Shadowing Practice: Train Your Brain to Think in English | Easy English Conversation for Beginners - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hello everyone and welcome back to Enjoy English Talks, where every conversation helps you learn.
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I'm Judy.
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Hello Judy.
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Hello everyone.
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I'm Jake.
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How are you today, Judy?
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I am very happy today, thank you.
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I went for a walk this morning.
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It was very nice.
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And you, Jake?
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I am good.
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A little tired.
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I stayed up late last night.
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Oh, Jake.
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What were you doing?
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I was watching an English movie with subtitles.
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Oh, subtitles.
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The words at the bottom of the screen.
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Yes, the English words at the bottom.
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That is good English practice, Jake.
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Yes, but now I am tired.
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That is the problem with good movies.
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Yes, one more episode, one more episode.
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I understand.
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Okay, so Jake, today we have a very important topic.
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Oh, what is it?
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Today we are talking about your brain.
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My brain?
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Is something wrong with my brain?
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No, no, no.
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Your brain is good, Jake.
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Good.
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I was worried.
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Today we are talking about how to train your brain.
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How to train your brain to think in English.
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Ooh, think in English.
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That sounds very difficult.
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It sounds difficult, but it is not impossible.
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And today I have some tips for you.
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Easy tips.
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I like easy tips.
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I know you do.
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But, Judy, can I really learn to think in English?
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Is it truly possible?
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Yes, it is very possible.
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Many people do it.
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It takes time, but it is possible.
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How long does it take?
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Different for everyone, but if you practice every day, you will feel a change.
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Maybe in one month, maybe in two.
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One or two months.
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That is not so long.
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No, not so long.
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And every day, it gets a little easier.
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Okay, I feel more confident now.
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Good.
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That is the right feeling.
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Confident and ready.
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But first, before we start, we have a small request.
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Yes.
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If you like our podcast, please click the like button.
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And please subscribe to enjoy English talks.
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And share this episode with your friends and family who are learning English.
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Thank you so much.
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It helps us a lot.
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We love our listeners.
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Okay, now let's talk about your brain.
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My favorite topic.
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My brain.
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Okay, Jake, let me ask you a question.
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Sure.
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When you speak English, what do you do first, in your head?
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Hmm, I think in my language, in my head.
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I make the sentence, then I translate it.
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Ah, yes, you think first, then translate.
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Yes, and then the English words are wrong, or slow, or I forget.
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Exactly, this is a very common problem.
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Many learners do this.
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They think in their language and then translate.
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Is that bad?
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It is not bad, but it is slow, and it is very hard.
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Your brain is working two times.
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Two times?
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Oh, that is a lot of work.
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Yes, and when your brain works two times, it is slow, and sometimes the translation is not correct.
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Yes, I translate in my head, and sometimes the sentence sounds very strange or wrong.
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Exactly.
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So our goal today is simple.
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Stop translating.
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Think directly in English.
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That is the dream.
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Yes.
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So today we want to help your brain work one time.
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Think in English, speak in English.
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That sounds much better.
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But how?
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I have three tips for you today, Jake.
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Three tips.
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Okay, I'm ready.
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Tip number one, think in small sentences.
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Small sentences?
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Yes, small, very small.
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For example, right now, what are you doing?
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Hmm, I am sitting.
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I am sitting on a chair.
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Perfect.
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That is a small English sentence.
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I am sitting on a chair.
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Simple, easy.
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Oh, yes, that is very simple.
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You do not need a big, long sentence.
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You need a small sentence in English.
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So I just say what I see, what I do.
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Exactly.
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For example, you wake up in the morning.
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What do you think?
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Hmm, I am tired.
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Yes, perfect.
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I am tired.
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That is English.
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That is thinking in English.
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Okay, so I just use simple sentences, short ones.
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Yes, short sentences, easy words.
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That is tip number one.
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I like this tip.
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It is not scary.
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Let me try one more.
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The sun is bright.
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I feel warm.
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Yes, perfect.
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Two small sentences, two English thoughts.
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Easy.
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It's like a photo, but with words.
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Oh, I love that.
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Yes, a word photo.
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Simple, clear, beautiful.
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A word photo.
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I like this.
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You can do this anywhere.
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On the bus, in the park, at home, everywhere.
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Oh, on the bus.
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Let me try.
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The bus is full.
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People are standing.
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I have a seat.
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I am lucky.
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Yes, perfect.
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That is wonderful, Jake.
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Thank you.
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I am a poet, an English poet.
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Yes, an English poet on the bus.
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This is fun.
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I really like this tip.
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Good.
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The more you practice, the more natural it feels.
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One small sentence at a time.
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One small sentence.
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I can do that.
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Yes, you can.
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Okay, tip number two.
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What is tip number two?
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Tip number two is input.
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Input.
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What is input?
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Input is English in.
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You listen to English.
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You read English.
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That goes into your brain.
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That is input.
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Like this podcast.
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Yes, exactly like this podcast.
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You listen to us.
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English goes into your brain.
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Oh, so I am doing input right now.
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Yes, you are.
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And our listeners, too.
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They are doing input right now.
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That is nice.
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Input while we talk.
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Yes, and input can be many things.
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You can listen to songs, you can watch movies, you can read simple books.
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Like children's books?
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Yes, children's books are perfect for beginners.
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I like children's books.
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The pictures are nice.
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Yes, the pictures help, but the language is also perfect.
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Simple, clear, easy.
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So the more I listen and read, the more my brain learns English.
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Exactly.
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Your brain hears English again and again, and slowly it starts to feel normal.
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Like music.
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When you hear a song many times, you know all the words.
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Perfect example, Jake.
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Yes, exactly like that.
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Input is music for your brain.
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I love that.
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Music for my brain.
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And there's one more thing about input, something very useful.
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Oh, what is it?
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Shadowing.
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shadowing like my shadow on the ground not exactly shadowing means you listen to English and then
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you repeat right after you copy the words the sounds the rhythm ah so I listen to someone speak then I
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say the same words yes like an echo like an echo I like that so I can listen to
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this podcast and then repeat what you say yes exactly listen then pause then repeat
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so right now our listeners can practice shadowing with us yes hello listeners try it repeat after us that
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sounds like a lot of fun it is fun and it's very good for your mouth your mouth learns the sounds the words become easier to say okay I will try shadowing today with this podcast.
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Perfect.
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Okay.
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And now tip number three.
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Okay.
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What is tip number three?
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Tip number three is output.
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Output.
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What is output?
