Shadowing Practice: Like - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hi there, this is teacher Harry here and welcome back to my lessons.

And the lesson today is all about English phrases for small talk.

English phrases for small talk.

So what does that mean?

Well, as you probably know, small talk is a very important part of the English language.

It's the beginning of many conversations.

It's the ending of many conversations when people are in elevators or lifts before and at the end of business meetings, small talk is really important.

And many, many of the students who come to me want to understand small talk, how to begin a conversation, how to end the conversation,

because they usually know, and I'm sure you're the same, you usually know the technical language you want to use if you're having a conference call,

but you might feel a little bit insecure or a little bit embarrassed

or shy about entering the conversation at the beginning or the end when they're using small talk.

So this lesson is going to help you hopefully with that.

So I'm going to give you small talk on different topics.

So as we said, this is English phrases for small talk.

And as always, I really appreciate it.

If you could subscribe to my channel and you can also listen to me on my podcast.

And at the end of the lesson, I'm going to give you my contact details, should you wish to contact me.

Okay, so let's get started.

So the first small talk is about the opening conversation.

So when you're meeting somebody in the elevator, as I said, or at the beginning of a presentation, and nowadays at the beginning of Zoom,

perhaps while you're waiting for the boss or whoever, whoever has organized the meeting, while you're waiting for them to join, there may be a little bit of small talk.

So what sort of opening conversations can you have?

Let me Let me give you a few.

Hi, I'm Harry.

What brings you here?

So if you're meeting in a bar or you're meeting in a conference room, you know, hi, I'm Harry.

What brings you here?

So it's a very informal way of asking the person why are they coming to this particular conference

or why are they attending this particular meeting?

Hi, I'm Harry.

Is this your first time here?

It's another way of getting the conversation started because then you're asking the person, is this the first time they've been to this college event?

Is this the first time they've been to these lectures?

Is this the first time that they've been to this sports hall or gym or yoga session?

Whatever it might be, this is a way for you to start the conversation.

So hi, Hi, I'm Harry.

Is this your first time here?

It's my first time.

Is this your first time here?

Okay.

Or you can even ask the person, Hi, I'm Harry.

What are you here for?

Meaning so what's your reason for being here?

Okay, so you can ask them that in the same way.

Or if we're meeting somebody that we haven't seen for a period of time,

then the best way to start the small talk with them is, Oh, hi, Pete.

Oh, hi, Michael.

Wow.

Long time no see.

Yeah.

Long time no see, meaning it's been a long, long time since we met.

Now, it could be weeks, it could be months, it even could be years.

There's no definition of what that time should be.

But, you know, oh, hi, Pete.

Long time no see.

Oh, hi, Pete.

It's great to see you again.

Yeah.

Hi, Pete.

It's great to see you again.

That will get you started.

Yeah.

Oh, I haven't seen you for ages or I haven't seen you in ages.

You can use either of those prepositions.

I haven't seen you for ages.

I haven't seen you in ages.

Yeah.

How are things?

Yeah.

Meaning how is your life?

How are things?

How is your business?

How is your family?

Just generally, how are things?

So really, really informed.

Okay.

So there are the opening conversations.

Now, as always, particularly if if you're talking to people in Western Europe, particularly the UK and here in Ireland,

the weather is a really important part of small talk.

So you need to have conversational expressions that you can use if the weather comes up.

So here's a few.

Oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

Yeah.

So if you're just talking about the weather, you're looking at the window, oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

Or if it's not such a beautiful day, you might say, oh, miserable day, isn't it?

Well, it's really so wet.

I haven't seen rain like this in a long time or miserable day.

Typical, typical of Ireland, typical of the UK, typical of London.

So good day, oh, beautiful day, isn't it?

So you might raise the intonation in your voice.

Beautiful day, isn't it?

Yeah.

So you give that intonation, oh, miserable day, isn't it?

So you speak down a little bit

because you might be a little bit sad as everybody else would be because the weather is so bad.

So beautiful or miserable, change the intonation.

And then you use, isn't it?

Yeah.

So to sort of rhetorical question.

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It looks like it's going to snow.

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It looks like it's going to rain.

