Shadowing Practice: Real Business English Conversation 💼 Talking About Project Problems & Updates - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Welcome back to Talk Business English.
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I'm Anna.
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And I'm Jack.
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Really glad you're here with us today.
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So if you listened to our last episode, you already know some really useful project management words.
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Things like deadline, milestone, bottleneck, scope creep.
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Yeah, and if you missed that one, don't worry, you can still follow along today.
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But honestly, go back and listen to it after this.
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It's a great foundation.
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Exactly.
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Today we're going deeper.
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We're going to talk about what happens in the middle of a project, you know, after the kickoff meeting, when the real work begins.
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Right, because that's actually where most of the challenges happen, and most of the conversations, too.
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changes and how to sound confident and professional doing all of that.
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And if you're new to the channel, welcome.
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We're so happy you found us.
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Hit subscribe so you never miss an episode.
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Okay, Anna, let's get into it.
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Let's go.
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But first, can I ask you something?
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Have you ever been in the middle of a project and things just started going wrong?
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Oh, absolutely.
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Every single time.
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I remember one project at my old job.
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We had this big product launch planned.
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Everything looked great on paper.
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things just started falling apart.
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What happened?
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Well, first, one team member got sick.
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Then we realized we were missing some important information from another department.
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And then the deadline was moved up.
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So instead of having six weeks, suddenly we had four.
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Oh no, that's stressful.
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It really was.
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And honestly, the hardest part wasn't the work itself.
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It was the communication.
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Knowing what to say, how to say it, how to tell your manager there's such a real challenge.
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And I think a lot of our listeners feel that too, especially when English is not your first language.
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You know what to do, but finding the right words in English is hard.
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Exactly.
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So today, we're going to give you those words.
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Perfect.
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Okay, so let's start with something really common.
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Imagine you're in a team meeting.
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The project manager looks at you and says, "So, where are we with this?" What do you say?
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Yeah, that question can feel a little intimidating if you're not ready for it.
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It can.
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So the first thing to know is that when someone asks "where are we with this?" they're asking for a status update.
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They want to know how much is done, what's still left to do, and if there are any problems.
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And a good status update is short and clear.
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You don't need to explain every detail, just the key points.
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Right.
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So a simple structure you can use sounds like this.
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and if there's anything blocking you.
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Let me show you what I mean.
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Imagine you're updating your manager on a report you're preparing.
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Okay, I'll be the manager.
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So, where are we with the quarterly report?
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Sure.
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We've finished collecting all the data.
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Right now, we're working on the analysis section.
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We should have a draft ready by Thursday.
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The only issue is we're still waiting on the numbers from the finance team.
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Perfect.
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Short, clear, professional.
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And notice Anna said, the only issue is.
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really natural way to bring up a problem without making it sound like a disaster.
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Exactly.
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You're not panicking, you're just informing.
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And that's what good communication looks like in business.
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So some phrases you can use
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when giving a status update are things like "We've completed the
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first stage," "We are currently working on," "We're about halfway through," "We're on track to finish by,"
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and "We're still waiting on." Those are really useful.
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And don't worry if you can't remember all how they start to stick.
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Now what about when things are not going well?
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Because that happens too, right?
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a lot.
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It does.
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And this is where a lot of people feel nervous.
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Nobody wants to be the one to say there's a problem.
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But actually, the sooner you communicate a problem, the better.
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Managers really appreciate that.
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That's true.
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I've had managers tell me, "I don't mind problems, I just don't want surprises." Yes, that's such a good way to put it.
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So, how do you raise a concern professionally?
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Let's say you've noticed the project is falling behind.
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You can say something like, "I wanted to the design phase.
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I like that.
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To flag something means to bring attention to it.
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It's a really common business phrase.
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It is, and it sounds calm and professional.
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You can also say, I just wanted to give you a heads up, or I wanted to let you know that we've hit a small delay.
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A heads up.
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I love that phrase.
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It means you're warning someone about something before it becomes a bigger issue.
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Exactly.
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And notice the language is soft but honest.
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You're not hiding the problem, you're not making it bigger than it is, you're just communicating clearly.
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Let's do another short example.
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I'll be a team member this time.
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Anna, you're the project manager.
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Okay, go ahead.
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Hey Anna, do you have a minute?
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I just wanted to flag something.
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We're a bit behind on the testing phase.
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One of our tools isn't working properly and we're waiting for the IT team to fix it.
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I think we might need an extra two days.
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Thanks for letting me know.
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Can you send me an email with the details so I can check if we have any flexibility in the timeline?
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Of course, I'll send that over this afternoon.
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Perfect.
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So that whole conversation was calm, professional, and clear.
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Jack flagged the issue, explained the reason, and suggested a solution.
