Shadowing Practice: Talk About Your Day Using Present Continuous (ING) | English Podcast for Beginners (A2–B1) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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350 sentences
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1
Hello everyone and welcome back to Mr. English Channel, 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 so great to be hanging out with all of you today.
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I was just thinking about something right before we started recording today.
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It's funny how we use certain grammar naturally, without even realizing it.
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Oh really?
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What are you thinking about?
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Well, just listen to what you just said.
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You said, What are you thinking about?
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You used the ing ending on the word think.
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Oh, you're totally right.
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And earlier I said, We are hanging out.
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That is another ing word.
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We use this pattern all the time.
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We really do.
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We use it whenever we talk about our days or what is happening right now.
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It's such a common way to speak in English.
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Exactly.
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Like right this second, I'm holding a pen, and I'm looking at you on my computer screen.
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And I'm drinking a cup of coffee.
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I'm sitting in my favorite chair.
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We add ing to our verbs to show that the action is happening right now, in this exact moment.
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It makes the language feel so alive.
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It's not just a fact, it is an action in motion.
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That's a great way to describe it.
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So what else are you doing today, besides holding a pen and recording a podcast with me, of course?
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Well, today is a busy day for me.
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I'm actually painting my living room.
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Wow, that is a big project.
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Are you painting it yourself, or is someone helping you?
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I'm doing it completely by myself.
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And to be honest, I'm making a huge mess in my apartment right now.
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Oh no!
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Are you spilling paint everywhere?
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A little bit.
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I'm wearing old clothes and I'm trying to be careful, but there are a few drops of paint on the floor.
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What color are you painting the walls?
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I'm painting them a light blue color.
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It's very relaxing.
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That sounds lovely.
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Notice how we are talking about your day right now.
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You aren't painting in this exact second because you are talking to me.
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Right.
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But it is happening today.
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It is my current project.
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So we still use that "-ing ending.
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I am painting my living room today." Exactly.
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The present continuous isn't just for this very second.
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It's for anything happening around now. So true.
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And what about you, Emily?
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What are you doing today?
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Well, I'm spending a lot of time in my kitchen today.
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I'm baking some bread.
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Baking bread?
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That sounds amazing.
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Are you making it from a mix or from scratch?
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I'm making it totally from scratch.
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I'm trying a brand new sourdough recipe.
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Oh, nice.
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Is it difficult?
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I always hear that sourdough takes a really long time.
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It really is taking a long time.
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Right now, the dough is just resting on the kitchen counter.
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The dough is resting?
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Like it is tired from working out?
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Yes, exactly.
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In baking, we say the dough is resting.
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It just means it is sitting there, and it is slowly growing.
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So while you were sitting here talking to me, your bread is working hard in the other room.
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Exactly.
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It's growing and resting.
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And later today, I'm putting it in the oven.
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I bet your house is smelling really good right now.
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It is starting to smell like flour and yeast.
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I'm really enjoying a quiet day at home.
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That sounds like a perfect day.
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You know, another thing I am doing today is organizing my books.
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Really?
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Are you cleaning out your whole apartment?
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I'm trying to.
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I'm moving old books into boxes and I'm dusting the shelves.
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That's a lot of work.
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Are you finding any good books you forgot about?
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I actually am.
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I'm looking at a really old cookbook right now that I found behind a shelf.
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Oh, you should use it.
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Maybe you can cook something special tonight.
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That's a good idea.
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What are you doing tonight?
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Do you have any fun plans?
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Not really.
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I'm just relaxing tonight.
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I'm eating some of my fresh bread, and I'm watching a movie.
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That sounds incredibly peaceful.
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I'm definitely ordering a pizza tonight.
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I'm not cooking after painting all day.
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I don't blame you at all.
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Painting is exhausting.
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It really is.
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By the way, while we're chatting about our days, if you are listening right now and enjoying this conversation, please take a quick second to like the video and subscribe to the channel.
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Yes, it really helps us out.
