Shadowing Practice: Slow English Practice | Why You Understand English But CAN'T Speak It | English Podcast - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
B1
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel,
315 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hello everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel,
2
where learning English is easy and fun.
3
I'm Emily.
4
Hi, Emily.
5
It is so good to sit here and talk with you today.
6
It is great to see you too, Paul.
7
How is your week going?
8
My week is going very well, thank you.
9
I went to a great concert last night.
10
Oh, wow.
11
That sounds amazing.
12
Did you play any music yourself?
13
No, no. I just listened to the beautiful music.
14
Hmm.
15
That is interesting.
16
You can listen and enjoy the music,
17
but you cannot play the guitar like the musician, right?
18
Exactly.
19
I understand the music perfectly,
20
but my hands do not know how to play it.
21
That is exactly like what happens to many English learners.
22
They understand everything, but they cannot speak.
23
Ah, that is a very big problem for many people.
24
They feel stuck.
25
Yes.
26
They often think, maybe I am not smart enough,
27
or maybe my English is bad.
28
But that is not true at all.
29
It's just a normal thing that happens in our brains.
30
Really?
31
Can you explain that a little bit, Paul?
32
Well, the brain has two different rooms for language.
33
One room is for listening,
34
and the other room is for speaking.
35
Oh, I see.
36
So when we listen, we use the listening room.
37
Yes, exactly.
38
That room just needs to recognize words,
39
like seeing a friend's face.
40
And what about the speaking room?
41
Is it harder to use?
42
Much harder.
43
The speaking room has to build the words from nothing,
44
and it takes a lot of energy.
45
Wow, that makes so much sense.
46
So, understanding is passive, but speaking is active.
47
Yes.
48
Scientists say that listening takes very little energy.
49
Our brains like to save energy, you know?
50
Yes.
51
My brain loves to rest.
52
So, when we understand, we think we know how to speak, right?
53
Yes.
54
It is a little trick of the mind.
55
We call it the illusion of competence.
56
The illusion of competence?
57
What does that mean in simple words?
58
It means you feel like an expert when you listen,
59
but when you open your mouth,
60
you realize you need more practice.
61
Oh, I know that feeling.
62
It is like your brain freezes and you cannot find any words.
63
Exactly.
64
Your working memory gets too full.
65
You're trying to think about grammar,
66
words, and your accent all at the same time.
67
But don't worry, everyone.
68
Today we have five amazing games and strategies to fix this.
69
Yes.
70
We are going to help you move words from your listening room to your speaking room.
71
That is great.
72
Let us start with the first strategy.
73
We call it changing the story.
74
Oh, I like that name.
75
How does it work, Emily?
76
Well, most students just listen to a story and do nothing.
77
That's passive listening.
78
Right, and that does not help you speak.
79
So what should they do instead?
80
They need to do active reconstruction.
81
That means taking a simple sentence and changing it.
82
Can you give us a quick example?
83
Sure.
84
Imagine you hear the sentence,
85
I go to the supermarket and I buy some milk.
86
Okay, that is a very simple sentence.
87
How do we change it?
88
Change the time.
89
Say it about yesterday.
90
Yesterday, I went to the supermarket and I bought some milk.
91
Ah, that is smart.
92
You can also change the person, right?
93
Yes, exactly.
94
You can say, he goes to the supermarket and he buys some milk.
95
Wow, that forces the speaking brain to wake up and work.
96
Yes, it makes you practice grammar naturally without memorizing boring rules.
97
That is a wonderful exercise.
98
You can do it with any small sentence you hear in a podcast.
99
Exactly.
100
You take a sentence you understand and you play with it.
101
Hmm.
102
What if we try it right now?
103
Let us give our friends another example.
104
Okay.
105
Let's take this sentence.
106
She likes to read books in the morning.
107
Now let us change it to the past tense.
108
She liked to read books yesterday morning.
109
Good job, Paul.
110
Now let us change it to the future tense.
111
She will like to read books tomorrow morning.
112
See?
113
It is very simple, but it works your brain.
114
It really does.
115
It breaks that lazy habit of just listening and nodding your head.
116
Yes, because nodding your head does not train your mouth to move. So true.
117
We need to make our mouths move.
118
Speaking of moving, I think our listeners are doing a fantastic job listening to us right now.
119
Yes, they are!
120
If you are enjoying this conversation,
121
don't forget to like the video,
122
subscribe to the channel and share it with a friend who is learning English.
123
Yes, please subscribe.
124
And if you are still listening,
125
comment, I want to speak, below.
126
That is a perfect comment.
127
It shows us you are ready to practice.