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Output is English out.
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You speak English.
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You write English.
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That comes out of your brain.
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So input is in, output is out.
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Yes.
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Very good, Jake.
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That is easy to remember.
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In and out.
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Exactly.
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And outpoint is very important because input alone is not enough.
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Not enough?
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No.
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You can listen to English for many years, but if you never speak, you cannot speak.
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Oh, that is sad and also true.
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Yes.
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So you need to use the English you learn.
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You need to speak it.
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But how do I speak English if I have nobody to talk to?
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Ah, good question.
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And this is a very important question.
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I have the answer.
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Tell me.
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Talk to yourself.
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Talk to myself?
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Yes, talk to yourself in English.
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But people will think I'm crazy.
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Maybe, but you will learn English.
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Okay, that is a good trade.
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Yes, talk to yourself.
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It's okay.
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It's very good practice.
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You have no pressure, no one is watching, no one is judging.
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So I can make mistakes and nobody cares.
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Exactly.
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Make mistakes.
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Try again.
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Make more mistakes.
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Your brain is practicing.
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Okay.
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I will try.
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I will talk to myself at home, in English.
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Perfect.
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For example, you are in the kitchen.
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You are making coffee.
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I love coffee.
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I know.
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So you say, in English, I am making coffee.
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The coffee smells good.
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I'm a little hungry.
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Maybe I will make toast.
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That is like a morning radio show, but only for me.
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Yes, your own English radio show in your kitchen.
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Welcome to Jake's kitchen.
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Today we are making coffee.
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It's a beautiful morning.
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Perfect.
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And you can also describe what you see.
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Look around the room right now, Jake.
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Okay.
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I see a table.
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I see a window.
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The sky is blue.
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There is a tree outside.
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The tree is green.
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Yes.
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That's output.
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Simple, natural, English coming out of you.
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It is easy when I think of it like that.
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Yes.
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You do not need perfect grammar.
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You just need to speak, to try.
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And my brain learns from trying.
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Exactly.
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Every time you try, your brain gets stronger.
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Oh, that is easy.
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I can do that.
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Yes, simple sentences about what you are doing right now in English.
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And my brain learns from this?
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Yes, your brain is practicing output, speaking, using English, getting comfortable.
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Getting comfortable, yes, that is the goal.
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Exactly, comfortable English, not perfect English, comfortable.
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I like that, comfortable, not perfect.
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Say it to yourself every day.
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Comfortable, not perfect.
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Comfortable, not perfect.
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Yes, I will remember this.
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Good, because comfortable is the goal, not perfect.
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And there is one more way to do output.
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Writing.
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Writing?
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Yes, you can write to yourself, in English, a small diary, a short note, just a few sentences every day.
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Like, today I went to the shop.
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I bought bread.
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The bread was very good.
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Perfect.
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Yes.
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Simple, short English.
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That is easy.
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I can do that in the evening.
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Yes.
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Writing is output too.
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Your brain practices English when you write.
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So speaking and writing, both are output.
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Exactly.
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Use English in any way you can.
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Speak, write, think out loud.
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All of it helps.
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I will speak to my coffee in the morning and write in my notebook at night.
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You are the perfect English student, Jake.
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Thank you, Judy.
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I try my best.
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Okay, I am ready to talk to my coffee.
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Okay, so we have three tips.
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Let me say them again.
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Yes, review time.
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Tip 1.
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Think in small sentences, short sentences, easy words.
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Small sentences.
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I am sitting.
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I am tired.
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I am happy.
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Perfect.
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Tip 2.
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Input.
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Listen to English, read English.
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Every day.
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Input.
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English in.
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Podcasts, songs, movies, books.
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Yes.
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And tip 3.
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Output.
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Speak English.
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Talk to yourself.
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Use what you know.
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Output.
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English out.
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Talk to myself even in the kitchen.
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Especially in the kitchen.
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Hello, coffee.
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How are you today?
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Yes, perfect.
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Your coffee does not judge you.
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My coffee is very kind.
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Okay, one more thing before we finish.
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What is that?
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How much time?
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How much time do you need every day?
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Hmm, two hours?
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Three hours?
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No, no, no.
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No?
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A little every day.
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A little is enough.
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A little?
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How little?
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Ten minutes.
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Ten minutes every day is very good.
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Only ten minutes?
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Yes.
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Ten minutes every day is better than three hours on Saturday.
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Really?
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Why?
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Because your brain learns with repetition.
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Repetition, it means doing something again and again, every day.
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That's how habits form.
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That's how language grows.
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So 10 minutes today, 10 minutes tomorrow, 10 minutes every day.
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And after one month, two months, six months, you feel the difference.
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Wow, I never thought about it like that.
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Small steps every day.
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Exactly.
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Small steps every single day.
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That's the secret.
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It's like building a house, one brick every day.
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Oh, I love that.
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Yes, one brick every day.
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And slowly, you have a house.
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A beautiful English house.
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Yes, and habits are very important.
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Try to do it at the same time every day.
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Same time?
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Yes.
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For example, every morning with your coffee.
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Ten minutes of English.
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Listen to a podcast, read a few sentences, talk to yourself.
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Oh, coffee and English every morning.
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Yes, Jake's morning English coffee time.
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I love this plan.
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After one week, it feels normal.
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After one month, it feels easy.
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After six months, people will say, Jake, your English is so good.
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I will say, thank you.
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I practiced with my coffee.
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Perfect answer.
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That's a good secret.
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Easy to do.
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Yes, anyone can do 10 minutes.
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Even tired people like me.
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Even tired people like you.
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Well, that's all the time we have for today.
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That was so helpful, Judy.
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Thank you.
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You're welcome.
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And thank you to everyone listening.
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Yes, thank you all.
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Please subscribe to enjoy English Talks if you have not already.
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And give this episode a like.
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It helps us a lot.
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And share it with a friend who wants to speak English.
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And we have a question for you today.
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Yes, a question for our wonderful listeners.
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Do you talk to yourself?
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In English or in your language?
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Tell us in the comments below.
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We love reading your answers.
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And remember, small sentences, every day, a little, that's enough.
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Your brain is listening.
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Your brain is learning.
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See you next time.
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Bye everyone.
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Keep practicing your English.

