Shadowing Practice: Practice speaking with me: Small talk in English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hey guys, welcome to Lingo Marina.
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Hey guys, welcome to Lingo Marina.
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Today we're gonna work on improving your speaking skills.
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To do this, I've created several examples of small talk and your task is to watch,
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listen, and repeat phrases.
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This is one of the best ways to improve your accent and also learn new phrases.
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And by the way, small talk is something very essential that happens in the English speaking culture.
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We start most of our conversations with small talk,
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Talking about the weather, talking about recent events,
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discussing news, and learning how to engage in small talk can be essential
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if you're planning to do business or live in an English-speaking country.
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Let's start with small talk number one,
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and let's talk about the weather.
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Ooh, it looks like there is a storm brewing.
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This is an idiomatic expression,
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which means there is going to be a storm.
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A storm is brewing.
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I'm afraid so.
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The sky is overcast.
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The sky is completely covered with clouds and there is not much light.
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Gosh, I am so tired of this.
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We've been having rainy weather for more than a week now.
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Actually, I like when it's drizzling.
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Drizzling means raining lightly or that time right after it's stopped raining.
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The air is so fresh, the streets are empty.
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Perfect.
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Ah, no. I can't relate.
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I hate it when it's freezing or even chilly.
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Chilly means uncomfortably cool or cold.
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Fair enough.
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So you prefer hot weather to cold?
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We say fair enough when we agree to something that's acceptable.
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It's okay to not like cold weather.
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Fair enough?
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Absolutely.
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Then you should definitely move south, away from the city.
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I'd love to, and maybe I will end up living by the beach someday,
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but not today unfortunately.
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Well, spring is coming so you won't have to endure bad weather for much longer.
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Endure means to suffer from something patiently.
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Fingers crossed.
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Means I'm hoping that it's gonna be warm soon.
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Hey Mia, long time no see.
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I love this expression.
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Long time no see means I haven't seen you for a while.
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Hi, how have you been?
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Amazing, I've just come back from my vacation.
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Really, where'd you go?
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I've always wanted to go to Florida,
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so we booked our flights and went for three weeks.
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That is so cool.
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I need more details.
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Did you like it?
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Yeah, we had enough time to go to the ocean.
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I had some photo shoots from my Instagram, loved it.
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The vibe.
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I love saying Florida vibes, New York vibes.
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The vibe means the atmosphere that you can feel when you're coming to this place.
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The food, people, everything was amazing.
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Florida is definitely a must-see state.
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A must-see means everybody has to visit.
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You know what?
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I've never thought about going there,
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but maybe I should give it a try.
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You should definitely consider visiting it.
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I'm already counting down the days,
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waiting, till our next trip to Florida in October.
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Okay, enough about me.
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How's everything?
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Do you have any vacation plans?
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Now the next conversation is going to be a bit more informal.
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You're going to encounter a bit more slang and cool words that a lot of teenagers use,
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a lot of people on TikTok use.
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So it's really important to know them these days.
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Damn girl, you went to Coachella this year?
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Damn girl's like, wow.
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Coachella is this big music festival in Palm Springs
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that a lot of people go to and dress up and enjoy the music.
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Oh yeah, you went too, right?
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No, I couldn't make it, unfortunately.
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How was it?
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Amazing, so fun.
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Was it your first time there?
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No, it was my third time.
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I love music, what can I say?
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You use the phrase, what can I say,
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when there is nothing to add.
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You know, I love music and this is all you need to justify going to Coachella every single year.
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Me too, concerts are my favorite.
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Which performance did you like the best?
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Now I use which to ask this question because we're talking about Coachella
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and we have a set of performances that took place there and I'm asking which of those performances you like the best.
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Hard to say.
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I guess Harry Styles.
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I've never paid attention to him but this concert hit differently.
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So you experience something that conveys a different emotion than before.
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It was a vibe.
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Means there was energy that everyone was feeling.
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If you like the event,
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you can say it was a vibe.
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I heard it was an absolute blast.
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To be a blast means to be a very enjoyable experience.
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This party was a blast.
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Coachella was a blast.
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Beyond doubt.
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Another great expression to know.
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Have you ever been to any music festivals?
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The next one is going to be about baseball.
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The thing is, the thing is everyone loves to chat about baseball I'm not a baseball fan
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but it just makes sense to learn a little bit about baseball
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because everybody's gonna be asking you are you watching the game tonight are you going to see
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that game
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so people ask me all the time I really need to develop a habit of following baseball events
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but I'm not there yet but let's learn some vocabulary and some phrases related to baseball.
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Nice jersey.
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Jersey is something you wear as a baseball player
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but apparently fans are also buying jerseys with their favorite team's logos so they can show what team they're supporting.
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Okay guys because I'm not a baseball fan I don't have a jersey,
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any jerseys, so I'm just gonna show you what it looks like
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And imagine I'm wearing it for the purpose of this dialogue.
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Oh, thanks.
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Are you into baseball as well?
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Yeah, I'm obsessed with it.
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Not true in real life.
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I'm just making this up for the purpose of this video.
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What team do you root for?
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To root for a team means to support a team.
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Go Dodgers.
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This is how you support your team.
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Go Dodgers.
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Go Linguam Arena.
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Go English language learners.
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Yay.
