Shadowing Practice: Talk About Your Day in English - Learn Present Perfect Easily | English Podcast for Beginner - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel,
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Hello, everyone, and welcome back to Mr. English Channel,
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where learning English is easy and fun.
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I'm Emily.
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Hello, Emily.
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Hi, everyone.
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It's great to be here with you all.
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How are you today, Emily?
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I'm doing great, Paul.
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I'm very happy to be here.
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How about you?
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I'm fantastic.
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I feel full of energy today.
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That's wonderful to hear.
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Before we start our topic today,
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we want to say thank you for listening.
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Please, if you like our channel,
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subscribe and share it with your friends.
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And give us a like.
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It helps us a lot.
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Yes, please do.
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Your support is amazing.
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So, Emily, what is our topic for today?
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Today, we have a very special topic.
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We are going to talk about our day.
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But we will use a special grammar.
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We are going to use the present perfect.
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Ah, the present perfect.
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It sounds important.
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Is it difficult?
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Not at all.
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It's super useful and easy once you see how it works.
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It helps us connect the past with the present.
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Okay, I'm ready.
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So, let's talk about our day.
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You go first.
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What has happened in your day so far?
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Mmm, good question.
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Well, let me think.
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I have had my breakfast.
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You have had your breakfast.
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Okay, so the action is in the past, right?
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You finished your breakfast.
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Yes, exactly.
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I finished it this morning,
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but it's connected to now because I am not hungry.
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See?
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Past action, present result.
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Ah, I see.
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The result is you are not hungry now.
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That makes sense.
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Okay, my turn.
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I have drunk two cups of coffee today.
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Two cups?
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Wow, so you are full of energy now.
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Yes, that's the result.
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I have drunk coffee, so now I am awake and ready.
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That is a perfect example of the present perfect.
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It is.
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And our listeners can see the structure.
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We use the verb have and then another verb.
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For you, it was drunk.
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For me, it was had.
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Right.
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So, the main verb is in a special form.
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It's called the past participle.
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Let's look at the structure.
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It's subject plus have or has plus past participle.
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Yes!
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Let's break that down.
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I, you, we, and they use have.
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For example, I have eaten, or they have started.
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And he, she, and it use has.
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For example, she has finished her work,
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or he has called his friend.
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Perfect.
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So, let's talk more about our day.
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Paul, have you checked your email this morning?
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Oh, that's a question.
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Good one!
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Yes, I have checked my email.
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I did it one hour ago.
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Great.
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So, the verb is check.
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The past participle is checked.
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This is a regular verb, we just add "-ed".
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Yes, like work becomes worked, or clean becomes cleaned.
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Regular verbs are easy.
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I have worked a lot today.
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Me too.
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I have cleaned my apartment.
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It looks so nice now.
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Oh, that's great!
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See, another connection to the present.
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You cleaned in the past,
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and now your apartment is clean.
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Wonderful!
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Exactly!
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What about irregular verbs?
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Like my example, I have had breakfast.
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The verb is have, and the past participle is had.
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Or my example, I have drunk coffee.
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The verb is drink, and the past participle is drunk.
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These are irregular.
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They don't end in ED.
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We have to learn them.
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Yes, but we can learn them with practice.
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Let's use another one.
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Let's talk about lunch.
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Paul, have you eaten lunch yet?
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Hmm, no, I haven't eaten lunch yet.
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I am getting a little hungry now.
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Ah, so you used the negative form, I haven't eaten.
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That's have plus not.
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We say haven't.
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Yes, haven't or hasn't.
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If you ask me about my brother,
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has your brother eaten lunch yet?
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I can say, no, he hasn't eaten lunch yet.
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Perfect.
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And I used a special word in my question.
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I said, yet.
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Have you eaten lunch yet?
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We use yet in questions and negative sentences.
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Right.
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It's for something we expect to happen.
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I expect to eat lunch today.
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So you can ask me with yet,
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and I can answer, no, not yet.
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Exactly.
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How about another useful word, already?
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We use it for something that happened sooner than expected.
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Oh, yes.
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For example, if you think I haven't checked my email,
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you could be surprised.
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You could say, wow, you have already checked your email.
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Yes, it's true.
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I have already planned our next podcast episode.
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You have?
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Already?
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Wow, Emily, you are fast.
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That's a great example.
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I have already planned.
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Thank you, Paul.
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So, we have yet for questions and negatives,
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and already for positive sentences.
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What about the word just?
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Ah, just is great.
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It means something happened a very short time ago.
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For example, my phone just made a sound.
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I can say, I have just received a message.
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Perfect.
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It happened maybe one minute ago.
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Very, very recent.
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My mom called me this morning.
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When she called, I was in the shower.