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And I, as the manager, asked for more details and kept things moving.
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And notice Jack said "we might need an extra two days" not "we definitely need"
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or "I don't know what's happening." That middle ground language is really important in business. So good!
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Okay, let's talk about something else that comes up a lot in project management.
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changes.
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Plans change all the time.
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Priorities shift, new information comes in, and you need to be able to talk about that.
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Right, and there's actually a really useful phrase for this: when a plan or direction changes, people often say, "We need to pivot." Yes.
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To pivot means to change direction, not to give up, not to start over completely, just to adjust and go a different way.
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You hear this a lot in startups and tech companies, but it's used in all kinds of businesses now.
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You might hear someone say, "Based on the feedback we received, we've decided to pivot our approach," or,
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"We need to pivot because the client has changed their requirements." And another word that goes with this is to adjust, like we need to adjust our timeline,
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or we've adjusted the plan based on new information.
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Adjust is a really safe professional word.
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It sounds calm.
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It doesn't sound panicked.
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I always recommend it to learners.
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What about when the client changes what they want?
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That happens so much.
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Ugh, constantly.
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And this is where we revisit something from our last episode.
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Do you remember Scope Creep?
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Yes.
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When extra work gets added to the project without changing the deadline or the budget.
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Exactly.
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So how do you handle that professionally?
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How do you tell a client or a manager that the new request is outside the original plan?
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That's a tricky one.
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You want to be helpful, but you also need to be honest about what's realistic.
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Right.
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So you can say something like, "That's a great idea.
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However, that falls outside our original scope.
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If we add that, we'd need to adjust the timeline or the budget.
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Can we discuss the best way to move forward?" I like that.
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You're not saying no, you're saying yes, but here's what it means for the project.
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And you're inviting them into the conversation.
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Exactly.
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And that phrase "can we discuss the best way to move forward" is so useful.
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It keeps things collaborative.
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It shows you're a problem solver, not just someone who says no. Let me ask you something, Anna.
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What about when they're working with people in different departments?
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Like when you need something from another team and they're slow to respond?
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This is so common and it can be really frustrating.
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But how you handle it professionally makes a big difference.
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What do you usually do?
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So, if I've sent a request and haven't heard back, I might send a follow -up email.
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And the key is to be polite but clear.
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You can say, "Just following up on my earlier message, I wanted to check if you've had a chance to look at this.
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We're hoping to have it by Friday to stay on schedule." That's good.
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You're reminding them, but you're also explaining why it matters.
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You're giving context.
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Yes, and that phrase, "just following up," is one of the most used phrases in business email and conversation.
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Every learner should know it.
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Absolutely.
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And in a meeting, you might say, "I just wanted to circle back on the request I sent last week.
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Has there been any progress on that?" Yes, to circle back means to return to something you discussed before.
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It's very common in business.
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I feel like I use that phrase every week.
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Me too.
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It's one of those phrases that just sounds natural once you start using it.
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Okay, so let's imagine a slightly bigger situation.
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You're in a team meeting, the project is getting complicated, there are a few different problems happening at the same time.
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How do you talk about that without it turning into a panic?
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Great question.
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So first, you want to stay calm in your language.
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Even if you're stressed, your words should sound organized.
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How do you do that?
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You can use phrases that show your thinking clearly, like, "Let's take this one step at a time," or, "Let's identify the biggest priority first," or,
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"Let's figure out what's blocking us and work from there."
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Those phrases make you sound like a leader even if you're not the boss.
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Exactly.
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And that's important.
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You don't have to be the boss to use professional language.
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When you speak clearly and calmly, people notice.
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Let's do a short meeting scenario.
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Let's say we're in a team meeting and things are a bit chaotic.
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Okay, let's go.
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Alright everyone, we've got a few issues to deal with.
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The client just sent new feedback.
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We're behind on the development side and two team members are out sick this week.
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Okay, let's take this one step at a time.
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What's the most urgent issue right now?
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I think the client feedback is the priority.
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If we don't respond quickly, they might lose confidence in the project.
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Agreed.
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Let's assign someone to handle the client response today.
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Then we can circle back to the development delays in the second half of this meeting. That works.
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Can you take the lead on the client side, Anna?
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Sure.
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I'll draft a response and share it with the team before I send it.
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Perfect.
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So did you hear how that meeting stayed calm and organized?
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Even though there were multiple problems, the conversation was structured.
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One thing at a time.
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Clear actions, clear responsibilities.
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And notice the phrase "take the lead." That means to be responsible for something, to be the person who drives it forward.
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It's a great phrase to know.
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Now, let's talk about something that happens at the end of a project phase, or sometimes in the middle when things need to be reviewed.
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It's called a check -in.
