Shadowing Practice: 1K - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Conversation practice is the best way to improve your English speaking skills fast.
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So let's have a conversation, you and me.
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Hello everyone, welcome back to my channel.
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I'm Kirsty, your British English teacher.
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Today we will listen to an everyday conversation between two old friends.
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Then I will explain the vocabulary and the phrases from the dialogue.
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after that we will practice together i will say one line from the dialogue
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and then you will read the next line as it appears
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on the bottom of the screen this way you get real life practice speaking english with me
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and you get to learn new everyday vocabulary.
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Are you ready?
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Let's go.
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Oh my goodness Alex is that you?
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Emma, wow I can't believe it!
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It's been ages!
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I know right, how long has it been?
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Three years? At least!
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What have you been up to?
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Same old, same old.
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I'm still working at the communications company.
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Really?
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That's great!
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Do you still enjoy it?
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Yeah, it keeps me busy.
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What about you?
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Well actually I moved back to the city last year.
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I've been teaching at a language school.
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No way, that's fantastic.
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Do you like it?
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Yeah I really do.
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The students are great and the schedule isn't too bad.
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That's so good to hear.
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And how's your family?
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They're all fine, thanks for asking.
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My brother got married this summer.
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Oh wow, congratulations to him.
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And how How was the wedding?
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It was beautiful.
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A little bit stressful, but really special.
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I bet.
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So do you live nearby now?
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Just a few streets from here actually.
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What about you?
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I'm still in the same flat near the park.
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Nice.
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We should definitely meet up properly sometime.
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Absolutely.
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How about coffee next week?
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That sounds perfect.
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I'll text you and we can set a date.
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Great.
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I'm looking forward to it.
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Me too.
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It was so lovely running into you.
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Same here.
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Take care, Alex.
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You too, Emma.
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Bye.
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Let's break down some useful expressions from the dialogue.
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If you want these new words to really stick.
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Download the free mind map that I have made for you.
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Writing down and organizing the new vocabulary makes a huge difference.
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The link is below in the description and in the comments.
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It's been ages.
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It's been ages!
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This means it's been a really long time and it's very common in everyday English.
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What have you been up to?
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Just as common in everyday English.
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This is a friendly way to ask, what have you been doing with your life?
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Note however, that if you change your intonation and you say it like this, what have you been up to?
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It means what have you been doing wrong
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or what have you been doing that's mischievous it's definitely something
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I have already said to my children same old same old
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same old same old this means nothing new everything is the same as before you can answer simply same same old,
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same old, no way, is an informal way to show surprise.
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It's like saying, really?
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I bet.
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Is often used informally to show agreement, understanding or empathy.
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In the dialogue in this video, I bet is used to say, I'm sure the wedding was really special.
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I can imagine.
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In just two words, I bet.
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We should meet up properly.
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This means let's spend time together soon in a planned way.
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Running into someone doesn't literally mean that you bump into someone.
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This means to meet someone by chance or unexpectedly.
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These are all English expressions you can use when catching up with friends.
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English speakers use these expressions every day.
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Now it's your turn.
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I will be Emma and you will play Alex.
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I'll say my line, then I'll pause so you can say yours.
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Your words will pop up on the screen.
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Are you ready?
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Let's try.
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Oh my goodness, Alex, is that you?
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I know, right, how long has it been?
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Three years?
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Same old, same old.
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I'm still working at the communications company.
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Yeah, it keeps me busy.
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What about you?
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No way, that's fantastic.
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Do you like it?
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That's so good to hear.
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And how's your family?
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Oh wow, congratulations to him.
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How was the wedding?
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I bet.
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So do you live nearby now?
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I'm still in the same flat near the park.
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Absolutely!
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How about coffee next week?
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Great, I'm looking forward to it.
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Same here, take care Alex.
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Alex.
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Well done.
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If you want more practice then go back and do the conversation again without reading the dialogue.
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If you dare.
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I dare you.
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If you enjoyed this speaking practice method then let me know in the comments
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and i will do more videos like this one don't forget to subscribe
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if this video has helped it's your turn again as you know i answer all of my comments personally
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so write a short conversation where you catch up with a
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friend six lines maximum otherwise i will have too much homework to do
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and drop it below in the comments i will take a
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look at it in the next few days try to use
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at least two new expressions from this video please don't forget to share this video with another english learner
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if you would like to do some more english with me
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right now click here for another lesson i'll see you there

Everyday Chat: Catching Up with an Old Friend

Ever run into someone you haven’t seen in years and freeze up, not sure what to say? The video’s dialogue solves that! It’s a natural chat between two old friends, Emma and Alex, bumping into each other. They cover the basics—how long it’s been, what they’ve been doing, family updates, and making plans. This is the kind of real-life conversation you’ll have in cafes, on the street, or at parties, making it perfect for IELTS speaking practice or just feeling confident in daily English.

5 Must-Memorize Phrases for Smooth Chats

  • “It’s been ages!” – A casual way to say you haven’t seen someone in a long time. Way more natural than “We haven’t met for many years!”
  • “Same old, same old.” – Use this when your life hasn’t changed much. Great for keeping the conversation flowing.
  • “What have you been up to?” – The go-to question to ask about someone’s recent life. Replace “What do you do?” with this for a friendlier vibe.
  • “We should definitely meet up properly sometime.” – A polite, clear way to suggest staying in touch. Follow it with a specific plan, like “How about coffee next week?”
  • “A little bit stressful, but really special.” – Balancing a negative and positive makes your speech sound more natural. Try it when talking about events like weddings or trips.

Your Shadowing Challenge: Speak Like a Native, Fast

Shadowing—repeating lines right after a native speaker—is one of the best ways to improve pronunciation and fluency. Here’s your task: Watch the video again, pause after each line, and repeat it immediately, copying the tone and speed. For extra practice, use a shadowing app or a shadowing site to record yourself and compare. If you don’t have an app, just hit “play” and “pause” on YouTube—learn English with YouTube and turn this dialogue into your new speaking tool. By the end of the week, you’ll be able to have this chat without thinking twice. Ready to start? Press play and let’s 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.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →