Shadowing Practice: Small Talk in English | How to Start a Conversation | A1-B1 - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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Hello, welcome back to Daily English Talk, the channel where you practice real English every single day.
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Hey everyone, I'm Tom, and I'm so glad you're here with us today.
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I'm Lily, and if this is your first time here, welcome!
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You just found your new favorite English channel.
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We upload every single day, so make sure you hit that subscribe button.
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Don't miss a single lesson.
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Today's topic is so important.
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We're talking about small talk, how to start a conversation in English, what to say, and how to keep it going.
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This is the kind of English you need every day, at work, at the coffee shop, at the airport.
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But first, Tom, we have something special today, don't we?
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We do.
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We want to say a huge thank you to everyone who joined members to the channel recently.
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You are the reason we do this every single day.
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Seriously, it means everything to us.
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We shared your names in the description.
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Go check if your name is there.
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If you see your name, leave a comment and say hello.
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We would love to hear from you.
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Welcome to the Daily English Talk family, everyone.
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Now let's get into today's lesson.
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But before we start, I have a question for you.
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Ooh, I love this part.
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Tom had a very interesting experience at a coffee shop recently.
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He tried to start a conversation with someone.
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Something went a little wrong.
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Ah, a little wrong is one way to say it.
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So here is your question.
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What did Tom say to the person at the coffee shop, and what happened next?
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Please don't tell them yet.
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I won't.
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Keep watching, and we'll tell you the full story at the end of today's lesson.
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Oh, thank goodness.
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Okay, Tom, let's talk.
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Have you ever had a really awkward moment when you tried to talk to someone new? Have I?
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and begin tell us about the coffee shop okay
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so last Saturday I went to a coffee shop near my
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house it was a nice day I was feeling good very confident and There was a man sitting next to me.
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He had a big cup of coffee.
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He looked friendly, so I decided to start a conversation.
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Good!
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That's brave, Tom.
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Wait for it.
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So I turned to him and said very confidently, Nice weather today, right?
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That's fine.
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That's a classic opener.
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Lily, we were inside the coffee shop.
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There were no windows near us.
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He looked at me and said, "I don't know.
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I just got here." Oh no!
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And then it got worse.
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I got nervous so I said, "So do you come here often?" Tom, that sounds like a line from a movie.
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I know, I know.
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He looked at me like I was very strange.
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He picked up his coffee and moved to a different table.
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Oh, Tom.
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Poor Tom.
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It was a disaster.
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A complete disaster.
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But hey, that's why we're here today.
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So you can do better than me.
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Much better.
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Let's learn how to do this the right way.
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Okay, let's talk about the grammar behind Smalltalk.
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Smalltalk uses very simple grammar.
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You don't need complicated sentences.
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Oh, thank goodness.
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I like simple.
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For small talk, we use three main grammar patterns.
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The first one is a question with how.
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Like, how are you?
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Exactly.
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How questions are friendly and easy.
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How was your day?
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How was your weekend?
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These are perfect conversation starters.
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Simple and polite.
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The second pattern is a statement plus a tag question.
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This means you say something and then add a short question at the end.
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Can you give an example?
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Sure.
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It's a beautiful day, isn't it?
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Or, this coffee smells amazing, doesn't it?
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Unlike my nice weather comment, which had zero logic behind it.
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The third pattern is an open question starting with "what" or "tell me." These questions invite the other person to talk more.
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Like what?
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Like, "What do you think of this place?" or "What brings you here today?" Oh, those sound so natural, so casual.
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Because they are.
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And the best part, you don't need perfect English to use them.
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Just be genuine and friendly.
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I'm going to practice these, starting today.
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Please do.
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Okay, now let's look at real small talk phrases.
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We'll give you the phrase, explain it, and tell you a story about it.
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Ready?
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Let's go!
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Our first phrase is: How's it going?
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This is a very casual way to ask, "How are you?" Native speakers use this all the time.
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Repeat after us.
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How's it going?
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Say it slowly.
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How's it going.
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Now say it naturally.
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How's it going?
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This phrase is great because you can use it with friends, co -workers, even strangers in a relaxed situation.
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Tom, do you have a story for this one?
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I do.
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One time I was at the gym.
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I saw a man I recognized from my street.
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I wanted to be friendly, so I said, "Hey, how's it going?" Good start.
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He said, "Great, thanks !" And that was it.
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We talked for five minutes about the gym, about the neighborhood.
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It was perfect.
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See?
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Small talk works when you use the right phrase.
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That was my best conversation moment.
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I still think about it.
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You're so easy to please, Tom.
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Phrase number two: What do you do?
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This means, what is your job?
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It's one of the most common small talk questions in English.
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Repeat slowly.
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What do you do?
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Now together.
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What do you do?
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I love this question because people have such different answers.
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Tom, what's your story for this one?
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Okay.
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So I was at a dinner party.
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Someone asked me, "What do you do?" And I said, "I teach English." And they said, "Oh, really?
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Say something in English." Oh no. I completely froze.
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I forgot every word I knew.
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I just said, "Um, hello, the cat is on the table." The cat is on the table.
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I have no idea why I said that.
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Everyone at the table just stared at me.
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Oh, Tom, you poor thing.
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But the good news?
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Everyone laughed.
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And we had a great conversation after that.
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Small talk doesn't have to be perfect.
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Just be yourself.
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Phrase three: Have you been here before?
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You can use this at a restaurant, a cafe, an event.
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It's a great conversation starter.
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Slow repeat.
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Have you been here before?
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Now, natural speed.
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Have you been here before?
