Shadowing Practice: Talking About Likes and Dislikes in English - Spoken English Lesson - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hi, I'm Stephanie.
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Hi, I'm Stephanie.
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Welcome to Oxford Online English.
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In this lesson, you can learn about how to talk about things you like or dislike in English.
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What do you like doing most of all?
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What's your favorite thing to do?
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What things do you have to do regularly,
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but aren't so keen on?
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What about the things you can't stand doing?
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Can you think of something you really hate?
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During this lesson, you'll learn how to talk about things that you like and dislike using clear, natural English.
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Let's go back to a question you heard before.
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What's your favorite thing to do?
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So what kind of music are you into?
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I'm a big fan of blues,
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classic soul, things like that.
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I really love Billie Holiday and a lot of stuff from that era.
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What about you?
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I listen to a lot of different stuff,
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but what I really like is hip-hop.
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Do you listen to music a lot at home?
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Oh sure, all the time.
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My favorite thing to do at the end of a long day is put on a record
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and just chill out on the sofa with some good tunes.
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Record?
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Do you mean vinyl?
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Of course, there's no other way to listen.
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I wouldn't go that far.
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Music makes me happy wherever I am.
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I can listen to it on my phone,
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at home, on vinyl, on CD.
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I don't care.
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I just like it.
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Here, you heard several useful phrases to talk about things you really like.
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Can you remember any of them?
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If you really like something,
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you can say, I really love.
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I'm a big fan of.
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What I really like is.
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My favorite thing to do is.
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Makes me happy.
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In the gap, you can put in a noun or an ing verb.
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For example, I really love seafood.
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or I really love swimming in the sea.
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This is true for all these phrases.
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Look at two more.
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I'm a big fan of 80s glam rock.
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I'm a big fan of listening to music when I go jogging.
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You can also vary some of these phrases to make them stronger or weaker,
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or just to add variety.
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For example, what I really enjoy is getting up late on a Sunday and going for coffee with friends.
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My absolute favorite food is spicy chicken wings.
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Doing yoga in the morning makes me feel good.
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Okay, what about you?
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Can you make some sentences using these phrases?
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You can talk about music or any other topic you like.
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Pause the video and write down two or three sentences using the language from this section.
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Ready?
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Let's move on to part two.
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Where shall we go?
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How about pizza?
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I'm not keen on the pizza places around here.
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There's a Chinese place nearby which is supposed to be alright.
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Want to check it out?
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Honestly, I don't like Chinese food so much.
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I quite like Japanese food, though.
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Are there any Japanese places around here?
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No, don't think so.
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That doesn't help, then.
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Indian?
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Spicy food isn't my thing.
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KFC?
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Yeah, KFC is alright.
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Let's go to KFC.
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So we live in a town with all these great restaurants,
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and we're going to KFC?
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Seriously?
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What's wrong with KFC?
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It's not bad.
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Fine.
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Let's go.
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In this dialogue, you heard phrases to talk about low-level likes and dislikes.
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If you like something, but not that much,
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how can you say that?
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Here are three ways you heard.
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I quite like, it's alright, it's not bad.
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The word alright doesn't mean that something is good by itself.
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However, with a positive intonation,
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it can mean that you like something.
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Again, you can use these phrases with a noun or an ing verb like this.
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I quite like going for a short walk after lunch.
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The film was alright.
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This garlic sauce is not bad.
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What if you don't like something?
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What could you say?
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Here are the phrases you heard in the dialogue.
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I'm not keen on… I don't like… so much… Isn't my thing.
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Let's see how you could use them.
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I'm not keen on horror films.
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I don't like going to the gym so much.
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Getting up early isn't my thing.
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Again, you can use many of these phrases in different ways,
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by changing or adding words.
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For example, I quite enjoy cycling.
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I'm not massively keen on that plan.
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Spending hours sitting on the beach isn't exactly my thing.
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What about you?
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In our dialogue, we talked about food.
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Can you use the language you've seen to make two or three sentences about yourself?
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You can write about food or any other topic.
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For extra practice, say your sentences out loud.
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Say them several times until the pronunciation is comfortable.
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Try to remember them so that you can say them without reading.
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This way you'll remember the language better.
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Pause the video and write your sentences now.
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Start again when you're ready.
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Okay, you've seen how to talk about things you like a lot or things you like a little.
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But what if you don't really have an opinion about something?
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What a great movie!
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What did you think?
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It was okay.
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You didn't like it?
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I didn't mind it.
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I've seen better.
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I've seen worse.
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You're difficult to please, aren't you?
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I thought it was amazing!
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Don't you think he's a great director?
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I really like everything he's made.
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I don't have strong opinions about him.
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So what do you like?
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Honestly, I haven't seen many movies that have impressed me recently.
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I saw that new Blade Runner film.
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And you didn't like it?
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Meh.
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I could take it or leave it it.
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You're annoying.
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Anyway, what shall we do now?
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Get a drink or something to eat?
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I'm not bothered either way, to be honest.
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In that dialogue, I did not have a lot of strong feelings about, well, anything really.
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Can you remember the words and phrases I used to express this?
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Often, you can express this kind of idea just with a word or gesture.
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Imagine you're watching something on TV and someone asks you if it's a good show or not.
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You can express that it's neither good nor bad,
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making a meh noise and shrugging.
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However, there are also some useful phrases you can use,
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such as, it's okay, I don't mind,
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I don't have strong opinions about,
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I can take it or leave it,
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I'm not bothered either way about.
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Like the phrases you've seen in other sections,
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you can use these with a noun or an ing verb,
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except for I can take it or leave it,
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which is a fixed phrase,
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meaning that you can use it as a response to someone else's question or suggestion.
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Let's see how you can use these phrases to talk about different things.
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The Modern Art Museum was okay.
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I don't mind doing housework.
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I don't have strong opinions about which curtains we buy.
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I'm not bothered either way about where we go.
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When you use okay, like the word alright,
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a lot depends on your intonation.
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The word okay literally means not good and not bad.
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However, with a positive intonation,
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it can have a positive meaning, like quite good.
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With a negative intonation, it can mean something like not very good.
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Listen to the difference.
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It's okay.
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It's okay.
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It's okay.
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In this way, okay can mean different things.
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Also, the phrase, I'm not bothered either way, is more informal.
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and could sound rude or dismissive if you use it in the wrong situation.
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So think about where you are and who you're talking to before you say it.
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So it's your turn to practice again.
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Can you think of a movie or a TV show that was just okay and not that good and not that bad?
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Your job is to write three sentences about yourself using the language from this section.
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If you can't think of a movie or TV show to talk about,
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you can choose a different topic.
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Pause the video and write your sentences now.
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Okay, finally, let's see how you can talk about things you hate.
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That's it!
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I'm finished with that place.
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I'm definitely quitting this time.
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I can't work there another day.
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What happened now?
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He's the worst manager ever.
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I can't stand working with him.
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I used to like going to work,
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but now I absolutely hate it.
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I have to find another job.
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You know, you've been saying that for,
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oh, since I met you?
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Yeah, but this time I mean it.
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Even the little things are starting to drive me crazy.
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Like the way he fidgets with his coffee cup when he talks.
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So, have you started looking for a new job?
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Not yet, but I will.
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I need a change.
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What about your colleagues?
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I thought you got on well with them.
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Some of them are alright,
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but I have no time for that woman in the accounts department.
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I really dislike the HR guy too, whatever his name is.
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You know, maybe you should be less negative.
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If you go to work with that kind of attitude,
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I'm not surprised you clash with people.
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What do you mean negative?
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I can't stand people telling me what to do.
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What are you even talking about?
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I have no time for people like you and your stupid advice.
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Okay, here you heard a lot of phrases to talk about something or someone you strongly dislike.
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Can you remember any of them?
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If you really dislike something,
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you can say, I can't stand,
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I absolutely hate, drives me crazy,
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I have no time for, I really dislike.
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As before, you use these phrases with a noun or an ing verb.
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For example, I can't stand people who cut in line.
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I absolutely hate every song he's ever made.
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Walking behind someone who walks really slowly drives me crazy.
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Some of these phrases are more general.
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You can use I can't stand,
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And I absolutely hate or I really dislike to talk about anything,
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people, things, or activities.
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However, with the other two phrases,
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you would use them to talk about people and their habits.
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For example, she's always late, which drives me crazy.
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I have no time for people who say nice things to your face than gossip behind your back.
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Okay, what about you?
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It's your last practice.
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Pause the video and write three sentences about things you strongly dislike.
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Use the language from this section and start again when you're ready.
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How was that?
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Could you use the language easily?
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Did you check to make sure you didn't make any mistakes?
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Finally, we have a question for you.
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What do you like or dislike most about studying English?
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Please tell us in the comments!
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Remember that you can find more of our free English lessons on our website,
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Oxford Online English dot com.
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Thanks for watching!
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See you next time!

