Shadowing Practice: Present Perfect and Past Simple | English Conversation About Life Experiences - Learn English Speaking with Video
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1
Hey Marcus!
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Hey Rob, Fernanda. Great to see you!
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I haven’t seen you in such a long time.
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You’re right. It's been forever.
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I don’t think we’ve talked since Mary’s party.
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True! That was two years ago. I can’t believe it.
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What have you been up to? I heard you quit your job last year.
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I did, but I actually just started a new job a few months ago.
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I’m an English teacher now, just like you, Rob.
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Amazing! I think you will be great at it.
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I’ve been a teacher for almost 15 years now, and it’s the best job I’ve ever had.
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Do you get to work with students from all around the world?
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I do! I’ve had students from all over Europe and Asia mostly, but also quite a few from South America.
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From Brazil?
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Yes, I’ve taught a lot of students from Brazil.
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They are some of the nicest people I’ve ever met!
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I agree! Why did you decide to be a teacher?
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Well, I wanted to work with international people.
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I’m very interested in learning about other cultures.
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My job at the bank was good, but I was ready for a new challenge.
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You’ve told me many times how much you love it, and that it’s such a fulfilling career.
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So really, your opinion helped me to make the decision.
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I’m so glad!
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So what about you guys? Are you well?
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What have you been up to lately?
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We’re doing great! We just came back from vacation.
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Nice! Where did you go?
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We spent a month in Brazil, visiting Fernanda’s family.
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Have you ever been to Brazil?
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No, I haven’t, but I would love to!
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I’ve been to South America a few times, but I’ve never been to Brazil.
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What did you do there?
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First, we flew into São Paulo to visit my parents for a few days.
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It was really great to see them.
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Then we went to Rio de Janeiro. What a vibrant city!
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Yes, I’ve heard that!
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Did you go to any beaches?
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We went to Copacabana beach.
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It was gorgeous. The weather was nice – not too hot.
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We met some local people and played volleyball on the beach.
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Then we ate lunch at a cute little café beside the sand.
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After that, we went for a swim in the ocean to cool off.
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It was a great day!
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I’m sure. Did you spend any time in the Amazon jungle?
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I’ve heard it’s such an incredible experience being surrounded by all that nature.
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We did! It was amazing.
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We hiked through the jungle all day, then camped overnight.
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We heard all kinds of wildlife.
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What an experience!
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But what about you?
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Have you taken any trips lately?
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Well, before I started my teaching job, I went backpacking across China and India for a few months.
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What an adventure!
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It was! I had so many wonderful experiences.
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Too many to tell right now!
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What were some of the highlights?
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Well, the Great Wall of China and the Taj Mahal were obviously amazing, but also the people, the culture…. And of course the food!
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I think I may have put on a few kilos!
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Well, you’re looking great!
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Thanks! Oh, and I traveled around Australia last year.
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That’s amazing! I really want to visit Australia.
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Can you believe I’ve never seen a kangaroo?
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You should go!
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It’s one of the best places I’ve ever traveled to.
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Just be careful about the giant spiders!
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That’s some good advice. What did you do there?
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Well, I rented a caravan and drove around the whole country.
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I started in Sydney, and went north up the coast to Brisbane, then I headed west through the interior.
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I took my time and spent a few days here and there.
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Eventually I came to Uluru.
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You know, the giant rock in the middle of the desert?
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Yes, I’ve always wanted to go there.
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What a great trip!
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I think you’ve traveled more than anyone else I know.
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How many countries have you been to?
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Hmmm... Let’s see… I think I’ve been to about forty countries.
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I haven’t tried to count them in a long time.
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Well, it’s been great to see you Marcus, but we have to get going.
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We meet a friend for lunch every Saturday, and I think we have been late the last three times.
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Actually, have you eaten lunch yet?
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You’re welcome to come and join us!
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Thanks! You know, I am pretty hungry.
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I only ate a small breakfast this morning and I haven’t had lunch yet.
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Who are you meeting?
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Our friend, Dave. Have you met him?
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No, I don’t think so.
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Well, he has been to many of the same places as you have.
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Come on! The restaurant is just around the corner.
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Have you been to Jenny’s diner before?
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Oh yes, I love Jenny’s!
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I went there for breakfast just a few days ago.
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Let’s go!
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What You'll Practice in This Lesson
This lesson focuses on mastering the present perfect and past simple tenses through a natural conversation about life experiences. You'll learn to switch between these tenses smoothly, as the dialogue covers recent changes, long-term careers, and specific past events—key skills for IELTS speaking practice and everyday communication. By engaging with the video, you'll also improve your ability to discuss travel, work, and personal decisions, all while refining your fluency.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- What have you been up to? – A common way to ask about someone's recent activities.
- Quit your job – To leave a job voluntarily (past simple context).
- Fulfilling career – A career that brings personal satisfaction.
- Vibrant city – A lively, energetic place (describing Rio de Janeiro).
- Wildlife – Animals living in their natural environment (used when talking about the Amazon).
Practice Tips for Shadowing Success
Shadowing—repeating the dialogue aloud in real time—is a powerful way to improve pronunciation and rhythm. The video's conversational speed is moderate, making it ideal for shadowspeak practice. Here's how to make the most of it:
- Match the tone: The speakers use friendly, relaxed intonation. Focus on copying their rising and falling tones, especially in questions like "Where did you go?" This helps you sound natural in casual conversations, a must for IELTS speaking practice.
- Pause and repeat short segments: Start with 5-10 second clips. Pause, then repeat immediately. This trains your brain to process and reproduce language quickly, a core shadow speech skill. A good shadowing site can help you loop segments easily.
- Emphasize tense shifts: Notice when the speakers switch from present perfect ("I've taught many students") to past simple ("We flew into São Paulo"). Highlighting these shifts in your shadowing will reinforce your understanding of when to use each tense.
Consistent practice with this video will not only boost your tense accuracy but also make your speech more fluid—key for success in both daily interactions and exams. Use shadow speak techniques to turn this dialogue into a tool for real progress.
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 | haven't seen · It's been · we've talked |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the nicest |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | We're doing · you're looking · are you meeting |
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.