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So again, you're putting forward a suggestion or what you think based on your experience.

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Oh, yeah, it looks like it's going to snow or it wouldn't surprise me if it snows.

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It wouldn't surprise me if it rains.

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Well, it'd be great if it rains.

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We haven't had a drop of rain in weeks.

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Yeah, we haven't had a drop of rain in weeks.

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We haven't had a drop of rain for weeks.

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So again, talking about the weather, a hot summer, if you're lucky enough to have a hot, dry summer, or be great to have some rain.

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We haven't had rain in weeks.

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We haven't had rain for weeks.

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Okay, so very typical sentences, expressions that you can use that will get you into those conversations particularly when they're talking about the weather.

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Okay, so when we're talking small talk, a lot of the conversation is about catching up with people.

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So what sort of expressions or phrases can you use when you're literally catching up with them,

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trying to find out what has happened in their life since the last time that you met.

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So something like, Oh, the last time I saw you, you were changing your job or the last time I saw you,

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you were expecting a baby or the last time I saw you, you were going to write a book, you know, so whatever it might be, it leads it into the conversation.

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So the last time I saw you, you were, and then you're leaving the opening for them.

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Yeah.

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Okay.

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Did you end up getting that promotion?

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No, so it could be to do with the job.

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Did you end up getting that promotion?

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Did you end up getting that new job that you applied for?

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Did you end up doing that traveling that you had promised yourself?

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I remember you were planning to go on a world cruise, or you were planning to start a new business,

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or you were planning to take up jogging or tennis or whatever the sport might be.

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So again, leading you into certain questions about the activities they may

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or may have been about to do the last time that you met them.

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Did you hear about the business?

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Did you hear about the guys we went to college with?

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Did you hear about Mrs. Murphy who used to live around the corner from us?

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Okay.

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So just again, introducing the topic that will get your colleague or the person you're talking to, to continue the conversation.

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But you won't believe it when I tell you what has happened to me.

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You won't believe it when you hear the story about our ex boss.

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Do you remember that guy?

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Yeah.

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Well, yeah.

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And then you go on to tell the story.

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Wait till I tell you.

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Wait till I tell you the last time.

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You know, we met there on a Friday.

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Well, the very next day, my car got stolen or something happened.

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Okay.

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So these are good ways to catch up, introduce you to them as to what's happened to you.

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And then you asking them what has happened to them.

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Okay.

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So just let me give them to you one more time.

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The last time I saw you, you were whatever.

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Yeah.

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Did you end up getting that promotion?

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Did you end up doing whatever you were going to do?

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I remember you were planning to.

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Okay.

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Did you hear about?

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You won't believe it when I tell you.

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Wait till I tell you.

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Okay.

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So good ways to get into conversations about catching up with somebody.

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Okay.

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So the next few little sentences about where you want to ask somebody specifically

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about their business or about their work or about their studies, what they've been focusing on.

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Okay.

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Are you still working for the company in the high street?

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Are you still working for that IT company?

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Are you still working in the local hospital?

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So how are your studies going?

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Are you nearly finished?

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You must be almost finished your studies by now.

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What year are you in?

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Or just generally.

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So how's work going now?

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What's work like these days?

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How do you like working remotely?

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So if you want to bring it right up to modern times, and that's a very popular topic

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and will be a popular topic for some time now about the difference between working in the offices or working remotely.

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So now, what do you think about working remotely?

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How's it going for you?

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Do you like it?

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Do you not like it?

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Okay.

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Okay.

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So now if you meet somebody and you want to ask them about other people in their lives, Okay, so it could be their family, it could be business colleagues,

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it could be people they you used to hang around with together

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if you were in university together or in the same football club, whatever it might be.

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So there are ways in which you can make an inquiry about other people connected to them.

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So how are the kids?

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Getting big, I'm sure.

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Yeah.

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How's Adam doing?

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Yeah.

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How's Mary?

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Did she actually get married?

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Oh, please say hi to your wife for me when you get home.

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Or please say hi to the guys in the football team.

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I haven't seen them for ages since I stopped playing.

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Or please give my regards to all the gang.

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Please give my regards to your wife.

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Please give my regards to your sister.