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with this video is an excellent way to enhance your english speaking practice skills. Discussing likes and dislikes is a fundamental aspect of everyday conversations in English, allowing you to express yourself and connect with others. This lesson offers a natural context to learn how to articulate personal preferences, fostering confidence in speaking situations. By practicing along with the video, you can apply what you learn immediately, improving your fluency in casual conversations. Additionally, this approach is beneficial for those preparing for exams like the IELTS speaking practice, where discussing personal interests is often a key component of the interview.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In the video, various expressions and grammatical structures are introduced to articulate likes and dislikes. Here are a few key phrases to focus on:

  • I really love - This phrase is used to express strong preferences. For example, "I really love seafood." Use this to intensify your enthusiasm about something.
  • I'm a big fan of - A more casual way to convey your interests, e.g., "I'm a big fan of blues music." This expression helps add variety to your speech.
  • What I really enjoy is - This structure allows you to introduce activities you enjoy in a conversational manner, making your speaking sound more natural.
  • Makes me happy - This phrase can be used to connect feelings with activities or interests, adding emotional context to your conversations.

Practicing these structures will not only improve your ability to communicate about preferences but also enrich your vocabulary for more dynamic responses in any conversation.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As you practice with the video, be mindful of certain words and expressions that may be challenging to pronounce correctly. For instance:

  • Record - Ensure you pronounce it correctly as either 'rek-ord' (noun) or 'ree-kord' (verb) based on the context.
  • Soul - The 'ou' sound can be tricky, make sure to clearly articulate it as 'sohl.'
  • Chill out - Practice the phrase as it reflects a casual tone, common in spoken English.

Listening carefully to how these words are pronounced in the video will help you avoid common mispronunciations. Incorporating these new phrases into your shadow speech exercises through repetition will also reinforce correct pronunciation while developing your overall speaking skills. Learn English with YouTube videos like this one, embracing the technique of shadow speech for effective practice.

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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