Shadowing Practice: Talk About Your Day At Work | Easy English Podcast for Conversation Practice A2-B1 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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English Leap Podcast.
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From Speak English with Class.
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Hey English learners, welcome back to the English Leap Podcast, your English podcast for daily life English and real conversations.
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Yeah, this is your place to practice easy English, real talk, and calm listening.
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No stress, just relaxed English time.
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If you're new here, welcome.
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I'm Anna.
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I'm a final year college student.
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And I'm Jake.
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I work full-time in an office.
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So today, you get both worlds, student life and office life.
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Work and school together, like a little English sandwich.
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Exactly.
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A daily life sandwich.
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And we're here to help you talk about your day at work or school in English.
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Today's episode is in B1 English.
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Clear, simple, but with some useful B1 words that we'll explain at the end.
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And remember, you don't have to understand every single word.
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Just relax and follow the story.
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Your brain learns more when it's calm.
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So, Jake, be honest.
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How was your day at the office today?
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Peaceful or a little crazy?
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Hmm, a little crazy.
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My inbox was full before I even drank my coffee.
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A full inbox before coffee?
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That sounds dangerous.
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It is.
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What about you, Anna?
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How was your day at college?
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Honestly, it was intense.
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I had a group project meeting, a long lecture, and a surprise quiz.
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A surprise quiz?
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Oh no.
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That's like an office urgent email, but for students.
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Yes.
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Same stress, different place.
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And what about you, English learners?
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Are you working, studying, or doing both right now?
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Tell us in the comments, I'm working, I'm studying, or I'm doing both.
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And maybe add one small detail, like I work in a shop, or I study engineering.
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Every comment you write is real practice for your English writing, and we really do read them.
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If you enjoy learning English through real conversations like this, don't forget to subscribe and tap like.
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It's a small click, but it helps our podcast grow a lot.
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And feel free to share this episode with a friend who is also working or studying in English.
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You can talk about it together.
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Alright, let's walk through a normal day.
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One in the office, one at college, and you can think about your own day at the same time.
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Yeah, so imagine we all wake up, get ready, and now it's time to… Go out into the world.
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So Jake, how do you usually get to the office?
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I usually take the metro.
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My commute is about 35 minutes.
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Commute.
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That's your regular trip to work, right?
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Yeah, exactly.
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My commute starts with a short walk to the station, then two metro lines, then a five minute walk to the office.
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Two metro lines before coffee, that's commitment.
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It's survival.
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The worst part is the rush hour.
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So many people, no space to breathe.
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I feel that.
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My bus to college is also crowded in the morning.
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Sometimes I have to stand the whole time with my heavy backpack.
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Heavy backpack and no seat.
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Classic student life.
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Yes, but I try to use that time.
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I listen to a podcast or I quietly review notes for a presentation or exam.
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Nice!
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So your commute is also study time.
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Sometimes.
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Other days I just stare out the window and daydream.
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Same.
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Some mornings I want to be productive, and some mornings I just exist.
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Yeah, I feel that so much.
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Some mornings are superhero and some mornings are just surviving.
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So listeners, think about your morning for a second.
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How do you usually get to work or school?
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Do you go by bus, by train, by car, or do you walk on foot?
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Yes.
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You can practice this sentence in your head.
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In the morning, I go to work or school by… and then add your way.
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And if you want extra practice, write it in the comments.
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We'd love to see it.
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So, after the commute, I arrive at the office, swipe my card, and say hello to my colleagues.
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Colleagues.
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The people you work with.
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Yes.
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I go to my desk, turn on my computer, and open my emails.
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That's always a little… scary.
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Email Mountain.
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Yeah, exactly.
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There are usually some deadlines waiting for me, reports I must finish before a certain time.
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Deadlines and surprise quizzes should be in the same family.
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True.
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What about you, Anna?
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What are your first hours at college like?
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So I usually go straight to my first class.
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I sit near the front because if I sit at the back, I get distracted easily.
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— Distracted.
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Your brain goes everywhere except the lesson.
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— Yes.
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My mind starts thinking about lunch, or my phone, or my future, or a song stuck in my head.
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— Relatable.
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In the office, I also fight with distractions — phone messages, chat notifications, people walking around.
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In class, the teacher starts with announcements.
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Assignments, exams, small changes.
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Sometimes my brain hears new assignment and just goes, no.
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Same feeling when my manager says, new project.
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Then we usually take notes, listen to the lecture, sometimes have a short discussion with classmates?
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If I know I've got a presentation coming, my stomach feels a little tight.
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Mmm, that nervous feeling.
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I get it before I have to speak in a meeting.
