Shadowing Practice: Your English Is EXCELLENT If You Can Understand These! - Learn English Speaking with Video

Do you find you can understand your teacher in a  classroom, but you can't understand fast-speaking natives on TV, movies, or YouTube? The best way  to fix that is to practice listening to real-world English, and that's what we'll do today. We'll  listen to clips from an interview that Tom Holland gave on the Jay Shetty podcast, discussing why he  quit social media and how the media reacted. Your English is excellent if you can understand  these clips. Welcome back to JForrest English. Of course, I'm Jennifer, and  now let's get started. In this lesson, you'll listen to a clip from the interview three  times, and you need to write down what you hear.

Don't worry if it's difficult; afterward, you'll  learn from my full explanation. Here's the first listening exercise. Let's listen three times. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having a really hard time  with the job. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having  a really hard time with the job. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I  was having a really hard time with the job.

How did you do with this one? I was in  New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having a really hard time with the  job. Let's review. I was in New York. Notice here it's to be the preposition"in." You can use  this for a country, state, or city. So if your friend asks you,"Are you at home?" and your home  is London or Paris, you can say,"Actually, I'm in New York. I've been in New York for two weeks.  I'll be in New York for two weeks." And if your friend asks,"What are you doing in New York?"  that leads us to our next word. I was shooting, and then he said the crowded room. That's the  name of the TV show, I believe. To shoot, this is a verb that's used in the movie industry. It means to make a movie, TV show, advertisement, or video. Right now, I'm shooting this video.  Now, his verb tense was in the past continuous because the action continued for a period  in the past. He started shooting on day one, and then he continued shooting until day 25. Tom  Holland is British, so he pronounced that T in the middle,"shooting." That is not something that American speakers do. We use a flat T, so it sounds like a soft D. Shooting, shooting.  Your next listening exercise was a long one.

Was having a really hard time with. This is an  important expression, which is why I wanted you to practice listening to it. The expression is to  have a hard time with plus noun if you identify a noun. This simply means you find something difficult, challenging, or stressful.

You could say,"I had a hard time in the past."  I had a hard time with fast English until I found Jennifer's channel. Does that describe  you? If it does, put"that's right." That's right. Put"that's right" in the comments.  And don't worry about taking these notes.

I summarize everything in a free lesson PDF.  You can find the link in the description. Now, if you don't use a noun, you can use a gerund verb. I had a hard time understanding fast English until I found Jennifer's channel.  So the same sentence structure to have a hard time plus gerund. Hard is the adjective that was  used here. You can use a synonym: hard, difficult, challenging, frustrating, or other adjective.  Here's your next listening exercise, and you'll hear the part we just reviewed before this. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having a really hard time with  the job just because of how taxing it was. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room,  and I was having a really hard time with the job just because of how taxing it was. I was  in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having a really hard time with  the job just because of how taxing it was.

Did you get it? Just because of how taxing it  was. Let's talk about taxing. First of all, the sentence structure is to be taxing.  So it uses the auxiliary verb be.

Taxing functions as an adjective, and this  means difficult or needing a lot of thought or effort. You might say,"Learning English can  be taxing at times." Can is your modal verb, so you use be, the base verb following it.  Are you enjoying this lesson? If you are, then I want to tell you about  the Finally Fluent Academy.

This is my premium training program where we  study native English speakers from TV, movies, YouTube, and the news, so you can improve your  listening skills of fast English, expand your vocabulary with natural expressions, and learn  advanced grammar easily. Plus, you'll have me as your personal coach. You can look in  the description for the link to learn more, or you can go to my website and click on  Finally Fluent Academy. Now, let's continue with our lesson. Notice he said how taxing it  was. You could start with a gerund verb and say,"Shooting the crowded room was taxing." So  here you're describing the activity. Shooting the crowded room was your verb to be conjugated in the past simple, singular, and then taxing. But his word order is different. He said because of  how taxing it was. So here we have because of how, adjective, in this case taxing, subject  verb. This is used to talk about the degree or extent of that adjective. You  might say because of how taxing weeding my garden is, in this case physical effort,  I didn't go to the gym today. To ask a simple question, you would say how taxing is weeding  your garden. So notice that is question form.

To make a simple statement, you would say because  weeding my garden is taxing. So here we're using to be taxing. I didn't go to the gym today. I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded room, and I was having a really hard time with  the job just because of how taxing it was.

The next listening exercise,  and I will listen three times.

