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Learn English with Shadowing Practice | Daily English Conversation Speaking Fluency Practice Podcast — Transcript

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0:00Hello English learners. Welcome back to
0:03the English in minutes 2.0. I am Emma,
0:06your host for today. If you are new
0:09here, I would like to tell you that we
0:11upload a new English learning video
0:13every day on our channel to help you
0:15improve your English faster. In today's
0:18episode, you will not only improve your
0:20English listening skills, but also
0:23develop your English speaking fluency
0:25through real English shadowing practice.
0:28In today's lesson, we're going to
0:30practice real American English through
0:33useful daily life conversations,
0:36natural sentences, and speaking
0:39exercises
0:40designed to take you from beginner level
0:42English toward more confident and
0:45advanced communication. We will go
0:48through real life conversation examples
0:50that will help you understand natural
0:52spoken English, catch connected speech,
0:56recognize common expressions, improve
0:59your pronunciation, and speak with
1:01better rhythm and confidence. You will
1:04listen carefully, repeat after me,
1:07shadow complete sentences, and practice
1:10using useful English naturally in
1:13everyday situations. Whether you are
1:15talking with friends, speaking at work,
1:19shopping, traveling, ordering food,
1:23asking questions, making plans, or
1:26simply having an everyday conversation.
1:29This lesson will give you practical
1:31English that you can actually use. By
1:34the end of this video, you will have
1:36practiced hundreds of useful sentences
1:38and expressions, and you will feel more
1:41comfortable listening to and speaking
1:43natural English. Before we start the
1:46video, make sure to subscribe to the
1:49channel, and also press the bell icon if
1:52you want more helpful English learning
1:54episodes like this. So, grab a pen and
1:58paper, get ready to listen, repeat, and
2:01shadow with me, and let's get started.
2:05Let's begin with something very simple.
2:07The best way to improve your spoken
2:09English is not only to understand
2:12English in your head. You need to train
2:14your mouth, your ears, and your brain to
2:17work together. That is exactly what we
2:20are going to do. I will give you natural
2:22sentences that people use in everyday
2:24life. First listen carefully. Then
2:28repeat the sentence after me. After that
2:31try to say it again at almost the same
2:34speed and with the same rhythm. This is
2:37called shadowing. You are not just
2:39repeating words. You are copying the
2:42sound, the stress, the rhythm and the
2:45flow of natural spoken English. Don't
2:48worry if you cannot copy everything
2:50perfectly the first time. Your goal is
2:53improvement, not perfection. With every
2:56repetition,
2:57your listening becomes sharper and your
3:00speaking becomes smoother. Let's start
3:02with an easy sentence that you could use
3:04almost every morning. Listen first. I
3:08just woke up. Now repeat. I just woke
3:13up. Say it again naturally. I just woke
3:16up. Very good. Notice that in natural
3:20conversation, people usually do not
3:23pronounce every word with the same
3:24strength. The important word here is
3:27woke. I just woke up. Now, let's make
3:31the sentence a little longer. I just
3:34woke up and I'm still a little tired.
3:37Listen again. I just woke up and I'm
3:40still a little tired. Now, shadow me. I
3:44just woke up and I'm still a little
3:46tired. Try it one more time without
3:49stopping between every word. I just woke
3:52up and I'm still a little tired. Here is
3:55another useful morning sentence. I need
3:58a few minutes to wake up properly.
4:01Listen carefully. I need a few minutes
4:03to wake up properly. Now repeat it. I
4:08need a few minutes to wake up properly.
4:10Again, but make it smoother. I need a
4:14few minutes to wake up properly. This is
4:16a natural way to say that your body is
4:18awake, but your mind still needs a
4:21little time. You might also say, "I'm
4:24awake, but my brain isn't working yet."
4:27Repeat that sentence. I'm awake. But my
4:30brain isn't working yet. Again, I'm
4:34awake, but my brain isn't working yet.
4:38That expression can sound light and
4:40humorous in everyday conversation.
4:42especially when you have just gotten out
4:44of bed. Now, imagine that someone in
4:48your home asks, "Did you sleep well?" A
4:51simple beginner answer could be, "Yes, I
4:55slept pretty well." Repeat, "Yes, I
4:59slept pretty well." Another answer could
5:02be, "Not really. I kept waking up during
5:06the night." Repeat slowly, "Not really.
5:10I kept waking up during the night. Now
5:13say it more naturally. Not really. I
5:16kept waking up during the night. You can
5:19also say, I didn't sleep very well last
5:22night. Repeat. I didn't sleep very well
5:25last night. Or I slept like a baby.
5:28Repeat. I slept like a baby. That means
5:31you slept very well and very deeply.
5:34Let's practice a short everyday
5:36exchange. I'll say both sides so you can
5:39hear how a natural conversation flows.
5:42Morning. Did you sleep okay? Yeah,
5:46pretty well. How about you? Not bad. I
5:49woke up a couple of times though. Oh,
5:52that's annoying. Listen to the whole
5:54exchange once more. Morning. Did you
5:57sleep okay? Yeah, pretty well. How about
6:01you? Not bad. I woke up a couple of
6:04times, though. Oh, that's annoying. Now,
6:08imagine that you are one of the
6:09speakers. Repeat each natural response
6:12with me. Yeah, pretty well. How about
6:16you? Again. Yeah, pretty well. How about
6:20you now? Repeat. Not bad. I woke up a
6:25couple of times though. Again, not bad.
6:29I woke up a couple of times though.
6:32Notice the expression. How about you?
6:36This is one of the most useful
6:37expressions for keeping a conversation
6:40moving. If someone asks you a question
6:43and you answer it, you can often return
6:45the question by saying, "How about you?"
6:49For example, did you have a good
6:51weekend? Yeah, it was nice. How about
6:55you? Repeat the response. Yeah, it was
6:59nice. How about you? Or someone asks,
7:04"Are you tired?" You could answer, "A
7:07little, how about you?" Repeat, "A
7:10little, how about you?" This small
7:13phrase makes your English sound more
7:15conversational because you are not only
7:18answering, you are showing interest in
7:20the other person. Now, let's continue
7:24through the morning. You get out of bed
7:26and start getting ready. Listen to this
7:29sentence. I'm going to take a quick
7:31shower and get dressed. Repeat. I'm
7:34going to take a quick shower and get
7:36dressed in fast everyday American
7:39English.
7:41Going to often sounds closer to going to
7:44in casual speech. So, you may hear I'm
7:48going to take a quick shower and get
7:50dressed. For careful speaking practice,
7:53start with the full form. I'm going to
7:55take a quick shower and get dressed.
7:58Once that feels comfortable, try the
8:01natural conversational form. I'm going
8:03to take a quick shower and get dressed.
8:06You do not have to force reductions into
8:08every sentence, but you do need to
8:11recognize them when other people use
8:13them. Here is another common expression.
8:16I'm running a little late. Repeat, I'm
8:19running a little late. Again, I'm
8:22running a little late. This does not
8:24mean you are physically running. It
8:27means you are behind schedule. You can
8:29make it stronger by saying, "I'm running
8:32really late this morning." Repeat, "I'm
8:35running really late this morning." You
8:38can also say, "I need to hurry." Repeat,
8:42"I need to hurry." Or, "I'd better get
8:45moving." Repeat, "I'd better get
8:48moving." I'd better is very useful when
8:52you think it is a good idea or necessary
8:54to do something soon.
8:56I'd better get moving. I'd better leave
9:00now. I'd better call her back. I'd
9:03better finish this before lunch. Let's
9:06shadow a short practice exercise now
9:08instead of individual sentences.
9:11Listen to the whole thing first. I woke
9:14up later than usual this morning, so I'm
9:16running a little late. I still need to
9:19take a shower, get dressed, and make
9:22some coffee. I'd better get moving or
9:25I'm going to miss my bus. Now, we'll
9:28repeat it sentence by sentence. I woke
9:31up later than usual this morning, so I'm
9:34running a little late. Repeat it again.
9:37I woke up later than usual this morning,
9:39so I'm running a little late. Now, I
9:42still need to take a shower, get
9:44dressed, and make some coffee again. I
9:47still need to take a shower, get
9:49dressed, and make some coffee. Now I'd
9:53better get moving
9:55or I'm going to miss my bus again. I'd
9:58better get moving or I'm going to miss
10:01my bus. Now try the complete thought
10:04with a smooth rhythm. I woke up later
10:07than usual this morning, so I'm running
10:09a little late. I still need to take a
10:12shower, get dressed, and make some
10:15coffee. I'd better get moving or I'm
10:18going to miss my bus. Shadowing longer
10:21groups of sentences is important because
10:24real conversations are not made of
10:26isolated vocabulary words. Your brain
10:29needs practice following complete ideas.
10:33When you shadow, try not to translate
10:35everything into your first language.
10:38Hear the English sentence. Understand
10:41the basic idea and then reproduce the
10:44English. The less you depend on
10:46translation, the faster you can respond
10:49when you are actually speaking with
10:50someone. Now imagine you are making
10:54breakfast. You might say, "I'm not very
10:57hungry this morning." Repeat, "I'm not
11:00very hungry this morning." Or, "I'm
11:03starving." I need something to eat.
11:06Repeat, "I'm starving." I need something
11:10to eat. I'm starving. is commonly used
11:13informally to mean that you are
11:15extremely hungry. It does not usually
11:18mean that you are literally starving.
11:20Another useful sentence is I think I'll
11:23just have some toast and coffee. Repeat.
11:27I think I'll just have some toast and
11:28coffee. Notice I think I'll we often use
11:32this when making a small decision at the
11:34moment. I think I'll have tea instead. I
11:38think I'll stay home tonight. I think
11:40I'll take a break. Repeat this one. I
11:44think I'll take a break. Suppose someone
11:46offers you something. Do you want some
11:49coffee? You could answer, "Yeah, I'd
11:53love some." Repeat, "Yeah, I'd love
11:57some." Or, "No thanks, I already had
12:01some." Repeat, "No thanks, I already had
12:05some." Or, "If you are unsure, maybe in
12:09a minute." Repeat. Maybe in a minute.
12:13Here is the full exchange. Do you want
12:16some coffee? Yeah, I'd love some.
12:20Thanks. Milk or sugar? Just a little
12:24milk, please. Repeat the response. Yeah,
12:28I'd love some. Thanks. Now, just a
12:33little milk, please. These are simple
12:36sentences, but simple English spoken
12:39naturally is far more useful than
12:41complicated English that you cannot use
12:44comfortably. Let's increase the speed
12:46slightly. Listen first. Do you want some
12:50coffee? In natural speech, do you want
12:53some coffee? Can become very connected.
12:56You may hear something closer to do you
12:59want some coffee. You do not need to
13:01copy every reduction immediately. First,
13:05train your ear to recognize the
13:07sentence. Do you want some coffee? Now,
13:11repeat the clear form. Do you want some
13:13coffee? And now say it more naturally
13:16without putting a pause between each
13:18word. Do you want some coffee? Good. Try
13:22this one. What do you want for
13:24breakfast? Repeat. What do you want for
13:27breakfast? At a faster speed. What do
13:30you may sound much more connected than
13:33it looks on the page. That is why
13:36shadowing is useful. You train with the
13:38sound of the whole phrase instead of
13:41expecting every word to sound exactly as
13:43it looks. Now you are ready to leave
13:46home. Listen, have you seen my keys?
13:50Repeat. Have you seen my keys? Again,
13:54have you seen my keys? This is a very
13:57useful present perfect question. You are
14:00not asking exactly when the other person
14:02saw the keys. You simply want to know
14:05whether they have seen them recently.
14:07Someone might answer, "I think they're
14:10on the kitchen counter." Repeat, "I
14:13think they're on the kitchen counter."
14:15Or, "Check next to your phone." Repeat.
14:18Check next to your phone. Or, "I haven't
14:21seen them. Sorry." Repeat, "I haven't
14:24seen them. Sorry." Let's make this more
14:27realistic. Have you seen my keys? Aren't
14:31they on the table? No, I already
14:33checked. What about your jacket pocket?
14:36Oh, there they are. Thanks.
14:40Listen again to how the responses
14:42connect. Have you seen my keys? Aren't
14:45they on the table? No, I already
14:48checked. What about your jacket pocket?
14:51Oh, there they are. Thanks. Now, shadow
14:56these useful lines. Aren't they on the
14:58table again? Aren't they on the table?
15:02No, I already checked again. No, I
15:07already checked. What about your jacket
15:10pocket again? What about your jacket
15:13pocket? Oh, there they are. Thanks
15:18again. Oh, there they are. Thanks.
15:22Before leaving, you may say, "I'm
15:26heading out." Repeat, "I'm heading out."
15:30This is a natural casual way to say that
15:32you are leaving. You could say, "I'm
15:36heading out. See you later." Repeat,
15:38"I'm heading out. See you later."
15:40Someone might respond, "Okay, have a
15:43good day." Repeat, "Okay, have a good
15:45day." And you can say, "You too."
15:48Repeat, "You too." Very simple, very
15:51natural, very common. Let's put several
15:54morning expressions together. Listen to
15:56this natural sequence. I'm heading out.
15:59I'm already running late, so I don't
16:02have much time. I'm going to grab a
16:04coffee on the way. I should be home
16:07around 6. See you later. Now, repeat
16:11sentence by sentence. I'm heading out
16:15again. I'm heading out. I'm already
16:18running late, so I don't have much time
16:21again. I'm already running late, so I
16:24don't have much time. I'm going to grab
16:27a coffee on the way again. I'm going to
16:30grab a coffee on the way. I should be
16:32home around 6. Repeat, I should be home
16:36around 6. See you later. Repeat, see you
16:40later. The expression grab a coffee is
16:44common in casual English. It simply
16:46means to get or buy a coffee, usually
16:49quickly or casually. You can also grab
16:52something to eat. For example, I'm going
16:55to grab something to eat before the
16:57meeting. Repeat, I'm going to grab
17:00something to eat before the meeting. Or,
17:03do you want to grab lunch sometime?
17:06Repeat, do you want to grab lunch
17:08sometime? In this context, grab lunch
17:12means have lunch together in a casual
17:14way. Now, imagine you stop at a coffee
17:18shop on your way to work or school. A
17:20worker might say, "Hi, what can I get
17:24for you?" This means, "What would you
17:26like to order?" Listen to a natural
17:29response. "Could I get a medium coffee,
17:33please?" Repeat, "Could I get a medium
17:36coffee, please?" This is a very common
17:39way to order something politely. You
17:41could also say, "Can I get a medium
17:44coffee, please?" Repeat, "Can I get a
17:47medium coffee, please?" Or, "I'll have a
17:50medium coffee, please." Repeat, "I'll
17:54have a medium coffee, please." Now,
17:57let's practice the conversation.
18:00Hi, what can I get for you? Could I get
18:03a medium coffee, please? Sure. Do you
18:07want room for milk? Yes, please.
18:10Anything else? No, that's it. Thanks.
18:15Listen to it again. Hi. What can I get
18:18for you? Could I get a medium coffee,
18:21please? Sure. Do you want room for milk?
18:26Yes, please. Anything else? No, that's
18:29it. Thanks. Now, repeat your side
18:32naturally. Could I get a medium coffee,
18:35please? Yes, please. No, that's it.
18:39Thanks. Again, a little more smoothly.
18:43Could I get a medium coffee, please?
18:46Yes, please. No, that's it. Thanks.
18:50That's it. Is another useful expression
18:53when you are ordering something and the
18:56person asks, "Anything else?" You can
18:59say, "No, that's it." It means you do
19:03not need anything more. You might also
19:05hear that'll be all. Repeat, that'll be
19:10all or simply that's all. Thanks.
19:14Repeat, that's all.
19:17Thanks. Suppose there is a problem with
19:20your order. You asked for a hot coffee,
19:23but you receive an iced coffee. You can
19:26correct the problem politely. Listen,
19:29sorry, I ordered a hot coffee. Repeat,
19:34sorry, I ordered a hot coffee. You could
19:37also say, "Excuse me, I think this is
19:40supposed to be hot." Repeat. "Excuse me,
19:45I think this is supposed to be hot."
19:47Notice the phrase I think. Sometimes we
19:51use I think not because we are
19:53uncertain, but because it can make a
19:56correction sound less confrontational.
19:59I think I ordered the large one. I think
20:02this might be someone else's order.
20:04These are useful ways to handle small
20:07problems politely. Let's practice.
20:10Excuse me, I think this might be someone
20:13else's order. Repeat. Excuse me, I think
20:17this might be someone else's order. One
20:20more time with natural rhythm. Excuse
20:23me. I think this might be someone else's
20:25order. Now, sorry, I asked for this
20:29without sugar. Repeat. Sorry, I asked
20:33for this without sugar. Again, sorry, I
20:37asked for this without sugar. These
20:40sentences are useful because real life
20:42English is not only about perfect
20:44situations.
20:46You also need language for fixing small
20:48misunderstandings.
20:50Now you are on your way somewhere. Maybe
20:53you are driving, taking a bus, taking
20:56the train, or walking. Let's practice
20:59common transportation English. I usually
21:02take the bus to work. Repeat. I usually
21:06take the bus to work. It takes about 20
21:09minutes. Repeat. It takes about 20
21:12minutes. If traffic is bad, it can take
21:15much longer. Repeat. If traffic is bad,
21:19it can take much longer. Put them
21:22together. I usually take the bus to
21:24work. It takes about 20 minutes. But if
21:27traffic is bad, it can take much longer.
21:31If you are describing your regular
21:33routine, words such as usually,
21:36normally, often, sometimes, and rarely
21:40are very useful. Listen. I usually leave
21:44home around 8. Repeat. I usually leave
21:48home around 8. I normally get to work by
21:518:30. Repeat. I normally get to work by
21:548:30. I sometimes stop for coffee on the
21:57way. Repeat. I sometimes stop for coffee
22:00on the way. I rarely drive because
22:03parking is expensive. Repeat. I rarely
22:07drive because parking is expensive. Now
22:11answer this question aloud in your own
22:13way. How do you usually get to work,
22:16school, or the places you go regularly?
22:19You can build your answer with the
22:20patterns we just practiced. You might
22:23say, "I usually drive to work. It takes
22:27about 30 minutes or
22:30I usually take the train, the station is
22:33only a few minutes from my house or I
22:37work from home so I don't have a
22:39commute. Try giving your own answer now.
22:42Keep it simple. Your goal is not to
22:45create the most impressive sentence.
22:47Your goal is to respond without
22:49freezing. That skill is extremely
22:52important. Many English learners know
22:54hundreds or even thousands of words, but
22:57they hesitate because they are trying to
22:59build a perfect sentence before they
23:01open their mouth. Instead, train
23:04yourself to begin with a simple answer
23:07and add detail afterward. For example,
23:10if I ask, "How do you usually get to
23:13work?" You do not need to create a
23:15complicated answer immediately. Start
23:18with, "I usually take the bus." Then add
23:22it takes about 20 minutes. Then add one
23:26more detail. It's usually pretty crowded
23:28in the morning. Now you have a natural
23:32three sentence answer without needing
23:34advanced grammar. Shadow that example. I
23:37usually take the bus. It takes about 20
23:40minutes. It's usually pretty crowded in
23:43the morning. Again, without long pauses.
23:47I usually take the bus. It takes about
23:5020 minutes. It's usually pretty crowded
23:53in the morning. Now try another one. I
23:56normally drive. It's faster, but traffic
24:00can be terrible during rush hour.
24:03Repeat. I normally drive. It's faster,
24:06but traffic can be terrible during rush
24:08hour. Rush hour means the busy time when
24:11many people are traveling to or from
24:14work. Listen. Traffic is always bad
24:17during rush hour. Repeat. Traffic is
24:20always bad during rush hour. Another
24:23common expression is I got stuck in
24:26traffic. Repeat. I got stuck in traffic.
24:31If someone asks why you are late, you
24:33could say sorry I'm late. I got stuck in
24:37traffic. Repeat. Sorry I'm late. I got
24:41stuck in traffic. or sorry I'm late. The
24:46train was delayed. Repeat. Sorry I'm
24:49late. The train was delayed. Let's
24:52practice arriving somewhere late. Hey,
24:56sorry I'm late. No worries. Everything
24:59okay? Yeah, traffic was terrible. I
25:03figured it's always bad around this
25:06time. Listen again. Hey, sorry I'm late.
25:11No worries. Everything okay? Yeah,
25:14traffic was terrible. I figured it's
25:18always bad around this time. Now, repeat
25:21the useful responses.
25:23Hey, sorry I'm late again. Hey, sorry
25:28I'm late. Yeah, traffic was terrible
25:32again. Yeah, traffic was terrible.
25:36Notice the response. No worries. This is
25:40a casual way to say that something is
25:42okay and the other person does not need
25:44to worry about it. Sorry, I'm sorry
25:47about that. No worries. Repeat, no
25:51worries. Another useful response is no
25:54problem. Repeat, no problem. Or it's
25:58okay. Don't worry about it. Repeat, it's
26:01okay. Don't worry about it. Now, let's
26:04move into the beginning of a workday or
26:06school day. you see someone you know,
26:09instead of always saying how are you,
26:12you might hear, "How's it going?"
26:15Repeat, "How's it going?" or "How are
26:19things?" repeat how are things or simply
26:24what's up. Repeat, "What's up?" These
26:28greetings can be very casual. You do not
26:30need to give a long answer. If someone
26:33says, "How's it going?" You might
26:36answer, "Pretty good. You repeat pretty
26:40good you." Or, "Not bad. How about you?"
26:46Repeat, "Not bad. How about you?" Or,
26:50"Good, just busy." Repeat. Good, just
26:55busy. Let's hear a natural conversation.
26:59Hey, how's it going? Pretty good. You
27:03can't complain. Busy morning. Yeah, a
27:07little. I've got a lot to get through
27:09today.
27:11Same here. Listen once more. Hey, how's
27:15it going? Pretty good. You can't
27:18complain. Busy morning. Yeah, a little.
27:21I've got a lot to get through today.
27:24Same here. The phrase, I've got a lot to
27:27get through today, means you have many
27:29tasks that you need to complete. Repeat
27:32it. I've got a lot to get through today.
27:35Again, I've got a lot to get through
27:37today. Can't complain is another common
27:41casual answer to how are you. It
27:44generally means things are okay, not
27:47amazing, not terrible. How are you
27:50doing? Can't complain. Repeat, can't
27:53complain. You may also hear I'm doing
27:57all right. Repeat, I'm doing all right.
28:00or so far so good. Repeat, so far so
28:05good. This means things have been going
28:07well until this point. Now, let's work
28:11on an important feature of real spoken
28:13English. Thought groups. Fluent speakers
28:16do not usually say a long sentence as
28:19one giant block. They naturally group
28:22ideas together. Listen to this sentence.
28:25I've got a lot to do today, but I think
28:28I can finish everything before I leave.
28:31Here are the natural groups. I've got a
28:33lot to do today, but I think I can
28:35finish everything before I leave. Now,
28:39repeat it with me. I've got a lot to do
28:41today, but I think I can finish
28:44everything before I leave. Again, I've
28:47got a lot to do today, but I think I can
28:50finish everything before I leave. Now,
28:54this one, I was going to finish it
28:56yesterday, but something came up.
28:59Repeat. I was going to finish it
29:01yesterday, but something came up. The
29:05expression something came up means an
29:08unexpected situation happened and
29:10changed your plans. For example, I'm
29:13sorry I couldn't call you. Something
29:15came up at work. Repeat. I'm sorry I
29:19couldn't call you. Something came up at
29:21work. or can we meet tomorrow instead?
29:25Something came up. Repeat. Can we meet
29:27tomorrow instead? Something came up.
29:31Imagine a coworker asks you, "Did you
29:33finish that report?" You might answer,
29:36"Not yet. I'm still working on it."
29:39Repeat, "Not yet. I'm still working on
29:42it." They might ask, "Do you think
29:45you'll have it done by lunch?" You can
29:47say, "Yeah, I should be able to repeat."
29:52Yeah, I should be able to. That sentence
29:55is very useful when you believe
29:57something is possible, but do not want
29:59to make an overly strong promise. I
30:02should be able to finish it by lunch.
30:04Repeat. I should be able to finish it by
30:07lunch. Here is the complete exchange.
30:10Did you finish that report? Not yet. I'm
30:14still working on it. Do you think you'll
30:16have it done by lunch? Yeah, I should be
30:19able to. Great. Just send it to me when
30:22you're done. We'll do. Listen again. Did
30:26you finish that report? Not yet. I'm
30:29still working on it. Do you think you'll
30:31have it done by lunch? Yeah, I should be
30:35able to. Great. Just send it to me when
30:38you're done. Will do. Will do is a short
30:42natural response meaning yes. I will do
30:45that. Repeat. Will do. For example, call
30:50me when you get there. Will do. Let me
30:53know if anything changes.
30:55Will do. This kind of short response is
30:59common in everyday English and helps you
31:01sound less formal. Now, let's practice a
31:05situation where you do not understand
31:08something. This is important because
31:10fluent communication does not mean
31:13understanding 100% of everything. Even
31:16native speakers ask for repetition and
31:19clarification.
31:20A very useful sentence is, "Sorry, could
31:24you say that again?" Repeat. "Sorry,
31:28could you say that again?" Another is,
31:31"Sorry, I didn't catch that." Repeat.
31:35"Sorry, I didn't catch that. I didn't
31:38catch that means you did not hear or
31:41understand what the other person said.
31:44You can also say could you speak a
31:47little more slowly. Repeat. Could you
31:50speak a little more slowly? But as your
31:52level improves, you can be more
31:54specific. Instead of asking someone to
31:57repeat everything, you can say, "Sorry,
32:01what did you say after the meeting?"
32:03Repeat, "Sorry, what did you say after
32:06the meeting?
32:08Or did you say Thursday or Tuesday?
32:11Repeat. Did you say Thursday or Tuesday?
32:15Or just to make sure I understood, you
32:18want me to send it today? Right. Repeat.
32:21Just to make sure I understood, you want
32:24me to send it today, right? That last
32:27pattern is extremely useful. Just to
32:30make sure I understood. Allows you to
32:33confirm information. Listen. Just to
32:36make sure I understood, we're meeting at
32:393. Right. Repeat. Just to make sure I
32:43understood, we're meeting at 3. Right.
32:46Another one. Just to make sure I
32:49understood, I need to bring my ID with
32:51me. Repeat. Just to make sure I
32:54understood, I need to bring my ID with
32:57me. Now, let's turn this into a
33:00listening exercise. Imagine someone
33:03says, "The meeting was moved from 2:30
33:06to 3:15, and we're going to use the
33:09conference room upstairs instead of the
33:12smaller room near reception. What
33:14information changed, the time changed,
33:18and the location changed. Now, imagine
33:21you want to confirm it." You could say,
33:24"Just to make sure I understood, the
33:27meeting is at 3:15 in the upstairs
33:29conference room." Right? Repeat that
33:32full sentence. "Just to make sure I
33:35understood, the meeting is at 3:15 in
33:38the upstairs conference room." Right?
33:41This is the kind of English that gives
33:43you confidence in real life. You do not
33:46have to pretend that you understood
33:47everything. You need useful language
33:50that allows you to repair the
33:52conversation when something is unclear.
33:54Now, let's practice another essential
33:57skill. Giving yourself time to think.
34:00When someone asks you a question,
34:02silence can feel uncomfortable,
34:05especially in a second language. Instead
34:08of freezing, use natural thinking
34:10phrases.
34:12Let me think. Repeat. Let me think.
34:15That's a good question. Repeat. That's a
34:19good question. I'm not sure. Let me
34:22think about it. Repeat. I'm not sure.
34:26Let me think about it. You can also say,
34:29"Give me a second." Repeat. Give me a
34:32second. Or, "Hm, how should I put this?"
34:37Repeat. Hm. How should I put this?
34:41Imagine someone asks, "What do you
34:43usually do on weekends?" Instead of
34:45panicking, you could begin. H, let me
34:49think. It depends. If the weather is
34:52nice, I usually go out somewhere.
34:55Otherwise, I'm happy staying home and
34:58relaxing. Listen again. H, let me think.
35:03It depends. If the weather is nice, I
35:07usually go out somewhere. Otherwise, I'm
35:10happy staying home and relaxing. Now
35:14shadow it slowly. H let me think. It
35:18depends. If the weather is nice, I
35:22usually go out somewhere. Otherwise, I'm
35:25happy staying home and relaxing. The
35:28phrase it depends is incredibly useful
35:31because many questions do not have one
35:34simple answer. Do you like working from
35:37home? It depends. Do you cook everyday?
35:41It depends. Are weekends usually busy
35:44for you? It depends. Then you can
35:47explain what it depends on. It depends
35:50on how busy I am. Repeat. It depends on
35:54how busy I am. It depends on the
35:57weather. Repeat. It depends on the
36:00weather. It depends on what I have
36:02planned. Repeat. It depends on what I
36:06have planned. Now answer this question
36:09aloud. What do you usually do after work
36:12or school? Begin with a simple answer.
36:16Maybe I usually go straight home. Then
36:19add a detail. I usually go straight home
36:22because I'm pretty tired by the end of
36:24the day. Then add one more idea.
36:28Sometimes I stop at the store if I need
36:30groceries. Listen to the complete
36:32answer. I usually go straight home
36:35because I'm pretty tired by the end of
36:37the day. Sometimes I stop at the store
36:39if I need groceries.
36:42Now create your own answer. Speak aloud.
36:46Do not only think about the words. Your
36:48mouth needs the practice, too. Let's
36:51shadow one final daily life sequence for
36:54this stage of the lesson. Listen first
36:57without repeating. My mornings are
36:59usually pretty busy. I get up around 7,
37:03get ready, and make something quick for
37:05breakfast. I normally leave the house by
37:088, but sometimes I'm running late and
37:11have to rush. On the way, I might stop
37:14for coffee if I have time. When I get to
37:17work, I usually check my messages first
37:21and figure out what I need to get done
37:22that day. Some days are quiet and other
37:26days are non-stop. If I don't understand
37:29something, I ask for clarification
37:31instead of guessing. I'm trying to get
37:34better at communicating clearly. even
37:36when I need a few seconds to think. Now
37:40repeat it with me in smaller groups. My
37:43mornings are usually pretty busy. Again,
37:46my mornings are usually pretty busy. I
37:48get up around 7, get ready, and make
37:52something quick for breakfast. Again, I
37:55get up around 7, get ready, and make
37:58something quick for breakfast. I
38:01normally leave the house by 8, but
38:03sometimes I'm running late and have to
38:05rush. Repeat. I normally leave the house
38:08by 8, but sometimes I'm running late and
38:11have to rush. On the way, I might stop
38:14for coffee if I have time. Repeat. On
38:17the way, I might stop for coffee if I
38:20have time. Continue with me. When I get
38:23to work, I usually check my messages
38:26first and figure out what I need to get
38:28done that day. Again, when I get to
38:30work, I usually check my messages first
38:33and figure out what I need to get done
38:35that day. Some days are quiet and other
38:38days are non-stop. Repeat. Some days are
38:42quiet and other days are non-stop. If I
38:45don't understand something, I ask for
38:48clarification instead of guessing.
38:50Repeat. If I don't understand something,
38:54I ask for clarification instead of
38:56guessing. I'm trying to get better at
38:59communicating clearly even when I need a
39:01few seconds to think. Repeat. I'm trying
39:05to get better at communicating clearly
39:07even when I need a few seconds to think.
39:10Now try to shadow the complete practice
39:13exercise with me at a natural pace. My
39:16mornings are usually pretty busy. I get
39:19up around 7, get ready, and make
39:22something quick for breakfast. I
39:24normally leave the house by 8, but
39:27sometimes I'm running late and have to
39:29rush. On the way, I might stop for
39:32coffee if I have time. When I get to
39:34work, I usually check my messages first
39:37and figure out what I need to get done
39:39that day. Some days are quiet and other
39:42days are non-stop. If I don't understand
39:45something, I ask for clarification
39:48instead of guessing. I'm trying to get
39:51better at communicating clearly even
39:53when I need a few seconds to think. Very
39:56good. As we continue, the English will
40:00gradually become more natural, more
40:02detailed, and more challenging, but keep
40:05using the same method. Listen first.
40:09Notice how the sentence sounds. Repeat
40:12it clearly. Then shadow it with more
40:15natural rhythm. Finally, use the same
40:18language to create a sentence about your
40:20own life. That final step is what turns
40:23listening practice into speaking
40:25ability. You are not only memorizing my
40:28sentences, you are training yourself to
40:31build and say your own sentences more
40:33quickly. Let's continue with a very
40:36common situation. Someone asks, "What
40:39are you up to?" This does not usually
40:42mean anything complicated. It means what
40:45are you doing? Or sometimes what are
40:48your plans? Listen to some natural
40:50answers. Not much. I'm just finishing a
40:54few things. Repeat. Not much. I'm just
40:58finishing a few things. Another answer.
