Shadowing Practice: Unit 1 Small Talk - Tactics For Listening Expanding - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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expanding tactics for listening Third Edition by Jack C Richards published and copyright Oxford University press
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2011 cd1 unit one small talk page two track two listening one one hi I don't think we've met have we no I don't think
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so my name is Mia nice to meet you Mia I'm Tim Clark two hey you're Mike Thompson right that's
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right and you're Jenny yeah Jenny Lindsay yeah right we met at Jake's wedding it's great to see you again great to see you too three haven't we met somewhere no I don't think so aren't you
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Kevin Grant no my name is Greg Greg Brown oh I'm sorry I was positive we'd met before four
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Jeff hi remember me Sue Sue Thomas that's right we were in that computer class together yeah boy was
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that class boring sure was so how have you been pretty good thanks five oh hi you're Jonathan
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aren't you yes and you're Wendy yeah we met at the conference in Hawaii last summer right nice to see you again nice to see you too six hi don't we work in the same building yes I think we do I'm
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Gary James I'm in accounting hi I'm Lynn Williams I'm in marketing page three track three listening
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two one hey Annie that looks really nice on you is it new yeah I got it on sale at George
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Brothers department store I never miss their sales they've got really good prices well you made a good choice that color looks great thanks oh look at the time I didn't realize it was so
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late I've got to run good seeing you two what are you taking this year mostly literature courses oh
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really are they any good some of them are except for Professor Scott's class I mean the books are interesting and the lectures are great but his tests are so hard really are they essay or short
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answer tests three what an awful month we are having it's pretty bad isn't it so hot and humid
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it's hard to sleep at night too I wish I had air conditioning me too funny it's not usually this hot in the fall that's true well I think I'm going to get some more chips enjoy the party four
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so tell me Kim what's he like well he's really fun to be with he always says funny things and makes me laugh he sounds really nice he is and he's always giving me little presents but I guess
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the gifts will stop when he knows me better yeah probably so how long have you known him anyway five so are you still doing the same thing David yeah I am unfortunately I wish I was doing
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something more challenging so why don't you look for something else I really should I feel stuck in that office because I'm not moving ahead that's the worst thing about it well good luck to you
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if I hear about any jobs I'll let you know six so everybody's fine at home Sarah yes they are thanks
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oh some exciting news my sister Jenny's getting married really when next month she's marrying a guy she met when she was studying in Canada and we're all going to Toronto for the wedding it'll
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be fun sounds great and how about your brother what's he been doing lately page three track three
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listening two one hey Annie that looks really nice on you is it new yeah I got it on sale at
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George Brothers department store I never missed their sales they've got really good prices well you made a good choice that color looks great thanks oh look at the time I didn't realize
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it was so late I got to run good seeing you two what are you taking this year mostly literature courses oh really are they any good some of them are except for Professor Scott's class I mean the
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books are interesting and the lectures are great but his tests are so hard really are they essay or short answer tests three what an awful month we are having it's pretty bad isn't it so hot and
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humid it's hard to sleep at night too I wish I had air conditioning me too funny it's not usually this hot in the fall that's true well I think I'm going to get some more chips enjoy
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the party four so tell me Kim what's he like well he's really fun to be with he always says funny
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things and makes me laugh he sounds really nice he is and he's always giving me little presents but I guess the gifts will stop when he knows me better yeah probably so how long have you known
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him anyway five so are you still doing the same thing David yeah I am unfortunately I wish I was
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doing something more challenging so why don't you look for something else I really should I feel stuck in that office because I'm not moving ahead that's the worst thing about it well good
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luck to you if I hear about any jobs I'll let you know six so everybody's fine at home Sarah
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yes they are thanks oh some exciting news my sister Jenny's getting married really when next month she's marrying a guy she met when she was studying in Canada and we're all going to
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Toronto for the wedding it'll be fun sounds great and how about your brother what's he been doing lately page four track four listening three one yes I do I really enjoy living here so
