Shadowing Practice: THIS... is the new perfect - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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So I went ahead and made us some tea this time.
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I hope that you don't mind, but I wanted to share something with you.
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Pickup Limes just turned one.
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One years old.
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One years old.
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One year old?
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One year old sounds weird though.
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Anyway, it doesn't matter.
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In celebration of a new year, we're going to try something new here on Pickup Limes called Tea Time Tuesdays.
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Now Tea Time Tuesday is about you
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and i spending some casual quality time together over a cup of tea
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or coffee smoothie whatever you know we can change it up each time
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and we're going to keep it really short and sweet
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and each time we're going to focus on a little bit of a different topic so it could be nutrition
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minimalism travel how to create youtube videos pretty much anything you guys want to chat about
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so today i was hoping we could chat about consistency
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a lot of the times you guys ask me questions like
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what is your what do you eat in a day what is your exercise routine like
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and i think
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that you might think it's something that's really strict like i follow some kind of regimen
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but realistically i don't but i will say before i delve into that
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that i didn't always used to be this way i did
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i will admit i was someone who kind of yo -yoed between different kinds of exercise plans
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or dieting plans or i just kind of tended to have quite a bit of black and white thinking.
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I mean, if I could go back and say this to my former self, I would have said this.
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Drop the expectation that you or your actions need to be perfect.
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They don't.
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They just need to be consistent.
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Like your eating plan doesn't need to be perfect.
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It just needs to be consistent.
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Your exercise routine doesn't need to be perfect.
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It just needs to be consistent.
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I think a lot of things changed for me when I realized that, especially when it came to food.
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It was about eating well most of the time.
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That's where the consistency piece came into play
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and then I allow myself kind of treats and indulgences on occasion too
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because that's something that allows me to be able to keep up
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that kind of healthy eating routine in the long term I
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want to give you the example of exercise now this is just my personal story huh
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but I found that for me being super strict about it just puts pressure on me
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and then I tend to exercise a lot one week
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and then nothing again for like two months I don't know
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if you can relate to this but I found that
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when I take that pressure off when I stop putting those time limits on myself, when I don't weigh in or anything like that, then exercise becomes about being pleasurable, then I actually want to do it.
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And remember too that consistency breeds habits, so you don't have to exercise five days a week for an hour each time, but five minutes a day is still better than nothing
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if it means you can keep it up consistently over the long term.
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Now here's something that you can ask yourself.
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Say that you're even like a blogger who wants to start uploading regularly
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and you're trying to figure out how often should I upload, I mean you can use this, apply this question to any aspect of your life really ask yourself this particular thing
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that I want to do can I see myself doing it consistently
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and I'm not talking about for the next week or two weeks
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or two months even can you see yourself realistically keeping up
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with this for the next two years how about ten years
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if the answer is no I mean I think it's a good indication
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that you're stuck or we're stuck between that black
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or white thinking those extremes but
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if the answer is yes then that's wonderful that's what we want to keep with that's how we know
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that that certain practice is going to reap us more benefits over time because consistency is our aim.
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That is the new perfection. So that's it.
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That's the new segment on Pick Up Lines called Tea Time Tuesdays.
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Like I said, keeping it super short and sweet.
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Hope you guys enjoyed it.
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If you did, let me know by sharing in the comments below or if you have any requests for me as well.
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I mean, I already have a million ideas of things I'm looking forward to sharing.
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I just, I can't wait to share some more of these videos with you guys
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if you enjoyed it be sure to also give it a thumbs up it always means a lot
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when you do
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and thank you for joining me on this cup of tea
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looking forward to next time maybe next time we can do a coffee alright ciao

Who Is This Video For?

This video is perfect for intermediate English learners looking to practice casual conversation and build confidence in everyday speaking. Whether you’re working on english speaking practice or want to learn how to sound more natural, the relaxed tone and relatable topics make it ideal for shadowing—also called shadowspeak. It’s great for those who want to move beyond textbook phrases and into real, unscripted dialogue.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

The video is full of useful expressions you can start using today. Here are a few standouts:

  • Yo-yo between: To switch back and forth between two things (e.g., "I used to yo-yo between strict diets and overeating").
  • Black and white thinking: Seeing things as only good or bad, with no middle ground (e.g., "Her black and white thinking made it hard to compromise").
  • Short and sweet: Brief but effective (e.g., "Let’s keep this meeting short and sweet").
  • Reap benefits: To gain advantages from something (e.g., "Consistent practice helps you reap long-term benefits").
These phrases add color to your speech and sound more natural than formal alternatives.

How to Get the Accent Right

To practice pronunciation with this video, focus on the speaker’s casual rhythm and intonation. Notice how she shortens words like "gonna" (going to) and "wanna" (want to)—common in everyday English. Pay attention to pauses: she takes breaks to think, which is normal in real conversation. Try shadow speak by repeating her lines immediately after her, matching her speed and stress. For example, when she says, "Drop the expectation that you or your actions need to be perfect," emphasize "drop" and "perfect" to mirror her emphasis. This will help you sound more fluent and less scripted. Learning English with videos like this—where the dialogue is natural and unforced—makes improve english pronunciation feel less like work and more like a chat with a friend. Keep practicing, and remember: consistency (not perfection!) is key.

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 →