128
Now, Emily, what is the second strategy to help our friends speak better?
129
The second strategy is called the layer game.
130
It helps you find words faster.
131
The layer game?
132
Tell me more about it.
133
Sometimes when we speak, we always use the same simple words like good, bad, or thing.
134
Oh, yes.
135
Students get stuck using basic words because they are easy to find.
136
Exactly.
137
In this game, you choose a simple object like your smartphone.
138
Okay, I am looking at my smartphone right now.
139
What do I do?
140
First, describe it in 30 seconds using very simple words.
141
Well, it is a phone,
142
it is black, and it is very good.
143
I use it every day.
144
Great!
145
Now, do Layer 2.
146
Describe it again, but do not use the words phone or good.
147
Oh, let me try.
148
This is a modern electronic device.
149
It is extremely useful and it helps me talk to my family.
150
Wow, that was amazing, Paul.
151
You used device and useful.
152
Ah, I see.
153
My brain had to work harder to find those words.
154
Yes, that is called retrieval practice.
155
You are training your brain to search for better words under pressure.
156
This is so fun!
157
It is like a workout for your vocabulary.
158
It really is!
159
You can do it with anything,
160
like a coffee cup, a car, or a house.
161
So, the first time you use easy words,
162
and the second time you use better words.
163
Yes, exactly.
164
You eliminate the generic words and force your brain to find synonyms.
165
That is a very powerful trick.
166
It helps stop that um and uh moment when you speak.
167
Yes, it reduces the time you need to think before you speak.
168
I love that.
169
Now, what is the third strategy on our list today?
170
The third one is a special type of shadowing.
171
We call it the pause and copy game.
172
Wait, I know traditional shadowing.
173
You just repeat what you hear immediately, right?
174
Yes, but traditional shadowing only trains your mouth muscles.
175
It does not train your brain to think.
176
Oh!
177
So how is the advanced version different?
178
In this version, you listen to a whole sentence,
179
then you pause the audio.
180
OK.
181
You pause the audio, and then?
182
You wait 3 to 5 seconds.
183
You just wait in silence.
184
Wow!
185
Why do we need to wait?
186
That sounds a bit difficult.
187
It is difficult.
188
Waiting forces your short-term memory to hold the English structure.
189
Ah, I get it.
190
Then, after five seconds, you repeat the sentence exactly like the native speaker.
191
Yes, exactly.
192
You try to copy the exact emotion and rhythm.
193
Let us try it right now with our listeners so they can understand.
194
Great idea!
195
I will say a sentence,
196
then we will have a small silence,
197
and then you repeat it, Paul.
198
I am ready.
199
Give me a good sentence.
200
In the morning, I love to drink a hot cup of coffee before work.
201
In the morning, I love to drink a hot cup of coffee before work.
202
Perfect!
203
That was beautiful, Paul.
204
Wow, I felt my brain working during that short pause.
205
It had to remember the whole picture.
206
Exactly.
207
This transfers the grammar from just a sound you hear to a real structure you can build.
208
That is an excellent point.
209
It's like taking a photo of the sentence with your brain.
210
Yes, and it helps you speak in full sentences, not just single words.
211
Speaking of full sentences, that leads us perfectly into our fourth strategy, right?
212
Yes.
213
Strategy number four is all about word blocks.
214
Word blocks?
215
Do you mean like Lego blocks for language?
216
Yes!
217
That is a perfect description.
218
Many students try to build sentences word by word,
219
like translating every single word from their language.
220
Oh, that is a big mistake.
221
It makes your speaking very slow and robotic.
222
Exactly.
223
Fluent speakers do not think word by word.
224
They use pre-made blocks of language.
225
Can you give us some examples of these blocks, Emily?
226
Sure.
227
For example, at work, you don't just say solve and problem.
228
You use the block address an issue.
229
Ah, address an issue.
230
That sounds very professional.
231
Yes.
232
Or instead of reduce and risks,
233
you can say mitigate risks.
234
Wow.
235
Mitigate risks is a fantastic word block.
236
What about organizing things?
237
You can use the block gather requirements,
238
like when you need to collect information for a project.
239
These blocks are so helpful.
240
You don't have to think about grammar because the block is already correct.
241
Exactly!
242
You just drop the whole block into your conversation.
243
So how can our friends practice using these word blocks?
244
They should stop memorizing lists of single words.
245
They need to write down full blocks.
246
Yes.
247
When you learn a new word,
248
always learn the friends that go with it.
249
Exactly.
250
Learn the words that naturally live together.
251
That makes speaking so much faster and smoother.
252
You just connect three or four blocks together.
253
Yes.
