Shadowing Practice: Shadowing Practice: At a Restaurant or Cafe - Learn English Speaking with Video

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You guys asked for it, so here it is.

More shadowing practice in American English.

I'm a native speaker from the U.S and I'm a classically trained singer.

So I have a background in the International Phonetic Alphabet or IPA,

which is a collection of symbols that represent all the sounds you can find in any language.

So throughout my shadowing videos,

I will also provide some IPA symbols to represent the sounds that I'm making,

and this will help you to understand overall how to practice and improve your pronunciation.

Now, I said shadowing videos,

plural, because within my community here on YouTube,

I asked my members, what series do you want to see from me next?

I already have a phrasal verb series,

which I'll link here, but they also voted for a shadowing series.

So shout out to my members for that.

In fact, shout out to our newest members,

Ana Anakua, Lucimara Benedetti, and Jevinova.

Welcome, and thank you so much for your support.

If you want to join our community of English learners and benefit from exclusive perks here on my channel,

click the join button below.

Okay, for today's video, I thought what phrases will be the most useful to learn when you're new to speaking English.

And this includes those of you who have studied English for a long time,

but you don't live in an English speaking country,

so you don't speak the language a lot.

Well, if you move to an English-speaking country or you just travel to one,

the most common scenario you're going to need English is going to a restaurant or cafe.

I know because when I first left the US,

I moved to Austria and I was learning the language.

I had studied it for a few years,

but I still really struggled speaking.

And let me tell you,

with every visit to a restaurant or a cafe,

I learned through experience, sometimes failing,

what the correct phrases to use were.

This involved listening to native speakers around me and just imitating what they said.

So with this video, you don't have to do all that

trial and error like I did

because I'm going to give you the phrases you'll need

and all you have to do is repeat after me or better yet say it with me.

You can pause the video at any time

if you need more time to repeat a phrase

or you want to write it down or check the meaning in your native language.

Are you ready?

Let's go!

English made easy with Claire Hi,

do you have a table for two available?

Now the second time, say it with me.

Hi, do you have a table for two available?

We have a reservation under...

Hi, is there a wait for a table?

I don't have a reservation,

but do you have any open tables?

I don't have a reservation,

but do you have any open tables?

How long is the wait?

Can we sit at the bar while we wait?

I quickly want to point out my pronunciation of the word can.

You will have learned can with this vowel sound, a.

A lot of times you will hear native speakers pronounce this word as can can

and that's a completely different vowel sound so

if you hear can i can i

and not can i don't be thrown off this is another pronunciation

or a very fast pronunciation of the word can so you try it with me can we

can we can we sit at the bar while we wait?

Or can I can I can I sit at the bar while I wait?

These next few phrases will all start with can we or can I? so we can practice.

Can I sit by the window please?

Can we sit at a booth instead of a table?

Can we sit outside? Can we sit outside?

We have a toddler with us.

Do you have a high chair?

We have a toddler with us.

Do you have a high chair?

Hi, can I get an iced coffee with oat milk please?

I'll start with a glass of water.

In American English, if there's a T at the end or in the middle of a word,

we often pronounce this as a d sound more of a stop sound

so instead of water we say water water i'll start with a glass of water can i see the drinks menu

can i see the drinks menu do you have any non-alcoholic options Do you have any non-alcoholic options?

Do you have any non-dairy milk?

I prefer oat milk, but almond milk's fine.

Do you have any non-dairy milk?

I prefer oat milk, but almond milk's fine.

Can I get a refill on my drink?

I take my coffee black, no cream or sugar.

You'll notice the word or is not overly pronounced in rapid speech.

It kind of just sounds like er,

cream or sugar, cream or sugar.

Let's say the whole sentence together.

I take my coffee black, no cream or sugar.

Is the orange juice freshly squeezed?

And does it have pulp?

Is the orange juice freshly squeezed?

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And does it have pulp?

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I'll have a large cappuccino to go.

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The pronunciation of the word to is also very short in rapid speech. To go. To go.

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I'll have a large cappuccino to go.

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Can I get an extra shot of espresso in that?

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Can I get an extra shot of espresso in that?

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What do you recommend?

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What do you recommend?

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I'll have the burger with fries, please.

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I'll have the burger with fries, please.

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Can I substitute the fries for a salad?

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And what dressing do you have?

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Can I substitute the fries for a salad?

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And what dressing do you have?

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Does this dish come with any sides?

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Does this dish come with any sides? Is this dish vegetarian? Is this dish vegetarian?

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Is it possible to get that without onions?