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Yes, a check -in is a short, informal meeting or conversation to see how things are going.
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It's not as formal as a full status meeting.
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It's more like a quick touch base.
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And touch base is another great phrase.
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To touch base with someone means to have a quick conversation to stay connected and share information.
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You might say, "Let's touch base on Thursday to see where we are," or, "I just wanted to touch base with you about the project before the weekend." It's very casual but still professional.
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I think that's why people like it.
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Exactly.
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And for learners, these kinds of phrases are really valuable, because they help you sound natural.
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Not just correct, but natural.
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That's the goal, right?
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Sounding like someone who works comfortably in English, not just someone who studied it.
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Yes, and the more you hear these phrases in context, the more natural they feel when you use them.
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Okay, let's talk about one more situation that's really important: presenting your progress to someone more senior, like your manager or a client.
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Oh yes, this can feel nerve -wracking, especially if you're presenting in English and it's not your first language.
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What advice do you give for that?
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So the first thing I always say is keep it simple.
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Senior people are busy.
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They want the key points fast.
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So start with the most important information.
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Like a summary first?
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Exactly.
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You can open with something like, "I just wanted to give you a quick overview of where we are.
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Overall, the project is on track.
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We've completed the first two phases, and we're currently working on phase three." and then you go into more detail if they want it.
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Right, you let them guide the conversation.
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If they want more detail, they'll ask.
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If they're happy with the overview, great.
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You've communicated clearly without wasting their time.
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And if there's a problem you need to mention, you can say, there's one area I wanted to flag, and then explain it calmly.
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Yes.
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Always flag it, don't hide it, and always try to come with a possible solution, even if it's not perfect.
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It shows you're thinking proactively.
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Proactively.
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That's a good word.
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It means you're thinking ahead, taking action before problems get bigger.
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Exactly.
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And in business, being proactive is something managers really value.
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Okay.
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I think this is a great moment to revisit some of the key words and phrases from today's episode, because we've covered a lot.
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Yes, let's do that.
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And remember, the goal isn't to memorize a list, the goal is to understand how these feel in real conversation.
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So let's start with status update.
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We talked about this at the beginning.
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What does it mean exactly?
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A status update is when you tell someone how a project or task is going right now.
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What's done, what's in progress, what's still to come.
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You might say, "Can I give you a quick status update?"
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or "Here's a status update on the project." Simple and super useful.
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What about to flag something?
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You say, "I just wanted to flag a potential issue." It's calm and professional.
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And a heads up.
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A heads up is a warning or advance notice.
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You're telling someone about something before it becomes a problem, like, "Just wanted to give you a heads up.
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We might be a day late on this." I use that one all the time.
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What about on track?
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On track means everything is going as planned.
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No delays, no big problems.
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You can say, "We're on track to finish by the end of the month." It's a really reassuring phrase
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when you're reporting to a manager.
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And the opposite, when things aren't going as planned.
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You might say we've hit a delay, or we're running behind, or we've run into an issue.
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These all mean something has slowed down or gone wrong.
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And remember, it's okay to say this.
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What matters is how you say it and what you do next.
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That's such an important point.
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Don't be afraid to report a problem.
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Be afraid of not reporting it.
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Exactly.
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Okay, what about to pivot?
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To pivot means to change direction or approach.
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it's adapting.
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You might say, "Based on the new information, we've decided to pivot our strategy.
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It sounds confident and flexible." And to circle back?
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To circle back means to return to a topic or conversation.
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Like, "Let's circle back to that after lunch." Or, "I'll circle back with you once I have more information." It's a very natural business phrase.
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What about to touch base?
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To touch base means to have a quick, informal check -in with someone, to stay connected and share a quick update.
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You might say, can we touch base tomorrow morning?
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Or, I just wanted to touch base before the meeting.
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And take the lead?
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To take the lead means to be responsible for something, to be the person who drives it forward.
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Like, can you take the lead on the client presentation?
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It means you're in charge of making that happen.
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To follow up means to check on something after an earlier conversation or request.
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You might say, "I'm just following up on my email from last week,"
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or "I'll follow up with you after the meeting." It's one of the most used phrases in business communication.
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These phrases are so practical.
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I feel like even advanced speakers use these every single day.
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They really do.
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And for learners, once you start using them, they become second nature very quickly.
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Just start with one or two, use them in your next meeting or email, and then add more over time.
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Don't try to use all ten at once.
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That's not how language works.
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Pick one, use it, feel comfortable, then add another.
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Exactly.
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Small steps.
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Real progress.
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That's the Talk Business English way.
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I love that.
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Okay, before we close out, it's time for our question of the day.
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Yes, so here's today's question.
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Think about a project you've worked on at work, at school, or even in your personal life.
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What was one challenge you faced, and how did you handle it?
