Shadowing Practice: Renting an apartment - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hello?
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117 sentences
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Hello?
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Hi, my name is Sophia.
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I'm a student at Brandeis University and I want to rent an apartment.
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I saw your listing for an apartment on Oak Street.
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Hi Sophia, I'm Cynthia the landlord.
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Did you want to schedule a viewing?
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Yes, that's right.
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The earliest appointment to view the apartment is 1 p.m tomorrow.
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Great!
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I'll take that appointment.
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Thank you.
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Okay, I'll see you then.
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Hi Sophia, nice to meet you.
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Come in.
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Hi, nice to meet you too.
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Thank you.
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Wow, this is very nice and clean.
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Yes, I always have it cleaned when a tenant moves out.
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Besides, the apartment was recently renovated.
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Let me show you around.
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That would be great, thank you.
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Like the listing said, it's a one-bedroom, one-bathroom apartment.
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This is the bedroom.
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It is fully furnished with a bed,
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wardrobe, and two bedside tables.
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There is also a desk for study and a bookshelf.
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An LCD TV and Wi-Fi connection.
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I love this room.
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It looks really cozy and stylish.
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Is there air conditioning?
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No, there isn't, but this building stays pretty cool when it's hot outside.
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Is it okay if I hang some things on the walls?
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Yes, but please don't leave any holes in the walls.
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I don't want you to make any major changes to the apartment.
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What if something in the apartment stops working or breaks?
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You can call me immediately and I will come over to look at it.
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I live right down the street.
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I will pay for any ongoing repairs.
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Well, all of that sounds perfect.
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The bathroom is attached to the bedroom.
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It's over here.
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The toilet and shower are a little older,
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but they are in excellent condition.
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Yes, they look almost new.
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Is there a washer and dryer?
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There's no washing machine or dryer in the apartment.
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But there's a laundromat in the basement.
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You will have to get a laundry card from a machine down there.
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You can load some money onto it to do your laundry.
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I see.
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It's perfectly fine.
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Let me show you now the kitchen.
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It is a fully equipped kitchen.
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It has a stovetop and oven, microwave and refrigerator.
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The oven and stovetop use gas.
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Will I be responsible for paying the gas bill?
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Yes, but it won't be very much.
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If you cook one meal a day,
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it should be about $30 a month.
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What about the heat?
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Is that gas too?
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No. The heat runs on electricity.
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Will I need to pay that bill?
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No, the heat is included in the rent.
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So is the water and the trash and snow removal.
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That sounds like a good deal.
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Is there a dishwasher in the kitchen too?
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There is.
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It's right here.
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Awesome!
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Could I have guests stay overnight?
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You can have one guest stay overnight,
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but they cannot stay multiple nights.
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What about parties?
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Can I have small parties once in a while?
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Yes, you can.
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But please do not drink alcohol at the party.
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A student who stayed here caused damage to the apartment after drinking with some friends.
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I'm only 18, so I don't drink yet.
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That shouldn't be a problem.
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I'm glad to hear that.
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How much is the rent for this place?
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$800 a month.
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And how can I pay the rent?
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You can write me a check at the beginning of each month.
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I'll ask you to pay a deposit for the first of last month's rent, which would be $1,600.
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Any damages to the apartment will come out of the deposit.
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If there aren't any damages,
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then you won't be charged,
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and the deposit will go towards paying your last month's rent.
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How long is the lease?
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One year.
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After that, you can sign a lease for another year.
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Is the apartment close to public transportation?
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Yes, the bus stop is just 150 feet away.
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It's a five-minute walk from this building.
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You can also get easily to the grocery store from here.
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Perfect!
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What are the neighbors like?
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I hope they're not noisy because I need to study a lot.
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No, they're not, so you shouldn't worry about that.
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They are very friendly and sociable,
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and this street is pretty quiet.
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There's not much noise.
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Would you like to rent the apartment?
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I have the lease right here.
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If you don't sign now,
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there are other students who might take this apartment by tomorrow.
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Places in this area get snapped up fast.
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Yes, I will sign right now.
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When can I move in?
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If you want, you could move in tomorrow.
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Perfect, thank you.
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Who should I make the checkout to?
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Cynthia Bowers Welcome to the building.
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I'm sure you'll love it here.
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Context & Background

In this conversation, we follow Sophia, a student at Brandeis University, as she inquires about renting an apartment. She speaks with Cynthia, the landlord, showcasing a typical dialogue for anyone looking to rent a place. This exchange is not only important for understanding the renting process in English-speaking countries but also provides valuable insights into the vocabulary and phrases commonly used in real estate communications. By practicing this dialogue, English learners can enhance their speaking skills and gain confidence in real-life situations involving rentals.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “I want to rent an apartment.” – A straightforward statement that conveys your intention.
  • “Can I schedule a viewing?” – A polite way to ask for an appointment to see the property.
  • “Is it okay if I hang some things on the walls?” – Important question regarding personalizing the rental space.
  • “I will pay for any ongoing repairs.” – Clarifies responsibilities and portrays responsibility as a tenant.
  • “Is there a washer and dryer?” – A common inquiry about laundry facilities within the apartment.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively use the shadowing technique from this video, consider the following steps:

  1. Find a Shadowing App: Use a shadowing app or listen to the video transcript while focusing on pronunciation and rhythm.
  2. Listen and Repeat: Play small segments of the conversation, then repeat right after the speakers. This helps train your ear and mouth to mimic English sounds accurately.
  3. Focus on Intonation: Pay attention to the intonation patterns used by Sophia and Cynthia. Incorporate pauses and stress in your own practice to make your speech more natural.
  4. Monitor Your Progress: Record yourself practicing the dialogue. Listen for areas that need improvement, particularly where you can enhance clarity and fluidity.
  5. Engage in Role-Play: Find a language partner and role-play the conversation. This will not only improve your speaking skills but also build confidence in real-life scenarios.

Incorporating these steps into your language practice will provide a solid foundation upon which to build your English speaking skills, especially in real estate contexts. Try using shadow speech techniques by imitating the conversation from the transcript for optimal learning.

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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