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Yeah.
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Are you going to see their game next week?
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I'm not sure yet.
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But I'd love to, I haven't bought a ticket yet, so who knows?
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Who knows is a great expression.
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Who knows?
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Oh, one of my friends canceled.
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And I have an extra ticket.
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Do you want to join me?
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That'd be amazing.
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Thank you.
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I'm Marina, by the way.
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I'm Angela.
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Nice to meet you, Angela.
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So what do you think?
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Who's the greatest dodger of all time?
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hi uh do you know how to get to the second session conferences usually take place in huge conference halls
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and it's really hard to navigate like i'm almost always lost
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when i'm at a conference because there are so many buildings
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and you have to find your way by yourself hi yes
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follow me i was just about to head there to head
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there means to go there oh great thank you it's my first time here
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and i'm amazed by the topics covered here i've also met
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so many ingenious people ingenious means talented clever
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and i even had a lively debate with someone about the
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future of education oh this is a very controversial issue indeed
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what's your take on the conference what's your take on something
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what do you think about the conference i'm having a similar experience So it's my fourth conference.
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I'm one of the speakers this time,
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so I'm a little on edge.
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On edge means nervous.
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Wow, you're speaking.
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That's great.
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What's the topic?
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Predefining education in 2022.
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No way!
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No way is a phrase that you use when you're super excited about something.
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No way!
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This is one of the sessions I'm most excited about.
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And I really wanted to discuss some critical issues with the speaker.
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Well, I'm sure we'll find some time to discuss it.
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Now for the next dialogue,
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let's focus more on compliments.
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This is what I love.
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This is what people here love a lot.
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And in general, giving compliments makes our lives better.
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Let's practice.
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Your outfit is lit.
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It means it's great.
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I've been looking for the same jacket for ages.
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Where'd you get it?
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Thank you so much.
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I bought it at Macy's in New York,
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but I'm pretty sure you can find a similar one here.
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Ah, I see.
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I should pop into their store someday.
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Definitely.
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They have a whole bunch of jackets, different colors, designs.
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You'll find something.
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My stylist recommended this jacket and the quality is the best.
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I am dying to see their collections.
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So you work with a personal stylist?
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Yes, and I love it.
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No more problems with shopping.
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Exactly.
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I once purchased this expensive purse in Paris,
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but it is so stylish,
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so it's really hard for me to wear it with my ordinary outfits.
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It's actually a great idea to have a personal stylist.
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That's what stylists are for.
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They help us look our best without spending too much time on it.
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Definitely.
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Thank you guys so much for watching this video up to the very end.
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If you want to reduce your accent and learn more phrases,
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first of all, watch this video once again and repeat more phrases.
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Second, we have a course that is called Speak Like an American where we dig deeper into how Americans actually speak,
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what they do with their mouth,
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and this is all explained by non-native speakers,
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and I think that learning how to speak like an American from people who actually went through that challenge.
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I had my Russian accent,
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Vena, who's the teacher, had his Russian accent.
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We were born and raised in Russia.
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I lived there for 25 years.
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He lived there for 20 years,
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and it took us a while to master American accent,
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but because we did it,
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it just proves that it is possible to do it.
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It is possible to get rid of your accent and start sounding more like an American.
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So if you're interested in doing that,
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please check out the course.
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The link will be down below and you're getting a special promo code.
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And don't forget to subscribe to this channel to watch more videos like this one.
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See you very soon in my next videos.
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Bye!
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Context & Background
In this engaging video on small talk, the speaker emphasizes the importance of practicing speaking skills in English. Small talk is a vital part of social interactions in English-speaking cultures, often serving as an icebreaker in conversations. The dialogue covers various topics, including weather, personal experiences, and current events. This approach not only aids in better pronunciation but also enriches the vocabulary of learners. Understanding and mastering small talk can significantly enhance your ability to engage with others, especially if you plan to live or work in an English-speaking country.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “Looks like a storm is brewing.” - An idiomatic expression meaning bad weather is on the way.
- “I can’t relate.” - A way to express that you don’t have the same feelings or experiences as someone else.
- “Fair enough.” - Used to acknowledge and agree with another person's viewpoint.
- “Endure bad weather.” - To tolerate challenging conditions patiently.
- “Long time no see!” - A casual greeting indicating you haven’t seen the person in a while.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
Improving your English pronunciation through shadow speaking can be highly effective. Here's how to tackle this video using the shadowing technique:
- Watch actively: First, view the video without pausing. Notice the speaker's intonation and rhythm.
- Repeat silently: Replay the section and repeat the phrases in your head to familiarize yourself with the expressions.
- Shadow aloud: Play the video again, this time shadowing the speaker. Mimic their pronunciation and emotions, aiming to replicate their delivery as closely as possible.
- Break it down: If certain phrases are challenging, stop the video and practice those particular lines. Return to shadowing once you're comfortable.
- Record yourself: Use a voice recorder to capture your shadow speech. Compare your pronunciation with that of the speaker to identify areas for improvement.
Utilizing this shadowing technique not only helps in refining speaking skills but also prepares you for IELTS speaking practice by enhancing fluency and confidence in daily conversations. Engaging in small talk makes the learning process enjoyable and relatable, further motivating you to improve your English proficiency.
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.
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