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far everything has been fine the downtown area is really pretty and I love all the cafes and restaurants there the other thing I like is that the town's small so it's easy to get to
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know people two yes I do it's a very difficult language to learn but I guess all languages are difficult I tried to learn Japanese ones and it was really hard these days though it's easier
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to learn a foreign language because you can buy some fantastic courses online and on DVD three
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I have two children a girl and a boy they're both going to school so they keep us very busy my husband comes from a big family and would love to have more children but I think two is
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enough four I have a small design company we design menus calendars and things like that
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there are just three of us in the company last year was a very quiet year for us but it looks as if business is really improving this year would you like to visit our office sometime
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five oh yeah I've been having a great time since I arrived everyone's been very helpful and I've made some wonderful new friends I still have a few more days here so I'm
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thinking of renting a car and driving up to the mountains six I'm from a town called Ken on the Northeast Coast of Australia it's a small town but I enjoy living there it's not far from
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the Great Barrier Reef which is one of the most famous places in Australia you should go there sometime page four track four listening three one yes I do I really enjoy living here so far
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everything has been fine the downtown area is really pretty and I love all the cafes and restaurants there the other thing I like is that the town's small so it's easy to get
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to know people two yes I do it's a very difficult language to learn but I guess all languages are difficult I tried to learn Japanese ones and it was really hard these days though it's easier to
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learn a foreign language because you can buy some fantastic courses online and on DVD three I have
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two children a girl and a boy they're both going to school so they keep us very busy my husband comes from a big family and would love to have more children but I think two is enough four
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I have a small design company we design menus calendars and things like that there are just three of us in the company last year was a very quiet year for us but it looks as if business is
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really improving this year would you like to visit our office sometime five oh yeah I've been having a great time since I arrived everyone's been very helpful and I've made some wonderful new friends
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I still have a few more days here so I'm thinking of renting a car and driving up to the mountains
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six I'm from a town called Ken on the Northeast Coast of Australia it's a small town but I enjoy living there it's not far from the Great Barrier Reef which
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is one of the most famous places in Australia you should go there sometime page five track five
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pronunciation one where does he go to school two I have to call
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his teacher three what's her job four have you known him for a long
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time page five track six dictation hi haven't we met before yeah I think we met at Kate's wedding that's right have you
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seen her lately no I haven't seen her in months but I talked with her husband last week oh really how's he doing he's doing really well he told me that he got a great new job I'm happy to hear that
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well I've got to go but it was great to see you yeah you too if you see John again tell him I said hello
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Who Is This Video For?
This video is perfect for intermediate English learners aiming to master small talk—the casual conversations that build connections. Whether you’re practicing for social events, work, or daily interactions, the realistic dialogues focus on natural phrasing and flow, making it ideal for those ready to move beyond basic phrases and into fluent, confident communication. It’s also a great tool for learners using the shadowing technique to improve speaking and listening skills.
Words & Idioms Worth Stealing
The video is packed with everyday expressions to add to your toolkit. For example:
- "on sale" (available at a discounted price) – "I got it on sale at George Brothers."
- "stuck in" (trapped in a situation) – "I feel stuck in that office."
- "made a good choice" (picked well) – "You made a good choice with that color."
- "keep us busy" (occupy our time) – "The kids keep us very busy."
How to Get the Accent Right
To nail the pronunciation, try shadow speech: pause the video after short phrases, repeat them aloud, and mimic the rhythm and intonation. Notice how speakers stress words like "really" ("I really enjoy living here") or "unfortunately" ("I am, unfortunately") to convey emotion. Pay attention to reduced forms, too—like "I’ve got to run" instead of "I have got to run." The shadowing technique helps train your mouth to move like a native, making your speech sound more natural. Practice daily with the video’s dialogues, and you’ll soon notice improvements in your fluency and accent.
Learning English with videos like this one bridges the gap between classroom learning and real-world communication. By focusing on small talk and using shadow speak, you’ll build the confidence to start conversations and keep them going—key skills for any English learner.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result | if I hear about any jobs I'll let |
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been having |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | we've met · has been · I've made |
| Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good idea | should I feel · should go |
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.