Shadowing Practice: Talking about social media: πŸ“±πŸ‘β€οΈ Real Easy English - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Hello, you're listening to Real Easy English from BBC Learning English.
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I'm Neil.
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And I'm Georgie.
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In this podcast, we talk in Easy English about a different topic each week to help improve your English skills.
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If you want to read along, you can visit our website bbclearningenglish.com.
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Hi, Neil.
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Hi, Georgie.
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How are you?
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I'm pretty good, thanks.
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How are you?
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I'm very well, thank you.
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What are we talking about today, Neil?
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Well, today we're talking about social media and how much we use it.
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Well, I use social media all the time, so I have lots of things to say.
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Great!
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OK, Georgie, so you said you use social media a lot.
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Why do you like it?
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Well, the reason I like it is actually the reason I dislike it as well.
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I use it when I'm bored.
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It can be very entertaining, especially TikTok.
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For example, yeah, the videos I watch are very fun and entertaining.
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I like that about it, but it's also something I hate because it can be very addictive and you can waste a lot of time watching TikTok videos.
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Neil, do you watch TikTok videos?
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I try not to, to be honest, because I'm too old.
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You're never too old for TikTok videos.
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But I always think I'm using it too much.
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Do you think you use social media too much, Georgie?
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I think definitely I use social media too much.
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OK, Georgie, you used the word definitely.
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Tell us more about definitely.
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Yes, well definitely means that something is certainly the case.
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If you definitely do something there is no doubt that you did it.
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You certainly did it.
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Yeah.
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So what do you use social media for?
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You said you watch videos, but anything else?
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The main reason I think is to stay in touch with my friends.
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This was definitely true when I lived in Spain.
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It was a good way for me to see what my friends in England were doing.
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I also posted things myself, so it was a way to show everyone else what I was doing as well.
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Neil, what do you use social media for?
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Well, I like messaging apps mainly and group chat so that I can catch up with friends who live far away that I can't actually see in person.
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Yes, I also use it for that.
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Neil, you just used the verb catch up with.
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Can you explain that a bit more, please?
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Yeah, so if you catch up with someone, it means you speak to them, you contact them, and you find out what they've been doing in their life.
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Find out what activities or what changes in their lives have happened.
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Yeah, when you catch up with someone it brings you up to date with their life and what they've been doing since you last saw them.
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So, Georgie, you said you think you use your phone too much for social media.
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Do you have any plans to use your phone less?
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I would love to use my phone less, but if I'm being realistic I think I will probably continue using my phone in the same way.
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It's just too difficult to reduce the screen time, so addictive.
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But maybe in the future I will put those limits that your phone can put to help me reduce my screen time.
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Georgie, you used words like maybe and probably and we use these when we're not sure or not certain if we are going to do something.
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Yes, so maybe I will use my phone less, maybe I will continue using my phone in the same way.
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Probably I will continue using my phone in the same way.
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Well Georgie, it sounds like you use your phone a lot.
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Maybe you should have a break or just relax a bit.
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Yes, Neil, I think you're right.
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Let's quickly recap the words and phrases we learned during the conversation.
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We had maybe, which we use to talk about something that is not certain.
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Probably, which means most likely.
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Definitely, which we use to say something is certain.
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And catch up with, talking to someone you haven't seen for a long time.
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Thanks for listening to Real Easy English.
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Remember, you can find more programmes to help you with your English at bbclearningenglish.com.
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Next time we'll talk about journeys and how we get to work.
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See you then.
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Bye.
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Bye.
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Thank you.

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About This Lesson

This lesson focuses on the engaging topic of social media, exploring its impact on our lives and the reasons we use it. By listening to the conversation between Neil and Georgie, you will practice your English listening skills while learning to discuss personal interests and opinions related to social media. This will also enhance your vocabulary and phrases associated with everyday communication. As you listen, you'll gain an understanding of how to express your thoughts clearly and confidently, while also improving your English pronunciation through targeted practices.

Key Vocabulary & Phrases

  • Social media: Platforms that allow users to create and share content or participate in social networking.
  • Addictive: Something that is hard to stop doing, often leading to excessive use.
  • Catch up with: To reconnect with someone to find out what they have been doing or how they have been since you last met.
  • Definitely: An adverb used to express certainty about something.
  • Entertaining: Something enjoyable or amusing that captures your attention.
  • Messaging apps: Applications used to send texts, make calls, and share images quickly over the internet.
  • In touch: Staying connected with someone, usually through communication.
  • Wasting time: Spending time doing something that is considered unproductive or trivial.

Practice Tips

To effectively practice your English and improve your pronunciation, consider using a technique called shadowspeak. As you watch the video, try to shadow speech by repeating what Neil and Georgie say immediately after they say it. This will help you grasp the rhythm and intonation of natural English speech. Pay attention to their pronunciation of words like definitely and entertaining, and notice how they converse fluidly. Aim to mimic not just the words but also the tone and pace of their conversation.

Given that the dialogue is friendly and conversational in tone, don't hesitate to adjust your speed to match theirs. Start by listening to a line several times to fully absorb it. Then, practice speaking along with them, gradually increasing your speed as you become more comfortable. Remember that the goal is to learn English with YouTube content that reflects real-life communication. Taking this approach will lead to significant improvements in your English skills, making you more confident while speaking and engaging in discussions about topics like social media.

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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