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I remember that holiday we had.

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It was really great fun.

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Okay, so you're inquiring or asking about other people and you want to pass on your regards.

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You want just find out what they're doing and how they're getting on with life.

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Of course, when we're meeting people, what we really like to do is talk about other people because usually they're not there.

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And it's a great way of having some small talk.

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Have you seen Mary recently?

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Did you see what David was doing?

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Yeah.

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So those type of conversations.

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So here are some expressions and phrases you might like to use.

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Oh, have you seen Michael recently?

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He's got a really interesting hairstyle.

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Yeah, I'm not so sure it's suitable to the office.

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Yeah.

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Or have you heard from David, I believe he's stopped working and he's traveling around the world.

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So just a way of finding out or introducing certain topics that were people, what they're doing, or what they might have changed in their lives.

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Or did you see he got married again?

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Or, oh, he finally got married.

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So you again, you're introducing conversational pieces about other people.

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And if you want to be very nice to people or speak nicely about people, then you might make comments about their new look, how they look.

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And if that happens to be the person you're talking to, then you might be very complimentary, of course, about how they've changed.

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So, oh, I like your new hairstyle.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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Oh, you've really lost weight.

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That workout in the gym has really worked wonders.

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Yeah.

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So you introduce nice topics that make that person feel good.

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They smile, and therefore the conversation will continue in a happy mood.

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I really love those shoes.

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Where did you get them?

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Wow, I'd love a pair like that myself.

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They really suit that dress or they really suit those trousers.

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Oh wow, they really look smart.

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Wow, you look great.

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So just a simple, you look great.

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You don't have to make any comment about anything else about the weight or the hair or whatever it might be.

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Wow, you look great.

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It's, it's great to see you again.

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Oh, you've got glasses.

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They really suit you.

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Yeah, they're really stylish.

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Wow.

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Yeah.

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Where did you get them?

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So again, comments on their appearance, comments on the look, what they are wearing, what they've done to themselves, all complimentary, of course.

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So So nothing that's negative and the conversation will, will continue because the danger with small talk is you say something that somebody wasn't expecting,

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it might be a little bit of a shock

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and the conversation will stop dead and people will be looking at each other a little bit embarrassed.

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So you want to be complimentary and open to allow the conversation to continue.

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Okay, so then when, when all of the business is done for the day, the meetings are over, whatever has happened,

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the conference has ended, then we've got small talk to do with closing conversations and you know, people, some people get up and they just disappear

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or some people are hanging around having a coffee or whatever it might be.

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So this is the ideal opportunity for conversation to strike up again.

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And again, you don't want to be left in the, in the dark, you don't want to be left on the end of the conversation, just looking at people, you want to be able to join in and contribute.

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So here are some conversational pieces for closing conversations.

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Oh, look, sorry, I've really got to go, but give me a number.

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Let's catch up or give me your email and I'll drop your line.

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Okay.

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Oh, look, I'd better let you go.

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I've taken up so much of your time.

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I'm sure you want to get your boss.

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I'm sure you want to get home to the wife and kids.

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Okay.

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Well, it was really great talking to you.

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We've got, we must catch up again soon.

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Yeah, it's really been wonderful.

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It's been amazing.

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I haven't seen you for such a long time.

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So it's great to get all of the news.

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Look, let's catch up again soon.

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Let's do it again soon.

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It's let's not wait until the next meeting to give me a shout.

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We'll get together for coffee or we'll get the family together.

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Look, I'm really sorry, but I have to leave now.

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Is that okay?

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I'll talk to you later or I'll drop your line or send you on that document that I promised.

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Look, it's time for me to head out.

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I am going to, to catch a train.

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Can I give you a lift?

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Or do you want to share a taxi?

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Or if you're walking my way, perhaps we could walk there together.

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Okay.

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So again, nice, soft, easy, comfortable ways of ending conversations so that you can leave,

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or you can just say your goodbyes, or you can just make sure that the contact or the communication is going to continue either by email or by WhatsApp,

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whatever it might be when you when you contact these people.

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So the next time you meet them, there's no embarrassing gaps.

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Okay, so we've looked at the beginning of the conversation, how to open the conversation.