41:01I'm about to take a break. Repeat. I'm
41:04about to take a break. About to means
41:07something is going to happen very soon.
41:10I'm about to leave. Repeat. I'm about to
41:13leave. I'm about to have lunch. Repeat.
41:17I'm about to have lunch. I was just
41:19about to call you. Repeat. I was just
41:23about to call you. Now listen to this
41:26exchange. Hey, what are you up to? Not
41:30much. I'm about to grab some lunch. You?
41:34Same. I was thinking about going to that
41:36place across the street. Sounds good.
41:40Mind if I join you? Not at all. Let's go
41:44shadow these lines. Not much. I'm about
41:47to grab some lunch. You again. Not much.
41:52I'm about to grab some lunch. You? I was
41:55thinking about going to that place
41:56across the street again. I was thinking
42:00about going to that place across the
42:02street. Mind if I join you again? Mind
42:06if I join you? Not at all. Let's go
42:10again.
42:11Not at all. Let's go. Mind if I join
42:15you? Is a natural casual way to ask
42:18permission to join someone. The answer
42:20not at all means you do not mind. You
42:23are happy for the person to join you.
42:26You might also say, "Of course not."
42:29Repeat, "Of course not." Or, "Sure, come
42:33with us." Repeat, "Sure, come with us."
42:38As you listen to these conversations,
42:41pay attention to how many useful
42:43expressions are actually short. Not
42:45much. Sounds good. No worries. Will do.
42:50Same here. It depends. Let me think.
42:55That's it. Short phrases like these are
42:58the glue of natural conversation. If you
43:01learn only long textbook sentences, you
43:04may understand grammar but still
43:06struggle to react naturally. So give
43:09these small expressions just as much
43:11attention as the longer sentences. Let's
43:14practice a quick reaction drill. I will
43:17give you a situation and then I will
43:19give you one natural reaction to shadow.
43:22Someone tells you, I finally finished
43:25the project. You can say that's great.
43:29Repeat, "That's great." Someone says, "I
43:33barely slept last night." You can say,
43:37"That's rough." Repeat, "That's rough."
43:41Someone says, "I got a new job." You can
43:45say, "That's awesome. Congratulations."
43:49Repeat, "That's awesome.
43:51Congratulations."
43:53Someone says, "My train was cancelled
43:56again." You can say, "You're kidding."
44:00Repeat. "You're kidding." Someone tells
44:03you, "I have to work this weekend." You
44:06can say, "That's too bad." Repeat,
44:10"That's too bad." Someone says, "I'm
44:13going on vacation next week." You can
44:15respond, "Nice. Where are you going?"
44:18Repeat, "Nice. Where are you going?"
44:21Notice that a strong conversational
44:24response often contains two things. a
44:27reaction and a follow-up question. Nice.
44:30Where are you going? Really? What
44:33happened? That's great. When did you
44:36find out? This pattern helps
44:38conversations continue naturally.
44:41Practice this one. Really? What
44:44happened? Repeat. Really? What happened
44:49now? That's great. When did you find
44:52out? Repeat. That's great. When did you
44:56find out? Now. Oh, nice. How long are
45:01you staying? Repeat. Oh, nice. How long
45:05are you staying? These reaction plus
45:08question patterns are extremely useful
45:10when you want to sound engaged instead
45:13of answering with only okay or yes. Now,
45:18create a response yourself. Imagine I
45:20say, I'm moving to a new apartment next
45:23month. What could you say? Perhaps, "Oh,
45:27nice. Is it far from where you live
45:30now?" Or, "That's exciting. When are you
45:33moving?" Or, "Really? What made you
45:37decide to move?" All three responses
45:40work. There is no single perfect answer.
45:43Real conversation gives you choices.
45:46This is another important lesson for
45:48fluency. Stop searching for the one
45:51perfect sentence. There are usually many
45:54natural ways to express the same basic
45:56idea. Your job is to choose one clear
46:00sentence and keep the conversation
46:02moving. If you make a small grammar
46:04mistake, but the other person
46:06understands you, keep going. You can
46:09improve accuracy over time. Fluency
46:12develops when you learn to continue
46:14speaking instead of stopping every time
46:16you are unsure. So keep listening
46:19carefully, keep speaking aloud and keep
46:22copying the natural rhythm of the
46:24sentences. We are going to build from
46:26these everyday patterns into longer
46:29conversations, faster connected speech,
46:32more detailed answers, natural
46:34storytelling, phone conversations,
46:37shopping, restaurants, workplace
46:39situations, travel, social
46:42conversations, problems, opinions,
46:45plans, past experiences, and more
46:48advanced ways of expressing yourself.
46:51The language will become more
46:52challenging gradually but the method
46:54will remain simple. Listen, repeat,
46:58shadow, respond and then make the
47:01English your own. Now let's move into
47:04another part of daily life where natural
47:07English becomes especially important
47:10talking about plans. In real
47:12conversations, people constantly talk
47:15about what they are going to do later,
47:17what they might do, what they have
47:19already arranged, and what could change.
47:22So listen carefully to this very common
47:25question. What are you doing after work?
47:28Repeat. What are you doing after work?
47:31Again, with a smoother rhythm. What are
47:34you doing after work? A simple answer
47:37might be, I'm probably just going home.
47:40Repeat. I'm probably just going home or
47:44I'm meeting a friend for dinner. Repeat,
47:48I'm meeting a friend for dinner. Or, I
47:51haven't decided yet. Repeat, I haven't
47:54decided yet. Notice that natural
47:57conversation often includes uncertainty.
48:00You do not always need to have a
48:02definite plan. You can say, "I'm not
48:05sure yet." Repeat, "I'm not sure yet. I
48:09might stay home tonight. Repeat. I might
48:12stay home tonight. I'll probably take it
48:15easy. Repeat. I'll probably take it
48:18easy. Take it easy can mean relax and
48:21avoid doing anything too stressful. If
48:24someone asks, "Any plans tonight?" You
48:27could answer, "Not really. I think I'm
48:30just going to take it easy." Repeat,
48:33"Not really. I think I'm just going to
48:36take it easy." Now listen to a natural
48:39conversation. What are you doing
48:42tonight? I'm not sure yet. I might meet
48:45some friends. Oh, nice. Where are you
48:49thinking of going? Probably somewhere
48:51downtown. We haven't decided. Sounds
48:55fun. Listen again. What are you doing
48:58tonight? I'm not sure yet. I might meet
49:01some friends. Oh, nice. Where are you
49:04thinking of going? Probably somewhere
49:07downtown. We haven't decided. Sounds
49:10fun. Now, shadow the key responses. I'm
49:14not sure yet. I might meet some friends
49:17again. I'm not sure yet. I might meet
49:20some friends. Probably somewhere
49:23downtown. We haven't decided. Again,
49:27probably somewhere downtown. We haven't
49:29decided. The expression thinking of is
49:32very useful when a plan is still
49:34forming. I'm thinking of going out for
49:37dinner. Repeat. I'm thinking of going
49:40out for dinner. I'm thinking of buying a
49:42new phone. Repeat. I'm thinking of
49:46buying a new phone. We're thinking of
49:48taking a short trip next month. Repeat.
49:51We're thinking of taking a short trip
49:53next month. Notice that after thinking
49:56of, we normally use the ing form of the
49:59verb. Thinking of going, thinking of
50:02buying, thinking of taking. Now, let's
50:05practice inviting someone to do
50:07something. Listen. Do you want to grab
50:10dinner later? Repeat. Do you want to
50:12grab dinner later? Another natural way
50:15is, "Are you free tonight?" Repeat, "Are
50:18you free tonight?" Or, "Do you feel like
50:22getting something to eat?" Repeat, "Do
50:25you feel like getting something to eat?"
50:28Feel like is very useful when talking
50:30about something you want to do. I feel
50:33like going for a walk. Repeat. I feel
50:36like going for a walk. I don't feel like
50:39cooking tonight. Repeat. I don't feel
50:42like cooking tonight. Do you feel like
50:44watching a movie? Repeat. Do you feel
50:48like watching a movie? Now imagine
50:51someone invites you out, but you are
50:53busy. You do not need to give a cold
50:56answer like, "No, you can make your
50:59response warmer. Listen, I'd love to,
51:02but I already have plans. Repeat, I'd
51:06love to, but I already have plans.
51:10Another one. I can't tonight, but how
51:13about tomorrow? Repeat. I can't tonight,
51:17but how about tomorrow? Or I wish I
51:21could, but I have to finish some work.
51:24Repeat. I wish I could, but I have to
51:27finish some work. Let's hear a complete
51:30exchange. Do you want to get dinner
51:32tonight? I'd love to, but I already have
51:36plans. No problem. Maybe another time.
51:40Definitely. How about sometime this
51:42weekend? Sure. Saturday works for me.
51:46Now, listen again. Do you want to get
51:49dinner tonight? I'd love to, but I
51:52already have plans. No problem. Maybe
51:55another time. Definitely. How about
51:58sometime this weekend? Sure. Saturday
52:02works for me. Now, Shadow, I'd love to,
52:06but I already have plans again. I'd love
52:10to, but I already have plans.
52:13Definitely. How about sometime this
52:16weekend? Again. Definitely. How about
52:20sometime this weekend? Saturday works
52:22for me. Repeat.
52:25Saturday works for me. Works for me is a
52:28very useful phrase when agreeing to a
52:30time, date, location, or plan. How about
52:343:00?
52:36Three works for me. Repeat. Three works
52:39for me. Can we meet at the coffee shop
52:41near the station? Sure, that works for
52:44me. Repeat. Sure, that works for me. You
52:49can also say, "That sounds good."
52:52Repeat, "That sounds good." or that
52:55should be fine. Repeat, that should be
52:58fine. Now, let's practice changing
53:01plans. Plans change all the time, so you
53:05need natural language for it. Listen,
53:08something came up. Can we move it to
53:10tomorrow? Repeat. Something came up. Can
53:14we move it to tomorrow? Another one.
53:17Would you mind if we met a little later?
53:20Repeat. Would you mind if we met a
53:22little later? or is there any chance we
53:25could reschedu? Repeat. Is there any
53:28chance we could reschedu? Let's make
53:31this conversational. Hey, are we still
53:34on for 6? Actually, would you mind if we
53:37met at 6:30 instead? Yeah, that's fine.
53:42Thanks. I'm running a little behind. No
53:45worries. Take your time. Listen again.
53:48Hey, are we still on for 6? Actually,
53:52would you mind if we met at 6:30
53:54instead? Yeah, that's fine.
53:58I'm running a little behind. No worries.
54:02Take your time. Now, repeat. Are we
54:05still on for 6? Again, are we still on
54:09for 6? This means, is our plan for 6:00
54:13still happening? It is a very natural
54:15expression. Now, repeat. Would you mind
54:19if we met at 6:30 instead? Again, would
54:23you mind if we met at 6:30 instead? I'm
54:26running a little behind. Repeat. I'm
54:29running a little behind. Now, let's move
54:32into shopping. Because shopping gives
54:35you many chances to use practical
54:37English. Imagine you walk into a store
54:40and someone asks, "Can I help you find
54:42anything?" You could say, "I'm just
54:45looking. Thanks."
54:47Repeat, "I'm just looking. Thanks." That
54:51tells the employee, "You do not need
54:53help right now." Or you could say,
54:55"Actually, I'm looking for a pair of
54:58shoes." Repeat, "Actually, I'm looking
55:01for a pair of shoes." Another useful
55:04phrase is, "Do you have this in a
55:07different size?" Repeat, "Do you have
55:10this in a different size?" Practice
55:12this. Do you have this in a medium?
55:15Repeat. Do you have this in a medium? Do
55:18you have this in black? Repeat. Do you
55:21have this in black? Do you have anything
55:24similar to this? Repeat. Do you have
55:27anything similar to this? These patterns
55:30are useful in clothing stores, shoe
55:32stores, and many other shops. Suppose
55:35you want to try something on. You can
55:38ask, "Can I try this on?" Repeat. Can I
55:41try this on? Or where are the fitting
55:44rooms? Repeat, "Where are the fitting
55:47rooms?" Someone may ask, "How does it
55:50fit?" You could answer, "It's a little
55:53too tight." Repeat, "It's a little too
55:56tight." Or, "It's a bit too loose."
55:59Repeat, "It's a bit too loose." Or, "It
56:03fits pretty well." Repeat, "It fits
56:06pretty well." Now, listen to a natural
56:10shopping conversation. Hi, let me know
56:13if you need any help. Thanks. I'm just
56:16looking. Sure. Actually, do you have
56:19this shirt in a medium? Let me check.
56:22What color are you looking for? This
56:25color is fine. Okay, I'll see what we
56:28have. Listen once more. Hi. Let me know
56:32if you need any help. Thanks. I'm just
56:36looking. Sure. Actually, do you have
56:39this shirt in a medium? Let me check.
56:43What color are you looking for? This
56:45color is fine. Okay, I'll see what we
56:48have now. Shadow your side. Thanks. I'm
56:53just looking again. Thanks. I'm just
56:57looking. Actually, do you have this
56:59shirt in a medium? Again, actually, do
57:03you have this shirt in a medium? This
57:06color is fine. Repeat, this color is
57:09fine. Now suppose you like something but
57:13you are not sure about the price. You
57:15can ask how much is this? Repeat. How
57:19much is this? Or is this on sale?
57:24Repeat. Is this on sale? On sale means
57:28the price has been reduced. You can also
57:30ask, "Is there a discount on this?"
57:34Repeat, "Is there a discount on this?"
57:37If you decide not to buy it, you can
57:39simply say, "I think I'll pass." Repeat.
57:43I think I'll pass. That is a casual way
57:46to say you have decided not to take or
57:49buy something. Here is another useful
57:51sentence. I'll think about it. Repeat,
57:55I'll think about it. This is useful when
57:58you are not ready to make a decision.
58:00You may also say, I'm going to look
58:03around a little more. Repeat. I'm going
58:06to look around a little more. Or I'll
58:09come back if I decide to get it. Repeat.
58:13I'll come back if I decide to get it.
58:15Now, imagine you are buying groceries.
58:19Grocery store conversations are often
58:21short, but the vocabulary is useful. You
58:24might ask an employee, "Excuse me, where
58:28can I find the rice?" Repeat, "Excuse
58:31me, where can I find the rice?"
58:34Someone might answer, "It's in aisle
58:36six." Repeat, "It's in aisle six." You
58:40can ask, "Which aisle is the cereal in?"
58:44Repeat, "Which aisle is the cereal in?"
58:47or "Do you know where the milk is?"
58:50Repeat, "Do you know where the milk is?"
58:53At the checkout, the cashier may ask,
58:56"Did you find everything okay?" You
58:59could answer, "Yes, thanks." Repeat,
59:03"Yes, thanks." Or, "Actually, I couldn't
59:08find the olive oil." Repeat, "Actually,
59:12I couldn't find the olive oil." The
59:14cashier may ask, "Do you need a bag?"
59:17You can say, "Yes, please." Repeat,
59:21"Yes, please." Or, "No, thanks. I
59:25brought my own." Repeat, "No thanks, I
59:29brought my own." Now listen to this
59:31short exchange. Did you find everything
59:34okay? Yeah, thanks. Do you need a bag?
59:39No, thanks. I brought my own. All right.
59:43Your total is 32.40. Can I pay by card?
59:47Of course. Now repeat. Yeah, thanks
59:52again. Yeah, thanks. No thanks. I
59:57brought my own again. No thanks. I
1:00:01brought my own. Can I pay by card?
1:00:04Repeat. Can I pay by card? Now, let's
1:00:08practice talking about prices and
1:00:10decisions. That's more expensive than I
1:00:13expected. Repeat. That's more expensive
1:00:16than I expected. Another one. That's
1:00:19actually a pretty good deal. Repeat.
1:00:22That's actually a pretty good deal. A
1:00:25good deal means the price or offer is
1:00:27favorable. You can say, "I got a really
1:00:31good deal on this." Repeat, "I got a
1:00:34really good deal on this." Or, "It was
1:00:38cheaper than I thought it would be."
1:00:40Repeat, "It was cheaper than I thought
1:00:42it would be." Let's make your English
1:00:45more flexible. Instead of always saying
1:00:48something is very expensive, try some
1:00:51natural alternatives.
1:00:53It's pretty expensive. Repeat, it's
1:00:56pretty expensive. It's a little pricey.
1:00:59Repeat. It's a little pricey. That's way
1:01:02too expensive for me. Repeat. It's way
1:01:05too expensive for me. Way too makes the
1:01:08idea stronger. It's way too big. It's
1:01:12way too far. It's way too late. It's way
1:01:15too complicated.
1:01:17Practice these. That restaurant is way
1:01:20too expensive for me. Repeat. That
1:01:23restaurant is way too expensive for me.
1:01:26This jacket is way too big. Repeat. This
1:01:30jacket is way too big. It's way too late
1:01:33to call them now. Repeat. It's way too
1:01:36late to call them now. Now, let's move
1:01:39into eating out. Restaurants are
1:01:42excellent places to practice natural
1:01:44everyday expressions. When you arrive,
1:01:47you might say, "Hi, we have a
1:01:50reservation for 7." Repeat, "Hi, we have
1:01:54a reservation for 7." If you do not have
1:01:57a reservation, you might ask, "Do you
1:01:59have a table for two?" Repeat, "Do you
1:02:02have a table for two?" The host may say,
1:02:06"It'll be about a 20 minute wait." You
1:02:09can respond, "That's fine." Repeat,
1:02:13"That's fine." Or, "Is there anywhere we
1:02:16can wait?" Repeat. Is there anywhere we
1:02:20can wait? Once you are seated, a server
1:02:23may ask, "Can I get you something to
1:02:25drink?" You can say, "I'll just have
1:02:28water for now." Repeat, "I'll just have
1:02:32water for now." Or, "Could I get an iced
1:02:35tea?" Repeat, "Could I get an iced tea?"
1:02:39If you need more time with the menu, you
1:02:41can say, "We need another minute,
1:02:44please." Repeat, "We need another
1:02:47minute, please.
1:02:49or could you give us a few more minutes?
1:02:52Repeat. Could you give us a few more
1:02:54minutes? Now, suppose you are ready, you
1:02:58can say, I think we're ready to order.
1:03:01Repeat, I think we're ready to order.
1:03:04The server may ask, "What can I get for
1:03:07you?" You can answer, "I'll have the
1:03:10chicken sandwich." Repeat, "I'll have
1:03:13the chicken sandwich." Or, "Could I get
1:03:16the pasta?" Repeat. Could I get the
1:03:18pasta? You can ask questions, too. What
1:03:22comes with that? Repeat. What comes with
1:03:25that? Is that spicy? Repeat. Is that
1:03:29spicy? What do you recommend? Repeat.
1:03:32What do you recommend? Listen to this
1:03:35natural exchange. Are you ready to
1:03:37order? I think so. What do you
1:03:40recommend? The grilled chicken is really
1:03:42popular. Okay, I'll have that. And what
1:03:46would you like on the side? Could I get
1:03:49the salad? Absolutely. Listen again. Are
1:03:53you ready to order? I think so. What do
1:03:56you recommend? The grilled chicken is
1:03:59really popular. Okay, I'll have that.
1:04:02And what would you like on the side?
1:04:05Could I get the salad? Absolutely. Now,
1:04:09shadow your responses. I think so. What
1:04:12do you recommend? again. I think so.
1:04:16What do you recommend? Okay, I'll have
1:04:19that again. Okay, I'll have that. Could
1:04:24I get the salad? Repeat. Could I get the
1:04:27salad? Suppose you have a special
1:04:29request. Can I get that without onions?
1:04:33Repeat. Can I get that without onions?
1:04:36Could I have the dressing on the side?
1:04:38Repeat. Could I have the dressing on the
1:04:40side? Can I substitute the fries for a
1:04:43salad? Repeat. Can I substitute the
1:04:46fries for a salad? Even if you do not
1:04:49use these exact sentences often,
1:04:52practicing them helps you become
1:04:53comfortable making polite requests. Now,
1:04:57let's practice a small problem at a
1:04:59restaurant. Excuse me. I think I ordered
1:05:02the chicken, not the fish. Repeat.
1:05:06Excuse me. I think I ordered the
1:05:08chicken, not the fish. or sorry, this is
1:05:12a little cold. Repeat, sorry, this is a
1:05:16little cold. Or, could we get some more
1:05:19water, please? Repeat. Could we get some
1:05:23more water, please? The goal is to be
1:05:26clear without sounding unnecessarily
1:05:28aggressive. After the meal, you can say,
1:05:31"Could we get the check, please?"
1:05:33Repeat, "Could we get the check,
1:05:35please?"
1:05:36In American English, check is commonly
1:05:39used for the bill at a restaurant. You
1:05:42could also ask, "Can we split the
1:05:44check?" Repeat. Can we split the check?
1:05:48Or we'll pay separately. Repeat. We'll
1:05:52pay separately. Another person might
1:05:54say, "Don't worry, I've got it." Repeat.
1:05:59Don't worry, I've got it. In this
1:06:02situation, I've got it can mean I'll
1:06:05pay. Listen to the exchange. Should we
1:06:08split the check? No. I've got it. Are
1:06:12you sure? Yeah. It's on me. Thanks. I'll
1:06:17get the next one. Repeat the useful
1:06:19phrase. It's on me. Again, it's on me.
1:06:24That means you are paying for everyone
1:06:26or for the other person. Now repeat.
1:06:31I'll get the next one again. I'll get
1:06:34the next one. This means you will pay
1:06:37next time. Now, we are going to practice
1:06:40telling someone about something that
1:06:42happened earlier in the day. This moves
1:06:44us from simple present routines into
1:06:47natural past tense storytelling. Imagine
1:06:50a friend asks, "How was your day?"
1:06:53Instead of saying only good, you can
1:06:56give a little story. Listen, it was
1:06:59pretty good. Actually, work was busy
1:07:02this morning, but things slowed down
1:07:04after lunch. I had a meeting in the
1:07:07afternoon and then I stopped at the
1:07:09store on the way home. Nothing too
1:07:12exciting. Now, shadow it sentence by
1:07:15sentence. It was pretty good, actually.
1:07:19Repeat. It was pretty good, actually.
1:07:23Work was busy this morning, but things
1:07:25slowed down after lunch.
1:07:27again. Work was busy this morning, but
1:07:30things slowed down after lunch. I had a
1:07:33meeting in the afternoon and then I
1:07:36stopped at the store on the way home.
1:07:38Repeat. I had a meeting in the afternoon
1:07:41and then I stopped at the store on the
1:07:43way home. Nothing too exciting. Repeat.
1:07:47Nothing too exciting. Nothing too
1:07:49exciting is a natural expression when
1:07:52your day was normal or uneventful. You
1:07:54might also say nothing special repeat
1:07:59nothing special or same old same old
1:08:04repeat same old same old. That is a
1:08:08casual expression meaning things are
1:08:10basically the same as usual. Now imagine
1:08:13your day was difficult. Listen honestly
1:08:17it was kind of a long day. I had
1:08:20backtoback meetings all morning and then
1:08:22a problem came up. right before I was
1:08:25supposed to leave. I finally got home
1:08:27about an hour later than usual. Repeat
1:08:30the first sentence. Honestly, it was
1:08:33kind of a long day. Again, honestly, it
1:08:37was kind of a long day. Now, I had
1:08:41backtoback meetings all morning. Repeat.
1:08:44I had backto-back meetings all morning.
1:08:47Backto back means one immediately after
1:08:50another with little or no break between
1:08:52them. I had backtoback meetings all
1:08:55morning. Now a problem came up right
1:08:58before I was supposed to leave. Repeat,
1:09:02a problem came up right before I was
1:09:04supposed to leave. Notice the phrase was
1:09:07supposed to. This is extremely useful.
1:09:11It describes something that was planned,
1:09:13expected, or required. I was supposed to
1:09:16leave at 5. Repeat. I was supposed to
1:09:20leave at 5. We were supposed to meet
1:09:23yesterday. Repeat. We were supposed to
1:09:26meet yesterday. The package was supposed
1:09:28to arrive today. Repeat. The package was
1:09:32supposed to arrive today. Now use it in
1:09:36a natural complaint. The bus was
1:09:38supposed to come 10 minutes ago. Repeat.
1:09:42The bus was supposed to come 10 minutes
1:09:44ago. Or I was supposed to have the day
1:09:48off, but they asked me to come in.
1:09:51Repeat. I was supposed to have the day
1:09:53off, but they asked me to come in. That
1:09:57is more natural and informative than
1:09:59simply saying, "I worked today." Let's
1:10:03practice storytelling with sequence
1:10:05words. You already know basic words like
1:10:08first and then. But conversational
1:10:11English uses many other connectors. At
1:10:14first everything was fine. Repeat.
1:10:19At first everything was fine. A little
1:10:22later things got really busy. Repeat. A
1:10:26little later things got really busy.
1:10:29Eventually we figured out the problem.
1:10:32Repeat. Eventually, we figured out the
1:10:35problem. In the end, everything worked
1:10:38out. Repeat. In the end, everything
1:10:42worked out. Now, listen to the complete
1:10:45story. At first, everything was fine.
1:10:49Then, around noon, our computer system
1:10:52stopped working. We couldn't process any
1:10:55orders, so everyone started getting
1:10:57stressed. A little later, the system
1:11:01came back online and eventually we
1:11:03caught up with everything. In the end,
1:11:06it worked out. But it was a pretty
1:11:09hectic afternoon. Now, shadow it. At
1:11:13first, everything was fine. Again, at
1:11:17first everything was fine. Then, around
1:11:20noon, our computer system stopped
1:11:22working. Repeat. Then around noon, our
1:11:27computer system stopped working. We
1:11:29couldn't process any orders, so everyone
1:11:32started getting stressed again. We
1:11:35couldn't process any orders, so everyone
1:11:38started getting stressed. A little
1:11:40later, the system came back online, and
1:11:43eventually we caught up with everything.
1:11:46Repeat. A little later, the system came
1:11:49back online, and eventually we caught up
1:11:51with everything. In the end, it worked
1:11:54out, but it was a pretty hectic
1:11:56afternoon. Again, in the end, it worked
1:12:00out, but it was a pretty hectic
1:12:02afternoon. Workout can have several
1:12:05meanings in English. Here, everything
1:12:08worked out means the situation ended
1:12:11successfully or satisfactorily.
1:12:15Listen, don't worry. I'm sure everything
1:12:18will work out. Repeat, don't worry. I'm
1:12:22sure everything will work out. Another
1:12:24example. It wasn't easy, but things
1:12:27worked out in the end. Repeat. It wasn't
1:12:30easy, but things worked out in the end.
1:12:33Now, let's practice explaining a
1:12:36mistake. Mistakes happen in daily life,
1:12:39and knowing how to explain them clearly
1:12:41is important. Listen. I completely
1:12:44forgot about the appointment. Repeat. I
1:12:48completely forgot about the appointment.
1:12:50Another one. I wrote down the wrong
1:12:52time. Repeat. I wrote down the wrong
1:12:56time. I thought it started at 3, but it
1:12:59actually started at 2:30. Repeat. I
1:13:02thought it started at 3, but it actually
1:13:05started at 2:30. If you need to
1:13:08apologize, you can say, I'm really
1:13:11sorry. That was my mistake. Repeat, I'm
1:13:15really sorry. That was my mistake. or
1:13:19sorry about the mixup. Repeat, sorry
1:13:23about the mixup. A mixup is a small
1:13:26situation involving confusion or a
1:13:28mistake. There was a mixup with the
1:13:31reservation.
1:13:32Repeat, there was a mixup with the
1:13:34reservation. I think there was a mixup
1:13:37with the schedule. Repeat, I think there
1:13:41was a mixup with the schedule. Now
1:13:44listen to an exchange. I thought we were
1:13:47meeting at 4:00. Oh, I thought we said
1:13:503:30. Really? Maybe I wrote it down
1:13:54wrong. No worries. You're here now.
1:13:57Sorry about the mixup. It's fine. Don't
1:14:01worry about it. Now, Shadow, I thought
1:14:05we were meeting at 4 again. I thought we
1:14:08were meeting at 4. Maybe I wrote it down
1:14:11wrong. Repeat. Maybe I wrote it down
1:14:14wrong.
1:14:15Sorry about the mixup. Repeat. Sorry
1:14:18about the mixup. Let's now work on a
1:14:21very important listening skill.
1:14:23Understanding reduced speech. You may
1:14:26know every word in a sentence and still
1:14:28fail to understand it when someone
1:14:30speaks naturally. This happens because
1:14:33spoken English is connected. Words
1:14:35influence the sounds around them. Some
1:14:38sounds become weaker. Some words are
1:14:41shortened. The rhythm changes. So listen
1:14:44to this clear sentence. What are you
1:14:47going to do? Repeat. What are you going
1:14:50to do? In casual American speech, you
1:14:53may hear something that sounds much
1:14:55closer to what are you going to do.
1:14:58Listen again. What are you going to do?
1:15:01You do not need to exaggerate the
1:15:02reduction. Just notice it and practice
1:15:05hearing the complete phrase as one unit.
1:15:08Now this sentence, did you eat yet?
1:15:12Repeat clearly. Did you eat yet? In fast
1:15:15speech, the sounds may connect strongly.
1:15:18Did you eat yet? Listen several times in
1:15:21your mind as one rhythm instead of four
1:15:24separate words. Did you eat yet? Answer
1:15:26naturally, "Yeah, I already ate."
1:15:29Repeat, "Yeah, I already ate." Or, "Not
1:15:33yet. I'm about to." Repeat, "Not yet.
1:15:37I'm about to." Here is another common
1:15:39one. What did you do yesterday?
1:15:42Repeat what did you do yesterday when
1:15:45spoken quickly what did you becomes very
1:15:48connected. Do not panic if you do not
1:15:51hear every individual consonant. Focus
1:15:54on the rhythm and the context. What did
1:15:57you do yesterday? Answer not much. I
1:16:01mostly stayed home. Repeat. Not much. I
1:16:06mostly stayed home. Now listen to a
1:16:09slightly faster conversation. Did you do
1:16:12anything last night? Not really. I was
1:16:15going to go out, but I ended up staying
1:16:18home. How come? I was exhausted. Yeah, I
1:16:23know the feeling. Listen again. Did you
1:16:26do anything last night? Not really. I
1:16:29was going to go out, but I ended up
1:16:31staying home. How come? I was exhausted.
1:16:36Yeah, I know the feeling. Now, shadow
1:16:40the phrase, I was going to go out, but I
1:16:43ended up staying home. Repeat. I was
1:16:47going to go out, but I ended up staying
1:16:50home. Now say it in a more casual
1:16:53conversational rhythm. I was going to go
1:16:56out, but I ended up staying home.
1:16:59Repeat. I was going to go out, but I
1:17:02ended up staying home. End up is one of
1:17:05those phrases you will hear constantly
1:17:07in natural English. It describes the
1:17:10final result, especially when it was not
1:17:13exactly what you originally planned. We
1:17:16planned to cook, but we ended up
1:17:19ordering pizza. Repeat. We planned to
1:17:22cook, but we ended up ordering pizza. I
1:17:26only went in for one thing, but I ended
1:17:28up buying five things. Repeat. I only
1:17:32went in for one thing, but I ended up
1:17:34buying five things. We got lost and
1:17:37ended up taking a completely different
1:17:39route. Repeat, we got lost and ended up
1:17:43taking a completely different route. Now
1:17:46answer this question. Did anything
1:17:48unexpected happen to you recently? You
1:17:51can use ended up to explain the result.
1:17:54Maybe I planned to stay home, but I
1:17:58ended up going out with some friends. Or
1:18:01I thought the meeting would be short,
1:18:04but it ended up lasting almost 2 hours.
1:18:07Try making your own sentence aloud.
1:18:10Let's practice another conversational
1:18:12phrase from the dialogue. How come?
1:18:16Repeat. How come? This is an informal
1:18:20way to ask why. If someone says, "I'm
1:18:23not going tonight," you could respond,
1:18:26"How come?" If they say, "I decided not
1:18:30to buy it," you can ask, "How come?" It
1:18:33sounds natural in casual conversation.
1:18:36Now, shadow this exchange. I'm working
1:18:39from home tomorrow. Oh, really? How
1:18:43come? I have an appointment in the
1:18:45afternoon. Got it. Repeat your
1:18:48reactions. Oh, really? How come again?
