Shadowing Practice: Time Vocabulary for English Learners ⏰ - Learn English Speaking with YouTube
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In England, we don't say 6.30.
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In England, we don't say 6.30.
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We say half six.
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We don't say Wait a minute.
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We say One sec.
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In this video, I will teach you everything you need to know about time.
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What other ways can we say what time is it?
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Well, it depends on the situation.
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For example, if you're at work,
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you might say, Luigi, do you know what time it is?
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If you're asking a stranger in the streets,
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you would say, Excuse me,
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have you got the time?
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And if you're asking a close friend or a family member,
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you might say, What time is it?
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Oh.
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Got the time?
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it's seven o'clock.
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Or is it?
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Actually, it's more natural to just say it's seven.
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And at seven, I like to do the horse stance for five minutes,
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read a book for five minutes,
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And finally, meditate for five minutes.
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Oh look, it's 7.15 or as British people say, quarter past seven.
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Now I'm going to show you a simple way how to tell the time in Britain.
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On the right of the clock, we say past.
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On the left of the clock, we say to.
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Halfway round, we say half.
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And by the way, these are called hands.
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Big hand, little hand.
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So, right now, it is five past seven.
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Five past seven.
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Now it's ten past seven.
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Quarter past seven.
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Fifteen minutes later, it is half seven.
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Fifteen minutes later, it is quarter to eight.
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And remember, on the left side of the clock it's two.
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So it's 15 minutes to eight.
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It's quarter to eight.
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Now it's ten to eight,
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five to eight, and eight o'clock.
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Morning.
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Morning.
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In real life conversation, it's more common to hear British people saying morning instead of good morning.
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Morning is less formal and more friendly.
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Now, what am I having for brekkie?
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Brekkie is slang for breakfast.
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For brekkie I'm having croissant with mulberry jam and butter.
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I'm having an oat milk latte in a mug with a little biscuit on the saucer.
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There is also a silver teaspoon.
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I'm grabbing the handle and picking it up.
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Now I'm taking a sip of my latte.
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Jay, have you got the time?
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It's half eight.
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And at half eight, I love to write.
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They say that writing helps you think clearly.
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I like to write in the morning as a nice and gentle way to start the day.
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I usually free write and today I'm going to write about my environment.
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I'm surrounded by greenery.
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The trees are covered by plants and the air smells fresh.
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I can hear the sound of chimes tinkling in the wind
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The Sun is lighting up the pond the frog is cooling in the shade I Feel happy to be in this moment
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Now I think it's time for croissant.
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Oh look, it's quarter to nine.
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So once I have cleared my mind,
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once I've written down in my journal,
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I like to dive in to my work.
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But what am I working on?
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Well, I'm actually talking to myself.
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I'm currently chatting with J.I.
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who is an AI version of me who sounds exactly like me.
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And I'm talking with him to improve how he sounds,
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to make his accent sound even more like mine.
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Recently, I also improved how J.I gives you feedback in even more detail.
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Finally, I built a role play exercise so that you can practice speaking in any scenario that you want.
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In a cafe, at a job interview,
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or any custom scenario that you choose.
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Hey Jay, what does it mean when people say, it's just gone 12?
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When people say, it's just gone 12 o'clock,
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it means it's a little bit past 12.
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Now, I've finished working on Sprout and the time is 11.56.
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It's coming up to 12.
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It's getting on for 12.
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It's almost 12.
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We call 12 noon or midday.
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Midday is more conversational.
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And at midday, I like to do my favourite thing.
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90. Ah, nap.
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Other ways to say nap are to have a kip.
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Kip is very British and it can be a verb or a noun.
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You can kip or you can have a kip.
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You can also say a catnap or a powernap,
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which both mean a quick nap.
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What day is it?
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What date is it?
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This is the calendar.
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These are the days.
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Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
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And these are the dates.
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The 1st, the 2nd, the 3rd,
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and the 4th of April.
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Day and date sounds very similar.
