the owner of this coffee shop, and I will be the one to interview you today.
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How are you today, Tim?
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I'm great.
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Thank you.
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Excellent.
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Can you introduce yourself a little bit?
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My name is Tim McLean, and I am currently a student at the New Tech University.
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Thank you, Tim.
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Now I have some questions for you.
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First of all, have you had a part-time job before?
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Yes, I had a part-time job before.
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I used to be a private tutor for about a year.
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Okay, I see.
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What were your tasks back then?
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I taught a 10-year-old kid math, and I helped him with his assignments.
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I see.
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Then why did you quit?
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Though the salary was good, I decided to stop as the place was a bit far.
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And my shift always ended pretty late at night.
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It was a bit dangerous.
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I understand.
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Why do you want to work with us now?
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First of all, this coffee shop is pretty near my place.
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I only need to walk 10 minutes to get here, so I have no problems working at any time of the day.
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Second of all, I really like this coffee shop because of its atmosphere.
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Thank you for loving our small coffee shop.
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Are you familiar with making coffee?
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I always make myself a cup of coffee in the morning, but I don't know much about the coffee machines.
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I understand.
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Firstly, can you tell me a bit about your schedule? When can you work?
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I'm free every evening, so I can work the evening shift.
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In the morning, because I have class, so I can only work during weekends.
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I see.
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Okay, so that's it for me.
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Do you have any questions?
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Yes, I do.
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When can I know if I am hired?
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I will call you tomorrow.
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So please watch out for any calls coming.
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I got it.
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Then I don't have any questions left.
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Thank you.
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Me too.
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Thank you for coming.
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Thank you.
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Why This Video Is Perfect for English Speaking Practice
This conversation about first jobs is ideal for english speaking practice because it uses everyday, relatable language. The dialogue flows naturally, with pauses, casual questions, and realistic responses—just like real-life interactions. It covers common topics like work responsibilities, reasons for leaving a job, and balancing work with studies, making it easy to connect with and replicate. Plus, the mix of simple and slightly complex sentences helps learners build confidence in both basic and more advanced communication.
Breaking Down Natural Speech Patterns
Let’s look at a few lines that make the dialogue sound authentic:
- “No, not really. I actually have worked before.” The phrase “not really” softens the response, a common tactic in casual speech. “Actually” adds emphasis, making the correction feel natural, not abrupt.
- “That sounds a lot more difficult than I expected.” This sentence uses a common comparison structure (“more difficult than I expected”) that learners can adapt to other contexts, like “That looks more fun than I thought.”
- “I quit when my study at school started being more hectic.” “Hectic” is a useful adjective for describing busy schedules, and the structure “started being more + [adjective]” is a natural way to explain a change in circumstances.
These examples show how small phrases and structures can make your speech sound less scripted and more like a native.
A Simple Shadowing Routine to Improve English Pronunciation
To get the most out of this video, try a shadowspeak (or shadow speak) exercise. Here’s how:
- Watch the video once to understand the context.
- Play a short 5-10 second clip, then pause and repeat it immediately, mimicking the tone, speed, and pronunciation. Focus on matching the speaker’s intonation—this helps with natural rhythm.
- Record yourself repeating the clip. Compare it to the original to spot differences in pronunciation or pacing. Apps can help with this, but even a phone recorder works.
- Do this for 10-15 minutes daily. Over time, you’ll notice your speech becomes more fluid, and your english pronunciation improves.
This routine trains your mouth and brain to produce natural sounds, making it easier to speak confidently in real conversations.
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 worked · I've always thought · I've learned |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | are done · are set |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | had to balance · had to work · needed to take |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | is taking · are you doing · I'm coming |
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.