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I called her back later.
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I can say, I have just talked to my mom.
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That's a perfect use of just.
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So, let's practice a bit more.
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I will ask you some questions about your day, Emily.
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Okay.
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I'm ready.
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Okay.
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Hmm.
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Have you read a book today?
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No, I haven't read a book today.
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I haven't had time yet, but I want to.
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Okay.
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Good answer.
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The verb is read and the past participle is read.
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The spelling is the same,
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but the sound is different.
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Read, present, read, past participle.
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Yes, that's a tricky one.
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Good point.
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Okay.
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Next question.
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Have you listened to music today?
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Oh, yes.
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I have listened to a lot of music.
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It helps me work.
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Me too.
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I love music.
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What music have you listened to?
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I've listened to some happy pop music.
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It gives me energy.
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What about you?
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I've listened to some calm, relaxing music.
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It helps me focus.
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See?
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The present perfect is everywhere in our conversation.
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It feels very natural.
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It does.
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Okay, my turn to ask you a question.
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Have you made any plans for the weekend?
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Ooh, a question about the weekend.
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Yes, I have made some plans.
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I want to see a movie with my friends.
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That sounds fun.
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Make is another irregular verb.
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The past participle is made.
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She has made a cake.
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He has made a mistake.
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Hopefully not a mistake.
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But yes, made is the form we need.
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I have made a cup of tea for us, Paul.
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It's on the table.
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You have?
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Oh, thank you, Emily.
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You are the best.
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You have made my day better.
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You are very welcome.
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This is another good example.
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The tea is here now,
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so my past action of making tea has a result in the present.
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Yes, the result is a delicious cup of tea for me.
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Thank you.
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Let's think about more daily activities.
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What about going places?
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Have you gone to the supermarket this week?
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Yes, I have gone to the supermarket.
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I went on Monday, so my refrigerator is full now.
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Great.
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The verb go has the past participle gone.
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But what about been?
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Sometimes people say, I have been to the supermarket.
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What's the difference?
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Ah, that is a fantastic question.
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It's a little advanced, but very useful.
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Gone means you went somewhere and you are still there.
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You have not come back.
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Okay.
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So if my mom asks, where is David?
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I can say, he has gone to the store.
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It means he is at the store now.
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Exactly.
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But been means you went somewhere and you came back.
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It's an experience.
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So if I ask you,
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have you ever been to Italy?
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I am asking about your life experience.
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You went to Italy and you came back.
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Yes, precisely.
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So for my supermarket example,
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I should say, I have been to the supermarket this week because I am here now.
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I came back.
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That makes so much sense.
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Thank you for that.
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So for our day, we usually use been.
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I have been to the bank today.
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This means I went, and now I am back.
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You got it.
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That's perfect.
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So, listeners, when you talk about a place you visited and came back from, use been.
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I've been to the park.
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She's been to the doctor.
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This is so helpful.
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OK, let's talk about things we have not done.
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This can also be interesting.
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For example, I haven't watched any TV today.
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Me neither.
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I haven't watched any TV.
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I've been too busy.
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And I haven't called my sister yet.
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I need to do that later.
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Oh, yes.
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And I haven't watered my plants.
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Oh no. I need to do that after this.
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Thanks for reminding me.
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You're welcome.
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So the things we haven't done are also important for our day.
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are tasks for the future.
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Yes.
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The present perfect helps us see what is finished and what is not finished.
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It organizes our day.
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That's a great way to think about it.
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It's like a to-do list.
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I can say, I have checked my emails.
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Check.
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I have drunk my coffee.
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Check.
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I haven't eaten lunch yet.
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Ooh, need to do this.
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Exactly.
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It's a status update for your day.
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Let's try to have a small,
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natural conversation about our morning using the present perfect.
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Great idea.
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I'll start.
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Hi, Emily.
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How is your day going?
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Hi, Paul.
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It's going well, thanks.
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I've already finished my most important task for the day,
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so I feel good.
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That's great.
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What was it?
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I've written an important email.
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It took a long time.
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What about you?
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Have you started your big project yet?
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No, I haven't started it yet.
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I've prepared everything I need,
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but I haven't actually started the work.
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I will do it after lunch.
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Ah, that makes sense.
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Well, you've already done the preparation,
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so that is a good start.
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Thank you.
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I think so, too.
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Hey, have you seen the news today?
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No, I haven't seen the news.
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Is there something interesting?
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Not really.
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Just the usual.
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I read it online.
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I've read the headlines.
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Oh, okay.
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Well, it was nice talking to you.
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You, too.
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Wow, Emily, that felt so natural.
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And we used the present perfect many times.
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I know.
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We used finished, written, started,
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prepared, done, seen, and read.