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Notice the stop sound at the end of that and without.

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So don't pronounce the T's. That, without.

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We don't need them. That, without.

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Is it possible to get that without onions?

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I have a gluten allergy.

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Do you have any gluten-free options?

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I have a gluten allergy.

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Do you have any gluten-free options?

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Can I add avocado to that?

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Can I add avocado to that?

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I'd like my steak medium rare.

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I'd like my steak medium rare.

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Do you have any vegan options?

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Do you have any vegan options?

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This smells amazing.

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This smells amazing.

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Mm, everything tastes delicious.

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Let me just slow down the pronunciation of that middle word.

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Tastes.

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Tastes.

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In rapid speech, it's difficult to hear both the S-T and the S sound.

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If you don't squeeze it all in,

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it's not the end of the world.

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Everything tastes delicious.

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Could we get some extra napkins, please?

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Could we get some extra napkins, please?

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Would you mind bringing us some more bread?

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Notice how the end of some and more have the same sound,

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so we can kind of squeeze these words together.

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Some more, some more.

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Would you mind bringing us some more bread?

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Excuse me, I believe I ordered the chicken, but this is fish.

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Excuse me, I believe I ordered the chicken, but this is fish.

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Sorry, but my food is a little cold.

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Could you warm it up?

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Sorry, but my food is a little cold.

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Could you warm it up?

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Could we have some ketchup and mayo?

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Could we have some ketchup and mayo?

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The service here is top notch.

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The service here is top notch.

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Wow!

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This portion is huge!

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Wow, this portion is huge.

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Would you mind taking our picture?

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Would you mind taking our picture?

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Can we get the check please?

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Can we get the check please?

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Can I get this to go?

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Can I get this to go?

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Can I get a to go box for this?

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Can I get a to go box for this?

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I'll take care of the bill.

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I'll take care of the bill.

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Let's split the check.

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Let's split the check.

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Do you accept Apple Pay?

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Do you accept Apple Pay?

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Can I get a receipt, please?

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Can I get a receipt, please?

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Do you need my signature?

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Do you need my signature?

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Thanks, everything was wonderful.

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We'll definitely be back.

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Thanks, everything was wonderful.

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We'll definitely be back.

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Keep the change.

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Keep the change.

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All right, guys, you are now fully equipped.

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Next time you are at a restaurant or cafe and you have to speak English.

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All these phrases are very common and polite and will not steer you wrong.

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Repeat this video as many times as you like to practice your speaking and pronunciation.

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If you found it useful,

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please like the video, subscribe to my channel if you haven't already,

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share it with a friend who's also learning English,

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and let me know in the comments what topic you'd like to shadow from me next.

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I'll see you in the next one.

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Bye for now!

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About This Lesson

This shadowing practice is designed to help you navigate conversations in American English, especially in restaurant and cafe settings. You will learn key phrases that are commonly used when dining out, enhancing your English speaking practice skills. By repeating after a native speaker, you’ll improve your pronunciation and fluency. This method, known as shadow speech, allows you to absorb the rhythm and intonation of natural conversation. Dive into these practical phrases and prepare yourself for real-life interactions during your travels or while living in an English-speaking country.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

Hi, do you have a table for two available?
We have a reservation under...
Hi, is there a wait for a table?
Can we see the menu, please?
Could I get the bill, please?
What do you recommend?
Is this dish vegetarian?
What are today’s specials?

Practice Tips

To maximize your learning through this shadowing site, here are some effective practice tips:

Listen and Repeat: Play the video and immediately repeat the phrases after the narrator. This technique will help reinforce your understanding and memory.
Pace Yourself: If the phrases feel too fast, use the pause button. Take your time to repeat and practice each phrase until you feel confident.
Focus on Intonation: Pay attention to how the speaker emphasizes certain words. Mimicking this intonation will make your speech sound more natural.
Record Yourself: Try recording your own voice while shadowing. Compare it to the video to identify areas for improvement.
Practice Regularly: Incorporate this practice into your daily routine for consistent improvement. Just twenty minutes a day can accelerate your IELTS speaking practice.

Engaging with this content regularly will enhance your conversational skills and prepare you for real-life encounters. Enjoy your practice and remember, the more you speak, the easier it will become! Join our community of learners to continue improving your English with shadowing techniques.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	be thrown · is not overly pronounced · are now fully equipped
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form	mind bringing · mind taking
Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group	our newest · the most useful · the most common
Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction	will also provide · will help · I'll link

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 →

Shadowing Practice: Shadowing Practice: At a Restaurant or Cafe - Learn English Speaking with Video

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