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And we want to hear from you, too.
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What are you doing today?
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Leave a comment below and tell us.
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Are you working?
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Are you relaxing at home?
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We always love reading your comments and seeing how you are practicing your English.
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So definitely let us know what you're doing right now.
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Okay, so back to our days.
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We talked about what we are doing right now and what we are doing today.
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But we can also use this grammar for things happening these days in our lives generally.
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Oh, right.
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Like temporary habits or current phases we are going through.
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Exactly.
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For example, these days I'm trying to drink a lot more water.
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That is a great habit.
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Are you carrying a water bottle around with you?
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Yes, I am.
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I'm carrying a big blue water bottle everywhere I go.
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It really helps.
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I need to do that.
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Currently, I'm trying to walk more.
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Oh, nice!
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Are you taking walks in the morning or the evening?
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I'm taking short walks in the evening.
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The weather is getting cooler, so it feels really nice outside.
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That's wonderful!
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Notice how you said, the weather is getting cooler.
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The weather is changing, so it's a process happening right now.
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Exactly.
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We use the "-ing ending for changes too, like the sun is setting or it is getting dark.
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Or, my English is improving.
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That is a great sentence for everyone listening to practice.
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I love that one.
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My English is improving every single day. For sure.
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So, what else are you working on these days?
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Are you learning anything new?
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Actually, I am.
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I'm learning how to edit videos.
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Oh, that's so cool.
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Are you taking a class?
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I'm not taking a formal class, no. I'm just watching tutorials online and practicing on my own.
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That is a great way to learn.
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I'm doing something similar.
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I'm learning some conversational Spanish.
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Really?
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That's awesome.
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Are you practicing with anyone?
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I'm practicing with a friend from Mexico.
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We are talking on the phone once a week.
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That is such a good idea.
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Learning a language with a friend makes it so much easier.
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It really does.
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It's just like what we are doing here on the podcast.
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We're just chatting naturally.
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And it's the best way to pick up new vocabulary, too.
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You know, we've actually used some really interesting everyday phrases today while talking about our routines.
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We really have.
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We should definitely highlight a few of them so everyone can remember them and use them in their own conversations.
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That sounds great.
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The first one I noticed was when I was talking about painting.
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I said, I was making a mess.
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Yes, making a mess.
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We use this all the time.
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It just means you are making things dirty or untidy.
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Right.
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Like if you're cooking a big meal, you're probably making a mess in the kitchen.
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Or if kids are playing with toys, they are making a mess in the living room.
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It's a very natural way to describe it.
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Totally.
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What was another phrase we used?
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When I was talking about my bread, I said I was making it from scratch.
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Oh, I love that phrase, from scratch.
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It means you are making something from the very beginning using basic ingredients.
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Exactly.
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You aren't using a box or a pre-made mix.
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If you bake a cake from scratch, you use flour, sugar, and eggs.
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It always tastes better when you make it from scratch.
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I completely agree.
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Another word we used a lot today was currently.
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Yes, currently.
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It's just a slightly more advanced way of saying right now or these days.
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Right.
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Instead of saying, right now I am reading a book, you can say, currently I am reading a book.
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It sounds very smooth.
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It really does.
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It is great for talking about those temporary situations we mentioned earlier, Like, currently I am looking for a new job.
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Perfect example.
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OK, how about the phrase, taking a break?
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We use that one constantly.
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Taking a break means stopping your work or activity for a short time to rest.
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Exactly.
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Like, if you are studying for hours, you might say, I am tired.
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I am taking a break.
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I am definitely taking a break after I finish painting my walls today.
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I'm sitting on the sofa and doing nothing.
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You deserve a break.
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Okay, let's look at one more phrase.
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I know I said I was looking forward to eating my bread later.
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Looking forward to.
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This is such a warm, positive phrase.
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It means you are excited about something that is happening in the future.
205
Exactly.
206
We use it all the time.
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I am looking forward to the weekend.