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So let's make sure that we don't confuse them.
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Hey Jay, what day is it today?
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Today it's Saturday, Mario.
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It's the weekend.
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It's the 25th of April.
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And remember, Mario, and you,
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we don't say the 25th of April, we say the 25th.
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The 25th.
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Got it?
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Good.
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And if you look at the calendar,
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you can see that day one is the first,
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day two is the second,
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and day three is the third.
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So if we say the first,
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do we say the eleventh?
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No, it's the eleventh, twelfth and thirteenth.
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English is weird.
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Speaking of weird, we're not as weird as those Americans who put the month first.
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In England, we write the day,
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the month, and then the year.
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Now, I have a question for you guys.
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If your phone died for an entire day,
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how would you spend your time and why?
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Would it be a good thing or a bad thing?
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Let me know in the comments and let's start a conversation with each other.
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Now it's time for some trendy British slang.
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Here are five of my favourite slang words in British English.
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And the first one is to faff.
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To faff about, to faff on or to faff around.
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And this means to waste time.
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Here's an example.
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Chang!
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Stop faffing!
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Flights in two hours.
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Chop chop!
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The next slang word is to crack on.
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Crack on, which means hurry up.
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Here's another example.
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We're still late.
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Crack on.
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Thank you.
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Thank you.
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The next slang word is...
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Stupid o'clock.
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Stupid o'clock means extremely early or extremely late.
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An inconvenient time.
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Here's an example.
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You look knackered.
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Oh, Luigi.
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I was up until stupid o'clock last night.
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The next slang word is yonks.
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We can also say donkey's years,
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and these mean a very, very, very long time.
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Here's an example.
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Monopoly.
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It's been yonks since we played this.
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Shall we play?
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Slang word number five is now and then.
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Now and then means occasionally.
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Here's an example.
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I usually have coffee at home,
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but now and then I like to enjoy it in the sun in a cafe.
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Now, it's time for you to practice what you learned in this video by talking to J.I.
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J.I sounds exactly like me.
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He will ask you questions,
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give you feedback, and help you reinforce everything that you learned in this video.
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Just click the link in the description and sign up for seven days free.
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Time is our most valuable asset.
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We can waste it or use it wisely.
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Context & Background
The video titled "Time Vocabulary for English Learners" provides an engaging overview of how to discuss time in English, particularly with a British twist. The speaker illustrates various common phrases and expressions related to time management that are used in everyday conversations. By highlighting cultural nuances, such as the informal ways to ask for the time, the speaker aims to help learners grasp real-life language usage, making it easier to connect with native speakers. The video sets a friendly tone, encouraging viewers to incorporate these expressions into their own dialogues as they learn English with YouTube.
Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication
- Half six - Instead of saying 6:30, the British often refer to it as "half six."
- Excuse me, have you got the time? - A polite way to ask a stranger for the time.
- What time is it? - A casual way to inquire among friends or family members.
- Quarter past seven - Used to express 7:15 in a more colloquial manner.
- Five to eight - Signifies that it is 7:55, showcasing a natural way to communicate time.
Step-by-step Shadowing Guide
To effectively follow along with the video and improve English pronunciation, consider these structured steps:
- Watch the video once without trying to speak. Focus on the speaker’s tone and how they deliver each phrase.
- Identify key phrases from the transcript that resonate with you; for instance, practice saying "quarter to eight" as you visualize the clock.
- Shadow the speaker by repeating phrases immediately after they say them. This shadow speak method allows you to synchronize your speech patterns with natural English fluency.
- Record yourself saying these phrases and listen back to identify areas for improvement. This will aid in your IELTS speaking practice.
- Try using the phrases in your own sentences throughout the day. For example, ask a friend "Do you know what time it is?" in casual conversation to solidify your learning.
By incorporating these practical expressions into your daily life, you'll not only enhance your language skills but also gain confidence in speaking with native speakers. Remember, practice makes perfect as you strive to improve English pronunciation!
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.
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