1:18:53Oh, really? How come? Got it. Repeat.
1:18:57Got it. Got it can mean I understand.
1:19:01Now, let's build longer responses
1:19:03because as you move toward intermediate
1:19:05and advanced speaking, you need to go
1:19:08beyond one sentence answers. A useful
1:19:10structure is answer, reason, example,
1:19:14and extra detail. Listen to this
1:19:16question. Do you enjoy cooking? Here is
1:19:20a short answer. Yeah, I do. That is
1:19:24correct. But we can make it richer.
1:19:26Yeah, I do. Especially on weekends
1:19:30because I have more time. I usually try
1:19:33something new. But during the week, I
1:19:35keep things pretty simple. Listen again.
1:19:38Yeah, I do. Especially on weekends
1:19:42because I have more time. I usually try
1:19:45something new, but during the week I
1:19:47keep things pretty simple. Shadow it.
1:19:51Yeah, I do. Especially on weekends
1:19:54because I have more time again. Yeah, I
1:19:59do. Especially on weekends because I
1:20:01have more time. I usually try something
1:20:04new, but during the week I keep things
1:20:07pretty simple. Repeat. I usually try
1:20:10something new, but during the week I
1:20:13keep things pretty simple. Now, take
1:20:16another question. Do you like mornings?
1:20:20You could say not really. I'm definitely
1:20:23more of a night person. It takes me a
1:20:26while to wake up in the morning,
1:20:28especially if I didn't sleep well. I
1:20:31usually need coffee before I feel fully
1:20:33awake. Listen again, not really. I'm
1:20:36definitely more of a night person. It
1:20:39takes me a while to wake up in the
1:20:41morning, especially if I didn't sleep
1:20:43well. I usually need coffee before I
1:20:46feel fully awake. Now, shadow it. Not
1:20:50really. I'm definitely more of a night
1:20:53person. Again, not really. I'm
1:20:56definitely more of a night person. It
1:20:59takes me a while to wake up in the
1:21:01morning, especially if I didn't sleep
1:21:03well. Repeat. It takes me a while to
1:21:06wake up in the morning, especially if I
1:21:09didn't sleep well. I usually need coffee
1:21:12before I feel fully awake. Again, I
1:21:15usually need coffee before I feel fully
1:21:17awake. Now, I want you to practice
1:21:21building your own answer. Here is the
1:21:23question. Do you prefer staying home or
1:21:26going out on weekends? Start with your
1:21:29choice, then give a reason, then give an
1:21:32example. You might say, "I usually
1:21:36prefer staying home because my weekdays
1:21:38are pretty busy. By the weekend, I just
1:21:41want to relax. I might watch a movie,
1:21:45cook something, or catch up on things
1:21:47around the house." Try your own answer
1:21:50aloud. Now, the phrase catch up on is
1:21:54useful when talking about things you did
1:21:56not have enough time to do earlier.
1:21:59I need to catch up on some work. Repeat.
1:22:02I need to catch up on some work. I'm
1:22:06going to catch up on sleep this weekend.
1:22:08Repeat, I'm going to catch up on sleep
1:22:11this weekend. I need to catch up on a
1:22:14few emails. Repeat, I need to catch up
1:22:17on a few emails.
1:22:19There is also catch up with someone,
1:22:22which can mean talk to someone you have
1:22:24not spoken with recently and share what
1:22:27has been happening in your lives. I'm
1:22:29meeting an old friend to catch up.
1:22:31Repeat. I'm meeting an old friend to
1:22:34catch up. It was nice catching up with
1:22:36you. Repeat. It was nice catching up
1:22:40with you. We should catch up sometime.
1:22:43Repeat. We should catch up sometime.
1:22:46Let's hear a natural social
1:22:47conversation.
1:22:49Hey, I haven't seen you in forever. I
1:22:52know. It's been a while. How have you
1:22:55been? Pretty good. Busy, but good. We
1:22:59should catch up sometime. Definitely.
1:23:02Are you free this weekend? Listen again.
1:23:05Hey, I haven't seen you in forever. I
1:23:09know. It's been a while. How have you
1:23:12been? Pretty good. Busy, but good. We
1:23:16should catch up sometime. Definitely.
1:23:19Are you free this weekend? Now, Shadow,
1:23:23I know it's been a while again. I know
1:23:27it's been a while. Pretty good. Busy,
1:23:30but good. Repeat. Pretty good. Busy, but
1:23:35good. Definitely. Are you free this
1:23:38weekend? Repeat. Definitely. Are you
1:23:42free this weekend? Now listen to, how
1:23:46have you been? This question is
1:23:49especially useful when you have not seen
1:23:51someone for some time. It is different
1:23:54from simply asking how are you because
1:23:57it asks about the period of time since
1:24:00you last spoke. How have you been?
1:24:03Repeat. How have you been? A natural
1:24:06answer is I've been good. Repeat, I've
1:24:10been good. Or I've been pretty busy
1:24:13lately. Repeat. I've been pretty busy
1:24:16lately. Or honestly, things have been a
1:24:20little hectic. Repeat. Honestly, things
1:24:24have been a little hectic. Lately means
1:24:27recently. Over the recent period of
1:24:29time, I've been really busy lately.
1:24:32Repeat. I've been really busy lately. I
1:24:35haven't been sleeping very well lately.
1:24:37Repeat. I haven't been sleeping very
1:24:39well lately. I've been trying to
1:24:42exercise more lately. Repeat. I've been
1:24:45trying to exercise more lately. Now,
1:24:48let's use that pattern to talk about
1:24:50changes in your life. I've been trying
1:24:52to wake up earlier. Repeat. I've been
1:24:56trying to wake up earlier. I've been
1:24:58spending less time on my phone. Repeat.
1:25:02I've been spending less time on my
1:25:04phone. I've been working on my English
1:25:06every day. Repeat. I've been working on
1:25:10my English every day. This structure is
1:25:13extremely useful because it connects
1:25:15past and present. It describes something
1:25:18that has been happening over a recent
1:25:20period. Now, and create your own
1:25:23sentence beginning with lately I've been
1:25:27maybe lately I've been reading more.
1:25:31Lately, I've been getting up earlier.
1:25:34Lately, I've been trying to eat better.
1:25:37Say your own sentence aloud. Now, we are
1:25:40going to combine several skills in one
1:25:43longer shadowing practice. Listen to the
1:25:45entire passage first. Lately, I've been
1:25:49trying to organize my time a little
1:25:51better. I used to leave everything until
1:25:53the last minute and then I'd feel
1:25:56stressed because I had too much to do at
1:25:58once. Now, I try to plan my day in the
1:26:02morning and decide what really needs to
1:26:04get done. I'm still not perfect at it,
1:26:07but it's definitely helping. I've also
1:26:10been trying to take more breaks instead
1:26:12of sitting in the same place for hours.
1:26:15Even a short walk helps me clear my head
1:26:17and come back with more energy. Now,
1:26:20repeat in natural thought groups.
1:26:23Lately, I've been trying to organize my
1:26:26time a little better again. Lately, I've
1:26:30been trying to organize my time a little
1:26:32better. I used to leave everything until
1:26:34the last minute. Repeat. I used to leave
1:26:38everything until the last minute and
1:26:41then I'd feel stressed because I had too
1:26:43much to do at once. Repeat. And then I'd
1:26:46feel stressed because I had too much to
1:26:49do at once. Continue. Now I try to plan
1:26:53my day in the morning and decide what
1:26:55really needs to get done. again. Now I
1:27:00try to plan my day in the morning and
1:27:02decide what really needs to get done.
1:27:04I'm still not perfect at it, but it's
1:27:07definitely helping. Repeat. I'm still
1:27:10not perfect at it, but it's definitely
1:27:13helping. Repeat. I've also been trying
1:27:16to take more breaks instead of sitting
1:27:18in the same place for hours. Even a
1:27:21short walk helps me clear my head and
1:27:23come back with more energy. Repeat. Even
1:27:27a short walk helps me clear my head and
1:27:29come back with more energy. Now, let's
1:27:32look at the expression used to. We use
1:27:36it when something was true or happened
1:27:38regularly in the past but is different
1:27:40now. I used to stay up really late.
1:27:44Repeat, I used to stay up really late. I
1:27:47used to live near here. Repeat. I used
1:27:51to live near here. We used to go there
1:27:53all the time. Repeat. We used to go
1:27:56there all the time. Compare that with
1:27:59now. I used to drink a lot of coffee,
1:28:02but now I only have one cup a day.
1:28:06Repeat. I used to drink a lot of coffee,
1:28:09but now I only have one cup a day. I
1:28:13used to drive to work, but now I take
1:28:16the train. Repeat. I used to drive to
1:28:20work, but now I take the train. I used
1:28:24to be really shy, but I'm much more
1:28:26confident now. Repeat. I used to be
1:28:29really shy, but I'm much more confident
1:28:31now. Now create one sentence about your
1:28:35own past. Begin with I used to. Then
1:28:39contrast it with now. For example, I
1:28:42used to watch TV every evening, but now
1:28:46I spend more time studying. or I used to
1:28:49avoid speaking English because I was
1:28:51nervous, but now I try to practice every
1:28:56day. Say your own example aloud. That
1:29:00second example is especially important
1:29:02for language learning. Confidence does
1:29:05not usually arrive before you start
1:29:07speaking. Confidence develops because
1:29:10you speak, make mistakes, survive those
1:29:13mistakes, and realize that communication
1:29:15can continue. That is why these
1:29:18shadowing exercises are not only
1:29:21pronunciation drills. You are building
1:29:23automatic language patterns so that when
1:29:26you need them in a real conversation,
1:29:29your brain does not have to create
1:29:31everything from zero. Let's finish this
1:29:33stage with a more natural faster daily
1:29:36life conversation. Listen first and do
1:29:39not repeat yet. Hey, how was your day?
1:29:43Pretty busy. I had meetings most of the
1:29:46morning and then I had to run a few
1:29:48errands after work.
1:29:50Sounds exhausting. It wasn't too bad.
1:29:54I'm just glad to be home. Any plans for
1:29:57tonight? Not really. I was going to
1:30:00cook, but honestly, I don't feel like it
1:30:03anymore. Want to order something? Yeah,
1:30:06that sounds good. What are you in the
1:30:09mood for? Maybe pizza works for me. Now
1:30:14listen again. Hey, how was your day?
1:30:17Pretty busy. I had meetings most of the
1:30:20morning and then I had to run a few
1:30:22errands after work. Sounds exhausting.
1:30:25It wasn't too bad. I'm just glad to be
1:30:28home. Any plans for tonight? Not really.
1:30:32I was going to cook, but honestly, I
1:30:35don't feel like it anymore. Want to
1:30:38order something? Yeah, that sounds good.
1:30:41What are you in the mood for?
1:30:43Maybe pizza works for me. Now shadow the
1:30:47longer responses. Pretty busy. I had
1:30:51meetings most of the morning and then I
1:30:53had to run a few errands after work.
1:30:55Repeat. Pretty busy. I had meetings most
1:30:59of the morning. And then I had to run a
1:31:01few errands after work. It wasn't too
1:31:04bad. I'm just glad to be home. Repeat.
1:31:08It wasn't too bad. I'm just glad to be
1:31:10home. Not really. I was going to cook,
1:31:14but honestly, I don't feel like it
1:31:16anymore. Repeat. Not really. I was going
1:31:20to cook, but honestly, I don't feel like
1:31:24it anymore. Yeah, that sounds good. What
1:31:27are you in the mood for? Repeat. Yeah,
1:31:31that sounds good. What are you in the
1:31:33mood for? Works for me. Repeat. Works
1:31:37for me. What are you in the mood for? is
1:31:40a very natural way to ask what someone
1:31:42feels like eating, doing, watching, or
1:31:46listening to. What are you in the mood
1:31:49for? Repeat, "What are you in the mood
1:31:51for?" You might answer, "I'm in the mood
1:31:54for something spicy." Repeat, "I'm in
1:31:57the mood for something spicy." Or, "I'm
1:32:00in the mood for a comedy." Repeat, "I'm
1:32:04in the mood for a comedy." Or,
1:32:06"Honestly, I'm not really in the mood to
1:32:09go out. Repeat. Honestly, I'm not really
1:32:13in the mood to go out. Now, listen to
1:32:16the rhythm of this sentence. Honestly,
1:32:20I'm not really in the mood to go out
1:32:22tonight. Repeat slowly. Honestly, I'm
1:32:26not really in the mood to go out
1:32:27tonight. Now, say it with a natural
1:32:31rhythm. Honestly, I'm not really in the
1:32:34mood to go out tonight.
1:32:37Very good. As your English improves, pay
1:32:40attention not only to grammar, but also
1:32:42to these softer conversational choices.
1:32:46People often avoid extremely direct
1:32:48language when talking about preferences,
1:32:51changing plans, small complaints, or
1:32:54uncertainty. Instead of saying, "I hate
1:32:58that idea," someone might say, "I'm not
1:33:01really into that." Repeat, "I'm not
1:33:04really into that." Instead of saying, "I
1:33:07don't want to go," they might say, "I'm
1:33:10not really in the mood to go out."
1:33:12Repeat, "I'm not really in the mood to
1:33:15go out." Instead of saying, "Your plan
1:33:18is bad," they might say, "I'm not sure
1:33:21that'll work." Repeat, "I'm not sure
1:33:24that'll work." Learning these
1:33:26expressions helps you understand not
1:33:28just the dictionary meaning of English,
1:33:31but the social meaning, too. Natural
1:33:33fluency includes knowing how strong or
1:33:36soft your words sound. So when you
1:33:39shadow, pay attention to the attitude
1:33:41behind the sentence as well. Listen for
1:33:44whether the speaker sounds excited,
1:33:46uncertain, tired, polite, surprised,
1:33:51annoyed, or relaxed. Then try to copy
1:33:54that feeling in your own voice. Now take
1:33:58this simple sentence. That's fine. The
1:34:01words are easy, but the meaning can
1:34:04change depending on your tone. It can
1:34:06sound genuinely agreeable. That's fine.
1:34:10It can sound hesitant. That's fine, I
1:34:13guess. Or it can sound slightly
1:34:15disappointed. Yeah, that's fine. This is
1:34:19why listening practice needs to go
1:34:21beyond vocabulary. Real communication
1:34:24lives in rhythm, stress, tone, and
1:34:28context. Continue practicing with this
1:34:31sentence. That sounds good to me.
1:34:34Repeat. That sounds good to me. Now, a
1:34:38less certain version. That should be
1:34:40okay. Repeat. That should be okay. Now,
1:34:45a hesitant version. I guess that could
1:34:47work. Repeat. I guess that could work.
1:34:51Now, a stronger positive response. Yeah,
1:34:55definitely. Let's do that. Repeat. Yeah,
1:34:59definitely. Let's do that. These subtle
1:35:03differences will become more important
1:35:05as we continue into longer and more
1:35:07advanced conversations.
1:35:09For now, keep your focus on clear
1:35:12understanding and smooth repetition. You
1:35:15have already practiced morning routines,
1:35:18commuting, workplace language,
1:35:21clarification,
1:35:23shopping, restaurants, plans,
1:35:26invitations, past events, social
1:35:29conversations, reduced speech, and
1:35:32longer answers. Keep those patterns
1:35:35active in your mind because we are going
1:35:37to recycle them naturally. Repetition in
1:35:40different situations is what helps
1:35:42useful English become automatic. Before
1:35:45moving forward, give yourself one final
1:35:48speaking challenge. Describe your day
1:35:51from morning until evening using the
1:35:54language you have practiced. You do not
1:35:56need to copy my exact words. Start with
1:36:00when you usually wake up. Explain what
1:36:02you do in the morning, how you travel,
1:36:05what your day is normally like, what you
1:36:08do for meals,
1:36:10and how you spend your evening. If you
1:36:13get stuck, use a simple sentence and
1:36:15continue. If you need time, say, "Let me
1:36:19think." If something changes depending
1:36:22on the day, say, "It depends." If you
1:36:26want to describe a past habit, use, "I
1:36:29used to." If you want to describe a
1:36:31recent habit, try lately. I've been.
1:36:37Keep speaking for as long as you can
1:36:39without stopping to correct every small
1:36:41mistake.
1:36:42The more often you do this, the easier
1:36:45it becomes to turn passive English into
1:36:48active English. Listening gives you the
1:36:51patterns. Shadowing trains your
1:36:53pronunciation and rhythm. Repetition
1:36:56strengthens your memory. Personal
1:36:58speaking practice teaches you to
1:37:00retrieve the language by yourself. All
1:37:03four skills work together and that is
1:37:06how the English you understand gradually
1:37:08becomes English you can actually use.
1:37:12Now let's move into another situation
1:37:14that gives you a lot of useful English
1:37:17practice. Making phone calls. Phone
1:37:20conversations can feel difficult because
1:37:22you cannot always see the other person's
1:37:24face. So you have to depend more on
1:37:27listening. That makes them excellent for
1:37:30training your ears. Let's begin with a
1:37:33very simple call. Listen. Hi, this is
1:37:37Emma. Is Sarah available? Repeat. Hi,
1:37:42this is Emma. Is Sarah available?
1:37:45Another natural version is, "Hi, is
1:37:49Sarah there?" Repeat, "Hi, is Sarah
1:37:53there?" If you are calling a business,
1:37:56you might say, "Hi, I'm calling about an
1:37:59appointment." Repeat, "Hi, I'm calling
1:38:03about an appointment." Now, imagine
1:38:06someone answers and says, "Hello." You
1:38:09might say, "Hi, this is Emma. Is this a
1:38:13good time?" Repeat, "Hi, this is Emma.
1:38:18Is this a good time?" That is a very
1:38:20useful question because it shows
1:38:22consideration for the other person. They
1:38:25might answer, "Yeah, I've got a minute."
1:38:29Repeat, "Yeah, I've got a minute." Or,
1:38:33"I'm actually in the middle of
1:38:34something. Can I call you back?" Repeat.
1:38:38I'm actually in the middle of something.
1:38:40Can I call you back? In the middle of
1:38:43something means you are busy doing
1:38:45something right now. Listen. Sorry, I'm
1:38:49in the middle of something. Repeat.
1:38:52Sorry, I'm in the middle of something.
1:38:55Can I call you back in 10 minutes?
1:38:58Repeat. Can I call you back in 10
1:39:00minutes? Or can I get back to you later?
1:39:04Repeat. Can I get back to you later? Get
1:39:08back to someone means contact them again
1:39:11later with an answer or response. Now
1:39:14shadow this natural phone exchange. Hey,
1:39:18is this a good time? I've got a minute.
1:39:22What's up? I just wanted to ask you
1:39:24about tomorrow. Sure. What about it? Are
1:39:28we still meeting at 10:00? Yeah, 10
1:39:31still works for me. Listen again. Hey,
1:39:34is this a good time? I've got a minute.
1:39:38What's up? I just wanted to ask you
1:39:40about tomorrow. Sure. What about it? Are
1:39:44we still meeting at 10:00? Yeah, 10
1:39:47still works for me. Now, repeat. I've
1:39:51got a minute. What's up again? I've got
1:39:55a minute. What's up? I just wanted to
1:39:58ask you about tomorrow. Repeat. I just
1:40:01wanted to ask you about tomorrow. Are we
1:40:04still meeting at 10:00? Repeat. Are we
1:40:07still meeting at 10? Yeah, 10 still
1:40:10works for me. Repeat. Yeah, 10 still
1:40:14works for me. Notice the phrase, I just
1:40:17wanted to. This is common when
1:40:19introducing the reason for a call or
1:40:21request. I just wanted to check
1:40:23something. Repeat. I just wanted to
1:40:26check something. I just wanted to see if
1:40:28you were free later. Repeat. I just
1:40:32wanted to see if you were free later. I
1:40:34just wanted to let you know that I'm
1:40:36running late. Repeat, I just wanted to
1:40:39let you know that I'm running late. Now,
1:40:42suppose the connection is bad. You need
1:40:45language for that, too. Listen, sorry,
1:40:49you're breaking up. Repeat, sorry,
1:40:52you're breaking up. This means the sound
1:40:55is cutting in and out. You can also say,
1:40:59"I can barely hear you." Repeat, "I can
1:41:03barely hear you." Or, "The connection is
1:41:06really bad." Repeat, "The connection is
1:41:09really bad." Another very useful phrase
1:41:12is, "Can you hear me now?" Repeat. Can
1:41:16you hear me now? Listen to this
1:41:18exchange. Hello. Can you hear me?
1:41:22Barely. You're breaking up. Hold on. Let
1:41:26me move somewhere else. Okay, that's
1:41:29better. How about now? Yeah, I can hear
1:41:32you clearly now. Repeat the useful
1:41:35lines. You're breaking up again. You're
1:41:39breaking up. Hold on. Let me move
1:41:42somewhere else. Repeat. Hold on. Let me
1:41:46move somewhere else. Yeah, I can hear
1:41:49you clearly now. Repeat. Yeah, I can
1:41:53hear you clearly now. Hold on. is
1:41:55another very common phrase on the phone.
1:41:58It can mean wait for a moment. Hold on a
1:42:01second. Repeat. Hold on a second. Hold
1:42:05on. Let me check. Repeat. Hold on. Let
1:42:09me check. You might also hear hang on a
1:42:13second. Repeat. Hang on a second. Both
1:42:16are common in informal conversation.
1:42:19Now, let's practice leaving a message.
1:42:22Imagine you call and the person is not
1:42:25available. Someone says, "She's not here
1:42:28right now. Can I take a message?" You
1:42:31can answer, "Sure. Could you tell her
1:42:34Emma called?" Repeat, "Sure. Could you
1:42:38tell her Emma called?" Or, "Could you
1:42:41ask her to call me back?" Repeat, "Could
1:42:43you ask her to call me back?" Another
1:42:46option is, "It's nothing urgent. Just
1:42:48have her call me when she gets a
1:42:50chance."
1:42:52Repeat. It's nothing urgent. Just have
1:42:54her call me when she gets a chance. When
1:42:57you get a chance is a polite way to say
1:43:00whenever you have enough time. Listen,
1:43:02call me when you get a chance. Repeat,
1:43:05call me when you get a chance. Send me
1:43:07the details when you get a chance.
1:43:10Repeat. Send me the details when you get
1:43:12a chance. Take a look at this when you
1:43:14get a chance. Repeat. Take a look at
1:43:17this when you get a chance. Now imagine
1:43:21you need to make an appointment. Listen,
1:43:24"Hi, I'd like to make an appointment for
1:43:26next week." Repeat. "Hi, I'd like to
1:43:30make an appointment for next week."
1:43:33Someone may ask, "What day works best
1:43:35for you?" You can say, "Tuesday would be
1:43:38best." Repeat, "Tuesday would be best."
1:43:42Or, "I'm pretty flexible." Repeat, "I'm
1:43:46pretty flexible." or anytime after three
1:43:50works for me. Repeat. Anytime after 3
1:43:54works for me. Let's practice. Hi, I'd
1:43:58like to make an appointment. Sure. What
1:44:01day were you thinking? Do you have
1:44:03anything available on Thursday? We have
1:44:05an opening at 2:30. That works for me.
1:44:09Great. We'll see you Thursday at 2:30.
1:44:13Listen again. Hi, I'd like to make an
1:44:16appointment. Sure. What day were you
1:44:19thinking? Do you have anything available
1:44:21on Thursday? We have an opening at 2:30.
1:44:25That works for me. Great. We'll see you
1:44:28Thursday at 2:30. Now, Shadow, do you
1:44:33have anything available on Thursday?
1:44:35Repeat. Do you have anything available
1:44:38on Thursday? That works for me. Repeat,
1:44:42that works for me. Now, one more useful
1:44:46phrase. Do you have anything earlier?
1:44:49Repeat. Do you have anything earlier? Or
1:44:53do you have anything later in the day?
1:44:55Repeat. Do you have anything later in
1:44:58the day? Now, let's move into another
1:45:01common situation. Asking for and giving
1:45:05directions. Even if you usually use your
1:45:08phone for directions, you still need
1:45:10this language because people may ask you
1:45:13questions. Or you may need help when
1:45:16your phone is unavailable. Listen,
1:45:18"Excuse me, do you know how to get to
1:45:21the train station?" Repeat, "Excuse me,
1:45:24do you know how to get to the train
1:45:26station?" Another natural question is,
1:45:29"Excuse me, is there a pharmacy around
1:45:32here?" Repeat, "Excuse me, is there a
1:45:35pharmacy around here?" Or, "How far is
1:45:38it from here?" Repeat, "How far is it
1:45:41from here?" Someone might answer, "It's
1:45:44about a 10-minute walk." Repeat, "It's
1:45:47about a 10-minute walk." Or, "It's just
1:45:50around the corner." Repeat, "It's just
1:45:53around the corner." That means it is
1:45:55very close, usually near the next
1:45:57corner. Another answer is it's a couple
1:46:01of blocks from here. Repeat. It's a
1:46:04couple of blocks from here. Now listen
1:46:07to a direction sequence. Go straight for
1:46:10two blocks. Then turn left at the
1:46:12traffic light. You'll see the bank on
1:46:15your right. Repeat in smaller pieces. Go
1:46:18straight for two blocks. Again, go
1:46:21straight for two blocks. Then turn left
1:46:24at the traffic light. Repeat. Then turn
1:46:28left at the traffic light. You'll see
1:46:30the bank on your right. Repeat. You'll
1:46:33see the bank on your right. Let's make
1:46:35it more conversational. Excuse me. Is
1:46:38there a grocery store nearby? Yeah,
1:46:41there's one about 5 minutes from here.
1:46:44Which way is it? Go straight and take
1:46:46the second right. It'll be on your left
1:46:49next to the coffee shop. Thanks. No
1:46:52problem. Now shadow, is there a grocery
1:46:56store nearby? Again, is there a grocery
1:46:59store nearby? Which way is it? Repeat.
1:47:03Which way is it? Go straight and take
1:47:05the second right. Repeat. Go straight
1:47:09and take the second right. It'll be on
1:47:11your left. Next to the coffee shop.
1:47:14Repeat. It'll be on your left next to
1:47:17the coffee shop. If directions are
1:47:19complicated, you may need to confirm
1:47:21them. Listen. So I go straight and then
1:47:25turn right at the light. Repeat. So I go
1:47:28straight and then turn right at the
1:47:30light. Or sorry, which street did you
1:47:34say? Repeat. Sorry, which street did you
1:47:38say? Or is it before or after the gas
1:47:41station? Repeat, is it before or after
1:47:45the gas station? These questions help
1:47:47you stay in control of the conversation.
1:47:50You do not have to understand everything
1:47:52immediately. Ask one specific question
1:47:55and confirm the part you missed. Now,
1:47:58imagine you are traveling and checking
1:48:00into a hotel. Listen, "Hi, I have a
1:48:04reservation under the name Smith."
1:48:06Repeat, "Hi, I have a reservation under
1:48:10the name Smith." The front desk may ask,
1:48:13"Can I see your ID, please?" You can
1:48:16say, "Sure. Here you go." Repeat. Sure.
1:48:21Here you go. Here you go. Is extremely
1:48:24useful when handing something to
1:48:25someone. You might ask, "What time is
1:48:29checkout?" Repeat. What time is
1:48:31checkout? Is breakfast included? Repeat.
1:48:35Is breakfast included? Is there Wi-Fi in
1:48:38the room? Repeat. Is there Wi-Fi in the
1:48:41room? What floor is my room on? Repeat.
1:48:45What floor is my room on? Now suppose
1:48:49there is a problem with the room. You
1:48:51can say, "Excuse me, I'm having a
1:48:54problem with the air conditioning."
1:48:56Repeat, "Excuse me, I'm having a problem
1:49:00with the air conditioning." Or, "The
1:49:03Wi-Fi doesn't seem to be working."
1:49:05Repeat, "The Wi-Fi doesn't seem to be
1:49:08working." Notice doesn't seem to be
1:49:11working. This is softer than simply
1:49:14saying, "The Wi-Fi is broken."
1:49:16Especially when you are not sure what
1:49:18the exact problem is. Practice this
1:49:21pattern. The TV doesn't seem to be
1:49:24working. Repeat. The TV doesn't seem to
1:49:27be working. The key doesn't seem to be
1:49:30working. Repeat. The key doesn't seem to
1:49:33be working. The shower doesn't seem to
1:49:36be getting hot. Repeat. The shower
1:49:39doesn't seem to be getting hot. Now,
1:49:42listen to a hotel conversation. Hi, I'm
1:49:46in room 412 and the air conditioning
1:49:49doesn't seem to be working. I'm sorry
1:49:51about that. We can send someone up to
1:49:54take a look. That would be great. Thank
1:49:57you. Someone should be there in about 10
1:49:59minutes. Perfect. Thanks for your help.
1:50:03Now, Shadow, the air conditioning
1:50:06doesn't seem to be working. Repeat, the
1:50:08air conditioning doesn't seem to be
1:50:10working. That would be great. Thank you.
1:50:14Repeat. That would be great. Thank you.
1:50:17Perfect. Thanks for your help. Repeat.
1:50:20Perfect. Thanks for your help. Now,
1:50:24let's talk about transportation. When
1:50:26you are traveling at an airport, you
1:50:28might hear a lot of fast announcements,
1:50:31but the useful conversational language
1:50:33can be simple. You might ask, "Where do
1:50:36I check in for this flight?" Repeat.
1:50:38Where do I check in for this flight? Is
1:50:41this the line for security? Repeat. Is
1:50:44this the line for security? What gate
1:50:46does the flight leave from? Repeat. What
1:50:49gate does the flight leave from? If the
1:50:52flight is delayed, you might ask, do you
1:50:55know how long the delay is? Repeat. Do
1:50:59you know how long the delay is? Or has
1:51:02the gate changed? Repeat. Has the gate
1:51:06changed? Or is the flight still leaving
1:51:09at the same time? Repeat. Is the flight
1:51:12still leaving at the same time? Now
1:51:16listen to a natural airport exchange.
1:51:18Excuse me. Has the gate changed for the
1:51:21flight to Chicago? Yes, it's now leaving
1:51:25from gate 24. Okay, thanks. Is it still
1:51:29on time? It's delayed by about 20
1:51:32minutes. Got it. Thanks for letting me
1:51:34know. Repeat. Has the gate changed for
1:51:38the flight to Chicago? again. Has the
1:51:41gate changed for the flight to Chicago?
1:51:43Is it still on time? Repeat. Is it still
1:51:47on time? Got it. Thanks for letting me
1:51:50know. Repeat. Got it. Thanks for letting
1:51:54me know. Thanks for letting me know is a
1:51:57very useful phrase whenever someone
1:51:59gives you information. Repeat. Thanks
1:52:02for letting me know. You can use it at
1:52:04work, at home, with friends, or while
1:52:07traveling. The meeting was moved to 4.
1:52:11Thanks for letting me know. I'll be
1:52:13about 10 minutes late. Thanks for
1:52:15letting me know. Now, let's practice a
1:52:18conversation in a taxi or ride share.
1:52:21You might say, hi, I'm going to the
1:52:24airport. Repeat, hi, I'm going to the
1:52:28airport. Or, could you take me to this
1:52:30address? Repeat, could you take me to
1:52:33this address? You could ask about how
1:52:37long will it take? Repeat about how long
1:52:40will it take. If you are in a hurry, you
1:52:43might say, "My flight leaves in 2
1:52:45hours." Repeat, "My flight leaves in 2
1:52:49hours." If you want to stop somewhere
1:52:51briefly, you can ask, "Would you mind
1:52:54stopping here for a minute?" Repeat,
1:52:57"Would you mind stopping here for a
1:52:58minute?" At the end of the ride, you can
1:53:01say, "You can drop me off here." Repeat.
1:53:05You can drop me off here. Or this is
1:53:08perfect. Thanks. Repeat. This is
1:53:11perfect. Thanks. Now, let's move into
1:53:15another area that can make learners
1:53:17nervous. Speaking with a doctor or
1:53:20describing how you feel. This is useful
1:53:22language, and it also gives us good
1:53:25practice with clear descriptions.
1:53:27Listen. I haven't been feeling very
1:53:30well. Repeat. I haven't been feeling
1:53:33very well. Or I've had a headache since
1:53:36this morning. Repeat. I've had a
1:53:39headache since this morning. Or my
1:53:43throat has been bothering me for a few
1:53:45days. Repeat. My throat has been
1:53:47bothering me for a few days. If someone
1:53:50asks when did it start, you could say it
1:53:54started 2 days ago. Repeat, it started 2
1:53:57days ago. or I noticed it yesterday
1:54:01morning. Repeat, I noticed it yesterday
1:54:04morning. If they ask, is it getting
1:54:07worse? You can answer a little. Yes.