208
Or, I am looking forward to seeing you.
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And notice we use that ing ending again.
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I am looking.
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It is an action happening inside your mind right now.
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Yes, you are currently feeling excited.
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These phrases are so helpful for everyday conversations.
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They really are.
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But sometimes it's easy to make tiny mistakes when using this grammar.
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I hear little mix-ups pretty often.
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Oh, definitely.
218
Sometimes people use the simple present when they really mean the present continuous.
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We can easily smooth that out, though.
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Let's do it.
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For example, a lot of times, someone will say, I paint my house today.
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Right.
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We understand what that means, but it doesn't sound entirely natural to a native speaker.
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Exactly.
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Because, I paint is a simple fact.
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It sounds like a general routine, like, I paint houses for a living.
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Yes.
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If it is happening today as a specific project, it's much better to say, I am painting my house today.
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I am painting my house today.
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It just flows so much better.
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It shows the action is in progress.
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Okay, here is another common one.
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Sometimes people ask, what you do now?
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Haha, yes.
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It is missing a couple of small but important words.
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We need the are and the ing.
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Exactly.
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To sound really natural and conversational, we say, what are you doing now?
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What are you doing now?
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Or even shorter, what are you doing?
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It's the most common question in American English.
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It really is.
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Here's a third one.
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What if someone says, We are eat dinner soon.
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I hear that one sometimes.
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They remember the R, but they forget to change the verb.
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Right.
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The word eat needs to change.
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It should be, We are eating dinner soon.
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We are eating dinner soon.
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The R and the ing always hold hands.
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They belong together.
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That is a great way to remember it.
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They hold hands.
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If you have am, is, or are, you usually need the ing on your action word. For sure.
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Let's look at one last sentence.
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Sometimes someone says, I am read a good book these days.
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Yes.
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If it is happening today as a specific project, it's much better to say, I am painting my house today.
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I am painting my house today.
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It just flows so much better.
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It shows the action is in progress.
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Okay, here is another common one.
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Sometimes people ask, what you do now?
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Ah, yes.
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It is missing a couple of small but important words.
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We need the R and the ING.
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Exactly.
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To sound really natural and conversational, we say, what are you doing now?
270
What are you doing now?
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Or even shorter, what are you doing?
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It's the most common question in American English.
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It really is.
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Here is a third one.
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What if someone says, We are eat dinner soon.
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I hear that one sometimes.
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They remember the R, but they forget to change the verb.
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Right.
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The word eat needs to change.
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It should be, we are eating dinner soon.
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We are eating dinner soon.
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The R and the ING always hold hands.
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They belong together.
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That is a great way to remember it.
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They hold hands.
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If you have am, is, or are, you usually need the ing on your action word. For sure.
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Let's look at one last sentence.
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Sometimes someone says, I am read a good book these days.
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It's the exact same situation.
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The am is there, but read needs its partner.
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Exactly.
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It needs to be, I am reading a good book these days.
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I am reading a good book these days.
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It sounds so smooth and completely natural.
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It really does.
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I feel like hearing all these little details is super helpful.
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But it always makes more sense when you hear it in a real situation.
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I completely agree.
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Context is everything.
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Let's try a quick practice conversation so everyone can hear this grammar in action.
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Perfect.
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Let's imagine we are talking on the phone.
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It's Saturday afternoon and I'm calling you just to say hello.
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Sounds great.
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I'll answer the phone.
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Ring, ring.
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Hello?
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Hey, Emily.
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It's Paul.
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How is your Saturday going?
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Hey, Paul.
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It's going great.
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I'm actually just leaving the grocery store right now.
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Oh, nice.
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Are you buying ingredients for more bread?
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Yes, I am.
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I am making a huge mess in my kitchen this weekend.
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What are you doing today?
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I'm taking a break right now.
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I'm sitting on my balcony and drinking some iced tea.
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That sounds wonderful.
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Is the weather nice over there?
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It is.
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The sun is shining and a cool breeze is blowing.