And I decided to delete my Instagram because I  just felt like I was so addicted to this kind of false version of my life. And I decided to  delete my Instagram because I just felt like I was so addicted to this kind of false version  of my life. And I decided to delete my Instagram because I just felt like I was so addicted  to this kind of false version of my life.

How'd you do? And I decided to delete my  Instagram because I just felt like I was so addicted to this kind of false version of my  life. First, let's review decided to delete.

This is the regular sentence structure. We  have our verb decide, which is conjugated, and then we have the infinitive. I decided to  improve my English. You can use an alternative sentence structure and say,"I made the  decision to improve my English." This is more formal. It's also more emphatic. It  sounds like a deliberate, conscious decision.

So the sentence structure here is make the  decision and then infinitive to improve my English. Let's move on to I was so addicted  to. So here the expression is to be addicted to. To is part of the phrase. Because of that, it  functions as a preposition. You can use a noun, or if you use a verb, you need the gerund verb.  And this means that you're unable to stop engaging with or wanting something, even if you know it's  harmful. You might say to your friend,"You're addicted to your phone." So remember, you need the  verb to be conjugated. You also need to addicted to. Or you could say she's addicted to, and then  a gerund, checking her notifications. You could use this in a playful way and say,"Jennifer, I'm  addicted to your videos." It is possible to use this in something that isn't necessarily harmful  for us, or we just want to be quite dramatic when you claim you're addicted to chocolate. But  in reality, you just really like chocolate.

So you can use it in a more playful way, but he was using it in a more harmful to his life negative way. He said,"I was addicted  to this kind of false version of my life." Now, in spoken English, kind of will form a reduction,  and it will sound like kinda, this kinda, this kinda false. So false means fake, not real. You  might say passing a multiple choice grammar test can give you a false sense of confidence  in your English fluency. It's false. It's not real. You had a 50% chance or 25%  chance of getting it right. Or yes, you got a high mark on that grammar test, but  then you can't actually have a conversation.

But don't worry if that describes you. That's  why you're here improving your English with me.

And I decided to delete my Instagram  because I just felt like I was so addicted to this kind of false version of my life. Our next listening exercise, I working. Let's see.

I would be on set working. I'd come and sit in  my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. I would be on set working. I'd come and  sit in my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. I would be on set working.  I'd come and sit in my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. How'd you do? I would be on set working. I'd come and sit in my chair  and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. Did you hear? I would be. So  here would and then base verb. This is used for a repeated or habitual past action. Now, it's  very common to establish the past time reference.

You commonly hear natives say,"When I was a kid." So now we know the time period. Yes, it's very broad, but we understand it.  When I was a kid, I would jump in puddles whenever it rained. Did you do that? And  you didn't just do it one time. It was a repeated habitual past action. Or for a time  reference, you might say,"Before I deleted Instagram." So now we know the time reference  is when you had Instagram. Before I deleted Instagram, I would scroll for hours.  So it was a habitual past action. Now, did you hear and understand I would be on set?  This is another movie reference. Shooting, on set. On set, this is the place where a movie  or TV show is being filmed. Now, did you also hear that I'd? I'd come and sit. I'd, this is I would come. Don't worry because in spoken English, it's very difficult to hear that soft D. I'd come.  I'd come. It's the context that makes it obvious that you're using I would come. Now, here notice  we have I would come and I'd sit. You can omit the subject and auxiliary verb. So you could just say  I would come and sit. You can do that after and if they are the same. For example, I have  finished the report, written the proposal, and spoken to the client. So notice I didn't  repeat I have in front of written, spoken, because they're the same. If they're not the same,  you must include it. I have finished the report, written the proposal, and I'll speak  to the client this afternoon. So you have to repeat the subject and the new auxiliary verb because now it's in the future simple. Here's your next listening exercise, and  you'll hear the part we just reviewed before this.

I would be on set working. I'd come and sit  in my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. And it was, it was becoming  a problem. I was just obsessed with it.

And it was, it was becoming a problem. I was just  obsessed with it. And it was, it was becoming a problem. I was just obsessed with it and. How'd you do? And it was becoming a problem, and I was just obsessed with it. So here, let's review  to be obsessed with and then a noun, something.

This means you're unable to stop thinking  about something or someone. It implies that you're too interested in something or someone.  Yes, you can be very interested, but if you're too interested, that sounds negative. And in this  case, obsessed with it, what's the it? Well, it's his Instagram or scrolling on Instagram. Now, you  could say he's addicted to his Instagram, which means he's unable to stop using Instagram. You  can also say he's obsessed with his Instagram, and this means he's unable to stop thinking about his Instagram account. And of course, notice those preposition changes. Addicted to, obsessed with. I would be on set working. I'd come and sit in my chair and just scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll,  scroll. And it was, it was becoming a problem.

I was just obsessed with it. Our next listening exercise.

So I decided to, let's see how you do. So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do. So I decided  to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do. So I decided to make an  announcement, which unfortunately we have to do.

Did you get this one? So I decided to make an  announcement, which unfortunately we have to do. Let's review make an announcement. This  means to publicly or officially tell people about something. The company made an announcement  about the new CEO. You could also say the company announced the new CEO. So here, announce is the  verb that's conjugated in the past simple. And as the verb to announce, it means to publicly or  officially share information. And it focuses more on the information being shared. Notice  he said unfortunately. Unfortunately, this is an adverb. It introduces information  that's negative, disappointing, or unwanted.

So it tells you that Tom Holland didn't  necessarily want to make the announcement.

You might say to a friend, unfortunately, I can't come to your party. The position is flexible. You could also say, I can't come to  your party, unfortunately, and add it at the end. Now he said, which unfortunately we have  to do. What does do represent here? Make an announcement. We use do to avoid that repetition.  So it would be repetitive to say, I told him to call the client, and he called the client. I told him to call the client, and he did.

So you have to conjugate do because this is in the  past simple. Here's your next listening exercise, and you'll hear the part we just reviewed as well. So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do, and say that  I'm taking a break from social media. So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately  we have to do, and say that I'm taking a break from social media. So I decided to make an  announcement, which unfortunately we have to do, and say that I'm taking a break from social media. Did you get this one? And say that I'm taking a break from social media. Let's review to  take a break from. Now from's a preposition, so you can have a noun or a gerund. This means  to stop doing something for a period of time, usually so you can rest or relax. You might  say studying grammar is taxing. Remember to be taxing. I need a break. I need a break.  So here you can just use a break. We use take a break when you're suggesting. You can  suggest to yourself, I need to take a break, or you can just talk about the something, a  break. Now, if I'm leading a class, I might say, let's take a 15-minute break. And here I'm  using 15-minute as an adjective to describe the break. Just don't say let's take a pause. That's  a direct translation, and we do not use pause to mean break. Remember, if you continue on,  you would identify a gerund verb or a noun.

Let's take a break from studying grammar. Or you  could simply say from grammar without the gerund, from grammar, and watch some real-world clips. So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do, and say  that I'm taking a break from social media.

Are you ready for your next  listening exercise? And the thing that really upset me is, let's find out. And the thing that really upset me is the press ran with that, and they tried to make out that I  was having this mental breakdown. And the thing that really upset me is the press ran with that,  and they tried to make out that I was having this mental breakdown. And the thing that really upset  me is the press ran with that, and they tried to make out that I was having this mental breakdown. How'd you do with this one? Is the press ran with that, and they tried to make out that I was  having a mental breakdown. Here the press, this is the media. The media that reports  news. So it could be newspapers, magazines, videos, any avenue. The press, the media.  Now let's review the press ran with that.

Now this has nothing to do with running. In the context of media, to run with a story or to run with news information, this  is to develop or exaggerate information into a full story or a full narrative. So maybe  a celebrity would be telling their friend, I wore sweatpants in public once, and the press ran  with that and claimed I was having a breakdown. So the press took that one incident, that one piece  of information, and they turned it into a full story or a full narrative. And he said, try to  make out. Hmm. Did you get the meaning of make out here? It means to claim or suggest. So you  could say my coworker made out that I didn't do any work. In American English, that's not a common  expression. We would say my coworker made it seem like I didn't do any work, or simply  suggested, claimed I didn't do any work. Now, a mental breakdown is a serious emotional or  mental crisis. You might say she was under so much pressure that she had a mental breakdown  and couldn't work for months. So it sounds very serious. You may be familiar with the phrasal verb  to break down. For example, she completely broke down after her husband died in the accident.  This phrasal verb means to become extremely upset and unable to control your emotions. And the thing that really upset me is the press ran with that, and they tried to make  out that I was having this mental breakdown.

Our next listening exercise. Are you ready? And  what upset me was, we'll listen three times.

And what upset me was, if I was having a mental  breakdown, that's not for you to report on. And what upset me was, if I was having a mental  breakdown, that's not for you to report on.

And what upset me was, if I was having a mental  breakdown, that's not for you to report on.

How'd you do? And what upset me was,  if I was having a mental breakdown, that's not for you to report on. Do you  notice anything about if I was having? Well, I have to be honest, that sounds perfectly  natural to me as a native speaker, because all of my friends say if I was you, I'd quit. But  as an English language teacher and on your IELTS, you shouldn't say that. You should say, if I were  you, I'd quit. Because this is a hypothetical, unreal situation, and you must use the  subjunctive. Now, with the subjunctive, all tenses use were. That's why I were. There's no  conjugation. But just know on your language exam, you should absolutely say if I were you. But in everyday English, you will rarely hear that outside of a teaching environment. Now again, with  report on, notice mine is that soft D, report on, report on. But in British English, they have  a stronger T, report on. But that's not what I say. I say report on. Now to report on, this  is to give news or information about something, especially as part of the media,  the press. You could say the BBC first reported on the story, and  later CNN reported on it, on it, the story. Our next listening exercise,  they, the story. Let's see how you do.

They took the story in the wrong direction.  They took the story in the wrong direction.

They took the story in the wrong direction. Did you get it? They took the story in the wrong direction. So here the expression is  to take something in the wrong direction.

This means to cause something to develop  in an unintended or undesirable way. So they interpreted the situation incorrectly  and reported on the wrong kind of story.

Our next listening exercise,  and they tried, they, let's see.

And they tried, they painted again this negative  light on mental health. And they tried, they painted again this negative light on mental  health. And they tried, they painted again this negative light on mental health. How'd you do? And they tried, they painted again this negative light on mental  health. So notice what happened in that clip.

He started talking and he said, and they tried,  but then he realized that's not what he wanted to say. So he simply changed and said they  painted without missing a beat. Here's what he didn't do. He didn't say stop the interview.  Oh, I'm so sorry. I said the wrong word.

He just ignored it and kept going  because that's normal and expected.

This was a two-hour interview. It's  expected and normal to make mistakes, even native speakers. Now let's review painted  this negative light on. The expression here is to paint something in a negative light. Instead  of paint, you can use the verb cast, to paint or cast. They're both common. Now this simply  means to negatively portray something or simply present something in a negative way. For example,  the media painted mental health in a negative light. The documentary painted modern technology  in a negative light. They portrayed it negatively.

Here's your next listening exercise, and  you'll hear the part we just reviewed.

They took the story in the wrong direction, and  they tried, they painted again this negative light on mental health. Rather than saying, oh,  he's doing it, it's okay that he's doing it, so we should all feel okay to do it too.  Rather than saying, oh, he's doing it, it's okay that he's doing it, so we should all  feel okay to do it too. Rather than saying, oh, he's doing it, it's okay that he's doing  it, so we should all feel okay to do it too.

How'd you do? Rather than saying, oh, he's  doing it. Did you get that? Rather than saying. This sentence structure is rather  than plus gerund, plus gerund. This is to suggest an alternative option. Rather than  watching a movie, let's go for a walk in the park. It's an alternative option. You can  also use instead of. You still need the gerund.

Instead of ordering Uber Eats, let's  just make something. Now if I ask you, do you want to watch a movie tonight? Maybe you  say, honestly, I'd rather go for a walk. So don't confuse rather than gerund with the other common  expression, would rather plus base verb, which is used to express a preference. I'd rather go for a walk. Now that you understand the vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation, let's  listen to all the clips at once.

I was in New York. I was shooting the crowded  room, and I was having a really hard time with the job just because of how taxing it was. And  I decided to delete my Instagram because I just felt like I was so addicted to this kind of false  version of my life. I would be on set working, I'd come and sit in my chair and just scroll,  scroll, scroll, scroll, scroll. And it was, it was becoming a problem. I was just obsessed  with it. So I decided to make an announcement, which unfortunately we have to do, and say  that I'm taking a break from social media.

And the thing that really upset me is the press ran with that, and they tried to make out that I was having this mental breakdown. And what upset  me was, if I was having a mental breakdown, that's not for you to report on. They took the  story in the wrong direction, and they tried, they painted again this negative light  on mental health. Rather than saying, oh, he's doing it, it's okay that he's doing  it, so we should all feel okay to do it too.

Amazing job. Make sure you like this lesson, share  it with your friends, and subscribe so you're notified every time I post a new lesson. And you  can get this free speaking guide where I share six tips on how to speak English fluently and  confidently. You can click here to download it or look for the link in the description. And here's  another lesson I know you'll love. Watch it now.