1:54:10Repeat. A little yes or no, it's about
1:54:15the same. Repeat. No, it's about the
1:54:19same. Now, practice giving a clear
1:54:22sequence. I started feeling tired
1:54:25yesterday afternoon and by the evening I
1:54:28had a headache. Repeat. I started
1:54:30feeling tired yesterday afternoon and by
1:54:33the evening I had a headache. I slept
1:54:36okay, but I still don't feel great
1:54:38today. Repeat. I slept okay, but I still
1:54:42don't feel great today. Notice how
1:54:45useful simple time phrases are when
1:54:47describing a problem. Since yesterday,
1:54:50for two days, this morning, last night,
1:54:54a few hours ago, these small details
1:54:57make your explanation much clearer. Now,
1:55:01let's practice a pharmacy conversation.
1:55:04You might say, "Excuse me, do you have
1:55:07anything for a sore throat?" Repeat,
1:55:10"Excuse me, do you have anything for a
1:55:13sore throat?" Or, "Do you have anything
1:55:17for a headache?" Repeat. Do you have
1:55:20anything for a headache? You may need to
1:55:22ask, "How often should I take this?"
1:55:26Repeat. How often should I take this? Or
1:55:30should I take it with food? Repeat.
1:55:33Should I take it with food? Now, let's
1:55:36move back to social English and talk
1:55:38about opinions. As you become more
1:55:41advanced, you need to express what you
1:55:43think without sounding too strong all
1:55:45the time. Let's start with a basic
1:55:48opinion. I think it's a good idea.
1:55:51Repeat. I think it's a good idea. Now,
1:55:55make it softer. I think it could be a
1:55:58good idea. Repeat. I think it could be a
1:56:01good idea. Another option is that might
1:56:05be worth trying. Repeat. That might be
1:56:08worth trying. If you disagree, you do
1:56:11not always need to say you're wrong. You
1:56:14can say, "I see what you mean, but I'm
1:56:17not sure I agree." Repeat, "I see what
1:56:20you mean, but I'm not sure I agree." Or,
1:56:23"That's a fair point, but I see it a
1:56:26little differently." Repeat, "That's a
1:56:29fair point, but I see it a little
1:56:31differently." Or, "I get where you're
1:56:34coming from, but I think there's another
1:56:36way to look at it." Repeat. I get where
1:56:39you're coming from, but I think there's
1:56:41another way to look at it. These are
1:56:43very useful intermediate and advanced
1:56:46conversation patterns. They allow you to
1:56:49disagree without making the discussion
1:56:51unnecessarily tense. Listen to this
1:56:54exchange. I think working from home is
1:56:57always better. I see what you mean, but
1:57:00I'm not sure I agree. Really? Why not? I
1:57:04think it depends on the person. Some
1:57:07people are more productive at home, but
1:57:09others work better around a team. That's
1:57:12fair. Now, shadow the key response. I
1:57:16see what you mean, but I'm not sure I
1:57:19agree. Again, I see what you mean, but
1:57:23I'm not sure I agree. I think it depends
1:57:26on the person. Repeat, I think it
1:57:29depends on the person. Some people are
1:57:31more productive at home, but others work
1:57:34better around a team. Repeat. Some
1:57:38people are more productive at home, but
1:57:40others work better around a team. Now,
1:57:43let's practice giving a reason more
1:57:45naturally. Instead of always saying
1:57:48because, you can use different
1:57:50connectors. The main reason is that
1:57:54repeat. The main reason is that one
1:57:57reason I like it is that repeat. One
1:58:00reason I like it is that what I like
1:58:03about it is repeat. What I like about it
1:58:06is the thing I don't like is repeat the
1:58:10thing I don't like is now use these in
1:58:14complete sentences.
1:58:16The main reason I like working from home
1:58:18is that I don't have to commute. Repeat.
1:58:22The main reason I like working from home
1:58:24is that I don't have to commute. What I
1:58:27like about living in a city is that
1:58:29there's always something to do. Repeat.
1:58:32What I like about living in a city is
1:58:35that there's always something to do. The
1:58:37thing I don't like is the traffic.
1:58:40Repeat. The thing I don't like is the
1:58:43traffic. Now answer this question aloud.
1:58:46Do you prefer living in a busy city or a
1:58:48quiet place? Start with your preference.
1:58:52Then give your main reason. Then mention
1:58:54one disadvantage of your choice. For
1:58:57example, I prefer living in a city
1:59:00because everything is close by and there
1:59:03are more things to do. The downside is
1:59:06that it can be noisy and crowded. Try
1:59:08your own answer. Notice the phrase the
1:59:11downside. This means a disadvantage.
1:59:15Listen. The downside is that it's
1:59:18expensive. Repeat. The downside is that
1:59:21it's expensive. The main downside is the
1:59:24traffic. Repeat. The main downside is
1:59:28the traffic. You can contrast that with
1:59:31the upside, meaning an advantage. The
1:59:34upside is that I have more flexibility.
1:59:37Repeat. The upside is that I have more
1:59:40flexibility. Now, let's practice another
1:59:44natural way to explain mixed feelings.
1:59:47On the one hand, I like the flexibility.
1:59:50On the other hand, I miss seeing people
1:59:53in person. Repeat the first half. On the
1:59:57one hand, I like the flexibility. Again,
2:00:01on the one hand, I like the flexibility.
2:00:04Now, the second half. On the other hand,
2:00:08I miss seeing people in person. Repeat.
2:00:12On the other hand, I miss seeing people
2:00:14in person. You do not need to use this
2:00:17in every conversation, but it is very
2:00:20useful when you can see both sides of a
2:00:22situation. Now, let's increase the
2:00:25difficulty with a longer opinion
2:00:27response. Listen carefully. I think
2:00:31social media can be useful, but it
2:00:33really depends on how you use it. On the
2:00:36one hand, it helps people stay in touch
2:00:38and discover new information. On the
2:00:41other hand, it can become a huge
2:00:43distraction if you're constantly
2:00:45checking your phone. Personally, I try
2:00:48to limit how much time I spend on it,
2:00:51especially when I'm working. Now shadow
2:00:54it sentence by sentence. I think social
2:00:57media can be useful, but it really
2:01:00depends on how you use it. Repeat. I
2:01:03think social media can be useful, but it
2:01:06really depends on how you use it. On the
2:01:09one hand, it helps people stay in touch
2:01:12and discover new information. Repeat. On
2:01:16the one hand, it helps people stay in
2:01:18touch and discover new information. On
2:01:21the one hand, it can become a huge
2:01:24distraction if you're constantly
2:01:26checking your phone. Repeat. On the
2:01:29other hand, it can become a huge
2:01:31distraction if you're constantly
2:01:33checking your phone. Personally, I try
2:01:36to limit how much time I spend on it,
2:01:39especially when I'm working. Repeat.
2:01:42Personally, I try to limit how much time
2:01:45I spend on it, especially when I'm
2:01:48working. Now let's focus on the word
2:01:51actually. This word appears constantly
2:01:54in natural conversation but its meaning
2:01:57changes depending on context. Listen, I
2:02:01actually liked it. Repeat. I actually
2:02:05liked it. Here it can show that the
2:02:08result was a little surprising. Another
2:02:10example. I thought the movie would be
2:02:13boring, but it was actually pretty good.
2:02:16Repeat. I thought the movie would be
2:02:18boring, but it was actually pretty good.
2:02:22Actually, can also be used to correct
2:02:24information politely. You work on
2:02:27Friday, right? Actually, I have Friday
2:02:31off. Repeat, actually, I have Friday
2:02:35off. I thought you lived downtown.
2:02:38Actually, I moved last year. Repeat,
2:02:42actually, I moved last year. It can also
2:02:46help you change what you were about to
2:02:47say. Do you want coffee? Actually, I
2:02:51think I'll have tea. Repeat. Actually, I
2:02:55think I'll have tea. Learning these
2:02:58small words is important because they
2:03:00appear everywhere in spoken English.
2:03:03Now, listen to pretty as an adverb. When
2:03:06someone says it's pretty good, they
2:03:09usually mean fairly good or quite good.
2:03:13It does not mean beautiful. Listen, I'm
2:03:16pretty tired. Repeat. I'm pretty tired.
2:03:21It's pretty far from here. Repeat. It's
2:03:24pretty far from here. The restaurant was
2:03:27pretty busy. Repeat. The restaurant was
2:03:30pretty busy. This use of pretty is
2:03:32extremely common in American
2:03:34conversation.
2:03:36Now, combine these words naturally. I
2:03:39actually had a pretty good day. Repeat.
2:03:42I actually had a pretty good day. It was
2:03:45actually pretty easy. Repeat. It was
2:03:48actually pretty easy. I thought it would
2:03:51be difficult, but it was actually pretty
2:03:53straightforward. Repeat. I thought it
2:03:56would be difficult, but it was actually
2:03:59pretty straightforward. Straightforward
2:04:02means simple, clear, and not too
2:04:04complicated. The instructions were
2:04:06pretty straightforward. Repeat. The
2:04:09instructions were pretty
2:04:11straightforward.
2:04:12The process is actually quite
2:04:14straightforward. Repeat. The process is
2:04:18actually quite straightforward. Now,
2:04:21let's work on storytelling at a higher
2:04:23level. A natural story usually gives the
2:04:27listener enough background to understand
2:04:29what happened, but not so much
2:04:31background that the story becomes
2:04:33confusing. Listen to this example. A few
2:04:37days ago, I was on my way home when I
2:04:40realized I'd left my wallet at work. I
2:04:43was already halfway home, so I really
2:04:46didn't want to turn around, but I needed
2:04:48it that evening. I ended up going all
2:04:51the way back. When I got there, I found
2:04:54it sitting right on my desk. It was
2:04:57annoying, but at least I knew where it
2:04:59was. Now, listen again for the
2:05:02structure. A few days ago gives us the
2:05:05time. I was on my way home. Gives us the
2:05:09situation. I realized I'd left my wallet
2:05:12at work. Introduces the problem. I ended
2:05:15up going all the way back. Tells us what
2:05:18happened next. When I got there, I found
2:05:22it sitting right on my desk. Gives us
2:05:24the result. Finally. It was annoying,
2:05:27but at least I knew where it was. Gives
2:05:30a reaction. Now, shadow the story. A few
2:05:34days ago, I was on my way home when I
2:05:37realized I'd left my wallet at work.
2:05:40Repeat. A few days ago, I was on my way
2:05:43home when I realized I'd left my wallet
2:05:45at work. I was already halfway home, so
2:05:49I really didn't want to turn around, but
2:05:51I needed it that evening. Repeat. I was
2:05:55already halfway home, so I really didn't
2:05:57want to turn around, but I needed it
2:06:00that evening. I ended up going all the
2:06:02way back.
2:06:04Repeat. I ended up going all the way
2:06:07back. When I got there, I found it
2:06:10sitting right on my desk. Repeat. When I
2:06:14got there, I found it sitting right on
2:06:16my desk. It was annoying, but at least I
2:06:19knew where it was. Repeat. It was
2:06:22annoying, but at least I knew where it
2:06:25was. Now, expect pay attention to at
2:06:29least. We use it when looking at the
2:06:32positive side of a situation that is not
2:06:34ideal. Listen, the weather was terrible,
2:06:38but at least we stayed dry. Repeat, the
2:06:41weather was terrible, but at least we
2:06:44stayed dry. I missed the bus, but at
2:06:47least I wasn't late for work. Repeat, I
2:06:50missed the bus, but at least I wasn't
2:06:53late for work. The hotel was expensive,
2:06:56but at least the room was comfortable.
2:06:59Repeat. The hotel was expensive, but at
2:07:03least the room was comfortable.
2:07:05Now, think of a small problem you
2:07:08experienced recently. Try to tell the
2:07:11story using a simple structure. Say when
2:07:14it happened. Explain what you were
2:07:16doing. Describe the problem. Say what
2:07:19you did next. Then give the result and
2:07:22your reaction. You do not need advanced
2:07:25vocabulary. Clear sequencing makes a
2:07:28story sound much stronger than
2:07:29complicated words without structure.
2:07:32Let's practice one more story. Yesterday
2:07:35morning, I left home a little earlier
2:07:38than usual because I had an important
2:07:40meeting. Everything was going fine until
2:07:43traffic suddenly stopped. At first, I
2:07:46thought it would only last a few
2:07:48minutes, but after 10 minutes, we still
2:07:50weren't moving. I started getting
2:07:52worried that I'd be late, so I called
2:07:55ahead and explained the situation.
2:07:58Luckily, the meeting started a few
2:08:00minutes late anyway, so I got there just
2:08:02in time. Now, shadow it. Yesterday
2:08:06morning, I left home a little earlier
2:08:09than usual because I had an important
2:08:12meeting. Repeat. Yesterday morning, I
2:08:15left home a little earlier than usual
2:08:18because I had an important meeting.
2:08:21Everything was going fine until traffic
2:08:23suddenly stopped. Repeat. Everything was
2:08:26going fine until traffic suddenly
2:08:29stopped. At first, I thought it would
2:08:32only last a few minutes, but after 10
2:08:34minutes, we still weren't moving.
2:08:36Repeat. At first, I thought it would
2:08:39only last a few minutes, but after 10
2:08:42minutes, we still weren't moving.
2:08:44Continue. I started getting worried that
2:08:47I'd be late, so I called ahead and
2:08:50explained the situation. Repeat. I
2:08:53started getting worried that I'd be
2:08:55late, so I called ahead and explained
2:08:57the situation. Luckily, the meeting
2:09:00started a few minutes late anyway. So, I
2:09:03got there just in time. Repeat. Luckily,
2:09:07the meeting started a few minutes late
2:09:09anyway. So, I got there just in time.
2:09:13Just in time means at the last possible
2:09:15moment before you would have been too
2:09:17late. Listen, I got there just in time.
2:09:22Repeat. I got there just in time. We
2:09:25made it to the airport just in time.
2:09:28Repeat. We made it to the airport just
2:09:31in time. I finished the project just in
2:09:34time for the deadline. Repeat. I
2:09:37finished the project just in time for
2:09:39the deadline. Now compare that with
2:09:43right on time which means exactly at the
2:09:46expected time. The train arrived right
2:09:49on time. Repeat. The train arrived right
2:09:53on time. I got there right on time.
2:09:57Repeat. I got there right on time. And
2:10:01ahead of time means earlier than
2:10:03necessary. I finished the work ahead of
2:10:06time. Repeat. I finished the work ahead
2:10:09of time.
2:10:11These time expressions help you be more
2:10:13precise when telling stories. Now, let's
2:10:17return to listening and connected
2:10:18speech. Listen carefully to this
2:10:21question. What have you been up to
2:10:23lately? Repeat clearly. What have you
2:10:26been up to lately? In natural speech,
2:10:29several words may connect and the whole
2:10:32question can feel much faster than it
2:10:34looks. What have you been up to lately?
2:10:37Instead of trying to hear each word
2:10:39separately, recognize the phrase as a
2:10:42complete conversational unit. A natural
2:10:45answer could be not much. Honestly, I've
2:10:49mostly been working. Repeat, not much.
2:10:53Honestly, I've mostly been working or
2:10:57I've been pretty busy with work lately.
2:11:00Repeat, I've been pretty busy with work
2:11:02lately or a lot. Actually, things have
2:11:07been kind of hectic. Repeat a lot.
2:11:10Actually, things have been kind of
2:11:12hectic. Now, listen to a longer
2:11:16exchange. What have you been up to
2:11:18lately? Mostly work. It's been pretty
2:11:21busy. Yeah. Anything exciting going on?
2:11:25Actually, I'm working on a new project,
2:11:28so that's been keeping me busy. Do you
2:11:30like it? Yeah. So far, it's challenging,
2:11:34but in a good way. Listen again. What
2:11:37have you been up to lately? Mostly work.
2:11:40It's been pretty busy. Yeah. Anything
2:11:43exciting going on? Actually, I'm working
2:11:46on a new project. So, that's been
2:11:48keeping me busy. Do you like it? Yeah.
2:11:52So far, it's challenging, but in a good
2:11:55way. Now, Shadow, actually, I'm working
2:11:59on a new project, so that's been keeping
2:12:02me busy. Repeat. Actually, I'm working
2:12:06on a new project, so that's been keeping
2:12:09me busy. Yeah, so far it's challenging,
2:12:14but in a good way. Repeat. Yeah, so far
2:12:19it's challenging, but in a good way. in
2:12:23a good way is a natural phrase when
2:12:26something is difficult, surprising, or
2:12:29intense, but still positive. It's
2:12:32challenging, but in a good way. It's
2:12:35different, but in a good way. The new
2:12:38job is demanding, but in a good way.
2:12:42Now, practice describing something with
2:12:44both a positive and negative side. The
2:12:47job is stressful sometimes, but I'm
2:12:50learning a lot. Repeat. The job is
2:12:53stressful sometimes, but I'm learning a
2:12:55lot. The city is expensive, but there
2:12:58are a lot of opportunities.
2:13:00Repeat. The city is expensive, but there
2:13:04are a lot of opportunities.
2:13:06The class is difficult, but I feel like
2:13:09I'm making progress. Repeat. The class
2:13:12is difficult, but I feel like I'm making
2:13:15progress. The phrase, "I feel like I'm
2:13:19making progress," is useful when talking
2:13:22about learning. Repeat, "I feel like I'm
2:13:26making progress." You could also say,
2:13:29"I'm starting to feel more comfortable
2:13:31speaking." Repeat, "I'm starting to feel
2:13:34more comfortable speaking." Or, "I'm
2:13:37noticing that I can understand more than
2:13:39before." Repeat, "I'm noticing that I
2:13:42can understand more than before." That
2:13:45is what you should look for during this
2:13:47kind of practice. Do not judge your
2:13:49progress only by whether you can speak
2:13:52perfectly. Notice whether you understand
2:13:54sentences more quickly. Notice whether
2:13:57common phrases feel familiar. Notice
2:13:59whether your mouth can follow the rhythm
2:14:01more easily. Notice whether you need
2:14:04less time to answer a simple question.
2:14:07These are real signs of progress. Now,
2:14:11let's practice responding when you do
2:14:13not know a word. In a real conversation,
2:14:16you can explain around the missing word
2:14:18instead of stopping completely. Suppose
2:14:21you forget the word umbrella. You could
2:14:24say, "What do you call the thing you use
2:14:26when it's raining?" Repeat, "What do you
2:14:30call the thing you use when it's
2:14:31raining?" Or, "I can't remember the
2:14:34word, but it's something you use to keep
2:14:37the rain off you." Repeat. I can't
2:14:40remember the word, but it's something
2:14:43you use to keep the rain off you. This
2:14:45skill is called paraphrasing, and it is
2:14:48incredibly important for fluency. Even
2:14:51advanced speakers sometimes forget
2:14:53words. The goal is to keep
2:14:56communicating. Practice this phrase. I
2:14:59can't remember the exact word, but
2:15:02repeat. I can't remember the exact word,
2:15:06but another one. It's kind of like
2:15:10repeat. It's kind of like another. It's
2:15:13the thing you use for repeat. It's the
2:15:16thing you use for another. It's a place
2:15:20where you repeat. It's a place where you
2:15:23now imagine you forget the word
2:15:26pharmacy. You might say, "What do you
2:15:29call the place where you buy medicine?"
2:15:31Repeat. What do you call the place where
2:15:34you buy medicine? If you forget receipt,
2:15:37you might say, "What's the word for the
2:15:39paper they give you after you pay?"
2:15:42Repeat. What's the word for the paper
2:15:44they give you after you pay? That
2:15:47ability helps you stay relaxed because
2:15:49you no longer need every word before you
2:15:51can speak. Let's end this stage with a
2:15:54longer fluency challenge. Listen to this
2:15:57practice exercise first. This week has
2:16:00been pretty busy so far. I've had a lot
2:16:02going on at work and I've also been
2:16:05trying to take care of a few things
2:16:06after work. Yesterday, I had to make a
2:16:10couple of phone calls, stop at the
2:16:12store, and pick up something I ordered
2:16:14online. I thought I'd be home early, but
2:16:18everything took longer than expected. By
2:16:21the time I got home, I was exhausted, so
2:16:24I ended up ordering dinner instead of
2:16:26cooking. It wasn't exactly the evening I
2:16:29had planned, but at least I got
2:16:31everything done. Now, shadow it sentence
2:16:35by sentence. This week has been pretty
2:16:38busy so far. Repeat. This week has been
2:16:42pretty busy so far. I've had a lot going
2:16:44on at work. And I've also been trying to
2:16:47take care of a few things after work.
2:16:50Repeat. I've had a lot going on at work.
2:16:53And I've also been trying to take care
2:16:55of a few things after work. Yesterday I
2:16:58had to make a couple of phone calls,
2:17:01stop at the store and pick up something
2:17:04I ordered online. Repeat. Yesterday I
2:17:08had to make a couple of phone calls,
2:17:10stop at the store and pick up something
2:17:12I ordered online. Continue. I thought
2:17:16I'd be home early, but everything took
2:17:18longer than expected. Repeat. I thought
2:17:22I'd be home early, but everything took
2:17:24longer than expected. By the time I got
2:17:27home, I was exhausted, so I ended up
2:17:31ordering dinner instead of cooking.
2:17:34Repeat. By the time I got home, I was
2:17:37exhausted, so I ended up ordering dinner
2:17:40instead of cooking. It wasn't exactly
2:17:42the evening I had planned, but at least
2:17:45I got everything done. Repeat. It wasn't
2:17:48exactly the evening I had planned, but
2:17:51at least I got everything done. Now try
2:17:55to say the complete practice exercise
2:17:57again in your own words. You can change
2:18:00the details. Maybe your week has been
2:18:02quiet. Maybe you have been studying.
2:18:05Maybe you had errands to run. Maybe
2:18:08something took longer than expected. Use
2:18:11the patterns, but make the story yours.
2:18:15That is where real speaking development
2:18:17happens. You first hear a useful
2:18:20pattern, then you repeat it, then you
2:18:22shadow it, then you adapt it. Finally,
2:18:26you use it freely in a new situation.
2:18:29Over time, phrases like, "I ended up, I
2:18:33was supposed to, when I get a chance,
2:18:37that works for me. I'm not really in the
2:18:39mood. I see what you mean." and at least
2:18:42start appearing automatically when you
2:18:44need them. At that point, you are no
2:18:47longer translating sentence by sentence.
2:18:50You are beginning to think through
2:18:51familiar English patterns, and that
2:18:54makes your speech faster, smoother, and
2:18:57more natural. Now, let's continue by
2:19:01practicing one of the most important
2:19:03skills in real English, asking for help
2:19:06naturally. You already know the basic
2:19:08question, can you help me? But in
2:19:11everyday conversations, people use many
2:19:14different expressions depending on the
2:19:16situation. Listen to this one. Could you
2:19:19give me a hand with this? Repeat. Could
2:19:22you give me a hand with this? Give me a
2:19:25hand simply means help me. You might
2:19:28say, could you give me a hand carrying
2:19:30these boxes? Repeat. Could you give me a
2:19:34hand carrying these boxes? Or do you
2:19:37mind helping me for a second? Repeat. Do
2:19:40you mind helping me for a second? Here
2:19:43is another natural request. Could you
2:19:46take a look at this when you have a
2:19:47minute? Repeat. Could you take a look at
2:19:50this when you have a minute? This is
2:19:52useful at work, at school, or whenever
2:19:55you want someone to check something. You
2:19:58can say, could you take a look at this
2:20:00email before I send it? Repeat. Could
2:20:03you take a look at this email before I
2:20:05send it? or could you take a quick look
2:20:09at this? Repeat, could you take a quick
2:20:12look at this? Now imagine you are busy
2:20:16and someone asks for your help. You can
2:20:19respond positively by saying, "Sure,
2:20:23give me 1 second." Repeat, "Sure, give
2:20:26me 1 second." Or, "Yeah, what do you
2:20:30need?" Repeat, "Yeah, what do you need?"
2:20:34or of course, what can I help you with?
2:20:37Repeat, of course, what can I help you
2:20:40with? If you cannot help immediately,
2:20:43you can still respond politely. Listen,
2:20:47I'm in the middle of something right
2:20:48now, but I can help you in about 10
2:20:51minutes. Repeat, I'm in the middle of
2:20:54something right now, but I can help you
2:20:56in about 10 minutes. Another option is,
2:21:00can I finish this first and then come
2:21:02help you? Repeat, "Can I finish this
2:21:05first and then come help you?" These
2:21:08answers are useful because you are not
2:21:10simply saying no. You are giving the
2:21:13person a clear time when you can help.
2:21:15Listen to this natural exchange. Hey,
2:21:19could you give me a hand with something?
2:21:21Sure. What do you need? I'm trying to
2:21:24move this table, but it's heavier than I
2:21:26thought. Yeah, no problem. Where do you
2:21:29want it? Over by the window. All right,
2:21:33let's move it now. Shadow the key
2:21:36phrases. Could you give me a hand with
2:21:38something? Again, could you give me a
2:21:41hand with something? I'm trying to move
2:21:43this table, but it's heavier than I
2:21:45thought. Repeat. I'm trying to move this
2:21:48table, but it's heavier than I thought.
2:21:51Where do you want it? Repeat. Where do
2:21:54you want it? Now, let's practice asking
2:21:58someone to explain something. You might
2:22:00understand most of a conversation but
2:22:03still be confused about one idea.
2:22:06Listen. Could you explain what you mean
2:22:08by that? Repeat. Could you explain what
2:22:12you mean by that? Another useful
2:22:14sentence is I'm not sure I understand
2:22:17what you mean. Repeat. I'm not sure I
2:22:20understand what you mean. You could also
2:22:23say, could you give me an example?
2:22:26Repeat. Could you give me an example?
2:22:28These expressions are especially useful
2:22:31in meetings or classes. If someone uses
2:22:34an unfamiliar expression, you can ask,
2:22:37"What exactly do you mean by flexible?"
2:22:40Repeat, "What exactly do you mean by
2:22:43flexible?" Or, "When you say later, how
2:22:46much later do you mean?" Repeat. When
2:22:49you say later, how much later do you
2:22:52mean? The word exactly is very useful
2:22:55when you need more precise information.
2:22:57What exactly happened? Repeat. What
2:23:00exactly happened? What exactly do I need
2:23:04to do? Repeat. What exactly do I need to
2:23:07do? Where exactly are we meeting?
2:23:10Repeat. Where exactly are we meeting?
2:23:14Notice how one small word makes the
2:23:16question more specific. Now, imagine you
2:23:20are at work and someone gives you
2:23:21instructions quickly. Listen. Can you
2:23:25update the document? send it to the team
2:23:28and make sure everyone has the latest
2:23:30version before the meeting. If that
2:23:32feels like too much information at once,
2:23:35you can clarify. Just to make sure I've
2:23:37got this right, you want me to update
2:23:40the document first and then send it to
2:23:42everyone before the meeting. Correct.
2:23:45Repeat. Just to make sure I've got this
2:23:48right, you want me to update the
2:23:50document first and then send it to
2:23:52everyone before the meeting. Correct.
2:23:55I've got this right means I have
2:23:57understood correctly. You can use this
2:24:00anytime you want to confirm
2:24:02instructions. Let me make sure I've got
2:24:05this right. Repeat. Let me make sure
2:24:08I've got this right. So, you need this
2:24:10by tomorrow morning. Repeat. So, you
2:24:14need this by tomorrow morning and you
2:24:16want me to send it directly to you.
2:24:19Repeat. And you want me to send it
2:24:21directly to you? Now let's practice
2:24:25workplace updates. In many jobs, you
2:24:28need to tell someone what you have
2:24:30finished, what you are still doing, and
2:24:33whether there are any problems. Listen,
2:24:36I finished the first part, but I'm still
2:24:39working on the rest. Repeat. I finished
2:24:42the first part, but I'm still working on
2:24:45the rest. Another natural sentence is,
2:24:48I'm almost done. Repeat, I'm almost
2:24:51done. or I should have it finished by
2:24:54the end of the day. Repeat, I should
2:24:57have it finished by the end of the day.
2:24:59If something is taking longer than
2:25:01expected, you can say it's taking a
2:25:04little longer than I expected. Repeat,
2:25:07it's taking a little longer than I
2:25:08expected. Or I ran into a small problem.
2:25:13Repeat, I ran into a small problem. Run
2:25:17into a problem means encounter a problem
2:25:19unexpectedly.
2:25:20We ran into a few issues. Repeat. We ran
2:25:25into a few issues. I ran into a problem
2:25:28with the file. Repeat. I ran into a
2:25:31problem with the file. Now, listen to
2:25:35this work conversation. What? How's
2:25:37everything going? Pretty well. I
2:25:40finished most of it this morning, but I
2:25:42ran into a small problem with the last
2:25:44section. Do you need any help? I think
2:25:47I've got it. I just need a little more
2:25:50time. Okay, keep me posted. We'll do.
2:25:54Listen again. How's everything going?
2:25:57Pretty well. I finished most of it this
2:26:00morning, but I ran into a small problem
2:26:02with the last section. Do you need any
2:26:05help? I think I've got it. I just need a
2:26:08little more time. Okay, keep me posted.
2:26:12We'll do. Now, shadow, I finished most
2:26:16of it this morning, but I ran into a
2:26:18small problem with the last section.
2:26:21Repeat, I finished most of it this
2:26:23morning, but I ran into a small problem
2:26:26with the last section. I think I've got
2:26:29it. I just need a little more time.
2:26:32Repeat. I think I've got it. I just need
2:26:35a little more time. Keep me posted.
2:26:38Repeat. Keep me posted. Keep me posted
2:26:42means continue giving me updates. You
2:26:45can say keep me posted on what happens.
2:26:50Repeat, keep me posted on what happens.
2:26:53Or keep me posted if anything changes.
2:26:57Repeat. Keep me posted if anything
2:27:00changes. Another similar phrase is let
2:27:04me know how it goes. Repeat. Let me know
2:27:07how it goes. Now, imagine you need more
2:27:11time to finish something. Instead of
2:27:14waiting until the deadline passes, you
2:27:16can communicate early. Listen, I'm not
2:27:19sure I'll be able to finish this by 3.
2:27:22Repeat, I'm not sure I'll be able to
2:27:25finish this by 3. Could I get another
2:27:28hour? Repeat. Could I get another hour?
2:27:31Or would it be okay if I sent it later
2:27:34this afternoon? Repeat. Would it be okay
2:27:38if I sent it later this afternoon? You
2:27:41can also explain why. I underestimated
2:27:44how long this would take. Repeat, I
2:27:47underestimated how long this would take.
2:27:50That means you thought it would require
2:27:52less time than it actually did. Another
2:27:55phrase is
2:27:57there's a little more work involved than
2:27:59I expected. Repeat, there's a little
2:28:01more work involved than I expected. Now,
2:28:04listen to a complete request. I wanted
2:28:07to give you a quick update. I'm still
2:28:09working on the report and there's a
2:28:11little more work involved than I
2:28:13expected. I can definitely finish it
2:28:15today, but I may need until about 5.
2:28:18Would that be okay? Now, shadow it in
2:28:22thought groups. I wanted to give you a
2:28:24quick update. Repeat, I wanted to give
2:28:28you a quick update. I'm still working on
2:28:30the report and there's a little more
2:28:32work involved than I expected. Repeat.
2:28:36I'm still working on the report and
2:28:38there's a little more work involved than
2:28:40I expected. I can definitely finish it
2:28:43today, but I may need until about 5.
2:28:46Repeat. I can definitely finish it
2:28:49today, but I may need until about 5.
2:28:52Would that be okay? Repeat. Would that
2:28:55be okay? This is a good example of
2:28:58clear, professional communication. You
2:29:00explain the situation, give a realistic
2:29:03new time, and confirm whether that time
2:29:06works. Now, let's practice another
2:29:09everyday skill. Making polite
2:29:12complaints. Complaining in English does
2:29:14not have to mean sounding angry. Often,
2:29:18the most effective complaint is calm and
2:29:20specific. Listen, excuse me. I think
2:29:24there may be a problem with my order.
2:29:27Repeat. Excuse me. I think there may be
2:29:30a problem with my order. Another one.
2:29:33I'm sorry, but this isn't what I
2:29:35ordered. Repeat. I'm sorry, but this
2:29:38isn't what I ordered. Or, I think there
2:29:41may have been charged twice. Repeat, I
2:29:44think there may have been charged twice.
2:29:47Notice how I think and may can soften
2:29:50the complaint without making it unclear.
2:29:53You are still communicating the problem
2:29:55directly. Suppose you receive something
2:29:57damaged. You might say, "Hi, I bought
2:30:01this yesterday, but when I opened the
2:30:04box, I noticed it was damaged." Repeat,
2:30:07"Hi, I bought this yesterday, but when I
2:30:11opened the box, I noticed it was
2:30:13damaged." You can then ask, "Would it be
2:30:16possible to exchange it?" Repeat, "Would
2:30:19it be possible to exchange it?" or could
2:30:23I get a refund? Repeat. Could I get a
2:30:26refund? Listen to a natural store
2:30:29conversation. Hi, how can I help you? I
2:30:33bought this yesterday, but unfortunately
2:30:35it doesn't work. Do you have the
2:30:38receipt? Yes, I do. Would you like to
2:30:42exchange it or get a refund? I'd prefer
2:30:45a refund, please. Now, repeat.
2:30:49Unfortunately, it doesn't work. again.
2:30:52[clears throat] Unfortunately, it
2:30:54doesn't work. I'd prefer a refund,
2:30:57please. Repeat. I'd prefer a refund.
2:31:01Please. Prefer is useful when choosing
2:31:04between options. I'd prefer a window
2:31:07seat. Repeat. I'd prefer a window seat.
2:31:11I'd prefer to meet in the afternoon.
2:31:14Repeat. I'd prefer to meet in the
2:31:16afternoon if possible. I'd prefer
2:31:19something quieter. Repeat, if possible,
2:31:23I'd prefer something quieter. Now, let's
2:31:27move into home life. Daily conversations
2:31:30at home contain many practical phrases
2:31:33that learners sometimes overlook.
2:31:36Imagine someone asks, "Have you taken
2:31:38the trash out yet?" You could answer,
2:31:41"Not yet. I'll do it in a minute."
2:31:44Repeat, "Not yet. I'll do it in a
2:31:47minute." or I already did it. Repeat, I
2:31:52already did it. Another common question
2:31:54is, did you remember to lock the door?
2:31:57Repeat, did you remember to lock the
2:32:00door? Listen to this short home
2:32:02conversation. Did you start the
2:32:04dishwasher? Not yet. I was waiting until
2:32:07it was full. I think it's full now.
2:32:10Okay, I'll start it. Repeat the useful
2:32:14sentence. I was waiting until it was
2:32:16full again. I was waiting until it was
2:32:20full. Okay, I'll start it. Repeat. Okay,
2:32:25I'll start it. Now, imagine something in
2:32:29the house is not working. The sink is
2:32:31leaking. Repeat. The sink is leaking.
2:32:35The light in the hallway keeps
2:32:36flickering. Repeat. The light in the
2:32:40hallway keeps flickering. The washing
2:32:42machine is making a strange noise.
2:32:45Repeat. The washing machine is making a
2:32:48strange noise. The word keeps is useful
2:32:51when something happens repeatedly. My
2:32:54phone keeps freezing. Repeat. My phone
2:32:58keeps freezing. The Wi-Fi keeps
2:33:00disconnecting.
2:33:02Repeat. The Wi-Fi keeps disconnecting.
2:33:06He keeps forgetting his keys. Repeat. He
2:33:10keeps forgetting his keys. I keep
2:33:12getting the same error message. Repeat.
2:33:16I keep getting the same error message.
2:33:18Now, practice reporting a problem to
2:33:21someone. Hi, I wanted to let you know
2:33:24that the kitchen sink has been leaking
2:33:26since yesterday. Repeat. Hi, I wanted to
2:33:30let you know that the kitchen sink has
2:33:32been leaking since yesterday. It's not
2:33:35terrible, but it seems to be getting
2:33:37worse. Repeat. It's not terrible, but it
2:33:41seems to be getting worse. Would someone
2:33:44be able to take a look at it? Repeat.
2:33:47Would someone be able to take a look at
2:33:49it? This is another good pattern.
2:33:51Describe the problem. Explain how
2:33:54serious it is, then ask for action. Now,
2:33:58let's practice borrowing something.
2:34:00Listen. Do you mind if I borrow your
2:34:03charger for a minute? Repeat. Do you
2:34:06mind if I borrow your charger for a
2:34:08minute? Another way is, could I borrow
2:34:11your pen? Repeat. Could I borrow your
2:34:14pen? The important difference is that
2:34:17you borrow something from someone and
2:34:19lend something to someone. Listen, can I
2:34:23borrow your book? Repeat. Can I borrow
2:34:26your book? Can you lend me your book?
2:34:29Repeat. Can you lend me your book? If
2:34:32someone asks to borrow something, you
2:34:35can say, "Sure, go ahead." Repeat,
2:34:39"Sure, go ahead." Or, "Of course,
2:34:43repeat." Of course. If you need it back
2:34:46soon, you might say, "Sure, but I'll
2:34:49need it back in about an hour." Repeat,
2:34:52"Sure, but I'll need it back in about an
2:34:55hour." Now, let's practice asking
2:34:58permission. Is it okay if I open the
2:35:01window? Repeat.
2:35:03Is it okay if I open the window? Do you
2:35:06mind if I sit here? Repeat. Do you mind
2:35:09if I sit here? Would it be okay if I
2:35:12left a little early today? Repeat. Would
2:35:15it be okay if I left a little early
2:35:17today? When someone asks, "Do you mind
2:35:20if I remember that?" No, not at all.
2:35:23Means permission is given. Listen. Do
2:35:27you mind if I open the window? No, not
2:35:30at all. Repeat. No, not at all. You can
2:35:35also say, "Go ahead." Repeat. Go ahead.
2:35:40Now, let's move into social invitations
2:35:43again, but this time we'll make the
2:35:46conversations more detailed and natural.
2:35:48Listen, a few of us are getting together
2:35:51Friday night. Do you want to come?
2:35:54Maybe. What are you guys doing? Nothing
2:35:57fancy. We're just getting dinner and
2:36:00hanging out afterward. That sounds good.
2:36:03What time? Probably around 7. Okay, let
2:36:07me check. But I think I can make it now.
2:36:11Shadow. A few of us are getting together
2:36:13Friday night. Repeat. A few of us are
2:36:17getting together Friday night. Nothing
2:36:19fancy. We're just getting dinner and
2:36:22hanging out afterward. Repeat. Nothing
2:36:25fancy. We're just getting dinner and
2:36:27hanging out afterward. Let me check, but
2:36:30I think I can make it. Repeat. Let me
2:36:33check. But I think I can make it. Make
2:36:36it often means be able to attend or
2:36:39arrive. Listen. I don't think I can make
2:36:42it tonight. Repeat. I don't think I can
2:36:45make it tonight. Can you make it by 6?
2:36:48Repeat. Can you make it by 6? I'll try
2:36:52to make it. Repeat. I'll try to make it
2:36:55now. Imagine you need to cancel. Listen.
2:36:59I'm really sorry, but I don't think I'm
2:37:02going to be able to make it tonight.
2:37:04Repeat. I'm really sorry, but I don't
2:37:08think I'm going to be able to make it
2:37:09tonight. Something came up at work.
2:37:12Repeat. Something came up at work. Can
2:37:16we do it another day? Repeat. Can we do
2:37:19it another day? You can make the message
2:37:22warm by adding, "I was really looking
2:37:24forward to it." Repeat, "I was really
2:37:28looking forward to it." Look forward to
2:37:31means feel happy or excited about
2:37:33something in the future. I'm looking
2:37:35forward to the weekend. Repeat, I'm
2:37:38looking forward to the weekend. I'm
2:37:41really looking forward to seeing
2:37:42everyone. Repeat, I'm really looking
2:37:45forward to seeing everyone. Now listen
2:37:48to this cancellation conversation.
2:37:51Hey, I'm really sorry, but I can't make
2:37:54it tonight. Oh, no problem. Everything
2:37:58okay? Yeah, everything's fine. Something
2:38:02came up with my family. Don't worry
2:38:04about it. We can do it another time.
2:38:07Thanks. I was really looking forward to
2:38:10it. We'll figure something out next
2:38:13week. Repeat. I can't make it tonight.
2:38:17again. I can't make it tonight.
2:38:20Something came up with my family.
2:38:23Repeat. Something came up with my
2:38:25family. We'll figure something out next
2:38:28week. Repeat, we'll figure something out
2:38:31next week. Figure something out is a
2:38:34very common phrase. It means find a
2:38:37solution or decide what to do. Don't
2:38:40worry, we'll figure it out. Repeat.
2:38:44Don't worry, we'll figure it out. I
2:38:47haven't decided yet, but I'll figure
2:38:49something out. Repeat. I haven't decided
2:38:53yet, but I'll figure something out. We
2:38:56need to figure out what happened.
2:38:58Repeat. We need to figure out what
2:39:01happened. Now, let's practice
2:39:03conversations about entertainment
2:39:06because this is common small talk.
2:39:08Someone might ask, "Have you watched
2:39:11anything good lately?"
2:39:13Repeat. Have you watched anything good
2:39:15lately? Or, have you seen that new show
2:39:19everyone's talking about? Repeat. Have
2:39:22you seen that new show everyone's
2:39:24talking about? A natural response could
2:39:27be, "I started it, but I haven't
2:39:30finished it yet." Repeat. I started it,
2:39:33but I haven't finished it yet. Or,
2:39:36"Yeah, I watched the whole thing over
2:39:39the weekend." Repeat. Yeah, I watched
2:39:42the whole thing over the weekend. Or,
2:39:46not yet. Is it any good? Repeat. Not
2:39:49yet. Is it any good? Is it any good? Is
2:39:52a casual way to ask whether something is
2:39:55good or worth your time. Repeat, is it
2:39:58any good? You can ask about a
2:40:00restaurant, too. Have you tried that new
2:40:02restaurant? Is it any good? Repeat, is
2:40:05it any good? Now, practice giving an
2:40:08opinion about a movie or show. It
2:40:11started off a little slow, but it got
2:40:13better. Repeat. It started off a little
2:40:17slow, but it got better. The acting was
2:40:20great, but the story was kind of
2:40:22predictable. Repeat. The acting was
2:40:25great, but the story was kind of
2:40:27predictable. I liked it overall, but I
2:40:31probably wouldn't watch it again.
2:40:33Repeat. I liked it overall, but I
2:40:36probably wouldn't watch it again.
2:40:38Overall is useful when giving your final
2:40:41general opinion after mentioning both
2:40:43positives and negatives. Overall, I
2:40:47enjoyed it. Repeat. Overall, I enjoyed
2:40:51it. Overall, it was a good experience.
2:40:55Repeat. Overall, it was a good
2:40:58experience. Now, listen to this
2:41:00conversation. Did you like the movie?
2:41:04Yeah. Overall, I thought it was pretty
2:41:06good. Really? I thought it was too long.
2:41:10It was definitely long, but I liked the
2:41:12ending. The ending was good. I'll give
2:41:15you that. Listen to that last phrase.
2:41:19I'll give you that. Repeat. I'll give
2:41:21you that. This is a natural way of
2:41:24saying I agree with you about that
2:41:26specific point, even if you disagree
2:41:28about other things. Now, let's practice
2:41:32talking about food preferences.
2:41:34Someone asks, "Are you a picky eater?"
2:41:38Repeat, "Are you a picky eater?" You
2:41:41might answer, "Not really. I'll eat
2:41:43pretty much anything." Repeat, "Not
2:41:46really. I'll eat pretty much anything."
2:41:49Or, "Kind of. There are a few things I
2:41:53really don't like." Repeat. Kind of.
2:41:56There are a few things I really don't
2:41:58like. Pretty much often means almost or
2:42:02basically. I'm pretty much done. Repeat.
2:42:05I'm pretty much done. That's pretty much
2:42:08what happened. Repeat. That's pretty
2:42:11much what happened. I eat pretty much
2:42:14everything. Repeat. I eat pretty much
2:42:17everything. Now, imagine you are
2:42:20deciding where to eat with friends.
2:42:22Listen, what are you in the mood for?
2:42:25I'm good with anything. How about
2:42:28Mexican food? Works for me. There's a
2:42:31place nearby that's supposed to be
2:42:33really good. Let's try it. Repeat. I'm
2:42:37good with anything again. I'm good with
2:42:40anything. There's a place nearby that's
2:42:43supposed to be really good. Repeat.
2:42:46There's a place nearby that's supposed
2:42:48to be really good. When someone says a
2:42:51restaurant is supposed to be really
2:42:52good, they mean other people have said
2:42:55it is good or it has a good reputation.
2:42:58This place is supposed to have great
2:43:00pizza. Repeat. This place is supposed to
2:43:04have great pizza. That movie is supposed
2:43:07to be really funny. Repeat. That movie
2:43:10is supposed to be really funny. Now,
2:43:13let's practice describing people
2:43:15naturally.
2:43:17Imagine someone asks about a new
2:43:18coworker. You might say, "She seems
2:43:22really nice." Repeat, "She seems really
2:43:26nice." Seems is useful when you are
2:43:28giving an impression but do not know the
2:43:31person very well. He seems pretty quiet.
2:43:34Repeat. He seems pretty quiet. They seem
2:43:38easy to work with. Repeat. They seem
2:43:41easy to work with. If you know someone
2:43:43better, you can give more detail. She's
2:43:46really easygoing. Repeat. She's really
2:43:50easygoing. That means relaxed and not
2:43:53easily bothered. He's very dependable.
2:43:56Repeat. He's very dependable. That means
2:44:00you can rely on him. She's easy to talk
2:44:03to. Repeat. She's easy to talk to. He
2:44:07has a good sense of humor. Repeat. He
2:44:10has a good sense of humor. Now, listen
2:44:14to this description. My new coworker
2:44:17seems really friendly. He's pretty quiet
2:44:19at first, but once you get to know him,
2:44:23he's actually very funny. He's also
2:44:25really helpful and easy to work with.
2:44:29Repeat sentence by sentence. My new
2:44:32coworker seems really friendly. Again,
2:44:35my new coworker seems really friendly.
2:44:38He's pretty quiet at first, but once you
2:44:41get to know him, he's actually very
2:44:43funny. Repeat. He's pretty quiet at
2:44:46first, but once you get to know him,
2:44:48he's actually very funny. He's also
2:44:51really helpful and easy to work with.
2:44:54Repeat. He's also really helpful and
2:44:57easy to work with. Once you get to know
2:44:59someone is useful when a person seems
2:45:01different after you become familiar with
2:45:03them. She can seem a little serious at
2:45:06first, but she's really nice once you
2:45:08get to know her. Repeat. She can seem a
2:45:12little serious at first, but she's
2:45:14really nice once you get to know her.
2:45:16Now, let's practice describing your own
2:45:19personality without sounding unnatural.
2:45:22Someone might ask, "Are you more
2:45:24outgoing or more reserved?" A natural
2:45:27answer could be, "I'd say, I'm somewhere
2:45:30in the middle." Repeat, "I'd say, I'm
2:45:33somewhere in the middle." I'd say is
2:45:36useful when giving your personal
2:45:38assessment. I'd say I'm pretty patient.
2:45:41Repeat. I'd say I'm pretty patient. I'd
2:45:45say I'm more of a quiet person. Repeat.
2:45:49I'd say I'm more of a quiet person. Now
2:45:52build a longer response. I'd say I'm a
2:45:55little quiet when I first meet people,
2:45:58but once I feel comfortable, I'm pretty
2:46:00talkative. Repeat. I'd say I'm a little
2:46:04quiet when I first meet people, but once
2:46:06I feel comfortable, I'm pretty
2:46:08talkative. That is much more natural
2:46:11than simply listing adjectives.
2:46:14Now, answer this yourself. How would you
2:46:17describe your personality?
2:46:19Use two or three ideas. Maybe you are
2:46:22calm but talkative around friends. Maybe
2:46:25you are outgoing but need time alone.
2:46:28Maybe you are organized in some areas
2:46:30and relaxed in others. Try to speak for
2:46:34at least 30 seconds. Now, let's practice
2:46:37talking about stress and busy days in
2:46:40everyday English. Listen, I've got a lot
2:46:43on my plate right now. Repeat, I've got
2:46:46a lot on my plate right now. This means
2:46:49you have many responsibilities or tasks.
2:46:52You can also say, things have been a
2:46:55little overwhelming lately. Repeat.
2:46:58Things have been a little overwhelming
2:47:00lately. Or, I'm trying to take things
2:47:03one at a time. Repeat. I'm trying to
2:47:07take things one at a time. One thing at
2:47:09a time is a useful phrase when you have
2:47:12many tasks. I'm just taking it one thing
2:47:15at a time. Repeat. I'm just taking it
2:47:19one thing at a time. Another expression
2:47:21is I'm trying not to stress about it.
2:47:25Repeat. I'm trying not to stress about
2:47:28it now. Listen to a natural
2:47:31conversation. You look tired. Long day.
2:47:35Yeah, kind of. I've got a lot on my
2:47:38plate this week. Anything I can help
2:47:41with? Thanks, but I think I'm okay. I
2:47:45just need to get through the next couple
2:47:46of days. Well, don't forget to take a
2:47:49break. I know. I'm working on it,
2:47:52Shadow. I've got a lot on my plate this
2:47:55week. Repeat. I've got a lot on my plate
2:47:58this week. I just need to get through
2:48:00the next couple of days. Repeat. I just
2:48:04need to get through the next couple of
2:48:06days. I'm working on it. Repeat. I'm
2:48:10working on it. I'm working on it does
2:48:13not always mean a job task. It can mean
2:48:15you are trying to improve something. You
2:48:18need to go to bed earlier. I know. I'm
2:48:22working on it. Repeat. I know. I'm
2:48:25working on it. You should stop checking
2:48:28your phone so much. Yeah, I'm working on
2:48:31it. Repeat. Yeah, I'm working on it.
2:48:36Now, let's practice giving supportive
2:48:39responses. When someone tells you about
2:48:42a problem, you do not always need to
2:48:44give advice immediately. Sometimes, a
2:48:47natural reaction is enough.
2:48:50That sounds really stressful. Repeat.
2:48:53That sounds really stressful. I'm sorry
2:48:56you're dealing with that. Repeat. I'm
2:48:59sorry you're dealing with that. That
2:49:01must be frustrating. Repeat. That must
2:49:05be frustrating. If you want to offer
2:49:07help, you can say, "Let me know if
2:49:10there's anything I can do." Repeat. Let
2:49:14me know if there's anything I can do. or
2:49:17if you need anything, just let me know.
2:49:20Repeat. If you need anything, just let
2:49:24me know. Listen to this exchange. My car
2:49:27broke down this morning and now I have
2:49:30to figure out how to get it fixed. Oh
2:49:34no, that sounds frustrating. Yeah, the
2:49:38timing couldn't be worse. Do you need a
2:49:41ride anywhere? I think I'm okay for now,
2:49:44but thanks. Now, Shadow, that sounds
2:49:48frustrating again. That sounds
2:49:51frustrating. The timing couldn't be
2:49:53worse. Repeat. The timing couldn't be
2:49:56worse. I think I'm okay for now, but
2:49:59thanks. Repeat. I think I'm okay for
2:50:03now, but thanks. The timing couldn't be
2:50:06worse. Means something happened at an
2:50:09especially inconvenient time. Repeat.
2:50:13The timing couldn't be worse. On the
2:50:16positive side, you might say, "The
2:50:18timing couldn't be better." Repeat, "The
2:50:22timing couldn't be better." Now, let's
2:50:25practice talking about decisions.
2:50:28Sometimes you need time to choose. And
2:50:30natural English has many useful phrases
2:50:33for this. I haven't made up my mind yet.
2:50:36Repeat. I haven't made up my mind yet.
2:50:39Make up your mind means decide. I can't
2:50:42make up my mind. Repeat. I can't make up
2:50:45my mind. Have you made up your mind?
2:50:47Repeat. Have you made up your mind?
2:50:50Another expression is, I'm still
2:50:53thinking it over. Repeat. I'm still
2:50:56thinking it over. Think something over
2:50:58means consider it carefully before
2:51:00deciding. Let me think it over and get
2:51:03back to you. Repeat. Let me think it
2:51:06over and get back to you. Listen to this
2:51:09conversation. Have you decided whether
2:51:12you're going to take the job? Not yet.
2:51:15I'm still thinking it over. What are you
2:51:17unsure about? Mostly the commute. The
2:51:21job sounds great, but it's pretty far
2:51:23away. That's understandable. Yeah, I'll
2:51:27probably decide by the end of the week.
2:51:29Shadow, I'm still thinking it over
2:51:32again. I'm still thinking it over.
2:51:35Mostly the commute. Repeat. Mostly the
2:51:39commute. I'll probably decide by the end
2:51:41of the week. Repeat. I'll probably
2:51:44decide by the end of the week. That's
2:51:47understandable is a useful reaction when
2:51:49someone's feelings or decision makes
2:51:51sense. Repeat. That's understandable.
2:51:55You can also say that makes sense.
2:51:58Repeat that makes sense. Or I can see
2:52:02why you'd feel that way. Repeat. I can
2:52:06see why you'd feel that way. Now, let's
2:52:09practice making suggestions. Why don't
2:52:12we leave a little earlier? Repeat. Why
2:52:15don't we leave a little earlier? How
2:52:17about taking the train instead? Repeat.
2:52:21How about taking the train instead?
2:52:23Maybe we could meet somewhere closer.
2:52:26Repeat. Maybe we could meet somewhere
2:52:28closer. Have you thought about asking
2:52:31for more time? Repeat. Have you thought
2:52:34about asking for more time? Notice that
2:52:37suggestions often sound softer when you
2:52:39use maybe. How about or have you thought
2:52:43about instead of ordering someone, you
2:52:46are offering an idea? Listen to this
2:52:48exchange. Traffic is going to be
2:52:51terrible tomorrow morning. Why don't we
2:52:54leave earlier? How early? Maybe around
2:52:577. That might be a good idea. We could
2:53:01grab breakfast on the way. Okay, I'm in.
2:53:05Repeat. That might be a good idea again.
2:53:10That might be a good idea. We could grab
2:53:12breakfast on the way. Repeat. We could
2:53:15grab breakfast on the way. Okay. I'm in.
2:53:20Repeat. Okay. I'm in. I'm in. Means I
2:53:25agree to participate. We're going hiking
2:53:28Saturday. Want to come? I'm in. Repeat.
2:53:33I'm in. The opposite could be, "I'm
2:53:37going to sit this one out." Repeat, "I'm
2:53:40going to sit this one out." That means
2:53:43you are choosing not to participate this
2:53:45time. Now, let's move into more natural
2:53:49storytelling by practicing how people
2:53:52interrupt themselves, add details, and
2:53:56correct information. Real speech is not
2:53:59always perfectly planned. Listen, I went
2:54:02to the store yesterday. Actually,
2:54:05no. It was Saturday and I ran into
2:54:08someone I hadn't seen in years. Notice
2:54:11how actually no corrects the detail
2:54:14naturally. Repeat. I went to the store
2:54:17yesterday. Actually, no. And it was
2:54:21Saturday and I ran into someone I hadn't
2:54:24seen in years. Here is another one. We
2:54:28were supposed to meet at 5 or maybe it
2:54:30was 5:30. I can't remember exactly.
2:54:34Repeat. We were supposed to meet at 5 or
2:54:38maybe it was 5:30. I can't remember
2:54:41exactly. Natural speakers sometimes use
2:54:44phrases like let me think. If I remember
2:54:48correctly, as far as I remember, and I
2:54:51think it was, listen, if I remember
2:54:54correctly, we got there around 9.
2:54:58Repeat. If I remember correctly, we got
2:55:01there around 9. As far as I remember,
2:55:05everything went smoothly. Repeat. As far
2:55:08as I remember, everything went smoothly.
2:55:12Now, listen to a longer story. Last
2:55:15weekend, I met up with a friend I hadn't
2:55:18seen in a few months. We were originally
2:55:20just going to get coffee, but we ended
2:55:23up talking for almost 3 hours. After
2:55:26that, we walked around downtown for a
2:55:28while and decided to get something to
2:55:30eat. It was completely unplanned, but
2:55:33honestly, those are sometimes the best
2:55:36days. Nothing special had to happen. It
2:55:39was just nice to catch up and spend some
2:55:41time together. Now, Shadow, last
2:55:44weekend, I met up with a friend I hadn't
2:55:47seen in a few months. Repeat. Last
2:55:50weekend, I met up with a friend I hadn't
2:55:52seen in a few months. We were originally
2:55:55just going to get coffee, but we ended
2:55:58up talking for almost 3 hours. Repeat.
2:56:02We were originally just going to get
2:56:04coffee, but we ended up talking for
2:56:06almost 3 hours. After that, we walked
2:56:10around downtown for a while and decided
2:56:12to get something to eat. Repeat. After
2:56:15that, we walked around downtown for a
2:56:18while and decided to get something to
2:56:20eat. Continue. It was completely
2:56:23unplanned, but honestly, those are
2:56:25sometimes the best days. Repeat. It was
2:56:29completely unplanned, but honestly,
2:56:32those are sometimes the best days.
2:56:34Nothing special had to happen. Repeat.
2:56:38Nothing special had to happen. It was
2:56:40just nice to catch up and spend some
2:56:42time together. Repeat. It was just nice
2:56:46to catch up and spend some time
2:56:48together. Now tell a similar story from
2:56:51your own life. Think of a recent day
2:56:54that turned out differently from what
2:56:55you expected. Maybe you planned to stay
2:56:58home but went somewhere. Maybe you
2:57:01expected to be busy but finished early.
2:57:04Maybe you met someone unexpectedly.
2:57:06Begin with when it happened. Explain
2:57:09your original plan. Describe what
2:57:11changed. Then tell what you ended up
2:57:14doing and how you felt about it. Do not
2:57:17stop every time you need a word. If you
2:57:20forget something, describe it. If you
2:57:23need thinking time, use a natural
2:57:25phrase. Let me think. What happened
2:57:27next? Oh, right. Then we these
2:57:32expressions help your speech continue
2:57:34while your brain organizes the next
2:57:36idea. Practice them now. Let me think.
2:57:40Repeat. Let me think. What happened
2:57:43next? Repeat. What happened next? Oh,
2:57:47right. Then we went home. Repeat. Oh,
2:57:51right. Then we went home. I'm trying to
2:57:54remember. Repeat. I'm trying to
2:57:57remember. Now, let's work on stronger
2:58:00listening by shadowing a conversation at
2:58:03a more natural pace. Listen first
2:58:06without repeating. Hey, did you ever get
2:58:09that issue with your phone figured out?
2:58:11Yeah. Finally, I took it back to the
2:58:15store and it turned out there was
2:58:17something wrong with the battery. So,
2:58:19did they replace it? They replaced the
2:58:21battery and it seems to be working fine
2:58:24now. That's good. Was it covered under
2:58:26the warranty? Luckily, yes. I didn't
2:58:30have to pay anything. Nice. At least it
2:58:33worked out. Listen again. Hey, did you
2:58:36ever get that issue with your phone
2:58:38figured out? Yeah, finally. I took it
2:58:41back to the store and it turned out
2:58:43there was something wrong with the
2:58:44battery. So, did they replace it? They
2:58:47replaced the battery and it seems to be
2:58:49working fine now. That's good. Was it
2:58:53covered under the warranty? Luckily,
2:58:56yes. I didn't have to pay anything.
2:58:59Nice. At least it worked out. Now,
2:59:02shadow the longer lines. Yeah. Finally,
2:59:06I took it back to the store and it
2:59:08turned out there was something wrong
2:59:10with the battery. Repeat. Yeah. Finally,
2:59:14I took it back to the store and it
2:59:17turned out there was something wrong
2:59:18with the battery. They replaced the
2:59:20battery and it seems to be working fine
2:59:23now. Repeat. They replaced the battery
2:59:27and it seems to be working fine now.
2:59:30Luckily, yes, I didn't have to pay
2:59:32anything. Repeat. Luckily, yes, I didn't
2:59:37have to pay anything. Turned out is a
2:59:40very useful storytelling expression. It
2:59:43tells us the final truth or result of a
2:59:46situation. I thought I lost my keys, but
2:59:50it turned out they were in my bag.
2:59:52Repeat. I thought I lost my keys, but it
2:59:56turned out they were in my bag. We
2:59:58thought the restaurant was closed, but
3:00:00it turned out it was still open. Repeat.
3:00:03We thought the restaurant was closed,
3:00:05but it turned out it was still open. The
3:00:08problem turned out to be pretty simple.
3:00:11Repeat. The problem turned out to be
3:00:13pretty simple. Now combine turned out
3:00:16with ended up. Listen. We thought we
3:00:19were going to have to cancel the trip,
3:00:22but it turned out the problem was easy
3:00:24to fix, so we ended up going after all.
3:00:28Repeat slowly. We thought we were going
3:00:31to have to cancel the trip, but it
3:00:33turned out the problem was easy to fix,
3:00:36so we ended up going after all. Now,
3:00:40repeat with a smoother rhythm. We
3:00:42thought we were going to have to cancel
3:00:43the trip, but it turned out the problem
3:00:46was easy to fix, so we ended up going
3:00:48after all. After all can mean despite
3:00:51what you previously thought or expected.
3:00:54I thought I couldn't come, but I can
3:00:56make it after all. Repeat. I thought I
3:00:59couldn't come, but I can make it after
3:01:02all. We decided not to go after all.
3:01:05Repeat. We decided not to go after all.
3:01:09Now, let's finish this stage with a
3:01:11longer speaking and shadowing exercise
3:01:14that combines several patterns you have
3:01:16practiced. Listen carefully first. This
3:01:19month has been busier than I expected.
3:01:22At work, I've been helping with a new
3:01:25project, and there have been a few
3:01:27problems we didn't plan for. Nothing
3:01:29serious, but everything has taken a
3:01:32little longer than expected. On top of
3:01:35that, I've had a lot of small things to
3:01:37take care of at home. A few days ago,
3:01:40the washing machine started making a
3:01:42strange noise, so I had to call someone
3:01:44to look at it. Luckily, it turned out to
3:01:48be a simple problem, and they were able
3:01:50to fix it the same day. I also had plans
3:01:53to meet some friends last weekend, but I
3:01:56was so tired by Saturday that I almost
3:01:58cancelled.
3:02:00I decided to go after all and I'm glad I
3:02:03did. We had dinner, talked for a few
3:02:06hours, and caught up on everything that
3:02:08had been going on. It reminded me that
3:02:10even when life gets busy, it's important
3:02:13to make time for people and give
3:02:15yourself a chance to relax. Now, shadow
3:02:19it in smaller thought groups.
3:02:21This month has been busier than I
3:02:23expected. Repeat. This month has been
3:02:27busier than I expected. At work, I've
3:02:30been helping with a new project and
3:02:32there have been a few problems we didn't
3:02:34plan for. Repeat. At work, I've been
3:02:38helping with a new project. And there
3:02:40have been a few problems we didn't plan
3:02:43for. Nothing serious, but everything has
3:02:46taken a little longer than expected.
3:02:49Repeat. Nothing serious, but everything
3:02:52has taken a little longer than expected.
3:02:55Continue. On top of that, I've had a lot
3:02:59of small things to take care of at home.
3:03:01Repeat. On top of that, I've had a lot
3:03:04of small things to take care of at home.
3:03:07A few days ago, the washing machine
3:03:09started making a strange noise, so I had
3:03:12to call someone to look at it. Repeat. A
3:03:15few days ago, the washing machine
3:03:17started making a strange noise, so I had
3:03:20to call someone to look at it. Luckily,
3:03:23it turned out to be a simple problem,
3:03:25and they were able to fix it the same
3:03:27day. Repeat. Luckily, it turned out to
3:03:30be a simple problem, and they were able
3:03:33to fix it the same day. Now, continue. I
3:03:37also had plans to meet some friends last
3:03:39weekend, but I was so tired by Saturday
3:03:42that I almost canled. Repeat. I also had
3:03:46plans to meet some friends last weekend,
3:03:49but I was so tired by Saturday that I
3:03:52almost cancelled. I decided to go after
3:03:54all and I'm glad I did. Repeat. I
3:03:58decided to go after all and I'm glad I
3:04:00did. We had dinner, talked for a few
3:04:03hours, and caught up on everything that
3:04:05had been going on. Repeat. We had
3:04:08dinner, talked for a few hours, and
3:04:11caught up on everything that had been
3:04:13going on. It reminded me that even when
3:04:16life gets busy, it's important to make
3:04:18time for people and give yourself a
3:04:21chance to relax. Repeat. It reminded me
3:04:25that even when life gets busy, it's
3:04:27important to make time for people and
3:04:30give yourself a chance to relax. Now,
3:04:33take the structure of that practice
3:04:35exercise and make it personal. Talk
3:04:38about a busy period in your own life.
