Shadowing Practice: Talking about school πŸ“š πŸ“• ✏️ Real Easy English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hello.
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Hello.
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This is Real Easy English,
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the podcast where we have conversations in easy English to help you learn.
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I'm Beth.
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And I'm Neil.
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Remember, you can find all the vocabulary for this episode and a text version on our website, bbclearningenglish.com.
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How are you today, Neil?
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I'm very well, thank you, Beth.
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How are you?
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I'm good, thank you.
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What is the topic of our conversation today?
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Well, today, Beth, we're talking about schools.
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We'll talk about our favourite subjects and what qualifications we have.
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OK, Neil.
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First, can you explain the word qualifications?
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Yes.
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A qualification is an official record that you have successfully done an exam exam or training for something.
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So, for example, you can receive a qualification in speaking English if you pass a certain exam.
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OK, great.
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So Neil, what qualifications did you do at school?
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Well, I took all of the normal exams we do in the UK – GCSEs and then A these are school exams,
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and then university degrees.
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How about you?
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Yeah, I am the same.
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I went to school in the UK and did all of the same exams,
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probably, that you did.
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Did you like school?
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Yes, I did like school.
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I think I just like being with my friends and I thought most subjects were quite interesting.
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Yeah, I think I'm the same.
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What were your favourite subjects, Beth?
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I really liked English, which sounds quite predictable because now English is part of my job.
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But I also quite liked textiles,
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which was a subject all about how to make clothes and I made a hat.
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So it was quite a practical subject and I enjoyed that.
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Do you still wear the hat?
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I do not.
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It was not a good hat.
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What was your favourite subject?
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I also liked English but I think my favourite subject was history.
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OK.
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What about your least favourite subject?
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That's easy.
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Maths.
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I hate maths.
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You still hate maths.
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I still hate maths.
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So, in this conversation about school,
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we used words like quite, very and really.
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Quite good means a little bit good.
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Very good and really good mean a lot.
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So, for example, Neil, I quite like history,
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but you really like history.
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You liked it a lot at school,
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whereas I liked it a bit.
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So, did you not like maths because you weren't very good at it?
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Um, yes, I think I was really bad at maths and I didn't like it because I found it very hard.
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How about you?
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Erm, I quite liked maths.
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I don't think there was a subject that I didn't really like.
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So Beth, it sounds like you were good at everything at school and worked hard.
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So, do you think you were a nerd?
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Well, a nerd is an informal word for somebody who is very good at school.
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So, was I a nerd?
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Well, I did enjoy school and I worked hard.
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And one time my friend
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and I asked our teacher why we hadn't been given full marks for a presentation and then she said,
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oh I'll just give you full marks.
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I think that was probably quite a nerdy thing to do, so maybe.
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That's very nerdy, Beth.
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Let's look at the vocabulary we learned during the conversation.
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We had qualification – a record that you have completed an exam or a course.
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We had quite – this usually means a little.
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Very and really are both used to mean a lot.
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So, for example, I'm very good at maths.
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And nerd, which is an informal word for someone who is good at school, like you, Beth.
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Thanks.
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And thanks for listening to Real Easy English.
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You can find more programmes to improve your English on our website.
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Why not try some of our dramas and stories?
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Visit bbclearningenglish.com.
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Bye for now!
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Goodbye.

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the video "Talking about school πŸ“š πŸ“• ✏️ Real Easy English" is a fantastic way to enhance your English speaking practice. In this episode, hosts Beth and Neil discuss their experiences in school, sharing insights on favorite subjects and academic qualifications. By listening and repeating their conversation, you can adopt real conversational English and improve your ability to express opinions and preferences in a casual setting. This practice is beneficial because it allows you to hear how native speakers use everyday vocabulary and expressions related to school, a common topic that many learners will encounter.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

Understanding the grammatical structures and expressions used in conversations is vital for effective communication. Here are some key structures from the video:

  • Using "quite," "very," and "really": These adverbs help convey levels of intensity. For example, "quite good" suggests a moderate level of approval, which is a subtlety crucial for nuanced conversations.
  • Questions and responses: The hosts demonstrate natural question formation, e.g., "Did you like school?" Practicing such interrogative forms can help with your shadow speech as you interact with others.
  • Talking about preferences: Phrases like "my favorite subject was..." enable you to express personal likes and dislikes clearly. Using the structure β€œI liked… because…” helps in elaborating your thoughts.

Common Pronunciation Traps

As with any language learning, pronunciation is key, and this video offers some structures that may present challenges:

  • Words with silent letters: Be careful with words like "school" and "qualifications." Practicing these with the shadowing technique can assist in mastering their pronunciation.
  • Intonation: Notice how intonation changes when expressing preference. For instance, "I really liked..." has a rising intonation that emphasizes the speaker's enthusiasm. Mimicking this can significantly improve English pronunciation.
  • Familiar terms: Be alert to the nuances in pronunciation of less common terms such as β€œtextiles” and β€œsubjects.” These words can be challenging but are essential for a robust vocabulary.

By practicing with the strategies highlighted above, you can effectively use this video as a shadowing site, allowing you to polish your English speaking skills while gaining confidence in your ability to converse about everyday topics. 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 β€” 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 β€” making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

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