Shadowing Practice: PREPARE 2 - REVIEW 4-Units 13-16 (Page 101) - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Track 124 Listen to Tessa talking to her father about her friends.
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What problem does each person have?
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What time is Eva's party, Tessa?
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The party's not happening, Dad.
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Eva's got a temperature and our other friends aren't well either.
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Oh, no. What's wrong with Leon?
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Is he OK?
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I know he hurt his legs skiing last month.
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Yes, but that's all better now.
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At the moment, he's got toothache.
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He needs to see the dentist on Monday.
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And what about Nat?
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He ate something bad yesterday and feels really sick.
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It's the same problem Maddy had a few days ago.
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So what's wrong with Maddy now?
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She's got a terrible cold.
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She stayed in bed all day yesterday and most of today, but she still feels ill.
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Oh dear, I hope you don't get it.
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Me too.
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I'm OK at the moment.
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Not like Ilsa.
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She phoned me earlier to say her head hurts and she doesn't want to go out.
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Poor Ilsa.
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And what about Greg?
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His broken arm's better, isn't it?
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Yes, but now he's hurt his foot.
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He plays too much rugby.
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I agree.
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Well, I hope they all feel better soon.
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That's nice of you, Dad.

Everyday Conversations: Talking About Health and Problems

The video features a relatable dialogue between Tessa and her father, where they discuss the health issues of Tessa's friends. This casual chat is perfect for learning how to talk about common ailments and daily problems in English, making it a great resource for IELTS speaking practice and everyday communication. The natural flow of the conversation helps learners pick up real-world language use, which is key for improving fluency.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • "Got a temperature" – A common way to say someone has a fever (e.g., "Eva's got a temperature").
  • "Feels really sick" – Used to describe feeling unwell after eating something bad (e.g., "He ate something bad and feels really sick").
  • "Terrible cold" – A phrase for a severe cold (e.g., "She's got a terrible cold").
  • "Head hurts" – A simple way to say someone has a headache (e.g., "Her head hurts").
  • "Hurt his foot" – Describing an injury (e.g., "He's hurt his foot playing rugby").

Step-by-Step Shadowing Guide for This Video

Shadowing (or shadow speech) is a great way to improve English pronunciation and fluency. Here's how to use this video for shadowspeaks practice: 1. Listen first: Watch the video without speaking, focusing on the rhythm and intonation of Tessa and her father's voices. Notice how they stress words like "terrible" or "really" to show emotion. 2. Repeat immediately: Pause the video after each line and repeat it out loud, trying to match the speed and tone. This helps train your mouth to form English sounds naturally. 3. Focus on connected speech: Pay attention to how phrases like "it's the same problem" or "hope you don't get it" flow together. Mimicking this will make your speech sound more native. 4. Practice with a partner: Role-play the dialogue with a friend, taking turns as Tessa and her father. This builds confidence for real conversations, which is essential for learn english with youtube success. 5. Record yourself: Compare your recording to the video. Notice areas where your pronunciation or rhythm differs, and practice those parts again.

By working through this dialogue, you'll not only learn useful phrases but also improve your ability to communicate clearly in everyday situations. Happy practicing!

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →