Shadowing Practice: The UK | Gabriel Iglesias - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
1
And you never see wine drinkers drinking with real drinkers in dive bars.
2
You might see him at a social gathering like this one, or some corporate function, but never at a little hole in the wall.
3
You'll never see.
4
Yeager!
5
Tequila way!
6
And in the middle.
7
Mellow, I say.
8
Oh, this is a fantastic establishment.
9
I truly enjoy the decor here.
10
It's amazing.
11
This is brilliant, I tell you.
12
Who cuts your grass?
13
It's fantastic.
14
I'm sorry, that voice always makes me laugh.
15
I like it.
16
It makes me smile.
17
you know, when we're here. in America.
18
Whenever I travel and I perform in England, that voice takes on a different meaning.
19
Now, I heard a woo.
20
Do we have people in the House from the UK?
21
All right, let me tell the rest of the people about you.
22
LAUGHTER
23
I love it whenever people from the UK come here to the United States because when we hear you speak
24
You sound incredible, you sound amazing, you sound educated, you sound inspirational.
25
That accent is so proper, it is so proper, it doesn't matter what you're talking about, we're drawn to whatever it is.
26
You could be talking about trash, it sounds amazing.
27
Who could leave all this rubbish here?
28
This is such a travesty.
29
This is all this destruction here all over the sidewalk.
30
Someone must tend to this at once.
31
This is ridiculous.
32
People are listening in.
33
I don't know what happened over there, but the shit hit the fan.
34
That guy from England is pissed.
35
I don't know.
36
What the hell is rubbish?
37
I'm not going to be See it's very different now when one of us goes over there Man,
38
it's very very different because see we don't sound the same as them as a matter of fact As Americans, we have a certain way with the English language.
39
Do you understand?
40
how we sound, to them.
41
I mean seriously, do you know how they look at us when they hear us speak?
42
We sound like this to them.
43
I'll tell you right now, the other day I was hanging out with Phil, right?
44
That's when bitch came over the house.
45
We had ourselves a good old time.
46
Who's that, me and Phil?
47
And by the way, if you sound like that here tonight, I'm just kidding.
48
There's just jokes.
49
Don't feel like just, you know.
50
I'm gonna wait for his ass outside.
51
I'll see how funny he is when he gets to the parking lot.
52
Fluffy my ass.
53
Thank you.
54
I just think it's funny that no matter what they talk about over there, they sound the same.
55
It sounds the same.
56
You know, whereas with us, Americans We speak according to our environment.
57
We change it up.
58
We morph.
59
We adapt.
60
We all have our, for example, we all have our trying to get a good job voice.
61
When you walk in for that interview, you don't sound the way you sound on a Saturday night when you're having a couple drinks,
62
no. You clean it up you practice in the car and when you walk in you turn it on
63
If you'll check my references, you'll see him more than qualified for this position.
64
Please feel free to call Frank Torres.
65
Frank will tell you the amazing job I did for him two and a half weeks ago.
66
Listen, I'm ready to work seven days a week, 365 days a year.
67
No job is too big, no task is too small.
68
You can count on me.
69
I'm the right person for the job.
70
Please keep me in mind.
71
Thank you so much for your time." And then you get to the parking lot, and then you get to the parking lot, and you're like, "Whew !" "Hijo a la chingada, ojalá que me dé trabajo porque no,
72
no, está cabrón, wey, man.
73
No, I need a job, man.
74
I need a job." Woo!
75
You guys know we all have our daytime voice
76
that we have around our family and our friends and our children, you know?
77
And then we have our late night voice, you know, our party voice.
78
Gengar!
79
And then if you're lucky enough, you have your late, late, late night voice.
80
This is why you don't even know what happened to me like, you know, what happened to me like.
81
Like some of you are looking at me like, "Oh my God, Fluffy's a freak." I'm just giving you an example.
82
All the kids are like, "Oh, this is different." Sorry, 'cause I see those kids and they're just like, "Ugh !" Dad's like, "Pinchy Fluffy." "No,
83
no, no, no, no. Bat fluffy, bat fluffy, bat fluffy." But see now over there,
84
they sound the same no matter what they're doing when they apply for a job.
85
If you check my references, you will see I'm more than qualified for this position.
86
when they party.
87
If you'll pour me the wine, I will drink it.
88
It is brilliant, I tell you.
89
When they're making love, I'm going to part your legs like the Red Sea.
90
Oh, I'm going to defile you in such an amazing fashion.
91
You will rule the day you came across me at that local pub.
92
I'm going to lower my drawbridge and introduce you to the Queen, yes I shall.
93
And when you arrive at that magical moment, I want you to scream victory.
94
Victory!
95
My job is done here.
96
Thank you.
97
The only messed up part about that joke is that that's the only joke the kids remember.
98
It'll be two weeks from now, you're trying to get in the room, you're like, "Why is this door locked?" And then you hear, "Victory !" I'm not going to be a good one.
99
I see a couple of young adults right there.
100
How old are you guys?
101
13 Wow and next to you How old are you?
102
You're 10.
103
Okay?
104
I'm so sorry for what Martin said.
105
10 years old.
106
But you know what though?
107
I can't feel too bad because you know what 10 year olds?
108
are young adults.
109
You are a young adult.
110
I don't see you as a kid.
111
A kid to me, first of all, is someone who doesn't have access to the internet.
112
You have, I'm sure, a tablet or a cell phone or access to online services, right?
113
Services.
114
What the hell is he talking about?
115
Bad choice of words.
116
You know what I mean, right?
117
laughter You've probably seen and heard a few things already, and the parents are like, "No, no, no, not my child.
118
No, no, no, I lock their phone." "Yeah, but you don't lock their friend's phone." LAUGHTER I feel bad.
119
Whenever I say something that's kind of like risqué, whenever parents bring like a four -year -old, five -year -old, six -year -old, and yes, it happens.
120
Then I feel bad because then I'll meet them after the show
121
and I'm like I am so sorry for what you heard me say
122
And it's always funny to see the parents say oh they hear worse at home.
123
Oh Nothing like watching a four -year -old confirm that, you know, just...
124
Mmm.
125
Like for example, my son, he's 18 years old but he still doesn't cuss at home.
126
Okay, now whatever he does in public, I have no control over, but at home he knows he cannot cuss.
127
One time, one time in like 13 years, I caught my son cussing at home and I couldn't even get mad.
128
He had fallen down the stairs.
129
I don't mean to laugh, but think about it.
130
What am I gonna do to him that's worse than what he just did to himself?
131
I heard it too.
132
Just, ah!
133
Son of a bitch!
134
I ran over.
135
I didn't even check his safety.
136
I was like, "What did you say?" "Okay, you earned that one." I said, "If you want to say the F word,
137
next time let me push you." That's when I knew he fell hard.
138
"Really?" "No, get up here, come on." LAUGHTER Well, cool, welcome you guys.
139
I hope you have a good time.
140
I know you're getting nervous, Dad.
141
You see me talking and you're like, "What'd you tell my son?" "No, nothing." Not that I'm being cool, but thank you for trusting me to bring your kids to the show.
142
Yeah.
143
For your young adults.
144
Sorry.
145
Thank you for trusting me to bring your young adults to the show.
146
And by the way, I know I keep pointing at people in the front right here.
147
If you're here tonight, was someone you have no business being here with.
148
And you see a camera coming by, just be like, "Hey, hey." Yeah.
149
Mm.
150
Victory.
151
They're very respectful.
152
They'll go to the next person.
153
Don't even worry about that.
154
Thank you.

Why practice speaking with this video?

Practicing your English speaking skills using video content, such as "The UK" by Gabriel Iglesias, provides a unique opportunity to immerse yourself in authentic dialogues. This video showcases vibrant interactions in a casual setting, making it an excellent resource for learners. By watching and repeating the jokes and narratives, you can absorb natural speech patterns and improve your conversational abilities. The humor and cultural references also help you better understand social contexts, enhancing your confidence when speaking English. Utilizing the shadow speak technique with this video will allow you to mimic the speaker's intonation and rhythm, which is essential for mastering the nuances of the English language.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

In this video, a few key grammatical structures and expressions are evident:

  • Vocabulary Usage: Phrases like "cut your grass" and "this is fantastic" illustrate everyday expressions that make speech more colorful. These phrases are ideal for learners to practice.
  • Conversational Questions: The speaker frequently employs rhetorical questions, such as "Who could leave all this rubbish here?" This encourages engagement and invites listeners to think critically, making it a practical structure to incorporate into your conversations.
  • Informal Slang: The use of casual language, including "Yeager! Tequila way!" demonstrates how to integrate informal expressions seamlessly. Learning these can enhance your informal speaking skills, essential for fitting into everyday conversations.
  • Comparative Statements: When the speaker compares accents and reactions, it provides insight into how English can vary and how to approach these differences when communicating.

Common Pronunciation Traps

While practicing with this video, you will encounter certain pronunciation challenges inherent to English language learning. Here are a few to focusing on:

  • Rubbish: The word "rubbish" can be tricky due to its British pronunciation. Focus on softening the 'r' and ensuring the 'b' sound is pronounced clearly.
  • Accent Differences: Noticing the contrast between American and British accents is crucial. When mimicking the speaker, pay attention to how certain vowel sounds shift and how consonants might not be pronounced as strongly.
  • Fast Speech: Gabriel Iglesias uses a quick cadence with many phrases. To improve your English pronunciation and fluency, slow down when you shadow him, gradually building up speed while maintaining clarity.

By applying the shadowing technique with this video, you can significantly improve English pronunciation, making it a valuable part of your learning journey. Whether you're just starting or looking to polish your skills, this approach will help you sound more natural and confident in your speech.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its resultIf you'll check my references, you'll see · If you check my references, you will see
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itis pissed · is done

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 →