Shadowing Practice: The Client Is Early: Welcoming a Visitor at Reception - Learn English Speaking with Video
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28 sentences
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1
Good morning! Welcome to Bright Path Design.
2
Morning. I'm here to see Jack Turner. My name's Howard.
3
Lovely. Do you have an appointment, Mr Howard?
4
Yes, at eleven. Well... I'm a little early, I'm afraid.
5
Oh! It's only twenty past ten.
6
I know. The trains were actually on time for once!
7
Ha, that doesn't happen often! Could you sign in here, please?
8
Of course. Do you need my car registration?
9
No, just your name and company. Here's your visitor badge.
10
Can I get you something to drink while you wait?
11
Oh, a white coffee would be wonderful, thanks.
12
No problem. Please take a seat. I'll let Jack know you're here.
13
Hi, Jack. Mr Howard from Greenline is in reception.
14
What? Already? Our meeting isn't until eleven!
15
I know. He came early. He's having a coffee now.
16
Oh no. I'm still in the budget meeting, and Room Two is booked.
17
Don't worry. The small room on the third floor is free.
18
You're a lifesaver, Sophie! I'll be down in ten minutes.
19
Mr Howard! I'm so sorry to keep you waiting.
20
Not at all. I'm the one who turned up early.
21
Well, it's great to see you. Did you find us easily?
22
Easily? Your receptionist made me feel like a VIP!
23
Oh, that's very kind of you.
24
Shall we go up? We've got the room on the third floor.
25
Great. Is it the one with the view of the river?
26
It is! And there are biscuits, too.
27
Then I'm very glad I came early.
28
Enjoy the meeting, and save me a biscuit!
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Client Is Early: Welcoming a Visitor at Reception”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Howard, Jack, meeting. This video has 28 sentences and 260 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:43. The speaker talks at a natural 152 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 84% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 10 of its 28 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| eleven noun | /əˈlɛv.ən/ | A cricket team of eleven players. Hence first eleven - the team of best cricket players (at a school), second eleven - the "B" team, etc. |
| registration noun | /ˌɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/ | The act of signing up or registering for something. |
| reception noun | /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃn̩/ | The act of receiving. |
| badge noun | /bæd͡ʒ/ | A distinctive mark, token, sign, emblem or cognizance, worn on one’s clothing, as an insignia of some rank, or of the membership of an organization. |
| visitor noun | /ˈvɪzɪtɚ/ | Someone who visits someone else; someone staying as a guest. |
| biscuit noun | /ˈbɪs.kɪt/ | A small, flat, baked good which is either hard and crisp or else soft but firm; a cookie. |
| lifesaver noun | /ˈlaɪfˌseɪvəɹ/ | A lifeguard or other rescuer. |
| receptionist noun | /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/ | An employee (such as a secretary) who works in reception (receiving visitors and/or calls) for a person or business, especially an office. |
| twenty noun | /ˈtwɛnti/ [-ɛɾ̃i] | The numbers twenty (20) to twenty-nine (29). |
| appointment noun | /əˈpɔɪnt.mɛnt/ | The act of appointing a person to hold an office or to have a position of trust. |
| floor noun | /flɔː/ | The interior bottom or surface of a house or building; the supporting surface of a room. |
| easily adverb | /ˈi.zɪ.li/ | Comfortably, without discomfort or anxiety. |
| coffee noun | /ˈkɑfi/ | A beverage made by infusing the beans of the coffee plant in hot water. |
| train noun | /ˈtɹeɪn/ | The elongated back portion of a dress or skirt (or an ornamental piece of material added to similar effect), which drags along the ground. |
| drink verb | /ˈdɹɪŋk/ | To consume (a liquid) through the mouth. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go up verb | To move upwards. |
| turn up verb | To show up; to appear suddenly or unexpectedly. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- I'm a little early, I'm afraid.
- Could you sign in here, please?
- Do you need my car registration?
- Can I get you something to drink while you wait?
- Did you find us easily?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 15 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, I'll, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: registration /ˌɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/, reception /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃn̩/, receptionist /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/
- Long words — get the stress right: registration /ˌɹɛd͡ʒ.ɪˈstɹeɪ.ʃən/, receptionist /ɹɪˈsɛp.ʃə.nɪst/, twenty /ˈtwɛnti/ [-ɛɾ̃i]
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 eleven, registration, reception.
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.