Shadowing Practice: Why do I get angry easily? |🎙️ 8 Minute English | Beginner - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
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- Hello everyone.
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Welcome back to 8 Minute English on the Learn English Podcast.
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I'm Nathan, and I'm so glad you're here.
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So by now, I'm sure you've already seen the title of today's episode.
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We're talking about emotions today.
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Emotions are something we all have, right?
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There are good emotions like happiness and there are tough ones like anger.
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Anger is one of those emotions that can feel overwhelming.
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But is anger always bad?
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Today, we're going to explore that.
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Why do some of us get angry easily?
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And before we dive into today's conversation, Don't forget to check out the free PDF we've prepared for you.
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You can find it in the description or in the comments section.
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And it's really useful for today's topic.
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Now let's get into our today's conversation.
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Hey, Sarah.
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I've been feeling so angry lately.
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Really?
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What's going on, Tom?
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I don't know.
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Even little things are making me mad these days.
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Oh no!
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That doesn't sound good.
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What's bothering you the most?
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Well, everything, to be honest.
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It feels like I'm always stressed.
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And I'm constantly running out of energy.
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Work has been stressful.
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and I haven't been sleeping well at night.
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Oh, I understand.
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When I don't get enough sleep, even the smallest things can upset me.
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Exactly.
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I just feel tired all the time.
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Then, when something small happens, like being stuck in traffic, I get really mad.
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It's like everything is building up.
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and I can't control my reactions anymore.
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Yeah, stress can definitely make things worse.
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Have you thought about what's making you stressed?
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Mostly work.
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I've been trying to meet deadlines.
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But there's always something going wrong.
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I've also been arguing with my coworkers a lot lately.
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That sounds tough.
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It seems like all of this is piling up on you.
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Yeah, and it's hard to stay calm in the middle of all that.
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I think recognizing what's causing your stress could help you manage it better.
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You're probably right.
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But it feels like everything is happening at once.
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so it's hard to focus.
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I get it.
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Have you noticed any specific things that make you more angry?
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Well, work is a big one but also when things don't go as planned.
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Yeah, those are common triggers.
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And when people are usually under pressure or feeling overwhelmed, they're more likely to react with anger.
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That's definitely me.
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I feel like I'm on edge all the time.
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Another thing to think about is whether your anger is affecting other parts of your life.
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What do you mean?
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Like, are you getting into arguments more often?
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Is your anger affecting your relationships at work or at home?
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Yeah, I've noticed that I've been arguing more with my coworkers.
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And sometimes, I snap at my family for no reason.
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That's a sign that the anger might be affecting your life more than it should.
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When anger starts to impact your relationships or daily life, It might be a good idea to talk to someone, like a doctor or therapist.
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Really?
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Yeah.
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Sometimes anger can be a sign of deeper issues, like anxiety or depression, especially if it's happening frequently.
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Have you seen the movie Inside Out?
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Oh yeah, I have.
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The one about the emotions in the girl's head, right?
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Right.
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Do you remember how anger was just one of the emotions?
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But he didn't always understand the deeper feelings behind it, Yeah, anger always reacted first.
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But sometimes, it was actually sadness or fear that was causing problems.
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That's kind of how it works in real life too.
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Sometimes anger is just on the surface.
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you know, Tom, Anger itself isn't always bad.
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It's actually a normal emotion and it's important to express it in a healthy way.
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The real problem comes when we try to push it down or ignore it.
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That's when it can build up and come out in ways we don't want.
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Yeah, I guess trying to hold it in makes it worse.
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Exactly.
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That's why finding a way to release your anger is so important.
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You could try things like exercise, talking to someone, or even writing down your feelings.
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The goal is to release that anger so it doesn't affect your relationships or your health.
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That makes sense.
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I don't want to hurt anyone with my anger.
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Find what works for you to release that anger.
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Thanks for bringing that up, Sarah.
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I'll think about it.
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Anytime, Tom.
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I'm always here if you need to talk.
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Now let's go over some useful words from today's conversation.
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The first word is stressed.
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Stressed means feeling worried or unable to relax because of too much work or problems.
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For example, I feel stressed when I have too much work to do.
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The second word is angry.
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Angry means feeling very upset or mad about something.
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For example, He gets angry when people don't listen to him.
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The third word is calm.
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Calm means feeling peaceful and not angry or upset.
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For example, It's important to stay calm when you are in a difficult situation.
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The fourth word is breathe.
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Breathe means to take air into your body and let it out again.
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For example, When you feel angry, take a deep breath to calm down.
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And the last word is trigger.
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Trigger means something that makes you feel a strong emotion, like anger or stress.
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For example, Being late, is a trigger that makes me stressed.
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Now, I have two questions for you to think about.
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First, what do you usually do when you feel angry or stressed?
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Do you have any techniques that help you calm down?
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A common technique is deep breathing.
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Studies from Harvard Medical School show that deep breathing can reduce stress and help control anger.
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Another good method is taking a short walk.
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Walking can help you calm down by giving your mind and body a break.
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And second, have you noticed any triggers that make you angry?
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Triggers are often small things like being stuck in traffic or arguing with someone.
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Recognizing these triggers is the first step to managing your anger.
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Recognizing triggers helps people control their emotions better.
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Let us know your answers in the comments below.
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Now before we finish today's episode, let's talk about some interesting facts about anger.
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Did you know that anger can actually be helpful sometimes?
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Studies from the University of California show that anger can motivate people to solve problems and stand up for themselves.
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But if anger is not managed well, It can lead to health problems.
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Research from the American Heart Association found that frequent anger can increase the risk of heart disease, So, it's important to manage your anger in a healthy way.
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Also, Did you know that smiling, even when you don't feel happy, can help you calm down?
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A study by the University of Kansas found that smiling can lower your heart rate and reduce stress levels.
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So the next time you're feeling angry, try to smile.
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And here's my advice for all of you listening when you notice yourself getting angry, pause for a moment.
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Take a few deep breaths or step away from the situation if you can.
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Giving yourself time to think can help you calm down and respond in a better way.
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Remember, Anger is a natural emotion, but how we manage it makes all the difference.
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And don't forget to make a copy of the file so you can edit and have your own version.
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Just check the description or the comments section below to download it.
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And if you have any questions or thoughts about today's topic, leave a comment.
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We love hearing from you and your topic you want to hear from us.
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Thanks for joining me today and don't forget to practice staying calm.
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See you next time on 8 Minute English.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Why do I get angry easily? |🎙️ 8 Minute English”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: anger, angry, emotion, calm, trigger. This video has 138 sentences and 1312 words to shadow. The speech runs for 8:48. The speaker talks at a steady 149 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| anger noun | /ˈæŋɡə/ | A strong and unpleasant feeling of displeasure, hostility, or antagonism, usually combined with an urge to yell, curse, damage or destroy things, or harm… |
| emotion noun | /ɪˈməʊ.ʃən/ | A person's internal state of being and involuntary physiological response to an object or a situation, based on or tied to physical state and sensory data. |
| trigger noun | /ˈtɹɪɡɚ/ | A finger-operated lever used to fire a gun. |
| breathe verb | /bɹiːð/ | To draw air into (inhale), and expel air from (exhale), the lungs in order to extract oxygen and excrete waste gases. |
| distress noun | /dɪˈstɹɛs/ | Physical or emotional discomfort, suffering, or alarm, particularly of a more acute nature. |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| argue verb | /ˈɑɹ.ɡju/ | To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply. |
| technique noun | /tɛkˈniːk/ | The practical aspects of a given art, occupation etc.; formal requirements. |
| lately adverb | /ˈleɪt.li/ | Recently; not long ago; of late; not long since. |
| react verb | /ɹiːˈækt/ | To act in response. |
| ignore verb | /ɪɡˈnɔː/ | To deliberately not listen or pay attention to. |
| anxiety noun | /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/ | An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event. |
| happiness noun | /ˈhæpinɪs/ | The emotion of being happy; joy; elation. |
| helpful adjective | /ˈhɛlp.fl̩/ | Furnishing help; giving aid; useful. |
| solve verb | /sɒlv/ | To find an answer or solution to a problem or question; to work out. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| calm down verb | To become less excited, intense, or angry. |
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. |
| check out verb | To record the departure or withdrawal of someone or something (such as guests, employees, books, etc.). |
| come out in verb | to be afflicted by (a visible disruption of the body) |
| go over verb | To look at carefully; to scrutinize; to analyze. |
| stand up for verb | To speak or act in support or defense of (a person, a cause, a belief, or the like). |
| write down verb | To produce or set (something) down in writing; to record something. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- We're talking about emotions today.
- Today, we're going to explore that.
- Why do some of us get angry easily?
- What's bothering you the most?
- Have you thought about what's making you stressed?
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going on | I've been feeling · haven't been sleeping · I've been trying |
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | you've already seen · we've prepared · has been |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | being stuck · is stressed · is not managed |
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might be |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 37 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: breathe /bɹiːð/, bother /ˈbɑðɚ/, therapist /ˈθɛɹəpɪst/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like anger, emotion, trigger.
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.