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using some of the language from today.
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Try to use at least one or two phrases we talked about.
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For example, you could say something like, "I was working on a group project at university.
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We hit a delay because one team member was very busy.
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I flagged the issue to our group leader and we adjusted the timeline." Or you could say, "I was helping plan an event at work.
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We had to pivot our approach at the last minute because the venue changed.
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It was stressful, but we stayed on track completely different.
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The important thing is to practice using the language.
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Write your answer in the comments below.
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We read every single one.
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And honestly, writing in English in the comments is great practice.
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You're producing the language, not just listening to it.
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That's how it moves from your head to your mouth.
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So well said.
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Okay, let's do a quick recap of everything we covered today.
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We talked about how to give a status update, clearly and professionally.
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How to flag a problem without panicking.
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How to handle changes how to follow up with other teams, how to stay calm and organized in a busy meeting, and how to present progress to senior people.
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And we covered some really great phrases.
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Status update, flag something, heads up, on track, hit a delay, pivot, circle back, touch base,
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Take the lead and follow up.
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That's a lot of useful language in one episode.
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It is.
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And remember, you don't need to be perfect.
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You just need to be clear.
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Business English is about communication, not perfection.
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I think that's the most important thing we say on this podcast.
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You don't have to speak like a native speaker.
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You just have to speak clearly and confidently.
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And that comes with practice.
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So, keep listening, keep practicing, and keep showing up.
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Every episode you listen to, every comment you write, every phrase you try, it all adds up.
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And if you enjoyed today's episode, share it with a friend or colleague who's also learning business English.
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It really helps the channel grow, and it helps more learners find us.
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soon with another episode.
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Until then, keep practicing, stay confident, and we'll talk soon.
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Take care, everyone.
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See you next time.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 355 sentences and 3368 words to shadow. The speech runs for 19:15. The speaker talks at a natural 175 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 less common words from the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
- phrase /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ (noun) — A short written or spoken expression.
- adjust /əˈd͡ʒʌst/ (verb) — To modify.
- delay /dɪˈleɪ̯/ (noun) — A period of time before an event occurs; the act of delaying; procrastination; lingering inactivity.
- panic /ˈpænɪk/ (noun) — Overwhelming fear or fright, often affecting groups of people or animals; (countable) an instance of this; a fright, a scare.
- timeline /ˈtaɪmˌlaɪn/ (noun) — A graphical representation of a chronological sequence of events (past or future).
- professionally (adverb) — As a professional; for one's paid career.
- priority /pɹaɪˈɒɹɪti/ (noun) — An item's relative importance.
- feedback /ˈfiːdˌbæk/ (noun) — Critical assessment of a process or activity or of their results.
- scope /skəʊp/ (noun) — The breadth, depth or reach of a subject; the extent of applicability or relevance; a domain, purview or remit.
- communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/ (verb) — To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell.
- deadline /ˈdɛdˌlaɪn/ (noun) — A time limit in the form of a date on or before which something must be completed.
- organize /ˈɔɹɡənaɪz/ (verb) — To arrange in working order.
- connect /kəˈnɛkt/ (verb) — To join (to another object): to attach, or to be intended to attach or capable of attaching, to another object.
- overview /ˈoʊ.vɚˌvjuː/ (noun) — A brief summary, as of a book or a presentation.
- stressful /ˈstɹɛsfəl/ (adjective) — Irritating; causing stress.
Phrasal verbs you will hear
- talk about (verb) — Used to draw attention to the speaker's characterization of someone or something.
- follow up (verb) — To take further actions remaining after an event; to continue, revisit, or persist; especially, to maintain communication or verify.
- work on (verb) — To apply mental or physical effort to (something) in order to shape, form, improve, investigate, solve it, etc.
- talked about (adjective) — Discussed by many people.
- ask for (verb) — To request; to order.
- check in (verb) — To announce or record one's own arrival at a hotel, airport etc.
- come with (verb) — To join and come along.
- follow up on (verb) — To take further actions regarding (something).
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 100 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, we're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: presentation /ˌpɹɛzn̩ˈteɪʃn̩/, casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, perfection /pɚˈfɛk.ʃən/, reassure /ˌɹi.əˈʃʊɹ/
- Long words — get the stress right: priority /pɹaɪˈɒɹɪti/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, complicated /ˈkɑm.plɪˌkeɪ.tɪd/, flexibility /ˌflɛksɪˈbɪlɪti/, collaborative /kəˈlæb.ə.ɹə.tɪv/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like phrase, adjust, delay.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | If we add that, we'd need · If they want more detail, they'll ask |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | We've finished · We've completed · you've noticed |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | was moved · is done · was structured |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who says · person who drives · someone who works |
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.