Shadowing Practice: still can’t speak English? - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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How long did it take you to become fluent in English?
200 sentences
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How long did it take you to become fluent in English?
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These are actual comments that I received from you guys.
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And honestly, a lot of the comments sound exactly like the thoughts that I used to have.
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I know the feeling of,
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why is this not working for me?
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Because I've been studying English for years.
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I know, I've been that too.
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So instead of just replying in the comments about my English,
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I turned on the camera.
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We are going to read the comments together and I'll answer as honestly as I can.
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I'm gonna give you a shout out.
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Exciting!
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And if I've ever screenshot your comment,
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you might be in this video.
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So let's get into it.
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So yeah, I collected all the questions slash comments here and I'm gonna read them.
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Should I read the name too?
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Hmm.
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Okay, the comment from English Habit.
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When I tried to make up my own sentences,
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the expressions didn't feel natural,
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so I started memorizing sentences used by native speakers.
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However, that only lasted for a brief moment.
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I end up forgetting everything as time passes.
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Do you happen to have your own method for remembering those sentences?
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I'm curious to know how you developed your sense of English.
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I'm not perfect either, but this question really made me think about how I got to this point where I am now.
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So, 감사합니다.
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Even if it sounds really awkward,
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I think making sentences by directly translating from your own language is actually a really important starting point,
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like words by words.
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Even though it was not the way people naturally speak on a show or in your textbook,
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once you become comfortable with this simple translated sentences,
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that's when you start to notice things like,
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this doesn't sound natural or like oh actually we have the similar expression in my language to develop that kind of イエ,
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that kind of brain you have to build your language step by step
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and to be honest i don't think that i use
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that many fancy expressions i actually use a lot of directly
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translated sentences more i actually made a video about studying english through scenes like movie and dramas.
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It's similar to shadowing.
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If you keep forgetting expressions or sentences,
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it's probably because you're not saying them out loud enough.
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The reason I said to empathize first in the video instead of focusing on perfect shadowing the sentences is
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because at this stage, I just want you to listen once and say it and move on.
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In the beginning, quantity might be more effective than quality.
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How can you memorize everything perfectly after hearing the sentence once?
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I can't even do that either.
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But if you hear the same kind of expression in different situations,
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maybe through movies and dramas,
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then in a similar moment when you're there,
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you'll start to think like,
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oh is this the kind of expression people use in this situation?
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That's how your sense develops.
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Try them in a perfect way is the next step.
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Don't try to force yourself to memorize everything,
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just try try to connect it to your own memory and bring it out.
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My name, Martin.
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Hi, Martin.
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Should I keep reading these names?
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I'm so scared if I pronounce the names wrong.
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Sorry if I said it wrong.
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Did you live in Australia?
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You sound Australian, not Canadian.
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Yes, I did.
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I actually made a video about my experience in Australia,
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so you can check that out.
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I think my accent is kind of a mix of everything to be honest.
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I think I tried to fix or like change my accent
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when I came to Vancouver but I decided to just leave it as it is
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and I don't know but yeah I definitely have a bit of an Aussie accent in it.
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Can you please share the name of the series that helped you in learning English?
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There are honestly so many but I think I started with Gossip Girl because it was easy.
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Easier than other TV shows.
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And once I started understanding a bit more, I watched Grey's Anatomy.
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Grey's Anatomy.
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Grey's Anatomy.
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A lot.
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But actually, you know what?
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Instead of looking for specific series,
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I naturally focused more on finding actors who had the accent and pronunciation that I wanted.
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Even when I watch shows i tend to really focus on just one person's english
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because i like the way how
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that person the specific one speaks i loved frankie doyle from
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wentworth i think i'm smart do you great let's talk about you
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and christina from gray's anatomy anatomy oh i can't also the
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automatic paper towel thingy won't recognize me as human i'm just
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standing there waving my hands like an idiot that's why i think youtube
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and podcasts are even better you get to hear
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that person's language more clearly how many time gone for you
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learning english please reply my answer i'm shilpi hi shilpi from india
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and i watch your video first time i really want to become yeah fluent
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but i don't know how long it takes
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so please give me some tips how yeah how we can
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start it yeah i think not only for the comments i received like dms
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and emails about this question
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so in my case i had a basic sense of english for a long time
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because i studied english when i was in like high school
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but i couldn't really communicate even
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when i moved to australia i was the same i could kind of respond by understanding the context
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but i didn't truly speak english i think i really started improving after I came back to Korea during those two years.
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The fact that I went to Australia didn't really improve my English
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but it became a really strong motivation for me to study.
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If I had to break down how I studied English to start,
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I basically only consumed English content.
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Movies, dramas, YouTube, everything in English.
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The first thing that I did was changing my phone setting into English to see more English in my life.
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So if you truly admire that future version of yourself who speaks English and you keep chasing it,
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it will come true.
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When filming an English video facing the camera,
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what should I do if I come across something I don't know how to say?
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For example, I don't know what something is called or how to express a certain idea.
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I mean if this kind of situation happens several times,
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the quality of the video will be gradually reduced and it won't be smooth to watch.
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I don't think this is just a problem when you're filming in English.
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It happens when you speak English in general, right?
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Whether you're talking to a camera or to a person,
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if you want to say something but you don't know how to say it
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or you don't have the word in your brain,
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just look it up right away.
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That's what I do.