254
And speaking of practicing these blocks,
255
there is a wonderful tool you can use anytime.
256
Oh, you mean Mr. English AI, right?
257
Yes, Mr. English AI is an amazing,
258
smart assistant that you can use to practice your English 24-7.
259
It is incredible.
260
It gives you a unique opportunity to practice all the word blocks and strategies we just talked about.
261
Exactly, Paul.
262
You can chat with it anytime,
263
anywhere, and it helps you achieve fluency much faster.
264
It is like having a friendly teacher in your pocket all the time.
265
The link to access Mr. English AI is right in the video description below.
266
Yes, go check it out after the episode.
267
It is a game changer for your speaking skills.
268
Now, Emily, we have one final strategy left, strategy number five.
269
Yes, this one is called fast reacting.
270
It's about dynamic talking.
271
Fast reacting?
272
Like a game of ping pong?
273
Yes, exactly.
274
Scientists say that our brains change and grow when we have to react fast in a conversation.
275
But many students are afraid to speak fast because they might make a mistake.
276
Mistakes are okay.
277
In this exercise, you need to practice a quick back-and-forth conversation.
278
How can they do that if they are practicing alone?
279
They can use a voice tool and set it up for a fast debate.
280
Oh, a debate?
281
Like disagreeing about something?
282
Yes.
283
Tell the AI to disagree with you.
284
Then you have to defend your opinion quickly.
285
Wow, that sounds intense, but very exciting.
286
It is, because you don't have time to write down your text or translate in your head.
287
Right.
288
You just have to react immediately with the words you have.
289
Exactly.
290
It forces your brain's speaking center to work at maximum speed.
291
That is how you create true automaticity in your speech.
292
Yes, the more you react fast,
293
the easier it becomes to speak without thinking.
294
Wow, we shared some really incredible tips today, Emily.
295
We really did.
296
Let us do a super quick summary for our friends.
297
First, change the time or person of a sentence.
298
Second, play the layer game to find better words.
299
Third, use the pause and copy game copy game.
300
Fourth, learn word blocks instead of single words.
301
And fifth, practice fast reacting with dynamic debates.
302
Wow!
303
Perfect summary, Paul.
304
You did a great job.
305
Thank you, Emily.
306
It was a lot of fun.
307
Yes, it is!
308
So friends, don't forget to like this video,
309
subscribe to Mr. English Channel and share it with your friends.
310
And tell us in the comments which strategy you will try first today.
311
Thank you for listening everyone.
312
See you next time.
313
Bye bye.
314
Goodbye everyone.
315
Happy learning.
Download App
AI scoring for every sentence you speak
TRENDING
Popular
Why practice speaking with this video?
Engaging in practice with the "Slow English Practice" video offers a unique opportunity to bridge the gap between understanding English and speaking it fluently. Many learners find themselves in a situation similar to that of the concertgoer in the video: they can comprehend spoken English perfectly, yet struggle to reproduce it verbally. This video emphasizes the importance of active practice through techniques like shadow speech, which involves mimicking the speaker's words and intonation.
By participating in shadow speaking, you can enhance your fluency while developing a better grasp of rhythm and pronunciation. As outlined in the conversation, speaking requires a different part of your brain compared to listening, making it vital to practice actively rather than passively. The more you engage with the spoken material, the more confident you will become in your own speech, paving the way for effective IELTS speaking practice and real-life conversations.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
Understanding the grammatical structures used in natural conversation can significantly aid your speaking journey. Here are some key expressions from the video:
- "How is your week going?" – This question is a friendly way to ask about someone's recent experiences, making it perfect for casual conversations.
- "I just listened to the beautiful music." – Notice the use of the simple past tense, useful for sharing past experiences.
- "That is a very big problem for many people." – This structure helps articulate common challenges, which can be a great segue into discussing solutions.
By practicing these structures, you not only enrich your vocabulary but also become more familiar with how to express similar sentiments in conversations.
Common Pronunciation Traps
In the video, specific phrases might pose challenges for pronunciation, particularly for non-native speakers:
- “Beautiful” – The initial "b" sound and the transition to the "t" can be tricky, especially when speeding up.
- “Exactly” – This word often loses vibrancy in quick speech, so practicing it in a slow and deliberate manner can help.
- “Understand” – Pay attention to the "under" versus "stand" syllables, as emphasizing the wrong part can lead to misunderstandings.
Focusing on these pronunciation traps will not only improve your English pronunciation but also boost your confidence in speaking situations.
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.
☕ Buy us a coffee
ShadowingEnglish remains 100% free thanks to your support. Server and AI costs are high — your coffee keeps us going! 🙏