Context & Background

Welcome to an engaging English learning conversation between Judy and Jake, where they introduce essential techniques for thinking in English. In this dialogue, Judy emphasizes the importance of training your brain to think in English, a skill that many language learners aspire to develop. With a light-hearted exchange, they explore the challenges and methods involved in achieving fluency, highlighting the benefits of consistent practice. This conversation serves as a foundation for learners who wish to immerse themselves in English and enhance their communication skills.

Top 5 Phrases for Daily Communication

  • Hello, everyone! - A friendly greeting suitable for starting any interaction.
  • How are you today? - A common way to inquire about someone's well-being.
  • Thank you. - An essential phrase for expressing gratitude.
  • I stayed up late last night. - An example of sharing personal experiences, facilitating deeper conversation.
  • It takes time, but it is possible. - A motivational phrase encouraging persistence in language learning.

Step-by-step Shadowing Guide

Implementing the shadowing technique can significantly improve your English speaking skills, particularly when you aim to think in English. Follow these steps to effectively use the shadow speech methods presented in the video:

  1. Choose a relevant video, such as this dialogue featuring Judy and Jake. Ensure it aligns with your current level of understanding.
  2. Listen carefully to the conversation without viewing the subtitles first. Try to grasp the overall meaning and tone.
  3. Watch the video again, this time with subtitles. Pay attention to the phrases and vocabulary used.
  4. Now, utilize the shadowing app or simply play the video and repeat what you hear instantly. Focus on mimicking the pronunciation and rhythm of the speakers.
  5. Practice daily. Regular shadowing, even if it’s just for a few minutes, can lead to a gradual shift in how you think about the language.

Remember, learning English with YouTube can be both fun and effective when you incorporate techniques like shadowing. Over time, as you engage with English content and mimic the speakers, you’ll find yourself naturally thinking in English, making conversations easier and more fluid.

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.