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Even with my friends, whenever I hang out with my friends and I need to speak English,
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they all know that I use my second language so
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and they're willing to wait okay not knowing a language perfectly
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is nothing to be ashamed of right i just say wait
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a second what's the word what's the word what's the word
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give me a second and then i look it up of course maybe not in an interview
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but when you're filming your videos you can pause all the time
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and you can re-say it the words
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that you were gonna say i do it all the time the quality of the video
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that you're concerning about or even the conversations will improve over time
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and for more detailed tips on this i actually made a video about it
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so please check it out
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if you're watching this i love the way you think about learning a new language and I love your vibe.
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I will use your video to practice shadowing.
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Thank you so much.
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Yes, as someone who learned by listening to so many podcasts,
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watching so many YouTube videos and repeating after them,
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this comment made me really really happy.
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I stumbled upon this video by chance thanks to the algorithm.
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Thank you.
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Your pronunciation and voice are both beautiful you mentioned that you studied English using podcast.
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Do you have any great tips for studying English conversation?
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Thank you.
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That's so cute.
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For me, I started listening to podcasts about things I was actually interested in.
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For you, that could be anything.
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That could be relationships, friendships,
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society, money, self-improvement, sports, anything like that.
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From your perspective, try to find a YouTube channel or podcast that feels easy enough for you to understand and follow.
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Something that you could even talk about with your friends and your family.
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I think, maybe it's for me,
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I think it's really important to find someone who has an accent or pronunciation you actually like.
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So you want to copy them.
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And when you listen, repeat it over and over until you can hear everything clearly what they say in the podcast.
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At first, maybe you can't understand everything what this person says.
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You might only get the brief idea,
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general feeling and not fully understand everything.
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That's okay.
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You will listen to the same podcast multiple times.
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I know it could be a bit boring
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but at the same time it's actually really satisfying to graduate from one podcast at a time.
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And once you reach a point where you understand it almost perfectly then move on to the next one.
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You can find a next interest.
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Please keep the content in English.
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I have learned English like for years.
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I'll keep making content that you guys need and you guys want
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because having people who watch my videos gives me good motivation to keep going.
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Let me know what you're curious about or what you want to hear.
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But the reason why I don't only talk about English is because like I said earlier,
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I learned English through a podcast.
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We're going to talk about many different topics in English.
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All of my videos are in English.
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Whether English is difficult for you or comfortable for you,
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you're all leaving comments in English on my videos.
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to me that's all English content.
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I really enjoyed answering your questions today.
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I'll bring more next time.
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This is just part one.
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I think I'll come back with part two soon because I actually have more questions I think.
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Not just questions but also comments I want to talk about and I am really grateful for that.
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So I want to mention as many as I can
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and I want you to feel like it's more about the conversations not just me talking
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so i want to answer as many questions as i can
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also i realized i haven't really asked you guys to leave the questions properly
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so
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if you have anything you're curious about leave a comment down
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below anything is fine i will get back to you where
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it doesn't even have to be about english right maybe i should do a personal q a some time too
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but would you guys be curious about my personal life like who i am let me know if you want that.
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See you next time and thank you.
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Bye bye.
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Past you in the library,
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you glance up from your book You saw right through me with that vacant look Instead of studying for my exam,
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I've been studying your face When you happen to turn your head my way,
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my heart begins to raise You're so attractive,
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you're in all my classes
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I'm gonna find a way to see you more
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and more I'm gonna find a way to see you more and more How's up in every door?
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Now I'm sitting waiting, trying not to go insane Staring at your reflection in the wind and pain Ooh,
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hi, hi, hi, hi, hi, hi
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Why practice speaking with this video?
In today's fast-paced world, mastering English speaking skills is crucial for effective communication. This video addresses common frustrations learners face, such as struggling to form natural sentences and feeling stuck despite years of study. By engaging with the content, you can tackle these challenges head-on. The speaker shares personal insights and encourages viewers to use techniques like shadow speech, which helps learners internalize English more naturally. By simply repeating sentences out loud, you not only improve your fluency but also build confidence in your speaking abilities.
Benefits of Engaging with This Video
- Gains from Real Conversations: Listening to authentic dialogues and expressions helps familiarize you with how native speakers communicate.
- Encouragement for Practice: The speaker emphasizes the importance of using both memorized phrases and those formed from personal translations.
- Active Participation: Engaging with the video through speaking along can massively enhance your English speaking practice.
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The video contains several useful structures that can elevate your understanding and everyday conversation skills. Here are a few key grammar points and expressions to focus on:
- Direct Translations: The speaker discusses the value of translating sentences directly from your native language. This method can help you grasp foundational concepts before diving deeper into natural expressions.
- Using "Actually": Phrases like "actually" are used to clarify or contrast ideas. This can enhance your conversational flow and provide emphasis.
- Descriptive Phrasing: Using phrases such as "that doesn’t sound natural" can aid in expressing uncertainty or making suggestions in discussions.
Common Pronunciation Traps
As you practice speaking along with the video, it’s essential to pay attention to common pronunciation challenges:
- Vowel Sounds: Words like "English" can often be mispronounced. Aim to emphasize the 'ng' sound clearly, as it differentiates similar words.
- Intonation Patterns: Mimicking the speaker’s intonation can help you sound more natural. Notice how emphasis changes meanings in different contexts.
- Final Consonants: Pay close attention to the endings of words, especially in sentences—neglecting them can alter your speech clarity.
Utilizing these techniques, including the shadowing technique, can significantly enhance your English speaking practice and improve your English pronunciation. Remember, the goal is to engage actively, and with consistent practice, fluency will follow!
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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