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This phrase is great because it opens a whole conversation about the place.
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Exactly.
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The other person might say, "Yes, the pasta here is amazing," or, "No, it's my first time.
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What do you recommend?" And suddenly you're having a full conversation.
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I used this phrase once at a bookstore.
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I saw a woman looking at the same shelf as me.
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I said, Have you been here before?
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Do you know if they have a good fiction section?
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What happened?
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She spent 20 minutes giving me book recommendations.
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We talked about everything.
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It was wonderful.
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One question, one question started all of that.
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That's the magic of Smalltalk.
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Oh, this one, weather talk.
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Yes, weather is the most classic small talk topic in the world, especially in English -speaking countries.
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Phrase 4: What do you think of the weather?
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Repeat slowly.
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What do you Think of the weather.
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Now natural.
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What do you think of the weather?
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Now, Tom, you had a weather comment fail earlier in our story, but weather talk can be done correctly, yes?
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Yes.
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The key is you need to actually be outside or near a window.
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Or at least have some context.
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If it's raining, you can say, "What awful weather today, right?" If it's sunny, beautiful day, isn't it?
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Simple, easy, natural.
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And people love talking about weather because everyone experiences it.
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It's safe, it's easy, it's friendly.
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Unlike asking someone, "Do you come here often?" while inside a coffee shop with no windows.
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We will never let that go, Tom.
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Our last phrase is how to end small talk, because knowing when and how to finish a conversation is also very important.
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Oh, I never thought about that.
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Phrase five.
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It was nice talking to you.
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This is friendly, warm, and natural.
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Repeat.
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It was nice talking to you.
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Natural speed.
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"It was nice talking to you." You can also say, "It was great meeting you." Or, "Let's talk again soon." These phrases end the conversation on a positive note.
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The other person feels good, you feel good, everyone is happy.
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And, "Maybe you made a new friend." Exactly!
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Small talk is the first step to real connection.
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Okay, now let's practice together.
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I'll say the phrase, Tom will repeat slowly, and then you repeat too.
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Ready?
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Shadowing time.
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This is so good for your pronunciation.
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Phrase 1.
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How's it going?
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Beautiful.
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Now you say it.
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Phrase 2 What do you do?
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What do you do?
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Great!
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Keep going!
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Phrase 3 Have you been here before?
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Phrase 4: What do you think of the weather?
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And phrase five: It was nice talking to you.
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It was nice talking to you.
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Amazing!
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You just practiced five real English phrases.
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Say them every day and they will feel completely natural very soon.
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Practice makes perfect.
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We believe in you.
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Now it's your turn.
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We have a question for you.
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Write your answer in the comments right now.
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Where do you usually try to make small talk? At work? At school?
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At a coffee shop?
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Or maybe you also tried to make weather talk inside a room with no windows.
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No judgment.
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Tell us your small talk story.
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We read every comment.
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Your comment might be in our next video.
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We love hearing from you, so please write something down there, even just one sentence.
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Your English is good enough.
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Trust us.
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Thank you so much for watching today.
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You just took one more step toward confident English.
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And remember, we upload a brand new English lesson every single day.
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Every single day.
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So, if you haven't subscribed yet, hit that button right now.
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You don't want to miss tomorrow's lesson.
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The subscribe button is right there.
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One tap, that's all.
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You are doing something amazing by learning English.
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Every day you watch, every day you practice, you are getting better.
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We are proud of you, honestly.
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Keep going.
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Don't stop.
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And we'll see you tomorrow.
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Bye, everyone.
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Bye -bye.
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Context & Background
Welcome to our segment on small talk in English, designed for learners from levels A1 to B1. In today's lesson, Tom and Lily share their insights on how to initiate conversations effortlessly in various everyday situations, such as at work or in a café. Small talk may seem simple, but it plays a crucial role in building connections. Tom recounts a humorous incident at a coffee shop, where his attempt at starting a conversation led to an unexpected response. This real-life scenario not only illustrates the challenges of small talk but also emphasizes the importance of practice in improving conversational skills.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
Here are five essential phrases from the transcript that can enhance your daily conversations:
- “Nice weather today, right?” - A classic opener suitable for various settings.
- “Did you get a chance to try the new coffee?” - A great way to engage someone in a coffee shop.
- “How has your day been so far?” - A friendly question that invites a personal response.
- “What do you think about this place?” - Useful for getting opinions and continuing the conversation.
- “Have you been here before?” - This question helps to establish common ground and encourages sharing experiences.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
If you want to enhance your English speaking skills, particularly through the shadowing technique, here's a simple guide to follow:
- Listen Actively: Start by watching the video carefully. Pay attention to how Tom and Lily interact and the phrases they use.
- Repeat and Imitate: Try to mimic Tom and Lily’s tone and pronunciation. This will help you improve your speaking rhythm and intonation.
- Practice with Shadowspeak: Use a mirror to practice as you speak. This technique encourages you to observe your facial expressions and body language, making you more aware of non-verbal communication.
- Use IELTS Speaking Practice: Incorporate these phrases into practice sessions, focusing on maintaining the flow of conversation.
- Record Yourself: Use a voice recorder to capture your attempts. Listen back to evaluate your pronunciation and fluency.
By utilizing these methods, especially the shadow speech approach, you'll gain confidence in initiating small talk and improve your overall speaking skills. For additional resources, consider engaging with an effective shadowing site to refine this crucial language ability. Happy chatting!
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the most common · the most classic |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | Keep watching · love talking · love hearing |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might say · might be |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | we'll tell · We'll give · will never let |
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.