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Yeah, I know that feeling too, Jake.
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Your heart beats faster, right?
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And listeners, maybe you recognize that feeling as well when you have to speak in front of people, in English or in your own language.
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It's completely normal and very human.
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You're not alone.
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Many people at work and at school feel nervous before they speak.
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Okay, let's move to the middle of the day.
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The best part, lunch!
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Yes, lunch is like a small holiday in the middle of the day.
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Where do you usually eat?
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We have a cafeteria in our building.
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Cafeteria?
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A simple restaurant in a school or office.
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Right.
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The food is okay.
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Not amazing.
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Not terrible.
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Some days I bring food from home because it's cheaper and healthier.
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Same.
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At college, sometimes I eat in the student cafeteria with my friends, and sometimes I bring a lunchbox from home.
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What's your favorite simple lunch?
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Probably rice with vegetables and chicken.
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Or a big sandwich when I'm stressed.
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Stress sandwich.
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I know that one.
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Lunchtime is also social time for me.
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We talk about classes, teachers, projects, sometimes just silly things that make us laugh.
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For me, too.
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I sit with a few colleagues.
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We talk about work a little, but also about movies, family, or weekend plans.
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It's a nice reset for my brain.
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That human time is important.
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Even a short, friendly conversation can make the whole day feel lighter.
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I feel the same, Anna.
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just a few kind words can change the whole mood of the day.
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And what about you, listeners?
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Do you usually eat alone, or do you eat with other people?
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You can practice this sentence.
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At lunch, I usually eat with...
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and then add your own answer.
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Yeah, maybe with colleagues, classmates, family, or just with your favorite YouTuber on the screen.
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If you eat while watching Englishly podcast, we are your lunch friends.
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That's actually kind of cute.
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After lunch, I often feel a little sleepy.
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My body wants a nap, but my calendar wants a meeting.
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Sleepy body, busy calendar, dangerous mechs.
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Exactly.
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I usually have at least one meeting in the afternoon.
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We discuss projects, problems, and sometimes we plan tasks for the week.
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Do you have to talk a lot in those meetings?
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Sometimes, yes, especially when I give a small update or explain something I worked on.
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If my manager is there, I feel a little pressure to sound clear and professional.
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I feel something similar during group projects.
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In the afternoon, we often meet in the library to work on assignments.
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And how is that?
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Peaceful or chaotic?
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It depends on the group.
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Sometimes we're focused and organized.
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Sometimes we talk, joke, and realize one hour later that we did nothing.
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That's like some office meetings, too.
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And there's always at least one big deadline coming.
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Maybe a project report, maybe a presentation, maybe an exam.
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When I look at my calendar, I sometimes feel a bit overwhelmed.
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Overwhelmed when you feel like there is too much to do, too many things at the same time.
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Exactly.
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But then I try to breathe, write a small to-do list, and just start with one simple step.
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That's a good trick.
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In the office, when I feel overwhelmed, I also break my tasks into smaller parts.
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Finish one email.
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Then one report.
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Then one slide.
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I really like that, Jake.
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Small steps.
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And listeners, maybe you feel that way too sometimes.
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sometimes at school, at work, or even at home.
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And if you do, please remember this.
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Many people feel the same way.
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You're not alone.
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And every little step still counts.
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Even a simple piece of homework or one finished task at work is progress.
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So after all the classes, group work, and surprise quizzes, I finally pack my bag and leave the campus.
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And after emails, meetings, and deadlines, I finally shut down my computer and leave the office.
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Close laptop, open outside world.
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Yes.
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On the way home, I usually feel a mix of exhausted and proud.
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Exhausted.
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Very, very tired, right?
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Yeah, my brain feels a bit empty, but in a good way.
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Like, okay, we did enough today.
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For me, it depends on the day.
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Sometimes I feel proud because I did well in a presentation or finished an assignment.
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Sometimes I feel frustrated because I didn't understand something fully.
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Both feelings are normal.
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Not every day is a perfect day.
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And listeners, what about you?
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When you go home from work or school, how do you usually feel?
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Calm?
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Tired?
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Happy?
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Stressed?
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Try the sentence in your head.
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After work or school, I usually feel… and put your own word there.
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And if you can, write that sentence in the comments.
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It's a great way to practice talking about your feelings in English.
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Okay, Jake.
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Before we finish, let's talk about some useful words and phrases we used today.
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Good idea.
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Like a small English lesson inside our conversation, just like always.
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Exactly.
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Let's start with commute.
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What does commute mean?
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Commute means your regular trip between your home and your work or school.
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For example, my commute is 40 minutes by bus.
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Nice.
