Shadowing Practice: The big day (learn English with pie) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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37 sentences
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It's almost Valentine's Day So for this week's podcastsandenglish .com beginners podcast,
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we're talking about what the happy couple wear, on their wedding day.
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- Yes, a traditional wedding.
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- Yeah, in Japan Some people wear traditional wedding kimonos.
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They're made from silk and are very beautiful.
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The woman...
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The bride...
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Yes, the bride...
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The bride can wear white or a brightly multicolored kimono embroidered with flowers and trees.
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And the man, the groom, Is he usually in black?
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I think so.
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I love the coloured dresses.
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Yeah, me too.
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But if you want coloured clothes for men and women, Ghana is the country to be.
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Wow!
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Those are great!
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Both the bride and groom look great.
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Really fun.
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I think our weddings are a little too serious.
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Yeah, and in fact I think most other countries have more cheerful clothes.
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Take Peru.
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I think the dress is handmade and embroidered by hand.
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Yeah, yeah, you can't buy that in a shop.
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I love the reds.
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And the flowers on their heads.
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Many weddings have flowers, of course.
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Yeah.
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Poland, Romania, Bulgaria.
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They all like to wear flowers on their heads.
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And lots of red again.
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Yeah.
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Red is popular in China of course.
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Red and gold.
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Barley is the best place for gold.
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So, Red, gold, black, white, flowers.
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What do people wear at a traditional wedding where you live?
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And do you like traditional or perhaps modern weddings?

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Context & Background

In this podcast episode focused on traditional weddings around the world, the speakers delve into cultural attire associated with weddings. As Valentine's Day approaches, they explore how the wedding outfit choices vary between countries such as Japan, Ghana, Peru, and China. This charming discussion not only highlights the beauty and significance of different cultural wedding garments but also provides an excellent opportunity for English learners to enhance their vocabulary related to tradition, color, and celebration. This content is designed to support those looking to improve their English speaking practice through engaging dialogues.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • “The bride can wear white or a brightly multicolored kimono embroidered with flowers and trees.” - This phrase is useful for discussing clothing choices and traditions.
  • “I love the colored dresses.” - Expressing personal preferences is a key aspect of conversation.
  • “The dress is handmade and embroidered by hand.” - Great for discussing craftsmanship and cultural significance.
  • “Red is popular in China, of course.” - Perfect for making generalizations about cultural practices.
  • “What do people wear at a traditional wedding where you live?” - Inviting others to share their perspectives promotes engaging conversations.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

To effectively utilize the shadowing technique for this podcast, follow these steps to improve your English pronunciation while making the most of the engaging topic:

  1. Listen Actively: Start by listening to the podcast episode without interruption. Pay attention to the pronunciation, intonation, and rhythm of the speakers.
  2. Repeat & Mimic: Use the shadow speech method by repeating each line immediately after hearing it. Focus on mimicking the speakers’ accent and emotions.
  3. Break it Down: Tackle the dialogue in smaller sections. Start with a sentence or phrase, ensuring you understand its meaning and context before moving on.
  4. Record Yourself: After shadowing, record your voice to assess your progress. Listen for clarity and pronunciation accuracy. This step is crucial for enhancing your English speaking practice.
  5. Engage with Others: Share your insights and practice with peers who are also learning English. Create discussions about cultural aspects of weddings, incorporating phrases from the podcast.

By following these steps, you will strengthen your language skills, enhance your pronunciation, and gain confidence in speaking English on culturally rich topics. Regular practice using shadowspeaks can lead to significant improvements in conversational fluency.

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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →