Shadowing Practice: Why Your English Isn’t Improving (10 Real Reasons & Fixes) | English On The Way - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Hello everyone!
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Welcome back to English on the Way, the fun and easy way to learn English.
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I'm Charles.
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And I'm Rachel.
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Hi everyone!
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We are so happy you're here with us today.
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Yes, so happy!
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Before we start, please subscribe to our channel.
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It helps us grow and make more episodes for you.
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That's right.
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And give us a like, a big thumbs up.
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Share this with your friends who are also learning.
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Today, we have a very important topic.
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It is a little serious, but it is very helpful.
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Oh, what is it, Charles?
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Is it a secret?
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Not a secret, but a question many students ask.
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The topic is, why your English isn't improving.
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Ooh, that is a hard one.
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I hear that a lot.
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Rachel, I study every day, but I don't feel better at English.
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I know that feeling.
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It is frustrating.
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You work hard, but you feel like you are standing still.
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Well, today we are going to find out why.
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We have ten reasons and we have ten solutions.
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Exactly.
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Let's start with number one.
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Rachel, do you know people who study for hours and hours?
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Yes.
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They have big books, they watch many lessons, they have many notes.
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That is the problem.
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They are studying too much, but they are not using English.
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Wait, how can you study too much?
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Well, it is about passive versus active.
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If you only watch videos and read books, your brain is just receiving information.
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Ah, I see.
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It's like watching a person cook a cake on TV but never going into the kitchen to bake one.
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That is a perfect example.
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You know the recipe, but you don't have a cake.
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To improve, you must use it.
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You must speak or write every day.
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So if I learn five new words, I should try to say them in a sentence?
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Yes.
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Speak them to your cat.
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Write them in a diary or send a message to a friend.
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Production is the key.
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That makes sense.
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I often just consume movies, but I don't produce any English after.
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I need to change that.
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That leads us to reason number two, the fear of making mistakes.
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Oh, this is the big one.
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I am so afraid of sounding silly.
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Everyone is, Rachel.
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It's like a cold wall in front of you.
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You want to speak, but you are afraid the grammar is wrong.
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But isn't it bad to make mistakes?
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No. Mistakes are not failure.
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Mistakes are the only way to learn.
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If you don't make mistakes, you are not trying anything new.
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So, if I say, I go to the store yesterday, it's okay?
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It's more than okay.
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I understood you.
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We are communicating.
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That is the goal.
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I feel better now.
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I focus so much on being perfect that I just stay quiet.
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And that is reason number three.
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You are focused on perfection, not communication.
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What is the difference?
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Perfection is having no mistakes.
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Communication is sharing an idea.
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Native speakers make mistakes too, Rachel.
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Really?
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All the time.
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But we don't stop talking to check a grammar book.
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We just keep going.
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If the other person understands, you win.
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I love that.
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If they understand, you win.
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I will remember that next time I'm nervous at a café.
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Now, reason number four is about time.
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Consistency.
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I know, I know.
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I study for three hours on Sunday and then nothing until next Sunday.
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Is that bad?
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Three hours is a lot of time.
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It is a lot, but your brain still forgets things without repetition.
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English is like a plant.
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It needs a little water every day, not a bucket of water once a week.
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A little water every day.
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I like that.
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So 10 minutes every day is better than 3 hours on Sunday?
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Much better.
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Your brain needs to see English often to know it is important.
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It builds a habit.
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That is like our brain training episode.
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Small steps every day to build the highway.
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Exactly.
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And that leads us to reason number five, real English.
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Real English?
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You mean textbooks are fake?
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Not fake, but controlled.
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Textbooks are like a zoo.
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The animals are there, but they are quiet.
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Real English is like the jungle.
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The jungle.
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People speak fast.
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They use slang.
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They have different accents.
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Yes.
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If you only use textbooks, you will be shocked when you hear a real person.
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You need to immerse yourself.
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So, I should watch YouTube or listen to this podcast?
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Yes.
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Find things you enjoy.
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If you like cooking, watch cooking videos in English.
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If you like cars, read about cars.
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Use real-world content.
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It makes it more fun, too.
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It doesn't feel like homework if I am watching a movie I love.
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Right.
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But when you watch that movie, you need reason number six, active recall.
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Active recall?
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That sounds like a robot word.
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It just means remembering on purpose.
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Passive learning is just looking.
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Active recall is closing the book and asking, what did I just learn?
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Oh.
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So, after a podcast, I should stop and try to remember three new things.
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Yes.
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Don't just move to the next video.
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Stop.
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Think.
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What did Charles say about mistakes?
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When you pull the information out of your brain, it stays there forever.
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That is a great tip.
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I usually just finish a video and go to sleep.
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No. Spend one minute thinking about it.
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That one minute is more important than 20 minutes of watching.
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OK.
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I'm taking notes.
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What is reason number seven?
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This one is about the bridge in your head.
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You are not thinking in English.
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Ah, yes, the translation bridge.
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I hear English, I translate it to my language, I think of an answer, and I translate it back.
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It's so slow, right?
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It makes you feel tired.
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tired, and by the time I have the answer, the conversation has moved on.
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We need to break that bridge.
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Like we said before, start with small thoughts.
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I am hungry.
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The sun is hot.
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I've been trying that, Charles.
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This morning I saw my coffee and I thought, this coffee is very hot.
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I didn't translate.
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That is it.
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That is a victory!
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The more you do that, the faster the English highway becomes.
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And what about reason number eight?
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This one is very practical.
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You don't have a clear speaking routine.
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A routine?
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Like brushing my teeth?
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Exactly!
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You need a time every day where you must speak, even if you are alone.
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I talk to my cat in the morning.
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Is that a routine?
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It is!
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Hello Mittens!
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It is 7am.
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I am making breakfast.
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That is a speaking routine.
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If you don't have one, you will never feel ready to speak to a person.
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So I should plan my speaking time.
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Maybe five minutes while I drive or five minutes in the shower?
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Yes!
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Your mouth muscles need the exercise.
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It's a mouth gym, Rachel!
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I'm going to the mouth gym today.
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Good!
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Now reason number nine is similar to the first one.
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You are consuming but not producing.
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Is that the same as studying too much?
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It's a bit different.
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Consuming is listening and reading.
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Producing is speaking and writing.
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Most students do 90% consuming and 10% producing.
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That is me.
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I listen to podcasts all day, but I don't write anything.
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We need to balance it, 50-50.
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If you listen for 10 minutes, try to speak or write for 10 minutes.
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That sounds hard, but I see why it works.
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It completes the cycle.
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It does.
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It makes the English yours.
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You don't just know the word, you own the word.
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I own the word.
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I like that feeling.
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And finally, reason number ten, unrealistic expectations about speed.
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Everyone wants to be fluent in one month.
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The internet says, learn English in seven days.
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Is that possible, Charles?
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No, it is not.
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Learning a language is a marathon, not a hundred-meter sprint.
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Sometimes I feel sad because I still make mistakes after a year.
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Don't be sad, Rachel.
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Look back.
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A year ago, could you talk about active recall or brain highways?
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No. A year ago I could only say, Hello and my name is Rachel.
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See?
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You are improving.
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But improvement is slow.
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It's like a tree growing.
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You don't see it move, but one day it is tall.
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That is a very beautiful thought.
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I need to be patient with myself.
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Yes.
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Be kind to yourself.
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If you are frustrated, it means you care.
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And if you care, you will succeed.
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Wow, we covered a lot.
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Let's do a quick review for our listeners.
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Good idea.
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Reason 1.
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Use it.
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Don't just study it.
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Reason 2.
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Don't fear mistakes.
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They are your friends.
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Reason 3.
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Focus on communication, not being perfect.
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Reason 4. Be consistent.
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10 minutes every day.
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Reason 5.
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Use real English, like movies and podcasts.
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Reason 6.
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Use active recall.
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Think about what you learned.
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Reason 7.
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Think in English.
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No more translation bridges.
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Reason 8.
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Create a speaking routine.
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Talk to your cat or the mirror.
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Reason 9.
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Balance consuming and producing.
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Speak as much as you listen.
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Reason 10. Be patient.
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You are growing every day.
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That is a great list.
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If you do these things, I promise you will see your English improve.
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I feel so much more motivated now.
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It's not that I'm bad at English.
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I just need to change my habits.
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Exactly.
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You have the power to change.
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Every day is a new chance to build that highway.
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Thank you, Charles.
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This was a wonderful talk.
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I enjoyed it too.
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And to our listeners, we believe in you.
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Yes, we do.
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Please tell us in the comments which of these 10 reasons is your biggest problem.
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Is it the fear of mistakes?
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Or maybe you don't have a routine?
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Let us know.
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We love to help.
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And remember, don't give up.
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You are doing a great job just by being here and listening.
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That's right.
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Every minute you listen is a step forward.
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Well, that is all for today.
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Thank you for joining us on English on the Way.
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subscribe like and share we will see you in the next episode keep learning
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and remember you can do it bye bye everyone bye
Why practice speaking with this video?
Practicing speaking with the video "Why Your English Isn’t Improving" provides a unique opportunity for English learners to enhance their spoken language skills in a supportive environment. The video emphasizes the importance of active engagement rather than passive listening. By mimicking the dialogues, learners can effectively employ the shadowing technique, an approach where you listen to a speaker and repeat what they say in real-time, which can significantly improve fluency and pronunciation.
Moreover, this video addresses common challenges faced by students, such as feeling stagnant despite regular study. Participating in speaking exercises, like discussing the reasons outlined in the video, encourages learners to articulate their thoughts in English, thereby enhancing confidence and communication skills. Remember, practice is crucial for language acquisition—just like cooking, you need to try baking your own cake to truly learn the recipe!
Grammar & Expressions in Context
The speakers in the video employ several key structures that illustrate essential aspects of English grammar:
- Present Continuous Tense: This tense is often used to discuss ongoing actions, as seen in phrases like "I am studying every day." Engaging with this structure helps learners express continuous actions in their conversations.
- Modals of Advice: Using modals such as “must” and “should” signals recommendations, as in “You must use it.” These structures aid learners in giving advice and suggestions, which is invaluable in day-to-day interactions.
- Conditional Sentences: The hypothetical "If I learn five new words, I should try to say them in a sentence" showcases how conditional forms can express possibilities. Familiarizing yourself with these can enhance creative sentence building in your spoken English.
Common Pronunciation Traps
While practicing with the video, you might encounter a few tricky pronunciation aspects that could hinder your speaking. Pay attention to the words "study" and "produce," where the vowel sounds and intonation patterns can lead to misunderstandings if not articulated clearly. Another common pitfall is the pronunciation of "must" and "should," which may be less emphasized if rushed in conversation. To overcome these challenges, employ the shadow speak method by repeating phrases out loud, allowing you to practice accent and intonation effectively.
In conclusion, using videos as a shadowing site not only enriches your vocabulary and grammar understanding but also significantly boosts your speaking capabilities. Embrace the practice and engage actively with English to see tangible progress!
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.