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We've looked at different topics that might come up, and particularly the weather and also things like sport will always come up.

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How people look is another topic that will always come up because people if they haven't met you for a long time,

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time, we'll like to let you know that it's good to see you and that you're looking well.

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And then finally, how to close those conversations, how to get out of an awkward situation, perhaps that's, oh, look, I really have to go now or is that the time?

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So you'd find a way to just say, look, back out, I need to go, I need to get my train, or I need to get that bus.

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Or indeed, if the conversation is a little bit boring, and you're a little bit bored, it's an ideal way for you to just to back out and not sound a little bit too rude.

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Okay, well, hopefully those small talk and those phrases about small talk will help you.

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If there's anything else that you want, any small talk conversations that come your way and you'd like to have some help,

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well, drop me a line and I'll give you some heads up on that and we'll be able to work through them.

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As I said at the beginning, please subscribe to the channel and you can listen to me quite easily on the podcast.

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And if you want to contact me, well, then you can do so on www.englishlessonviaskype.com.

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happy to hear from you.

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Very happy to see what you are doing and what you want me to do for you.

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And until the next time, thanks for listening.

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Cheers.

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 304 sentences and 3013 words to shadow. The speech runs for 16:22. The speaker talks fast, about 184 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 91% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow. 64 of its 304 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.

Key vocabulary in this video

The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
phrase noun	/ˈfɹeɪ̯z/	A short written or spoken expression.
miserable adjective	/ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/	In a state of misery: very sad, ill, or poor.
regards noun	/ɹɪˈɡɑɹdz/	A greeting to pass on to another person.
complimentary adjective	/ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/	In the nature of a compliment.
conversational adjective	/ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/	Easy in conversation, chatty.
intonation noun	/ɪntəˈneɪʃən/	The rise and fall of the voice in speaking.
remotely adverb	/ɹɪˈmoʊtli/	At a distance, far away.
hairstyle noun		The style in which someone's hair has been cut and arranged.
bore verb	/boɹ/	To inspire boredom in somebody.
elevator noun	/ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/	Anything that raises or uplifts.
colleague noun	/ˈkɒliːɡ/	A fellow member of a profession, staff, academic faculty or other organization; an associate, a workmate.
subscribe verb	/səbˈskɹaɪb/	To write (one’s name) at the bottom of a document; to sign (one's name).
embarrassed adjective	/ɪmˈbæɹ.əst/	Having a feeling of shameful discomfort.
podcast noun	/ˈpɑdˌkæst/	A program, especially an audio program, produced on a regular basis, delivered over the Internet in a compressed digital format and designed for playback on…
embarrass verb	/ɪmˈbæɹəs/	To disrupt someone's composure or comfort with acting publicly or freely.

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
end up verb	To bring to a conclusion.
catch up verb	To pick up suddenly.
come up verb	To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly.
find out verb	To discover, as by asking or investigating.
take up verb	To pick up.
back out verb	To reverse (a vehicle) from a confined space.
get on with verb	To proceed with; to begin or continue, especially after an interruption.
get out of verb	To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of.

Sentences worth repeating

Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:

Is this your first time here?
What are you here for?
Meaning so what's your reason for being here?
Meaning how is your life?
How's it going for you?

Grammar in this video

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

Structure	In the video
“Used to” used to + verb — a past habit or state that is no longer true	used to live · used to hang
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	has organized · they've been · haven't seen
Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain	might feel · may be · might be
Past continuous was/were + -ing — an action in progress at a moment in the past	were changing · were expecting · were planning

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 102 contractions and reduced forms, such as you're, haven't, I'm. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “sh” and “zh” sounds: conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/, stylish /ˈstaɪlɪʃ/, shout /ʃaʊt/
Long words — get the stress right: miserable /ˈmɪz(ə)ɹəbəl/, complimentary /ˌkɑmplɪˈmɛnt(ə)ɹi/, conversational /ˌkɒnvə(ɹ)ˈseɪʃənəl/, intonation /ɪntəˈneɪʃən/, elevator /ˈɛləˌveɪtɚ/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like phrase, miserable, regards.

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 →

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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Sentences worth repeating

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?