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Next is rush hour.
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Rush hour is the very busy time in the morning and evening when many people are traveling.
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The trains and roads are crowded.
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For example, I try not to travel during rush hour because the metro is too full.
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Good one.
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Next word, colleagues.
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Colleagues are the people you work with.
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They can be in the same office, shop, or company.
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For example, I have lunch with my colleagues in the cafeteria.
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For students, the similar word is classmates, but colleagues is for work.
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Right.
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Next, we use the word deadline.
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Do Do you want to explain that one?
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Sure.
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A deadline is the final time or date when you must finish something.
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For example, our project deadline is on Friday, so we have to work hard this week.
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Good.
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We also said distracted.
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Distracted means you cannot focus on one thing because your mind keeps jumping to other things.
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For example, I feel distracted in class when I sit near the window.
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And we used overwhelmed.
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Overwhelmed means you feel there is too much, too much work, too many problems, or too many feelings.
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For example, I felt overwhelmed by all the homework and exams.
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Very common feeling.
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Next, cafeteria.
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A cafeteria is a simple place to eat in a school, office, or hospital, usually with a line and a tray.
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For example, we eat lunch in the company cafeteria.
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And finally, exhausted.
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Exhausted means very, very tired, more than just tired.
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For example, after my exam and my part-time job, I was exhausted.
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So today's keywords were commute, rush hour, colleagues, deadline, distracted, overwhelmed, cafeteria, and exhausted.
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You don't have to remember all of them today.
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Even if you take just one or two and use them this week, that's already great progress.
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So today we walked through a whole day at work and school, from crowded buses and sleepy mornings to meetings, classes, lunch breaks, and going home exhausted but proud.
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We hope you felt that you were walking beside us in the metro, in the classroom, in the office.
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And we hope you can now tell your story in English a little more easily.
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You don't need perfect grammar.
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Just simple, honest sentences about your real life.
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I love that, Jake.
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Simple and honest is enough.
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And listeners, here's our question of the day.
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what is one thing you usually do in the afternoon at work or school?
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You can write, in the afternoon, I usually… and then add your activity, like have a meeting, study in the library, feel sleepy, or talk with my friends.
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We will read your answers, and we'll be very happy to see a little piece of your daily life.
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If this episode helped you, please give it a like, subscribe to the English Leap podcast, and share it with one friend who is also learning English.
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Thank you for spending this time with us.
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Your English journey is not a race.
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It's a daily walk, step by step.
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This is Anna.
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And this is Jake.
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And you've been listening to the English Leap Podcast.
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Take care, keep practicing, and we'll talk to you in the next episode.
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Bye for now.
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Your progress doesn't end here.
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To continue advancing your English skills, click on the next video or explore the additional videos we've thoughtfully selected for you.
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Context & Background
In the Easy English Podcast, hosts Anna and Jake engage in a lively conversation about their daily experiences at work and college. This dialogue aims to provide English learners, particularly at the A2-B1 level, a relaxed yet engaging environment for practicing everyday English. As Anna navigates her college life and Jake describes his office environment, listeners are encouraged to reflect on their own daily routines while picking up useful vocabulary and phrases. The podcast emphasizes the importance of learning in a calm state, allowing for better absorption of language.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- “How was your day?” - A common question to inquire about someone's daily experiences.
- “I had a group project meeting.” - Pertinent for students discussing academic responsibilities.
- “My inbox was full.” - A relatable phrase for those in office settings.
- “I had a surprise quiz.” - A phrase that denotes unexpected academic challenges.
- “Every comment you write is real practice.” - Encourages engagement and practice through writing.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively use the shadowing technique with this podcast episode, follow these steps:
- Listen First: Play the podcast episode without trying to repeat anything. Focus on understanding the context and main ideas discussed by Anna and Jake.
- Segment the Dialogue: Break down the conversation into smaller sections. This makes it easier to practice individual phrases and sentences.
- Repeat with the Speakers: Use a shadowing app or simply pause the podcast after each sentence. Try to repeat exactly what Anna or Jake says, mimicking their pronunciation and intonation.
- Record Yourself: Record your shadowing practice. Listen to your recordings, compare your pronunciation with the original speakers, and identify areas for improvement.
- Implement New Vocabulary: Use the top 5 phrases in your daily life. Whether at school or work, speaking with classmates or colleagues, try to incorporate these phrases to enhance your communication skills.
By utilizing this shadowing technique, you can effectively improve English pronunciation and boost your confidence in speaking. Engaging with conversations like those shared in the podcast is a dynamic way to not only learn the language but to connect with real-life contexts that English speakers experience daily. Remember, practice is key!
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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