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It's perfectly relaxing.
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I am so jealous.
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I am carrying heavy grocery bags to my car right now.
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Oh no, let me let you go so you can drive home.
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Are we still meeting for lunch tomorrow?
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Yes, definitely.
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I'm really looking forward to it.
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Me too.
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I'm craving a good burger.
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I'll see you tomorrow, Emily.
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Drive safely.
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Thanks, Paul.
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See you tomorrow. And scene.
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That was a perfect example of a totally normal everyday phone call.
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It really was.
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We used the present continuous for almost everything.
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I am leaving, I'm sitting, the sun is shining.
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Because that is just how we talk about our current lives.
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It is the grammar of the present moment.
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Exactly.
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And I hope everyone listening feels a lot more confident talking about their own days now. For sure.
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Remember, practice is the key.
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So don't forget to tell us in the comments what you are currently doing.
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We love reading them.
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And if you enjoyed spending your day with us, please subscribe to the channel, like this video, and share it with a friend who is also learning English.
350
thanks for hanging out with us today everyone have a great day and keep practicing bye everyone see you next time
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Talk About Your Day Using Present Continuous”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: painting, exactly, sound, ing, happening. This video has 350 sentences and 2544 words to shadow. The speech runs for 16:23. The speaker talks at a natural 155 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 86% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| scratch verb | /skɹæt͡ʃ/ | To rub a surface with a sharp object, especially by a living creature to remove itching with nails, claws, etc. |
| grammar noun | /ˈɡɹæm.ə(ɹ)/ | A system of rules and principles for the structure of a language, or of languages in general. |
| bake verb | /beɪk/ | To cook (something) in an oven (for someone). |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| conversational adjective | /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/ | Easy in conversation, chatty. |
| verb noun | /vɝb/ | A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being. |
| dough noun | /doʊ/ | A thick, malleable substance made by mixing flour with other ingredients such as water, eggs, or butter, that is made into a particular form and then baked. |
| continuous adjective | /kənˈtɪn.juː.əs/ | Without stopping; without a break, cessation, or interruption. |
| sourdough noun | /ˈsaʊɚˌdoʊ/ | A type of bread dough leavened with yeast and lactobacilli that produce acids giving a sour taste. |
| ingredient noun | /ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/ | One of the substances present in a mixture, especially food. |
| flour noun | /ˈflaʊ.ə/ | Powder obtained by grinding or milling cereal grains, especially wheat, or other foodstuffs such as soybeans and potatoes, and used to bake bread, cakes, and… |
| subscribe verb | /səbˈskɹaɪb/ | To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name). |
| shelf noun | /ʃɛlf/ | A flat, rigid structure, fixed at right angles to a wall or forming a part of a cabinet, desk, etc., and used to display, store, or support objects. |
| grocery noun | /ˈɡɹəʊ.s(ə.)ɹi/ | Retail foodstuffs and other household supplies. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| look forward to verb | To anticipate, expect, or wait for, especially with a feeling of approval or pleasure; to be excited or eager to. | |
| clean out verb | To clean, especially to tidy by removing the contents. | |
| go through verb | To travel from one end of something to the other. | |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. | |
| work out verb | /ˌwɝk ˈaʊt/ | To calculate. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are you thinking about?
- Are you spilling paint everywhere?
- What color are you painting the walls?
- What are you doing today?
- Are you cleaning out your whole apartment?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past | was just thinking · were sitting · was talking |
| Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing form | started recording · love reading · finish painting |
| Superlatives the -est / the most … — the top or bottom of a group | the best · the most common |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should use · should definitely highlight |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 59 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, you're, aren't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, shelf /ʃɛlf/, shine /ʃaɪn/
- Long words — get the stress right: conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, continuous /kənˈtɪn.juː.əs/, ingredient /ɪnˈɡɹiːdi.ənt/, vocabulary /vəˈkæb.jə.lə.ɹi/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like phrase, scratch, grammar.
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.