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That was fantastic practice.
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It really was.
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And it shows how common this grammar is in daily conversation.
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We use it all the time without thinking.
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We do.
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And we can also use it to ask about experiences, not just today.
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For example, Paul, have you ever eaten pineapple on pizza?
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An important question.
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Yes, I have eaten pineapple on pizza.
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I like it.
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Me too.
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It's delicious.
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See, we use ever in questions about life experiences.
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Have you ever?
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And if the answer is no, we can use never.
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For example, I have never tried sushi.
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Oh, really?
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You should.
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It's amazing.
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I have tried it many times.
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Maybe one day.
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So, ever for questions and never for negative experiences.
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I have never been to Japan.
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I have never seen snow.
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Wow, really?
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Really!
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So, as we can see,
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the present perfect is not just for our day.
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It is also for our whole life.
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It connects our past experiences to our present life.
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That's a beautiful way to put it.
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It's all about the connection,
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what happened before, and how it affects now.
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Yes.
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So for our listeners, let's do a quick review.
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The structure is have or has plus the past participle verb form.
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We use it for recent past actions that have a result in the present.
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I've lost my keys, so I can't get into my house now.
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We use it with words like just for very recent actions,
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already for actions that happened early,
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and yet in questions and negatives for expected actions.
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And we use it with ever and never to talk about life experiences.
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Have you ever traveled alone?
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I have never learned to swim.
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That's a perfect summary, Paul.
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You are a great student.
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Thank you, Emily.
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You are a great teacher.
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I feel like I really understand the present perfect now.
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It's not so scary.
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It's not.
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It's a friend.
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It helps you express your experiences and your day in a more complete way.
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So my challenge for our listeners is to think about their day.
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What have you done today?
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Ooh, I love that.
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Think about it.
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Have you eaten breakfast?
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Have you talked to a friend?
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Have you learned a new English word?
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I am sure they have.
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They have learned about the present perfect.
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Yes, exactly.
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They have done something wonderful for their English today.
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That's so true.
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Well, our time is almost up.
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This has been a very productive episode.
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We have talked a lot about the present perfect.
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We have given a lot of examples.
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And hopefully, we have helped our listeners understand it better.
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I am sure we have.
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Your explanations were so clear, Paul.
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And yours were too, Emily.
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It was great working with you on this.
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It's always a pleasure.
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And it's a pleasure to have all our listeners with us.
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We hope you enjoyed this episode.
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Yes, we do!
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Please don't forget to subscribe to our channel,
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Mr. English Channel, so you don't miss our next episodes.
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And share this episode with your friends who are also learning English.
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Sharing is caring.
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That's right!
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And for today's comment, we have a question for you.
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Please write in the comments below,
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what is one thing you have done today?
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What a perfect question!
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It can be simple, I have drunk water,
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or I have studied English.
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We would love to read your answers.
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Yes!
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We can't wait to see what you write.
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Thank you all for listening.
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It has been a fantastic day.
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It has.
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Goodbye for now, everyone.
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Keep practicing.
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Bye, everyone.
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See you next time.
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About This Lesson
In today's lesson, we will practice talking about our day using the present perfect tense. This grammatical structure allows us to connect past actions with their effects in the present. For example, you might say, "I have had my breakfast," indicating that the action is complete but relevant to your current state. This lesson is perfect for learners who want to enrich their daily conversational skills in English, making your communication both effective and engaging. You will gain confidence in using the present perfect to describe your experiences and how they relate to the present moment.
Key Vocabulary & Phrases
- Have had - Used to indicate completed actions that affect the present.
- Action - Refers to what someone does.
- Present result - The current state affected by past actions.
- Finished - To have completed an activity or task.
- Connected - How past actions relate to the present situation.
- Breakfast - The meal eaten in the morning.
- Hungry - The state of needing food.
Practice Tips
To effectively use the shadowing technique while practicing this lesson, follow these guidelines:
- Listen carefully: Play the video and listen to how the speakers use the present perfect tense to discuss their day. Pay attention to their intonation and pronunciation.
- Repeat after them: Pause the video at intervals and try to repeat their phrases exactly as they say them to mimic their tone and rhythm.
- Use slower speeds: If you find the natural speed challenging, utilize the YouTube playback speed feature to slow down the video, making it easier to follow.
- Reflect on your day: As you practice each phrase, think about your own day. What have you done? Incorporate your experiences into the sentences you repeat.
- Engage with others: After practicing alone, find a partner to practice speaking. Share what you have done during the day, using the present perfect tense.
By incorporating these strategies into your English practice routine, especially using resources like learn English with YouTube, you will find yourself improving your speaking skills effectively through the shadowing technique. Happy learning!
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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