3:04:41Explain what has been keeping you busy.
3:04:43Mention one problem that came up. Tell
3:04:46what you did about it. Then mention
3:04:48something positive that happened despite
3:04:50the busy schedule. Try to connect your
3:04:53ideas with phrases such as on top of
3:04:56that luckily it turned out I ended up
3:05:00after all and at least if your answer
3:05:04comes out slowly that is fine. Smooth
3:05:08speaking develops through repetition.
3:05:10What matters is that you keep producing
3:05:12English instead of waiting for the
3:05:15perfect sentence. Each time you
3:05:17practice, your brain becomes faster at
3:05:20finding familiar patterns. Eventually,
3:05:23you no longer have to consciously build
3:05:25every phrase. Expressions such as,
3:05:29"Could you give me a hand? Keep me
3:05:31posted. I ran into a problem. Would that
3:05:35be okay? I'm still thinking it over.
3:05:38I'll figure something out. I can't make
3:05:41it tonight. And it turned out begin to
3:05:45feel like complete units rather than
3:05:47individual words. That is one of the
3:05:50biggest goals of shadowing practice. You
3:05:53are teaching your brain to hear and
3:05:55produce English in chunks. When you hear
3:05:58would you mind if you begin expecting
3:06:01the rest of the request. When you hear
3:06:04it turned out, you expect a result or
3:06:07discovery. When you hear, "I was
3:06:10supposed to," you expect something that
3:06:12was planned or expected. These patterns
3:06:15make listening easier because your brain
3:06:18begins predicting what kind of language
3:06:20is likely to come next. Keep paying
3:06:23attention to the music of the language,
3:06:25too. Notice which words receive more
3:06:28stress and which words become weaker.
3:06:31Notice how speakers connect words
3:06:33instead of stopping between them. Your
3:06:36goal is not to imitate an accent
3:06:38perfectly. Your goal is to develop
3:06:40clear, natural rhythm so that you can
3:06:43understand people more easily and
3:06:45express yourself without sounding as
3:06:47though you are reading one word at a
3:06:49time. From here, we can continue pushing
3:06:52your English further with more detailed
3:06:55conversations,
3:06:57stronger listening challenges, faster
3:07:00everyday expressions, storytelling,
3:07:03problem solving, workplace discussions,
3:07:07travel situations,
3:07:09social conversations,
3:07:11polite disagreement, and the language
3:07:13people use when they need to react
3:07:15quickly. Keep doing exactly what you
3:07:18have been doing. Listen carefully,
3:07:21repeat aloud, shadow the rhythm, and
3:07:24then use the pattern to talk about your
3:07:26own life. Now, let's continue with
3:07:29something that happens constantly in
3:07:31real life. Small talk. Small talk may
3:07:35seem simple, but it plays a huge role in
3:07:38everyday communication. You use it with
3:07:41co-workers, neighbors, classmates, store
3:07:45employees, people you meet at events,
3:07:48and sometimes even with strangers. The
3:07:51goal is not to discuss something
3:07:52extremely important. The goal is simply
3:07:55to create a comfortable connection and
3:07:57keep the conversation moving. Listen to
3:08:00this question. How's your week going?
3:08:03Repeat. How's your week going? A natural
3:08:06answer might be, "Pretty good so far."
3:08:09Repeat. Pretty good so far. Or it's been
3:08:13a little busy, but not too bad. Repeat.
3:08:16It's been a little busy, but not too
3:08:19bad. Or honestly, I'm ready for the
3:08:22weekend. Repeat. Honestly, I'm ready for
3:08:25the weekend. Now, listen to this
3:08:28exchange. How's your week going? Not
3:08:31bad. It's been pretty busy. Same here. I
3:08:35feel like this week is flying by. I
3:08:38know. I can't believe it's already
3:08:40Thursday. Listen again. How's your week
3:08:43going? Not bad. It's been pretty busy.
3:08:47Same here. I feel like this week is
3:08:49flying by. I know. I can't believe it's
3:08:53already Thursday now, Shadow. Not bad.
3:08:57It's been pretty busy again. Not bad.
3:09:01It's been pretty busy. I feel like this
3:09:04week is flying by. Repeat. I feel like
3:09:07this week is flying by. I can't believe
3:09:10it's already Thursday. Repeat. I can't
3:09:13believe it's already Thursday. Flying by
3:09:16means passing very quickly. Listen. This
3:09:20month is flying by. Repeat. This month
3:09:23is flying by. The weekend flew by.
3:09:27Repeat. The weekend flew by. Time really
3:09:31flies when you're busy. Repeat. Time
3:09:34really flies when you're busy. Now,
3:09:37let's practice weather small talk.
3:09:40Weather is a common topic because it is
3:09:42easy, shared, and usually safe. Listen.
3:09:47Nice day, isn't it? Repeat. Nice day,
3:09:51isn't it? Another one. It's finally
3:09:54warming up. Repeat. It's finally warming
3:09:58up. Or, it's colder than I expected
3:10:01today. Repeat. It's colder than I
3:10:05expected today. You might also say,
3:10:08"Looks like it's going to rain." Repeat.
3:10:11Looks like it's going to rain. Notice
3:10:13the phrase looks like. We use it when
3:10:16something appears likely. Looks like
3:10:18it's going to be busy today. Repeat.
3:10:22Looks like it's going to be busy today.
3:10:24Looks like we're going to be late.
3:10:26Repeat. Looks like we're going to be
3:10:29late. Looks like they're closed. Repeat.
3:10:32Looks like they're closed now. Listen to
3:10:36a natural weather conversation. It's
3:10:38really nice out today. Yeah, finally.
3:10:42Yesterday was freezing. I know. I
3:10:44thought it was supposed to warm up
3:10:46earlier this week. Same. Hopefully, it
3:10:49stays like this for a while. Repeat.
3:10:52It's really nice out today again. It's
3:10:55really nice out today. I thought it was
3:10:58supposed to warm up earlier this week.
3:11:00Repeat. I thought it was supposed to
3:11:02warm up earlier this week. Hopefully, it
3:11:05stays like this for a while. Repeat.
3:11:08Hopefully, it stays like this for a
3:11:10while. Hopefully is useful when you want
3:11:13something to happen. Hopefully, traffic
3:11:15won't be too bad. Repeat. Hopefully,
3:11:19traffic won't be too bad. Hopefully,
3:11:21we'll finish early. Repeat. Hopefully,
3:11:25we'll finish early. Hopefully,
3:11:27everything goes smoothly. Repeat.
3:11:30Hopefully everything goes smoothly. Now
3:11:33let's talk about weekends. One of the
3:11:35most common small talk questions is any
3:11:38plans for the weekend? Repeat. Any plans
3:11:42for the weekend? A natural answer might
3:11:45be nothing major. I'm probably just
3:11:48going to relax. Repeat. Nothing major.
3:11:52I'm probably just going to relax.
3:11:55Another answer could be, "I'm meeting
3:11:57some friends on Saturday." Repeat, "I'm
3:12:01meeting some friends on Saturday." Or,
3:12:04"I haven't really thought about it yet."
3:12:06Repeat. I haven't really thought about
3:12:09it yet. Now, listen to this. Any plans
3:12:13for the weekend? Not much. I might go
3:12:17hiking if the weather's good. That
3:12:19sounds nice. Where do you usually go?
3:12:22There's a trail about 30 minutes from
3:12:24here. Oh, I've heard of that place. Now,
3:12:29Shadow, I might go hiking if the
3:12:31weather's good. Repeat. I might go
3:12:34hiking if the weather's good. There's a
3:12:36trail about 30 minutes from here.
3:12:39Repeat, there's a trail about 30 minutes
3:12:41from here. I've heard of that place.
3:12:44Repeat, I've heard of that place. I've
3:12:47heard of it means you know the name or
3:12:50know that something exists, but you may
3:12:52not know much about it. Have you been to
3:12:54that restaurant? No, but I've heard of
3:12:57it. Repeat. No, but I've heard of it. If
3:13:01you know more information about
3:13:03something, you might say, I've heard
3:13:05good things about it. Repeat, I've heard
3:13:08good things about it. That means other
3:13:11people have given positive opinions. Now
3:13:14practice a very natural follow-up
3:13:16question. Have you been there before?
3:13:20Repeat. Have you been there before? If
3:13:23someone says no, you can ask, is this
3:13:26your first time? Repeat, is this your
3:13:29first time? Or if they say yes, ask,
3:13:33"What did you think of it?" Repeat,
3:13:36"What did you think of it?" These
3:13:38follow-up questions are the secret to
3:13:41keeping small talk alive. You do not
3:13:44need to think of a new subject every 10
3:13:46seconds. Just listen to what the other
3:13:49person says and ask about one detail.
3:13:52Now, let's practice meeting someone for
3:13:54the first time. Listen. Hi, I don't
3:13:58think we've met. I'm Emma. Repeat. Hi, I
3:14:03don't think we've met. I'm Emma. Another
3:14:05natural phrase is nice to meet you.
3:14:08Repeat. Nice to meet you. or I've heard
3:14:12a lot about you. Repeat, I've heard a
3:14:15lot about you. Use that last expression
3:14:18only when it makes sense. For example,
3:14:20when a mutual friend or co-worker has
3:14:23mentioned the person before. Now,
3:14:26imagine the conversation continues. So,
3:14:29how do you know everyone here? I work
3:14:32with Sarah. Oh, nice. How long have you
3:14:36two worked together? About 3 years. Got
3:14:40it. I know her through a friend now.
3:14:44Shadow, how do you know everyone here?
3:14:47Repeat. How do you know everyone here?
3:14:51How long have you two worked together?
3:14:53Repeat. How long have you two worked
3:14:55together? I know her through a friend.
3:14:58Repeat. I know her through a friend. The
3:15:01phrase through a friend is very useful.
3:15:04I met him through a friend. Repeat. I
3:15:07met him through a friend. We know each
3:15:10other through work. Repeat. We know each
3:15:13other through work. I heard about the
3:15:15place through a coworker. Repeat. I
3:15:18heard about the place through a
3:15:19coworker. Now, let's practice
3:15:22introducing yourself in a more complete
3:15:24way. Someone asks, "What do you do?"
3:15:28This often means, "What kind of work do
3:15:30you do?" You might answer, "I work in
3:15:34marketing." Repeat, "I work in
3:15:36marketing." or I work for a small
3:15:39technology company. Repeat, I work for a
3:15:42small technology company or I'm studying
3:15:46business right now. Repeat, I'm studying
3:15:49business right now. If you do not want
3:15:51to give a lot of detail, you can say I
3:15:54work in customer service. Repeat, I work
3:15:58in customer service. Now, make it more
3:16:01conversational. I work in marketing
3:16:04mostly on social media and online
3:16:07campaigns. Repeat. I work in marketing
3:16:11mostly on social media and online
3:16:13campaigns. Or I work in customer
3:16:17service, so I spend a lot of time
3:16:19talking to people and solving problems.
3:16:22Repeat, I work in customer service, so I
3:16:26spend a lot of time talking to people
3:16:28and solving problems. Now answer this
3:16:31question aloud in your own way. What do
3:16:34you do? If you work, describe your job
3:16:37simply. If you study, say what you
3:16:40study. If you are between jobs, retired,
3:16:44working from home, or focused on
3:16:47something else, explain that naturally.
3:16:50Your answer does not need to be long.
3:16:52Start simple, then add one or two
3:16:55details. Now, let's practice asking
3:16:58about someone's work without making it
3:17:00feel like an interview. You can ask,
3:17:03"How do you like it?" Repeat, "How do
3:17:06you like it?" or "Have you been doing
3:17:09that long?" Repeat, "Have you been doing
3:17:12that long?" Or, "What's the best part of
3:17:16your job?" Repeat, "What's the best part
3:17:19of your job?" These questions are more
3:17:21conversational than asking many factual
3:17:24questions in a row. Listen to this
3:17:26exchange. What do you do? I work in
3:17:29graphic design. Oh, nice. How do you
3:17:33like it? I really enjoy it. Some
3:17:36projects are stressful, but I like the
3:17:38creative side of it. How long have you
3:17:41been doing that? About 5 years now. Now,
3:17:45shadow. I work in graphic design.
3:17:48Repeat. I work in graphic design. Some
3:17:52projects are stressful, but I like the
3:17:55creative side of it. Repeat. Some
3:17:57projects are stressful, but I like the
3:18:00creative side of it. About 5 years now.
3:18:03Repeat. About 5 years now. Now, let's
3:18:06practice leaving a conversation
3:18:08politely. This is another important real
3:18:11life skill. Sometimes you need to leave.
3:18:14But you do not want to sound rude. You
3:18:16can say, "Well, it was nice talking to
3:18:20you." Repeat, "Well, it was nice talking
3:18:24to you." Or, "I should probably get
3:18:27going." Repeat, "I should probably get
3:18:30going." Another useful phrase is, "I'm
3:18:33going to grab something to eat." But it
3:18:36was great meeting you. Repeat, "I'm
3:18:39going to grab something to eat." "But it
3:18:41was great meeting you." You can also
3:18:43say, "I'll let you get back to it."
3:18:46Repeat, "I'll let you get back to it."
3:18:49This is useful if someone was working or
3:18:52doing something before you started
3:18:53talking. Anyway, I'll let you get back
3:18:56to work. Repeat. Anyway, I'll I'll let
3:19:00you get back to work. Listen to this. It
3:19:04was really nice talking to you. You,
3:19:06too. I'm going to go say hi to a few
3:19:09people, but hopefully I'll see you again
3:19:11later. Definitely. Enjoy the evening,
3:19:15Shadow. It was really nice talking to
3:19:17you. Repeat, "It was really nice talking
3:19:20to you. Hopefully, I'll see you again
3:19:23later." Repeat, "Hopefully, I'll see you
3:19:26again later." Now, let's move into
3:19:29another useful area. Making
3:19:31recommendations.
3:19:33People constantly recommend restaurants,
3:19:36movies, books, places, apps, stores, and
3:19:41activities. Listen, you should
3:19:43definitely try that place. Repeat. You
3:19:47should definitely try that place.
3:19:49Another natural phrase is I think you'd
3:19:53like it. Repeat. I think you'd like it.
3:19:56Or it's worth checking out. Repeat. It's
3:20:01worth checking out. Worth is very
3:20:03useful. It's worth trying. Repeat. It's
3:20:08worth trying. It's worth a visit.
3:20:11Repeat. It's worth a visit. It's
3:20:14definitely worth seeing. Repeat. It's
3:20:18definitely worth seeing. If something is
3:20:20not good enough, you can say, "Honestly,
3:20:24I don't think it's worth it." Repeat.
3:20:27Honestly, I don't think it's worth it.
3:20:30Now, listen to a recommendation
3:20:33conversation. Do you know any good
3:20:36places to eat around here? There's a
3:20:38small Thai place a few blocks away
3:20:40that's really good. Is it expensive? Not
3:20:44really. The prices are pretty
3:20:45reasonable. What do you usually get?
3:20:48Their noodles are great. I definitely
3:20:51recommend them. Now, Shadow, there's a
3:20:55small Thai place a few blocks away
3:20:57that's really good. Repeat, there's a
3:21:00small Thai place a few blocks away
3:21:02that's really good. The prices are
3:21:04pretty reasonable. Repeat, the prices
3:21:08are pretty reasonable. I definitely
3:21:10recommend them. Repeat, I definitely
3:21:13recommend them. Reasonable is useful for
3:21:17prices. It means not too expensive. Fair
3:21:21or acceptable. The prices are
3:21:24reasonable. Repeat, the prices are
3:21:27reasonable. The hotel was nice and
3:21:29reasonably priced. Repeat, the hotel was
3:21:33nice and reasonably priced. Now, let's
3:21:36practice giving a less positive
3:21:38recommendation. Listen. It was okay, but
3:21:41I probably wouldn't go out of my way to
3:21:43eat there again. Repeat. It was okay,
3:21:47but I probably wouldn't go out of my way
3:21:49to eat there again. Go out of your way
3:21:52means make a special effort. You could
3:21:55say, "I wouldn't go out of my way for
3:21:57it." Repeat, "I wouldn't go out of my
3:22:00way for it." or it's fine if you're
3:22:04already nearby. Repeat, it's fine if
3:22:07you're already nearby. Now, let's talk
3:22:10about technology because it is part of
3:22:13daily life and creates many real
3:22:15conversations.
3:22:16Listen, my phone is almost dead. Repeat,
3:22:20my phone is almost dead. That means your
3:22:23battery is almost empty. Another phrase
3:22:26is my battery is at 10%. Repeat, "My
3:22:31battery is at 10%." Or, "I need to
3:22:35charge my phone." Repeat, "I need to
3:22:38charge my phone." If there is an
3:22:40internet problem, you might say, "The
3:22:43Wi-Fi is really slow today." Repeat,
3:22:46"The Wi-Fi is really slow today." Or, "I
3:22:50keep losing the connection." Repeat, "I
3:22:53keep losing the connection." Another
3:22:56common phrase is, "Have you tried
3:22:58restarting it?" Repeat. "Have you tried
3:23:01restarting it?" Listen to this everyday
3:23:04conversation. Is the Wi-Fi working for
3:23:07you? Barely. It keeps cutting out. I
3:23:11thought it was just my laptop. No, I
3:23:14think the internet is down again. Great.
3:23:18Perfect timing. Notice the last sentence
3:23:20can be sarcastic depending on tone.
3:23:24Great. Perfect timing. In this context,
3:23:27it means the timing is actually bad.
3:23:30Natural English often uses tone to
3:23:33create meaning. Now, shadow, it keeps
3:23:37cutting out. Repeat, it keeps cutting
3:23:40out. I thought it was just my laptop.
3:23:43Repeat. I thought it was just my laptop.
3:23:46I think the internet is down again.
3:23:49Repeat. I think the internet is down
3:23:52again. Down can mean a system or service
3:23:55is unavailable. The website is down.
3:23:59Repeat, the website is down. The system
3:24:02is down right now. Repeat, the system is
3:24:06down right now. The internet was down
3:24:09for almost an hour. Repeat, the internet
3:24:12was down for almost an hour. Now imagine
3:24:16you are helping someone with technology.
3:24:19You might say, "Try closing the app and
3:24:22opening it again." Repeat. Try closing
3:24:25the app and opening it again. Or, "Make
3:24:29sure you're connected to the right
3:24:30network." Repeat. Make sure you're
3:24:33connected to the right network. Or, "Let
3:24:37me see what's going on." Repeat. Let me
3:24:40see what's going on. Now, practice
3:24:43describing what happened. I clicked the
3:24:46link, but nothing happened. Repeat, I
3:24:49clicked the link, but nothing happened.
3:24:52I tried logging in, but it wouldn't
3:24:54accept my password. Repeat, I tried
3:24:58logging in, but it wouldn't accept my
3:25:00password. I restarted my computer and
3:25:03that seemed to fix it. Repeat, I
3:25:06restarted my computer and that seemed to
3:25:09fix it. Seem to fix it means you think
3:25:12the problem is solved, but you may not
3:25:14be completely certain yet. That seemed
3:25:16to work. Repeat. That seemed to work. It
3:25:20seems fine now. Repeat. It seems fine
3:25:24now. Now, let's practice another daily
3:25:27life situation. Receiving a delivery.
3:25:30Listen. I'm expecting a package today.
3:25:34Repeat. I'm expecting a package today.
3:25:37It's supposed to arrive this afternoon.
3:25:40Repeat. It's supposed to arrive this
3:25:42afternoon. The tracking says it's out
3:25:45for delivery. Repeat. The tracking says
3:25:48it's out for delivery. If there is a
3:25:51problem, you might say, "The tracking
3:25:53says it was delivered, but I don't see
3:25:56it anywhere." Repeat. The tracking says
3:25:59it was delivered, but I don't see it
3:26:01anywhere. Or, "It looks like my package
3:26:05was delivered to the wrong address."
3:26:07Repeat. It looks like my package was
3:26:10delivered to the wrong address. Now
3:26:14listen to a customer service
3:26:15conversation.
3:26:17Hi, I'm calling about a package that was
3:26:20supposed to arrive yesterday. Do you
3:26:22have the tracking number? Yes, I have it
3:26:26right here. According to our system,
3:26:29it's still in transit. Do you know when
3:26:32it's expected to arrive? It should
3:26:34arrive tomorrow. Okay. Thanks for
3:26:37checking, Shadow. I'm calling about a
3:26:40package that was supposed to arrive
3:26:41yesterday. Repeat. I'm calling about a
3:26:45package that was supposed to arrive
3:26:46yesterday. Do you know when it's
3:26:48expected to arrive? Repeat. Do you know
3:26:52when it's expected to arrive? Thanks for
3:26:54checking. Repeat. Thanks for checking.
3:26:58According to is useful when giving
3:27:01information from a source. According to
3:27:03the weather forecast, it's going to rain
3:27:06tomorrow. Repeat. According to the
3:27:09weather forecast, it's going to rain
3:27:12tomorrow. According to the email, the
3:27:15meeting starts at 10:00. Repeat.
3:27:17According to the email, the meeting
3:27:20starts at 10:00. Now, let's practice
3:27:23conversations about schedules. Listen.
3:27:26What does your day look like tomorrow?
3:27:29Repeat. What does your day look like
3:27:31tomorrow? This is a natural way to ask
3:27:34how busy someone's schedule is. A
3:27:37possible answer is, "My morning is
3:27:40pretty open, but I'm busy after lunch."
3:27:43Repeat, "My morning is pretty open, but
3:27:46I'm busy after lunch." Or, "I'm booked
3:27:49most of the day." Repeat, "I'm booked
3:27:52most of the day." Booked means scheduled
3:27:55or unavailable because you already have
3:27:58plans or appointments. Booked until 3.
3:28:02Repeat. I'm booked until 3. My afternoon
3:28:06is completely booked. Repeat. My
3:28:09afternoon is completely booked. I have
3:28:12some time open around 11. Repeat. I have
3:28:15some time open around 11. Now listen to
3:28:19this scheduling conversation. What does
3:28:22your schedule look like Thursday?
3:28:25I'm pretty busy in the morning, but I'm
3:28:27free after 2:00. Could we meet around
3:28:302:30? Yeah, that should work. Great.
3:28:34I'll send you the details. Shadow. I'm
3:28:38pretty busy in the morning, but I'm free
3:28:40after 2. Repeat. I'm pretty busy in the
3:28:43morning, but I'm free after 2. Could we
3:28:46meet around 2:30? Repeat. Could we meet
3:28:50around 2:30? Yeah, that should work.
3:28:53Repeat. Yeah, that should work. Now,
3:28:57let's practice talking about being tired
3:29:00and needing rest without always saying,
3:29:02"I'm tired." Listen. I'm exhausted.
3:29:06Repeat. I'm exhausted. I'm exhausted.
3:29:09I'm exhausted.
3:29:13I'm wiped out. Wiped out is informal and
3:29:16means extremely tired. Another phrase is
3:29:20I'm running on very little sleep.
3:29:22Repeat. I'm running on very little
3:29:25sleep. Or I didn't get much sleep last
3:29:28night. Repeat. I didn't get much sleep
3:29:31last night. Listen to a natural
3:29:33exchange. You look tired. I am I barely
3:29:37slept last night. What happened? I
3:29:40stayed up way too late finishing
3:29:42something. That'll do it. Listen to
3:29:46that'll do it. In this context, it means
3:29:49that explains the result. Repeat.
3:29:52That'll do it. Now, shadow. I barely
3:29:56slept last night. Repeat. I barely slept
3:29:59last night. I stayed up way too late
3:30:02finishing something. Repeat. I stayed up
3:30:05way too late finishing something.
3:30:08That'll do it. Repeat. That'll do it.
3:30:12Now, let's practice sleepreated
3:30:15expressions. I had trouble falling
3:30:17asleep. Repeat. I had trouble falling
3:30:21asleep. I woke up in the middle of the
3:30:23night and couldn't get back to sleep.
3:30:26Repeat. I woke up in the middle of the
3:30:28night and couldn't get back to sleep. I
3:30:31slept through my alarm. Repeat. I slept
3:30:35through my alarm. That means you did not
3:30:37wake up when your alarm rang. Another
3:30:40natural phrase is I need to catch up on
3:30:43sleep. Repeat. I need to catch up on
3:30:47sleep. Or I'm going to sleep in
3:30:50tomorrow. Repeat, I'm going to sleep in
3:30:53tomorrow. Sleep in means stay in bed
3:30:55later than usual in the morning. Now
3:30:58answer this question aloud. Are you
3:31:01usually a good sleeper? You might say
3:31:04usually yes, but I have trouble sleeping
3:31:07if I have a lot on my mind. Or not
3:31:10really. I tend to wake up a few times
3:31:12during the night. Or I usually sleep
3:31:16pretty well unless I have to get up
3:31:18early. Give your own answer. Now, let's
3:31:21talk about exercise and daily routines.
3:31:24You do not need advanced fitness
3:31:26vocabulary for everyday conversation.
3:31:29Listen, I've been trying to exercise
3:31:32more consistently. Repeat. I've been
3:31:35trying to exercise more consistently. I
3:31:38usually go for a walk after dinner.
3:31:41Repeat. I usually go for a walk after
3:31:44dinner. I try to out three or four times
3:31:47a week. Repeat. I try to work out three
3:31:50or four times a week. Workout can mean
3:31:54exercise. I worked out this morning.
3:31:57Repeat. I worked out this morning. I
3:32:00haven't worked out all week. Repeat. I
3:32:04haven't worked out all week. Another
3:32:06phrase is I'm trying to get back into a
3:32:09routine. Repeat. I'm trying to get back
3:32:13into a routine. Get back into something
3:32:16means return to a habit or activity
3:32:19after stopping for a while. I'm trying
3:32:22to get back into reading. Repeat. I'm
3:32:25trying to get back into reading. I want
3:32:27to get back into cooking more often.
3:32:29Repeat. I want to get back into cooking
3:32:32more often. Listen to this conversation.
3:32:35Have you been going to the gym lately?
3:32:38Not as much as I'd like. Same. It's hard
3:32:41when work gets busy. Exactly. I'm trying
3:32:45to get back into a routine. Even a few
3:32:47days a week is better than nothing.
3:32:50Shadow. Not as much as I'd like. Repeat.
3:32:54Not as much as I'd like. It's hard when
3:32:56work gets busy. Repeat. It's hard when
3:33:00work gets busy. I'm trying to get back
3:33:02into a routine. Repeat. I'm trying to
3:33:05get back into a routine. Not as much as
3:33:08I'd like. Is a useful pattern. Do you
3:33:11travel much? Not as much as I'd like.
3:33:15Repeat. Not as much as I'd like. Do you
3:33:18read often? Not as much as I'd like.
3:33:21Repeat. Not as much as I'd like. Now,
3:33:25let's practice habits you are trying to
3:33:27change. I'm trying to cut back on sugar.
3:33:31Repeat. I'm trying to cut back on sugar.
3:33:35Cut back on means reduce the amount of
3:33:37something. I'm trying to cut back on
3:33:40coffee. Repeat. I'm trying to cut back
3:33:43on coffee. I need to cut back on how
3:33:46much time I spend online. Repeat. I need
3:33:50to cut back on how much time I spend
3:33:52online. Another phrase is, "I'm trying
3:33:56to get into the habit of planning my
3:33:58day." Repeat, "I'm trying to get into
3:34:01the habit of planning my day." or I'm
3:34:04trying to break the habit of checking my
3:34:06phone first thing in the morning.
3:34:08Repeat. I'm trying to break the habit of
3:34:11checking my phone first thing in the
3:34:13morning. Now, listen to a longer
3:34:16response about habits.
3:34:18Lately, I've been trying to make a few
3:34:20small changes to my routine. I'm trying
3:34:23to go to bed a little earlier, spend
3:34:26less time on my phone, and move more
3:34:29during the day. I'm not doing everything
3:34:31perfectly, but I'm trying to be more
3:34:34consistent. I've realized that small
3:34:37habits are easier to maintain than
3:34:39making huge changes all at once. Now,
3:34:43shadow, lately, I've been trying to make
3:34:46a few small changes to my routine.
3:34:49Repeat. Lately, I've been trying to make
3:34:52a few small changes to my routine. I'm
3:34:55trying to go to bed a little earlier.
3:34:58Spend less time on my phone and move
3:35:00more during the day. Repeat. I'm trying
3:35:03to go to bed a little earlier. Spend
3:35:06less time on my phone and move more
3:35:09during the day. I'm not doing everything
3:35:11perfectly, but I'm trying to be more
3:35:14consistent. Repeat. I'm not doing
3:35:17everything perfectly, but I'm trying to
3:35:20be more consistent.
3:35:22I've realized that small habits are
3:35:24easier to maintain than making huge
3:35:27changes all at once. Repeat. I've
3:35:30realized that small habits are easier to
3:35:33maintain than making huge changes all at
3:35:36once. All at once means everything at
3:35:39the same time. Don't try to do
3:35:42everything all at once. Repeat. Don't
3:35:45try to do everything all at once.
3:35:48A lot happened all at once. Repeat. A
3:35:52lot happened all at once. Now let's move
3:35:55into money and everyday spending. We are
3:35:58not talking about complicated financial
3:36:00vocabulary. We are focusing on common
3:36:03conversational English. Listen, I'm
3:36:07trying to save a little money right now.
3:36:09Repeat. I'm trying to save a little
3:36:12money right now. I've been spending more
3:36:14than usual lately. Repeat. I've been
3:36:18spending more than usual lately. I'm
3:36:20trying to be more careful with my
3:36:22spending. Repeat. I'm trying to be more
3:36:26careful with my spending. You can say,
3:36:29"That's not really in my budget right
3:36:31now." Repeat, "That's not really in my
3:36:35budget right now." Or, "I'm trying not
3:36:38to spend too much this month." Repeat,
3:36:41"I'm trying not to spend too much this
3:36:44month." These are polite ways to explain
3:36:46why you do not want to buy something or
3:36:49join an expensive plan.
3:36:51Listen to this conversation. Do you want
3:36:54to go away for the weekend? I'd love to,
3:36:57but I'm trying to save money right now.
3:37:00Fair enough. Maybe we could do something
3:37:02closer to home instead. Yeah, that could
3:37:06work. Shadow, I'd love to, but I'm
3:37:10trying to save money right now. Repeat.
3:37:13I'd love to, but I'm trying to save
3:37:15money right now. Maybe we could do
3:37:18something closer to home instead.
3:37:20Repeat. Maybe we could do something
3:37:22closer to home instead. Fair enough is a
3:37:26natural response, meaning the other
3:37:28person's reason seems reasonable.
3:37:30Repeat. Fair enough. You can use it
3:37:33after someone explains a decision. I'm
3:37:36going home early. I'm exhausted. Fair
3:37:39enough. Repeat. Fair enough. Now, let's
3:37:44practice comparing options. This one is
3:37:47cheaper, but that one looks better.
3:37:49Repeat. This one is cheaper, but that
3:37:52one looks better. I think this option
3:37:55makes more sense. Repeat. I think this
3:37:58option makes more sense.
3:38:01It costs a little more, but it'll
3:38:03probably last longer. Repeat. It costs a
3:38:07little more, but it'll probably last
3:38:09longer. Make sense is extremely common.
3:38:13It can mean be logical or be a good
3:38:15practical choice. That makes sense.
3:38:19Repeat. That makes sense. It makes more
3:38:23sense to leave early. Repeat. It makes
3:38:26more sense to leave early. Financially,
3:38:29it makes more sense to wait. Repeat.
3:38:32Financially, it makes more sense to
3:38:35wait. Now imagine two people choosing
3:38:38between taking a taxi or the train. We
3:38:41could take a taxi, but it'll be
3:38:43expensive. True. The train takes a
3:38:47little longer, though. I'm not in a
3:38:50rush. I'd rather save the money. Yeah,
3:38:53that makes sense. Let's take the train,
3:38:56Shadow. The train takes a little longer,
3:38:59though. Repeat. The train takes a little
3:39:02longer, though. I'm not in a rush. I'd
3:39:05rather save the money. Repeat, I'm not
3:39:08in a rush. I'd rather save the money.
3:39:11I'd rather is a very useful way to
3:39:13express preference. I'd rather stay home
3:39:16tonight. Repeat, I'd rather stay home
3:39:19tonight. I'd rather go in the morning.
3:39:23Repeat. I'd rather go in the morning.
3:39:26I'd rather not drive if I don't have to.
3:39:29Repeat. I'd rather not drive if I don't
3:39:31have to. Now, let's practice would
3:39:35rather in comparisons. I'd rather cook
3:39:38at home than eat out tonight. Repeat.
3:39:42I'd rather cook at home than eat out
3:39:44tonight. I'd rather be early than late.
3:39:47Repeat. I'd rather be early than late.
3:39:51I'd rather go than guess. Repeat. I'd
3:39:55rather go than guess. Now answer this
3:39:59question aloud. Would you rather have a
3:40:01busy weekend or a quiet weekend? Give
3:40:04your choice and explain why. You might
3:40:07say, "I'd rather have a quiet weekend
3:40:10because my weekdays are usually busy. I
3:40:13like having time to relax, catch up on
3:40:16sleep, and do things at my own pace."
3:40:20Now, create your own answer. Do things
3:40:23at my own pace means do things at a
3:40:26speed that feels comfortable to you.
3:40:28Repeat. I like to do things at my own
3:40:31pace. This is useful in many contexts. I
3:40:35prefer studying at my own pace. Repeat.
3:40:39I prefer studying at my own pace. Now,
3:40:43let's practice being late, waiting, and
3:40:46communicating about time. Listen. I'm
3:40:50about 10 minutes away. Repeat. I'm about
3:40:5310 minutes away. I just left. Repeat. I
3:40:58just left. I should be there soon.
3:41:01Repeat. I should be there soon. I'm
3:41:04stuck in traffic, so I might be a little
3:41:06late. Repeat. I'm stuck in traffic, so I
3:41:10might be a little late. Now, imagine
3:41:13someone is waiting for you. You might
3:41:15text or say, "Sorry, I'm running about
3:41:1915 minutes behind." Repeat, "Sorry, I'm
3:41:24running about 15 minutes behind."
3:41:26Another natural phrase is, "I'm on my
3:41:29way." Repeat, "I'm on my way." Or, "I'm
3:41:34almost there." Repeat, "I'm almost
3:41:37there." Listen to this exchange. Hey,
3:41:42where are you? I'm on my way. I'm about
3:41:4510 minutes away. Okay, we're already
3:41:48here. Sorry, traffic was worse than I
3:41:52expected. No worries. We'll wait.
3:41:55Shadow, I'm on my way. I'm about 10
3:41:59minutes away. Repeat, I'm on my way. I'm
3:42:03about 10 minutes away. Traffic was worse
3:42:06than I expected. Repeat. Traffic was
3:42:09worse than I expected. Now, let's
3:42:12practice waiting from the other side.
3:42:14Take your time. Repeat. Take your time.
3:42:18That means there is no need to rush or
3:42:21no rush. Repeat. No rush. Or we can
3:42:26wait. Repeat. We can wait. If you do
3:42:30need them to hurry, you can say we need
3:42:33to leave in about 10 minutes. Repeat. We
3:42:37need to leave in about 10 minutes. Now,
3:42:40let's make your listening slightly more
3:42:42challenging with another natural
3:42:44conversation.
3:42:46Listen first. Are you still coming over
3:42:48later? Yeah, but I might be a little
3:42:51later than I thought.
3:42:54That's fine. What time are you thinking?
3:42:56Probably around 7:30, maybe 8. Okay,
3:43:01just text me when you're on your way.
3:43:03We'll do. Listen again. Are you still
3:43:06coming over later? Yeah, but I might be
3:43:09a little later than I thought. That's
3:43:11fine. What time are you thinking?
3:43:14Probably around 7:30, maybe 8. Okay,
3:43:18just text me when you're on your way.
3:43:21We'll do now. Shadow. I might be a
3:43:25little later than I thought. Repeat. I
3:43:28might be a little later than I thought.
3:43:30Probably around 7:30. Maybe 8. Repeat.
3:43:35Probably around 7:30.
3:43:37Maybe 8. Just text me when you're on
3:43:40your way. Repeat. Just text me when
3:43:43you're on your way. Now, let's practice
3:43:46one of the most natural features of
3:43:48conversation. approximate language. Real
3:43:52speakers do not always give exact
3:43:54numbers or exact descriptions. They say
3:43:57things like around seven, about 20
3:44:00minutes, a couple of days, a few people,
3:44:04kind of busy, pretty far, and somewhere
3:44:07around there. Listen, it takes about
3:44:11half an hour. Repeat, it takes about
3:44:14half an hour. I'll be there around 6.
3:44:17Repeat. I'll be there around 6:00. There
3:44:21were probably 10 or 15 people there.
3:44:24Repeat. There were probably 10 or 15
3:44:27people there. I've been there a couple
3:44:29of times. Repeat. I've been there a
3:44:32couple of times. This kind of language
3:44:35helps you speak even when you do not
3:44:37know or do not need the exact detail.
3:44:41Now, practice describing distance. It's
3:44:44about 15 minutes from here. Repeat. It's
3:44:48about 15 minutes from here. It's not too
3:44:51far. Repeat, it's not too far. It's a
3:44:54little out of the way. Repeat. It's a
3:44:57little out of the way. Out of the way
3:44:59can mean not directly on your route or
3:45:01not conveniently located. Listen. The
3:45:04store is a little out of the way, but
3:45:07it's worth going there. Repeat. The
3:45:10store is a little out of the way, but
3:45:12it's worth going there. or I don't want
3:45:15to make you go out of your way. Repeat,
3:45:18I don't want to make you go out of your
3:45:20way. In this sentence, go out of your
3:45:23way means make an extra effort or travel
3:45:26farther than usual. Now, let's practice
3:45:29talking about neighborhoods and places
3:45:31to live. Listen, it's a pretty quiet
3:45:34neighborhood. Repeat, it's a pretty
3:45:37quiet neighborhood. Everything I need is
3:45:40close by. Repeat. Everything I need is
3:45:43close by. It's convenient, but rent is
3:45:46expensive. Repeat. It's convenient, but
3:45:50rent is expensive. Another phrase is
3:45:53it's within walking distance. Repeat,
3:45:57it's within walking distance. That means
3:46:00it is close enough to walk to. The
3:46:02grocery store is within walking
3:46:04distance. Repeat. The grocery store is
3:46:08within walking distance. There are
3:46:10plenty of restaurants nearby. Repeat.
3:46:14There are plenty of restaurants nearby.
3:46:16Now listen to a natural conversation. Do
3:46:19you like where you live? Yeah, for the
3:46:22most part. What do you like about it?
3:46:25It's quiet and everything is pretty
3:46:28close. The only downside is that there
3:46:30isn't much to do at night. Would you
3:46:33move? Maybe eventually, but I'm happy
3:46:36there for now. shadow. Yeah, for the
3:46:40most part. Repeat. Yeah, for the most
3:46:44part. The only downside is that there
3:46:47isn't much to do at night. Repeat. The
3:46:50only downside is that there isn't much
3:46:53to do at night. Maybe eventually, but
3:46:56I'm happy there for now. Repeat. Maybe
3:47:00eventually, but I'm happy there for now.
3:47:03For the most part means mostly or
3:47:06generally. Repeat. For the most part,
3:47:09you can say, for the most part,
3:47:12everything went well. Repeat. For the
3:47:16most part, everything went well. I agree
3:47:19with you. For the most part. Repeat. I
3:47:22agree with you for the most part. Now,
3:47:26let's practice talking about future
3:47:28possibilities without sounding certain.
3:47:31I might move someday. Repeat. I might
3:47:34move someday. I could see myself living
3:47:37somewhere quieter. Repeat. I could see
3:47:41myself living somewhere quieter. I
3:47:44haven't really decided what I want to do
3:47:45yet. Repeat. I haven't really decided
3:47:49what I want to do yet. I could see
3:47:52myself is a useful advanced
3:47:54conversational pattern for imagining a
3:47:56future possibility. I could see myself
3:47:59working from home longterm. Repeat. I
3:48:03could see myself working from home
3:48:05longterm. I could see myself living near
3:48:08the ocean someday. Repeat. I could see
3:48:12myself living near the ocean someday.
3:48:14Now answer this question. Could you see
3:48:17yourself living somewhere completely
3:48:19different in the future? Begin with yes,
3:48:22maybe, probably not, or I'm not sure.
3:48:26Then explain why. Try to speak for at
3:48:29least 30 seconds. Now, let's practice
3:48:33discussing goals in a natural way.
3:48:36Instead of always saying, "My goal is,"
3:48:39you can say, "I'd like to get better at
3:48:41speaking English." Repeat, "I'd like to
3:48:44get better at speaking English." I'm
3:48:47hoping to travel more next year. Repeat,
3:48:50"I'm hoping to travel more next year.
3:48:53I'm working toward a promotion." Repeat,
3:48:56"I'm working toward a promotion."
3:48:59Another useful phrase is, "I'm trying to
3:49:01be more consistent." Repeat, "I'm trying
3:49:05to be more consistent." Or, "I want to
3:49:08get to the point where I can speak
3:49:09without overthinking everything."
3:49:12Repeat. I want to get to the point where
3:49:14I can speak without overthinking
3:49:16everything. Get to the point where,
3:49:19describes reaching a stage or level.
3:49:21Listen. I want to get to the point where
3:49:24I can understand movies without
3:49:26subtitles. Repeat. I want to get to the
3:49:29point where I can understand movies
3:49:31without subtitles.
3:49:33I want to get to the point where
3:49:35exercise feels like a normal part of my
3:49:37routine. Repeat. I want to get to the
3:49:40point where exercise feels like a normal
3:49:43part of my routine. Now listen to a
3:49:46longer answer about learning English.
3:49:49One of my main goals is to become more
3:49:51comfortable speaking without translating
3:49:53everything in my head first. I can
3:49:56usually understand the general idea when
3:49:58I listen, but sometimes I still hesitate
3:50:01when I need to respond quickly. So, I've
3:50:04been trying to practice more complete
3:50:06phrases instead of memorizing individual
3:50:09words. I feel like it's helping because
3:50:11some expressions are starting to come to
3:50:14me more naturally. Now, shadow. One of
3:50:18my main goals is to become more
3:50:20comfortable speaking without translating
3:50:22everything in my head first. Repeat. One
3:50:26of my main goals is to become more
3:50:28comfortable speaking without translating
3:50:30everything in my head first. I can
3:50:32usually understand the general idea when
3:50:35I listen, but sometimes I still hesitate
3:50:38when I need to respond quickly. Repeat.
3:50:41I can usually understand the general
3:50:43idea when I listen, but sometimes I
3:50:46still hesitate when I need to respond
3:50:48quickly. Continue. So, I've been trying
3:50:52to practice more complete phrases
3:50:54instead of memorizing individual words.
3:50:57Repeat. So, I've been trying to practice
3:51:00more complete phrases instead of
3:51:02memorizing individual words. I feel like
3:51:04it's helping because some expressions
3:51:06are starting to come to me more
3:51:08naturally. Repeat. I feel like it's
3:51:11helping because some expressions are
3:51:13starting to come to me more naturally.
3:51:15come to me naturally means you can
3:51:18produce something with less conscious
3:51:19effort. Repeat, it's starting to come to
3:51:23me more naturally. That is exactly what
3:51:25shadowing is designed to help you
3:51:27achieve. Now, let's finish this stage
3:51:30with another longer daily life listening
3:51:33passage. Listen first without repeating.
3:51:37This week has been fairly normal, but
3:51:39I've been trying to use my time better.
3:51:42I noticed that I was spending too much
3:51:44time switching between small tasks and
3:51:47not really finishing anything. So, I
3:51:49decided to change the way I organize my
3:51:51day. Now, I try to choose one important
3:51:55thing to focus on first. Once that's
3:51:58done, I move on to the smaller tasks. It
3:52:01sounds simple, but it's actually made a
3:52:04big difference. I feel less distracted
3:52:07and I'm not as stressed at the end of
3:52:09the day. I'm also trying to be better
3:52:11about taking short breaks, especially
3:52:14when I've been sitting for a long time.
3:52:16I used to think taking breaks would make
3:52:18me less productive, but I've realized
3:52:20the opposite is often true. If I step
3:52:23away for a few minutes, I usually come
3:52:26back more focused. Now, shadow the first
3:52:29part. This week has been fairly normal,
3:52:32but I've been trying to use my time
3:52:34better. Repeat. This week has been
3:52:37fairly normal, but I've been trying to
3:52:39use my time better. I noticed that I was
3:52:42spending too much time switching between
3:52:44small tasks and not really finishing
3:52:47anything. Repeat. I noticed that I was
3:52:50spending too much time switching between
3:52:53small tasks and not really finishing
3:52:55anything. So, I decided to change the
3:52:58way I organize my day. Repeat. So, I
3:53:02decided to change the way I organize my
3:53:05day. Continue. Now, I try to choose one
3:53:09important thing to focus on first.
3:53:12Repeat. Now, I try to choose one
3:53:15important thing to focus on first. Once
3:53:18that's done, I move on to the smaller
3:53:20tasks. Repeat. Once that's done, I move
3:53:24on to the smaller tasks. It sounds
3:53:27simple, but it's actually made a big
3:53:29difference. Repeat. It sounds simple,
3:53:32but it's actually made a big difference.
3:53:35Continue. I feel less distracted and I'm
3:53:38not as stressed at the end of the day.
3:53:41Repeat. I feel less distracted and I'm
3:53:44not as stressed at the end of the day.
3:53:46I'm also trying to be better about
3:53:48taking short breaks, especially when
3:53:51I've been sitting for a long time.
3:53:53Repeat. I'm also trying to be better
3:53:56about taking short breaks, especially
3:53:59when I've been sitting for a long time.
3:54:02Now continue. I used to think taking
3:54:05breaks would make me less productive,
3:54:07but I've realized the opposite is often
3:54:09true. Repeat. I used to think taking
3:54:13breaks would make me less productive,
3:54:15but I've realized the opposite is often
3:54:17true. If I step away for a few minutes,
3:54:21I usually come back more focused.
3:54:24Repeat. If I step away for a few
3:54:26minutes, I usually come back more
3:54:29focused. Now, take the ideas from that
3:54:33passage and make them personal. Think
3:54:35about one part of your daily routine
3:54:37that you would like to improve. Maybe
3:54:40you want to wake up earlier. Maybe you
3:54:42want to study more consistently.
3:54:45Maybe you want to spend less time on
3:54:47your phone. Maybe you want to plan your
3:54:49day better. Explain what the problem is
3:54:52now. what you have been trying to change
3:54:55and whether you have noticed any
3:54:57improvement. Use natural phrases from
3:55:00the lesson. You can say, "Lately, I've
3:55:04been trying to or I used to or I've
3:55:09realized that or the main thing I'm
3:55:12working on is." If you need time to
3:55:14think, use it, say, "Let me think." Then
3:55:18keep going. Now I want you to notice how
3:55:22much broader your English is becoming.
3:55:24At the beginning we practiced basic
3:55:26routines and simple responses. Now you
3:55:30are practicing recommendations,
3:55:33scheduling, technology problems, habits,
3:55:37spending, preferences,
3:55:40goals, social small talk, longer
3:55:44explanations, and more detailed personal
3:55:47answers. You are still using everyday
3:55:49English, but your ability to connect
3:55:52ideas is becoming more advanced. Keep
3:55:55listening for complete chunks for the
3:55:58most part. That makes sense. I'd rather
3:56:02it's worth. I'm trying to get back into
3:56:05not as much as I'd like. I could see
3:56:08myself. These are not random vocabulary
3:56:11items. They are readymade pieces of
3:56:14language that help you speak faster and
3:56:17more naturally. When you practice them,
3:56:20do not whisper them only once. Say them
3:56:23clearly, say them again, then create a
3:56:26new sentence with them. That is how
3:56:29passive recognition becomes active
3:56:31ability. For example, repeat. For the
3:56:35most part, I enjoy my routine. Again,
3:56:39for the most part, I enjoy my routine.
3:56:42Now change the idea. For the most part,
3:56:46I like where I live. Repeat. For the
3:56:50most part, I like where I live. Repeat.
3:56:54I'd rather stay home tonight. Again, I'd
3:56:58rather stay home tonight. Now, change
3:57:01it. I'd rather go earlier in the day.
3:57:04Repeat. I'd rather go earlier in the
3:57:07day. Repeat. I'm trying to get back into
3:57:11reading.
3:57:12again. I'm trying to get back into
3:57:14reading. Now change it. I'm trying to
3:57:18get back into exercising regularly.
3:57:21Repeat. I'm trying to get back into
3:57:23exercising regularly. Repeat. It's worth
3:57:27checking out again. It's worth checking
3:57:30out. Now change it. It's worth trying at
3:57:34least once. Repeat. I'm trying to get
3:57:38back into exercising regularly. Repeat.
3:57:42It's worth checking out again. It's
3:57:45worth checking out. Now change it. It's
3:57:49worth trying at least once. It's worth
3:57:52trying at least once. This simple
3:57:54substitution practice helps you
3:57:56understand the grammar pattern without
3:57:58stopping for a grammar lecture. You hear
3:58:01the structure, you copy it, and then you
3:58:04learn to place your own ideas inside it.
3:58:07Now do the same with this phrase. I've
3:58:10been meaning to listen. I've been
3:58:13meaning to call you. Repeat. I've been
3:58:16meaning to call you. This phrase means
3:58:19you intended to do something for some
3:58:21time, but you have not done it yet. I've
3:58:24been meaning to clean out my closet.
3:58:26Repeat. I've been meaning to clean out
3:58:29my closet. I've been meaning to try that
3:58:32restaurant. Repeat. I've been meaning to
3:58:35try that restaurant. Now listen to a
3:58:38natural conversation. Have you watched
3:58:40that new series yet? Not yet, but I've
3:58:44been meaning to. It's really good. Yeah,
3:58:47everyone keeps telling me that. You
3:58:50should definitely give it a try. I
3:58:52probably will this weekend. Shadow. Not
3:58:56yet, but I've been meaning to. Repeat.
3:58:59Not yet, but I've been meaning to.
3:59:02Everyone keeps telling me that. Repeat.
3:59:05Everyone keeps telling me that. I
3:59:07probably will this weekend. Repeat. I
3:59:10probably will this weekend. Now,
3:59:13everyone keeps telling me. Make your own
3:59:16sentence with I've been meaning to.
3:59:19Think of something you have wanted or
3:59:21intended to do but have not done yet.
3:59:24Say it aloud. Let's add another natural
3:59:27expression. I haven't gotten around to
3:59:30it yet. Repeat. I haven't gotten around
3:59:33to it yet. This means you have not found
3:59:36the time or opportunity to do something.
3:59:39Did you fix that shelf? Not yet. I
3:59:43haven't gotten around to it. Repeat. I
3:59:46haven't gotten around to it. Have you
3:59:48read that book? I bought it, but I
3:59:51haven't gotten around to reading it yet.
3:59:53Repeat. I bought it, but I haven't
3:59:56gotten around to reading it yet. Now,
3:59:59compare these two phrases. I've been
4:00:02meaning to do it. Focuses on your
4:00:04intention. I haven't gotten around to
4:00:07it. Focuses on the fact that you have
4:00:09not found time to do it. Both are
4:00:12extremely useful in real conversation.
4:00:15Now, listen to this exchange. Did you
4:00:18ever call the dentist? No. I've been
4:00:21meaning to, but I haven't gotten around
4:00:24to it. You should probably do that soon.
4:00:27I know. I'll call tomorrow. Shadow the
4:00:30longer response. I've been meaning to,
4:00:33but I haven't gotten around to it.
4:00:36Repeat. I've been meaning to, but I
4:00:39haven't gotten around to it. Now, let's
4:00:42end this stage with one more fluency
4:00:44challenge. Talk about three things in
4:00:46your life. First, mention something you
4:00:50do regularly.
4:00:51Second, mention something you are
4:00:53currently trying to improve.
4:00:56Third, mention something you have been
4:00:58meaning to do but have not gotten around
4:01:00to yet. Try connecting your ideas
4:01:03instead of giving three isolated
4:01:05sentences. You might say, "I usually go
4:01:09for a walk in the evening because it
4:01:11helps me relax after work." Lately, I've
4:01:14been trying to go to bed earlier because
4:01:16I've noticed I have more energy when I
4:01:18sleep well. I've also been meaning to
4:01:21organize some things at home, but I
4:01:24haven't gotten around to it yet. Now,
4:01:27create your own version. Speak
4:01:29naturally. Pause when you need to, but
4:01:33keep your thoughts moving forward. If
4:01:35you make a mistake, correct it if you
4:01:38can do so easily and then continue. Do
4:01:41not restart your entire answer because
4:01:43of one small error. That ability to
4:01:46recover is part of fluency, too. A
4:01:49fluent speaker is not someone who never
4:01:51makes mistakes. A fluent speaker knows
4:01:54how to keep communication moving. You
4:01:56can say, "Sorry, what I meant was,
4:01:59"Repeat, sorry, what I meant was." Or,
4:02:03"Let me say that again." Repeat, "Let me
4:02:06say that again." Or, "Actually, let me
4:02:10sir rephrase that." Repeat, "Actually,
4:02:14let me surase that." These repair
4:02:16phrases give you control. If your first
4:02:19sentence does not come out the way you
4:02:21wanted, you do not need to panic. You
4:02:24simply adjust it and continue. Practice
4:02:27this. I went there on Thursday. Sorry,
4:02:30what I meant was Friday. Repeat. I went
4:02:34there on Thursday. Sorry, what I meant
4:02:36was Friday. Another one. I've lived
4:02:39there for 3 years. Actually, let me
4:02:42rephrase that. I lived there for 3
4:02:45years, but I moved last year. Repeat. I
4:02:49lived there for 3 years, but I moved
4:02:52last year. The more comfortable you
4:02:54become with correcting yourself
4:02:56naturally, the less pressure you will
4:02:58feel when speaking. That lower pressure
4:03:01often makes your English better because
4:03:03you stop trying to control every word
4:03:05before you speak. So, continue listening
4:03:08for rhythm. Continue collecting useful
4:03:11chunks. Continue practicing full answers
4:03:15and continue using English aloud. The
4:03:18sentences you are shadowing now are
4:03:20building a foundation for faster and
4:03:22more complex conversations.
4:03:25As we continue, we will keep increasing
4:03:27the amount of natural connected speech,
4:03:31detailed explanations, real life problem
4:03:34solving, opinions, storytelling, quick
4:03:37reactions, and advanced conversational
4:03:40patterns while keeping the language
4:03:42practical enough to use in everyday
4:03:45life. Now, let's keep building your
4:03:48fluency by working with situations where
4:03:50you need to react quickly. In real
4:03:53conversations, you often do not have
4:03:56time to plan a perfect answer. Someone
4:03:58says something, asks a question, changes
4:04:01a plan, or gives you unexpected
4:04:04information, and you need a natural
4:04:06response. So, let's practice short
4:04:08reactions first. Listen. Really? Repeat.
4:04:13Really? No way. Repeat. No way. That's
4:04:17interesting. Repeat. That's interesting.
4:04:20I had no idea. Repeat. I had no idea.
4:04:24You're kidding. Repeat. You're kidding.
4:04:27These expressions are simple, but your
4:04:29tone matters. Really can sound
4:04:32surprised, interested, or doubtful
4:04:35depending on how you say it. Now, listen
4:04:38to a quick exchange. I'm moving next
4:04:41month. Really? Where too? about an hour
4:04:45away from here. Wow, I had no idea.
4:04:49Yeah, it all happened pretty quickly.
4:04:52Now, Shadow, really? Where too? Repeat.
4:04:57Really? Where too? Wow. I had no idea.
4:05:02It all happened pretty quickly. Repeat.
4:05:06It all happened pretty quickly. Now,
4:05:08another one. I got the job. No way.
4:05:12That's great. Thanks. I found out this
4:05:15morning. You must be excited. I am. I'm
4:05:19still processing it. Repeat. No way.
4:05:23That's great again. No way. That's
4:05:27great. You must be excited. Repeat. You
4:05:31must be excited. I'm still processing
4:05:34it. Repeat. I'm still processing it. I'm
4:05:38still processing it. means you are still
4:05:41mentally adjusting to important or
4:05:43surprising news. You can say, "It hasn't
4:05:47really sunk in yet." Repeat, "It hasn't
4:05:50really sunk in yet." Sink in means
4:05:54become fully understood or emotionally
4:05:56real. I know it happened, but it hasn't
4:05:59sunk in yet. Repeat. I know it happened,
4:06:03but it hasn't sunk in yet. Now, let's
4:06:07practice reactions when the news is
4:06:09disappointing. That's frustrating.
4:06:12Repeat. That's frustrating. That's a
4:06:15shame. Repeat, that's a shame. I'm sorry
4:06:20to hear that. Repeat, I'm sorry to hear
4:06:23that. That must be disappointing.
4:06:26Repeat, that must be disappointing.
4:06:29These responses show empathy without
4:06:31immediately trying to fix the problem.
4:06:34Listen, they canled our flight. Oh no,
4:06:38that's frustrating. Yeah, and the next
4:06:42one isn't until tomorrow morning. That's
4:06:44a shame. What are you going to do? We're
4:06:48trying to figure that out now, Shadow.
4:06:51That's frustrating. Repeat. That's
4:06:54frustrating. What are you going to do?
4:06:57Repeat, what are you going to do? What
4:07:00are you going to do? We're trying to
4:07:03figure that out now. Repeat. What are
4:07:06you going to do? That's frustrating.
4:07:09Ideas are the beginning points of all
4:07:11fortunes.
4:07:13Listen. I thought I was working
4:07:15tomorrow, but my schedule changed.
4:07:18Repeat. I thought I was working
4:07:20tomorrow, but my schedule changed.
4:07:23Another one. We were planning to go out,
4:07:26but the weather changed our plans.
4:07:28Repeat. We were planning to go out, but
4:07:31the weather changed our plans. Or the
4:07:35meeting got pushed back to four. Repeat.
4:07:38The meeting got pushed back to four.
4:07:41Push back in this context means move
4:07:44something to a later time. They pushed
4:07:47the meeting back by an hour. Repeat.
4:07:51They pushed the meeting back by an hour.
4:07:53Can we push dinner back to 7:30? Repeat.
4:07:57Can we push dinner back to 7:30? The
4:08:01opposite is move it up, meaning schedule
4:08:04it earlier. They moved the meeting up to
4:08:069. Repeat. They moved the meeting up to
4:08:109. Now listen to this natural scheduling
4:08:13exchange. Are we still meeting at 2?
4:08:16Actually, they pushed it back to 3. Oh,
4:08:20okay. That works better for me anyway.
4:08:23Same here. I was rushing to finish
4:08:26something. Perfect. Then we've got a
4:08:29little more time now. Shadow, they
4:08:32pushed it back to three. Repeat. They
4:08:36pushed it back to three. That works
4:08:38better for me anyway. Repeat. That works
4:08:42better for me anyway. I was rushing to
4:08:45finish something. Repeat. I was rushing
4:08:48to finish something anyway. Is another
4:08:52small word you hear often. It can mean
4:08:55despite what was just said. Or it can
4:08:58help return to the main topic. For
4:09:00example, I wasn't sure I could go, but I
4:09:04ended up going anyway. Repeat, I wasn't
4:09:08sure I could go, but I ended up going
4:09:10anyway. Or,
4:09:13anyway, what were you saying? Repeat.
4:09:16Anyway, what were you saying? It can
4:09:19help you restart a conversation after a
4:09:22distraction. Now, let's practice
4:09:24interruptions. In real conversations,
4:09:28sometimes you need to interrupt
4:09:29politely. Listen. Sorry to interrupt,
4:09:33but can I ask you something? Repeat.
4:09:36Sorry to interrupt, but can I ask you
4:09:38something? Another one. Sorry. Can I
4:09:42jump in for a second? Repeat. Sorry. Can
4:09:46I jump in for a second? Jump in means
4:09:49join the conversation or add a comment.
4:09:52You can also say, "Can I add something
4:09:55here?" Repeat. Can I add something here?
4:09:58Or before we move on, can I clarify one
4:10:02thing? Repeat. Before we move on, can I
4:10:06clarify one thing? These are useful in
4:10:09group discussions. Now, imagine someone
4:10:13interrupts you. You can respond with,
4:10:16"Sure, go ahead." Repeat, "Sure, go
4:10:20ahead." or of course. Repeat, of course.
4:10:26If you want to finish your point first,
4:10:29you might say, "Let me just finish this
4:10:32thought and then I'd love to hear what
4:10:34you think." Repeat. Let me just finish
4:10:37this thought and then I'd love to hear
4:10:40what you think. Now, listen to a
4:10:43workplace discussion. I think we should
4:10:45wait until next week. Sorry to jump in,
4:10:48but can I add something? Sure, go ahead.
4:10:52I'm just wondering whether waiting might
4:10:54create another problem. That's a good
4:10:57point, Shadow. Sorry to jump in, but can
4:11:00I add something? Repeat. Sorry to jump
4:11:04in, but can I add something? I'm just
4:11:07wondering whether waiting might create
4:11:08another problem. Repeat, I'm just
4:11:12wondering whether waiting might create
4:11:13another problem. That's a good point.
4:11:17Repeat. That's a good point. I'm just
4:11:20wondering whether is a softer way to
4:11:22raise a question or concern. I'm just
4:11:24wondering whether we should wait.
4:11:26Repeat. I'm just wondering whether we
4:11:29should wait. I'm wondering if there's
4:11:31another option. Repeat. I'm wondering if
4:11:34there's another option. This sounds less
4:11:37direct than saying we should not do
4:11:39that. Now, let's practice making careful
4:11:43suggestions in a group. Maybe we could
4:11:45try a different approach. Repeat. Maybe
4:11:49we could try a different approach. What
4:11:51if we moved it to next week? Repeat.
4:11:54What if we moved it to next week?
4:11:57Another possibility would be to split
4:11:59the work between us. Repeat. Another
4:12:02possibility would be to split the work
4:12:04between us. What if is very useful for
4:12:07exploring ideas. What if we left
4:12:09earlier? Repeat. What if we left
4:12:12earlier? What if we ordered online
4:12:15instead?
4:12:17Repeat. What if we ordered online
4:12:19instead? What if that doesn't work?
4:12:23Repeat. What if that doesn't work? Now,
4:12:26imagine you disagree, but want to keep
4:12:28the conversation constructive.
4:12:31Listen. I'm not completely convinced
4:12:34that's the best option. Repeat. I'm not
4:12:37completely convinced that's the best
4:12:39option. Another one. I can see the
4:12:42advantage, but I'm a little concerned
4:12:44about the timing. Repeat. I can see the
4:12:48advantage, but I'm a little concerned
4:12:50about the timing. Or I agree with part
4:12:53of that, but I think we need to consider
4:12:56the cost, too. Repeat. I agree with part
4:12:59of that, but I think we need to consider
4:13:02the cost, too. These phrases help you
4:13:05disagree with the idea without attacking
4:13:07the person. Now, listen to this
4:13:10discussion. Why don't we just finish
4:13:12everything today? I can see the
4:13:15advantage, but I'm a little concerned
4:13:17about rushing it. What do you mean? If
4:13:20we move too quickly, we might miss
4:13:22something important. That's fair. Maybe
4:13:25we could finish the urgent part today
4:13:28and do the rest tomorrow. Yeah, I think
4:13:31that makes more sense. Now, Shadow, I
4:13:35can see the advantage, but I'm a little
4:13:37concerned about rushing it. Repeat. I
4:13:40can see the advantage, but I'm a little
4:13:43concerned about rushing it. If we move
4:13:45too quickly, we might miss something
4:13:48important. Repeat. If we move too
4:13:51quickly, we might miss something
4:13:53important. Maybe we could finish the
4:13:55urgent part today and do the rest
4:13:57tomorrow. Repeat. Maybe we could finish
4:14:00the urgent part today and do the rest
4:14:02tomorrow. Now, let's practice explaining
4:14:06priorities. Listen, this is the most
4:14:09urgent thing right now. Repeat. This is
4:14:12the most urgent thing right now. I need
4:14:15to take care of this first. Repeat. I
4:14:19need to take care of this first. The
4:14:21rest can wait until tomorrow. Repeat.
4:14:24The rest can wait until tomorrow. Or
4:14:27this is important, but it's not urgent.
4:14:30Repeat. This is important, but it's not
4:14:34urgent. Now, use a natural workplace
4:14:37phrase. Which one should I prioritize?
4:14:41Repeat, which one should I prioritize?
4:14:44If someone gives you several tasks at
4:14:47once, this is a useful question. You can
4:14:50also say, which one do you need first?
4:14:54Repeat, which one do you need first? Or
4:14:58if I can only finish one of these today,
4:15:00which one should come first. Repeat. If
4:15:04I can only finish one of these today,
4:15:06which one should come first? Listen to
4:15:09this exchange. Can you finish the report
4:15:12and update the presentation before you
4:15:14leave? I can probably finish one today,
4:15:17but I'm not sure I can do both. Which
4:15:20one should I prioritize? The report is
4:15:23more urgent. Okay, I'll focus on that
4:15:26first. Shadow. I can probably finish one
4:15:30today, but I'm not sure I can do both.
4:15:33Repeat. I can probably finish one today,
4:15:37but I'm not sure I can do both. Which
4:15:40one should I prioritize?
4:15:42Repeat. Which one should I prioritize?
4:15:45I'll focus on that first. Repeat. I'll
4:15:49focus on that first. Now, let's practice
4:15:52asking for boundaries around a task.
4:15:55Listen. When do you need this by?
4:15:58Repeat. When do you need this by? How
4:16:01detailed does this need to be? Repeat.
4:16:04How detailed does this need to be? Do
4:16:07you want me to handle the whole thing or
4:16:09just the first part? Repeat. Do you want
4:16:12me to handle the whole thing or just the
4:16:14first part? These questions make
4:16:16communication clearer. Instead of
4:16:19guessing, you find out exactly what is
4:16:21expected. Now, let's move into travel
4:16:25problems because these situations often
4:16:28require quick thinking. Imagine your
4:16:30hotel reservation cannot be found. You
4:16:33could say, "I booked the room online
4:16:36last week." Repeat, "I booked the room
4:16:39online last week." I have the
4:16:41confirmation email right here. Repeat,
4:16:44"I have the confirmation email right
4:16:47here. Could you check again, please?"
4:16:50Repeat. Could you check again please?
4:16:53Suppose they say there is a problem with
4:16:55the reservation. You can ask, "Is there
4:16:58another room available?" Repeat, "Is
4:17:01there another room available?" "Is there
4:17:03anything you can do?" Repeat, "Is there
4:17:07anything you can do?" Or, "What are my
4:17:10options?" Repeat, "What are my options?"
4:17:14"What are my options?" is extremely
4:17:17useful when there is a problem and you
4:17:19want to know what choices are available.
4:17:21Your flight is cancelled. What are my
4:17:24options? Repeat, what are my options?
4:17:28Your appointment has to be changed. What
4:17:31are my options? Repeat. What are my
4:17:35options?
4:17:36Now, listen to this hotel conversation.
4:17:40I'm sorry, but I'm not seeing your
4:17:42reservation. I booked it online and I
4:17:45have the confirmation email. Let me
4:17:48check again. Sure. Okay, I found it. It
4:17:53looks like your last name was entered
4:17:54incorrectly.
4:17:56Ah, that explains it. Sorry about the
4:17:59confusion. No problem. I'm glad we
4:18:02figured it out. Shadow, I have the
4:18:05confirmation email. Repeat, I have the
4:18:08confirmation email. Ah, that explains
4:18:12it. Repeat. Ah, that explains it. I'm
4:18:16glad we figured it out. Repeat. I'm glad
4:18:19we figured it out. That explains it. Is
4:18:22useful when new information makes a
4:18:24confusing situation clear. Listen, the
4:18:27power went out last night. Oh, that
4:18:30explains why my clock was wrong this
4:18:32morning. Repeat. That explains why my
4:18:35clock was wrong this morning. Or he's
4:18:39been traveling all day. That explains
4:18:41why he hasn't answered. Repeat. That
4:18:44explains why he hasn't answered. Now,
4:18:48let's practice missing transportation.
4:18:51Listen. I just missed the train. Repeat.
4:18:55I just missed the train. Do you know
4:18:57when the next one leaves? Repeat. Do you
4:19:00know when the next one leaves? Or is
4:19:04there another way to get there? Repeat.
4:19:07Is there another way to get there? If
4:19:09you are at an airport and miss a
4:19:11connection, you might say, "My first
4:19:14flight was delayed and I missed my
4:19:16connection." Repeat, "My first flight
4:19:19was delayed and I missed my connection."
4:19:22What's the earliest flight you can put
4:19:24me on? Repeat, "What's the earliest
4:19:27flight you can put me on?" Now listen,
4:19:30my flight was delayed and I missed my
4:19:33connection. I'm sorry about that. Let me
4:19:36see what we have available. Is there
4:19:38anything tonight? There's one flight at
4:19:419:00, but it only has a few seats left.
4:19:45If possible, I'd like to take that one.
4:19:48Repeat. My flight was delayed and I
4:19:51missed my connection. Again, my flight
4:19:55was delayed and I missed my connection.
4:19:58Let me see what we have available.
4:20:00Repeat. Let me see what we have
4:20:02available. If possible, I'd like to take
4:20:06that one. Repeat. If possible, I'd like
4:20:09to take that one. Now, let's practice
4:20:12explaining preferences without sounding
4:20:15demanding. If possible, I'd prefer an
4:20:18aisle seat. Repeat. If possible, I'd
4:20:22prefer an aisle seat. If there's a
4:20:24quieter room available, that would be
4:20:27great. Repeat. If there's a quieter room
4:20:30available, that would be great. I'd
4:20:33appreciate it if we could sit together.
4:20:36Repeat. I'd appreciate it if we could
4:20:38sit together. I'd appreciate it if is
4:20:42polite and useful. I'd appreciate it if
4:20:44you could send me the details. Repeat,
4:20:48I'd appreciate it if you could send me
4:20:50the details. I'd appreciate it if you
4:20:53could let me know by tomorrow. Repeat,
4:20:56I'd appreciate it if you could let me
4:20:58know by tomorrow. Now, let's shift into
4:21:01conversations about plans that are not
4:21:03fully certain. Maybe, probably, most
4:21:07likely, possibly, and there's a good
4:21:10chance are useful expressions. Listen,
4:21:13I'll probably stay home tonight. Repeat.
4:21:17I'll probably stay home tonight. There's
4:21:20a good chance I'll be working late.
4:21:22Repeat. There's a good chance I'll be
4:21:24working late. I might go, but I haven't
4:21:28decided. Repeat. I might go, but I
4:21:32haven't decided. Another natural phrase
4:21:34is, "I'm leaning towards staying home."
4:21:38Repeat. I'm leaning towards staying
4:21:40home. Leaning toward means you have not
4:21:43fully decided, but one option is
4:21:46currently more likely. I'm leaning
4:21:48toward the cheaper option. Repeat. I'm
4:21:51leaning toward the cheaper option. I'm
4:21:54leaning toward going on Saturday
4:21:56instead. Repeat. I'm leaning toward
4:21:59going on Saturday instead. Listen to
4:22:02this conversation. Have you decided
4:22:04which apartment you want? Not yet, but
4:22:07I'm leaning toward the second one. The
4:22:09one near downtown? Yeah, it's a little
4:22:12more expensive, but the location is much
4:22:15better. That makes sense. I'm going to
4:22:18think about it one more day before I
4:22:20decide. Shadow, I'm leaning toward the
4:22:23second one. Repeat. I'm leaning toward
4:22:26the second one. It's a little more
4:22:28expensive, but the location is much
4:22:31better. Repeat. It's a little more
4:22:34expensive, but the location is much
4:22:36better. I'm going to think about it one
4:22:39more day before I decide. Repeat. I'm
4:22:42going to think about it one more day
4:22:44before I decide. Now, let's practice
4:22:48talking about regrets and things you
4:22:50would do differently. This is useful at
4:22:53a higher level because it helps you
4:22:55reflect on past experiences.
4:22:58Listen, I probably should have left
4:23:00earlier. Repeat. I probably should have
4:23:04left earlier. I wish I had checked the
4:23:06schedule first. Repeat. I wish I had
4:23:10checked the schedule first. If I could
4:23:12do it again, I'd plan more carefully.
4:23:15Repeat. If I could do it again, I'd plan
4:23:19more carefully. Should have is useful
4:23:22when you think a different action would
4:23:24have been better. I should have brought
4:23:26a jacket. Repeat. I should have brought
4:23:29a jacket. We should have made a
4:23:31reservation. Repeat. We should have made
4:23:34a reservation. I shouldn't have stayed
4:23:37up so late. Repeat. I shouldn't have
4:23:40stayed up so late. Now, listen to this
4:23:43short story. I went to a new restaurant
4:23:46Friday night without making a
4:23:48reservation. I thought we'd be able to
4:23:50get a table, but the place was
4:23:52completely full. We ended up waiting
4:23:55almost an hour. The food was good, but
4:23:58honestly, we should have made a
4:23:59reservation. Next time, I definitely
4:24:02will. Now, Shadow, I thought we'd be
4:24:06able to get a table, but the place was
4:24:09completely full. Repeat.
4:24:12I thought we'd be able to get a table,
4:24:14but the place was completely full. We
4:24:17ended up waiting almost an hour. Repeat.
4:24:20We ended up waiting almost an hour. We
4:24:23should have made a reservation. Repeat.
4:24:27We should have made a reservation. Next
4:24:29time I definitely will. Repeat. Next
4:24:33time I definitely will. Now practice
4:24:37wish for past situations. I wish I had
4:24:40known about that earlier. Repeat. I wish
4:24:43I had known about that earlier. I wish I
4:24:46had brought more comfortable shoes.
4:24:49Repeat. I wish I had brought more
4:24:51comfortable shoes. I wish we had stayed
4:24:54longer. Repeat. I wish we had stayed
4:24:57longer. Now compare that with a present
4:25:01wish. I wish I had more free time.
4:25:04Repeat. I wish I had more free time. I
4:25:08wish I lived closer to work. Repeat. I
4:25:11wish I lived closer to work. These
4:25:14sentences describe something you would
4:25:16like to be different. Now, now let's
4:25:19practice giving advice based on
4:25:21experience. If I were you, I'd call
4:25:24ahead. Repeat. If I were you, I'd call
4:25:28ahead. You might want to book in
4:25:30advance. Repeat. You might want to book
4:25:33in advance. I'd probably leave a little
4:25:36earlier just in case. Repeat. I'd
4:25:40probably leave a little earlier just in
4:25:42case. Just in case means as a precaution
4:25:45because something might happen. Bring a
4:25:47jacket just in case it gets cold.
4:25:50Repeat. Bring a jacket just in case it
4:25:53gets cold. I saved the address on my
4:25:55phone just in case I lose the internet
4:25:58connection. Repeat. I saved the address
4:26:01on my phone just in case I lose the
4:26:03internet connection. Let's leave early
4:26:06just in case there's traffic. Repeat.
4:26:09Let's leave early just in case there's
4:26:11traffic.
4:26:12Now listen to a natural advice
4:26:15conversation. I have an interview
4:26:17tomorrow and I'm kind of nervous. That's
4:26:20normal. If I were you, I'd get
4:26:23everything ready tonight so you're not
4:26:25rushing in the morning. Yeah, that's
4:26:27probably a good idea. And maybe leave a
4:26:30little early just in case there's
4:26:32traffic. Definitely. I don't want to be
4:26:35late. Shadow, if I were you, I'd get
4:26:39everything ready tonight. Repeat. If I
4:26:42were you, I'd get everything ready
4:26:44tonight so you're not rushing in the
4:26:46morning. Repeat. So you're not rushing
4:26:49in the morning. Maybe leave a little
4:26:52early just in case there's traffic.
4:26:54Repeat. Maybe leave a little early just
4:26:57in case there's traffic. Now let's
4:27:01practice job interview style English in
4:27:03a natural way. Even if you do not need
4:27:06this immediately, it is good practice
4:27:08for speaking clearly about yourself.
4:27:11Listen. Could you tell me a little about
4:27:14yourself? Repeat. Could you tell me a
4:27:17little about yourself? A natural answer
4:27:20might begin, sure. I've been working in
4:27:23customer service for the past 3 years,
4:27:26and most of my experience has involved
4:27:28helping customers solve problems and
4:27:30answering questions. Repeat that in
4:27:32parts. I've been working in customer
4:27:35service for the past 3 years. Repeat.
4:27:39I've been working in customer service
4:27:41for the past 3 years. Most of my
4:27:44experience has involved helping
4:27:45customers solve problems and answering
4:27:48questions. Repeat. Most of my experience
4:27:51has involved helping customers solve
4:27:53problems and answering questions. Now,
4:27:57another common question. What would you
4:27:59say is one of your strengths? Repeat.
4:28:03What would you say is one of your
4:28:04strengths? A conversational response
4:28:07could be, "I'd say, I'm pretty good at
4:28:09staying calm when things get busy."
4:28:12Repeat, "I'd say, I'm pretty good at
4:28:14staying calm when things get busy. I try
4:28:17to focus on the problem and figure out
4:28:19the next step instead of getting
4:28:21overwhelmed." Repeat. I try to focus on
4:28:25the problem and figure out the next step
4:28:27instead of getting overwhelmed. Notice
4:28:30the structure. You give the strength,
4:28:32then explain what it looks like in
4:28:34practice. This makes the answer more
4:28:37natural and believable. Now listen to
4:28:40this. One of my strengths is that I'm
4:28:42dependable. If I say I'm going to do
4:28:45something, I make sure it gets done.
4:28:48Repeat. One of my strengths is that I'm
4:28:50dependable. Again, one of my strengths
4:28:53is that I'm dependable. If I say I'm
4:28:56going to do something, I make sure it
4:28:58gets done. Repeat. If I say I'm going to
4:29:02do something, I make sure it gets done.
4:29:05Now, let's practice talking about
4:29:08challenges without sounding negative.
4:29:11One thing I'm working on is speaking up
4:29:13more in group discussions. Repeat. One
4:29:16thing I'm working on is speaking up more
4:29:19in group discussions. I sometimes take
4:29:22too long to make decisions,
4:29:24so I'm trying to be more confident and
4:29:26move forward sooner. Repeat. I sometimes
4:29:30take too long to make decisions, so I'm
4:29:33trying to be more confident and move
4:29:35forward sooner. Speak up can mean speak
4:29:38louder or express your opinion more
4:29:41openly, depending on context. I need you
4:29:45to speak up a little. Repeat, I need you
4:29:48to speak up a little or I'm trying to
4:29:51speak up more in meetings. Repeat. I'm
4:29:55trying to speak up more in meetings.
4:29:57Now, let's practice conversations about
4:30:00learning new skills. Listen. How long
4:30:03have you been learning English? Repeat.
4:30:06How long have you been learning English?
4:30:09A natural answer could be, "I've been
4:30:12learning it for a few years, but I only
4:30:14started taking speaking practice
4:30:16seriously recently." Repeat. I've been
4:30:20learning it for a few years, but I only
4:30:22started taking speaking practice
4:30:24seriously recently. Another answer might
4:30:27be, I studied it in school, but I didn't
4:30:31use it much outside the classroom.
4:30:33Repeat, I studied it in school, but I
4:30:36didn't use it much outside the
4:30:38classroom. Now, I'm trying to use it
4:30:41more actively. Repeat, now I'm trying to
4:30:45use it more actively. Listen to this
4:30:48conversation. What's the hardest part of
4:30:50English for you? Probably speaking
4:30:53without overthinking. What do you mean?
4:30:56I usually know what I want to say, but I
4:30:58spend too much time trying to make the
4:31:00sentence perfect. Yeah, that can really
4:31:03slow you down. Exactly. I'm trying to
4:31:06focus more on communicating and less on
4:31:09being perfect. Shadow. Probably speaking
4:31:13without overthinking. Repeat. probably
4:31:16speaking without overthinking. I usually
4:31:19know what I want to say, but I spend too
4:31:22much time trying to make the sentence
4:31:24perfect. Repeat. I usually know what I
4:31:27want to say, but I spend too much time
4:31:30trying to make the sentence perfect. I'm
4:31:32trying to focus more on communicating
4:31:35and less on being perfect. Repeat. I'm
4:31:38trying to focus more on communicating
4:31:41and less on being perfect. Now, let's
4:31:45practice recognizing the difference
4:31:47between understanding and responding.
4:31:50You may understand a question
4:31:51immediately, but still need a few
4:31:54seconds to build your answer. That is
4:31:56normal. Instead of staying completely
4:31:59silent, use a thinking phrase. That's a
4:32:02good question. Repeat. That's a good
4:32:05question. Let me think for a second.
4:32:08Repeat. Let me think for a second. I've
4:32:11never really thought about that before.
4:32:13Repeat. I've never really thought about
4:32:15that before. Now, use that pattern with
4:32:19a more thoughtful question. What's
4:32:21something you've learned recently? A
4:32:24natural answer might be, that's a good
4:32:26question. Let me think. I've realized
4:32:29that I'm much more productive when I
4:32:31plan the next day the night before. It
4:32:34sounds simple, but it saves me a lot of
4:32:37time in the morning. Shadow. I've
4:32:40realized that I'm much more productive
4:32:42when I plan the next day the night
4:32:44before. Repeat. I've realized that I'm
4:32:47much more productive when I plan the
4:32:49next day the night before. It sounds
4:32:52simple, but it saves me a lot of time in
4:32:54the morning. Repeat. It sounds simple,
4:32:58but it saves me a lot of time in the
4:33:00morning. Now, answer this question
4:33:02yourself. What is one thing you have
4:33:05learned recently about work, study,
4:33:08health, relationships, money, or your
4:33:11daily routine? Take a moment. Use I've
4:33:15realized that to begin if that helps.
4:33:19Now, let's practice talking about
4:33:21changes over time. Listen. I used to
4:33:24find speaking English really stressful,
4:33:27but it's getting easier. Repeat. I used
4:33:30to find speaking English really
4:33:32stressful, but it's getting easier. I'm
4:33:35still not completely comfortable, but
4:33:37I'm definitely more confident than I was
4:33:40before. Repeat. I'm still not completely
4:33:43comfortable, but I'm definitely more
4:33:45confident than I was before. Another
4:33:48useful pattern is the more I practice,
4:33:51the easier it gets. Repeat. The more I
4:33:55practice, the easier it gets. The more I
4:33:58listen, the more I notice. Repeat. The
4:34:02more I listen, the more I notice. The
4:34:06more you use a language, the more
4:34:08natural it starts to feel. Repeat. The
4:34:11more you use a language, the more
4:34:13natural it starts to feel. This the more
4:34:17the more pattern is excellent for
4:34:20describing how two things change
4:34:22together. The earlier I go to bed, the
4:34:26better I feel the next day. Repeat. The
4:34:29earlier I go to bed, the better I feel
4:34:32the next day. The busier I get, the more
4:34:36important it becomes to plan my time.
4:34:39Repeat. The busier I get, the more
4:34:42important it becomes to plan my time.
4:34:45Now, let's make your shadowing more
4:34:47challenging with a longer reflection.
4:34:50Listen first. When I first started
4:34:53trying to speak more English, I was
4:34:55constantly translating in my head. I'd
4:34:58think of the sentence in my own
4:34:59language, translate it word by word,
4:35:02check the grammar in my mind, and only
4:35:05then try to say it. By that point, the
4:35:08conversation had often moved on. Over
4:35:11time, I realized I needed a different
4:35:14approach. Instead of building every
4:35:16sentence from individual words, I
4:35:19started paying attention to complete
4:35:21phrases that appeared again and again.
4:35:24Expressions like that makes sense, I'm
4:35:28not sure yet, it depends, and what do
4:35:32you mean became automatic. The more of
4:35:35these phrases I learned, the easier it
4:35:38became to respond without translating
4:35:40everything first. Now shadow it sentence
4:35:44by sentence.
4:35:46When I first started trying to speak
4:35:48more English, I was constantly
4:35:50translating in my head. Repeat. When I
4:35:53first started trying to speak more
4:35:55English, I was constantly translating in
4:35:58my head. I'd think of the sentence in my
4:36:00own language, translate it word by word,
4:36:03check the grammar in my mind, and only
4:36:05then try to say it. Repeat. I'd think of
4:36:09the sentence in my own language,
4:36:11translate it word by word, check the
4:36:13grammar in my mind, and only then try to
4:36:16say it. Continue. By that point, the
4:36:19conversation had often moved on. Repeat.
4:36:22By that point, the conversation had
4:36:25often moved on. Over time, I realized I
4:36:28needed a different approach. Repeat.
4:36:31Over time, I realized I needed a
4:36:34different approach. Instead of building
4:36:36every sentence from individual words, I
4:36:39started paying attention to complete
4:36:41phrases that appeared again and again.
4:36:44Repeat. Instead of building every
4:36:46sentence from individual words, I
4:36:49started paying attention to complete
4:36:51phrases that appeared again and again.
4:36:54Continue. Expressions like that makes
4:36:57sense. I'm not sure yet. It depends. And
4:37:03what do you mean? Became automatic.
4:37:06Repeat. Expressions like that makes
4:37:09sense. I'm not sure yet. It depends. And
4:37:14what do you mean? Became automatic. The
4:37:16more of these phrases I learned, the
4:37:18easier it became to respond without
4:37:21translating everything first. Repeat.
4:37:24The more of these phrases I learned, the
4:37:26easier it became to respond without
4:37:28translating everything first. Now, let's
4:37:32practice more natural ways of saying you
4:37:34do not know. Of course, you can say I
4:37:38don't know. But sometimes you want a
4:37:40softer or more specific response.
4:37:43Listen, I'm not sure. Repeat. I'm not
4:37:47sure. I have no idea. Repeat. I have no
4:37:52idea. I'm not completely sure, but I
4:37:55think so. Repeat. I'm not completely
4:37:59sure, but I think so. I couldn't tell
4:38:01you. Repeat. I couldn't tell you. In
4:38:05casual English, I couldn't tell you can
4:38:08mean I really don't know. Listen, do you
4:38:12know why the store is closed? I couldn't
4:38:15tell you. Repeat. I couldn't tell you.
4:38:18What time does the event end? I'm not
4:38:21sure. Probably around 9. Repeat. I'm not
4:38:25sure. probably around 9. Now practice
4:38:29admitting you forgot something. It
4:38:31completely slipped my mind. Repeat, it
4:38:34completely slipped my mind. This means
4:38:37you forgot something unintentionally.
4:38:40I'm sorry. It completely slipped my
4:38:42mind. Repeat, I'm sorry, it completely
4:38:46slipped my mind. The appointment slipped
4:38:48my mind. Repeat, the appointment slipped
4:38:52my mind. Another phrase is, "I totally
4:38:56forgot." Repeat, "I totally forgot."
4:39:00"Did you bring the document?" "Oh no, I
4:39:03totally forgot." Repeat. Oh no, I
4:39:07totally forgot. Now listen to this
4:39:11exchange. Did you call them yesterday?
4:39:14Oh no, it completely slipped my mind. No
4:39:18worries. Can you call today? Yeah, I'll
4:39:22do it as soon as we're done here.
4:39:24Shadow, it completely slipped my mind.
4:39:27Repeat. It completely slipped my mind.
4:39:30I'll do it as soon as we're done here.
4:39:33Repeat. I'll do it as soon as we're done
4:39:35here. As soon as immediately after
4:39:39something else happens. I'll call you as
4:39:42soon as I get home. Repeat. I'll call
4:39:45you as soon as I get home. Let me know
4:39:48as soon as you hear anything. Repeat.
4:39:51Let me know as soon as you hear
4:39:52anything. I'll send it as soon as I
4:39:55finish. Repeat. I'll send it as soon as
4:39:58I finish. Now, let's practice talking
4:40:02about things that are almost finished or
4:40:04almost happening. I'm almost done.
4:40:07Repeat. I'm almost done. We're almost
4:40:10there. Repeat. We're almost there. I'm
4:40:14just about ready. Repeat. I'm just about
4:40:17ready. Dinner is almost ready. Repeat.
4:40:21Dinner is almost ready. You can also
4:40:24say, I'm wrapping up now. Repeat. I'm
4:40:28wrapping up now. Wrap up can mean finish
4:40:31something. I'm wrapping up a meeting
4:40:33right now. Repeat. I'm wrapping up a
4:40:36meeting right now. Let's wrap this up
4:40:39and continue tomorrow. Repeat. Let's
4:40:42wrap this up and continue tomorrow. Now
4:40:46imagine a friend is waiting for you. Are
4:40:48you ready? Almost. I'm just finishing
4:40:51something. How much longer? Give me 5
4:40:55minutes. Okay, but we need to leave
4:40:58soon. Shadow. Almost. I'm just finishing
4:41:02something. Repeat. Almost. I'm just
4:41:06finishing something. Give me 5 minutes.
4:41:09Repeat. Give me 5 minutes. We need to
4:41:12leave soon. Repeat. We need to leave
4:41:15soon. Now, let's practice describing
4:41:18something that is easier or harder than
4:41:21expected. Listen. That was easier than I
4:41:24thought. Repeat. That was easier than I
4:41:27thought. It was more complicated than I
4:41:30expected. Repeat. It was more
4:41:33complicated than I expected. It took
4:41:36longer than I thought it would. Repeat.
4:41:39It took longer than I thought it would.
4:41:41It wasn't nearly as difficult as I
4:41:44expected. Repeat. It wasn't nearly as
4:41:47difficult as I expected. Nearly here
4:41:50means almost. It wasn't nearly as
4:41:53expensive as I thought. Repeat. It
4:41:56wasn't nearly as expensive as I thought.
4:41:59The trip wasn't nearly as tiring as I
4:42:01expected. Repeat. The trip wasn't nearly
4:42:05as tiring as I expected. Now, listen to
4:42:09this story. I had to put together a
4:42:11piece of furniture last weekend and I
4:42:14was expecting it to take all afternoon.
4:42:17Surprisingly, it was pretty
4:42:19straightforward. The instructions were
4:42:21clear and everything fit together the
4:42:24way it was supposed to. It still took
4:42:26about an hour, but that was much faster
4:42:28than I expected. I was honestly
4:42:31relieved. Shadow, I was expecting it to
4:42:34take all afternoon. Repeat. I was
4:42:38expecting it to take all afternoon.
4:42:41Surprisingly, it was pretty
4:42:42straightforward.
4:42:44Repeat. Surprisingly, it was pretty
4:42:47straightforward.
4:42:49Everything fit together the way it was
4:42:50supposed to. Repeat. Everything fit
4:42:54together the way it was supposed to.
4:42:56That was much faster than I expected.
4:42:59Repeat. That was much faster than I
4:43:02expected. I was honestly relieved.
4:43:05Repeat. I was honestly relieved.
4:43:08Relieved describes the feeling you have
4:43:10when a worry or problem is removed. I
4:43:13was relieved when I found my wallet.
4:43:16Repeat. I was relieved when I found my
4:43:19wallet. I'm glad that's over. Repeat.
4:43:22I'm glad that's over. That was a relief.
4:43:26Repeat. That was a relief. Now, let's
4:43:30practice talking about people changing
4:43:32plans at the last minute. Listen. They
4:43:36canled at the last minute. Repeat. They
4:43:39cancelled at the last minute. He changed
4:43:42his mind. Repeat. He changed his mind.
4:43:46We had to come up with another plan.
4:43:49Repeat. We had to come up with another
4:43:51plan. Come up with means think of or
4:43:55create an idea or solution. We need to
4:43:58come up with a better plan. Repeat. We
4:44:01need to come up with a better plan. She
4:44:04came up with a great idea. Repeat. She
4:44:07came up with a great idea. I couldn't
4:44:10come up with anything. Repeat. I
4:44:13couldn't come up with anything. Now
4:44:16listen. What happened to your dinner
4:44:18plans? The restaurant canled our
4:44:20reservation because of a problem with
4:44:22the building. Seriously?
4:44:25Yeah. We had to come up with something
4:44:27else at the last minute. What did you
4:44:30do? We ended up cooking at home.
4:44:33Honestly, that doesn't sound too bad,
4:44:36Shadow. We had to come up with something
4:44:39else at the last minute. Repeat, we had
4:44:42to come up with something else at the
4:44:44last minute. We ended up cooking at
4:44:47home. Repeat, we ended up cooking at
4:44:50home. That doesn't sound too bad.
4:44:53Repeat, that doesn't sound too bad. Now,
4:44:57let's practice more nuanced agreement.
4:45:00Instead of always saying yes, you can
4:45:03say exactly. Repeat. Exactly.
4:45:07Absolutely. Repeat. Absolutely. That's
4:45:12exactly how I feel. Repeat. That's
4:45:15exactly how I feel. I completely agree.
4:45:18Repeat. I completely agree. Or I mostly
4:45:23agree. Repeat. I mostly agree. If you
4:45:27agree partly, try I agree up to a point.
4:45:32Repeat. I agree up to a point or I see
4:45:36your point. Repeat. I see your point. I
4:45:40see your point means you understand the
4:45:43other person's argument even if you do
4:45:46not fully agree. Listen to this
4:45:48exchange. I think working from home
4:45:51saves a lot of time. Absolutely. Not
4:45:54having to commute is a huge advantage,
4:45:57but I do miss talking to people in
4:45:59person. Yeah, I see your point. That
4:46:03part can be difficult. Shadow. Not
4:46:06having to commute is a huge advantage.
4:46:09Repeat. Not having to commute is a huge
4:46:12advantage. I do miss talking to people
4:46:14in person. Repeat. I do miss talking to
4:46:18people in person. Yeah, I see your
4:46:22point. Repeat.
4:46:24Yeah, I see your point. Now, practice
4:46:27disagreeing casually with friends. I
4:46:30don't know about that. Repeat. I don't
4:46:33know about that. I'm not so sure.
4:46:36Repeat. I'm not so sure. Maybe, but I
4:46:40see it differently. Repeat. Maybe, but I
4:46:44see it differently. Or, I wouldn't go
4:46:47that far. Repeat. I wouldn't go that
4:46:50far. This means you think someone's
4:46:53statement is too strong. Listen, that's
4:46:56the best restaurant in the city. I
4:46:59wouldn't go that far, but it is pretty
4:47:01good. Repeat. I wouldn't go that far,
4:47:05but it is pretty good. This is a natural
4:47:08way to soften disagreement. Now, let's
4:47:12practice explaining uncertainty. As far
4:47:14as I know, the meeting is still at 3.
4:47:18Repeat. As far as I know, the meeting is
4:47:21still at 3. As far as I know means based
4:47:24on the information you currently have.
4:47:27As far as I know, nothing has changed.
4:47:30Repeat, as far as I know, nothing has
4:47:33changed. I think so, but don't quote me
4:47:36on that. Repeat. I think so, but don't
4:47:40quote me on that. This last phrase is
4:47:43informal and means you are not
4:47:45completely certain. Another one. From
4:47:48what I understand, we don't need to
4:47:51bring anything. Repeat. From what I
4:47:54understand, we don't need to bring
4:47:56anything. Based on what I heard, it
4:47:59should be finished tomorrow. Repeat.
4:48:02Based on what I heard, it should be
4:48:04finished tomorrow. Now, let's move into
4:48:08telling someone you need to think before
4:48:10agreeing. Listen, let me check my
4:48:13schedule and get back to you. Repeat.
4:48:16Let me check my schedule and get back to
4:48:18you. I don't want to say yes until I
4:48:22know for sure. Repeat. I don't want to
4:48:25say yes until I know for sure. Can I let
4:48:28you know later today? Repeat. Can I let
4:48:32you know later today? Listen to this
4:48:34exchange. Are you free to help Saturday
4:48:37morning? Maybe. Let me check my schedule
4:48:40and get back to you. Sure. No rush. I
4:48:44should know by this afternoon. Perfect.
4:48:48Shadow, let me check my schedule and get
4:48:51back to you. Repeat. Let me check my
4:48:54schedule and get back to you. I should
4:48:56know by this afternoon. Repeat. I should
4:49:00know by this afternoon. Now, let's
4:49:04practice being specific about promises.
4:49:07Instead of saying, "I'll do it later,"
4:49:10give a clear time when possible. I'll
4:49:13send it by 3. Repeat. I'll send it by 3.
4:49:17I'll call you after lunch. Repeat. I'll
4:49:20call you after lunch. I'll take care of
4:49:23it first thing tomorrow morning. Repeat.
4:49:26I'll take care of it first thing
4:49:28tomorrow morning. First thing means at
4:49:31the beginning of your day or as soon as
4:49:33possible in the morning. I'll call them
4:49:35first thing tomorrow. Repeat. I'll call
4:49:39them first thing tomorrow. I need to
4:49:41handle that first thing Monday morning.
4:49:44Repeat. I need to handle that first
4:49:46thing Monday morning. Now, listen. Can
4:49:50you send me the updated file? Yes. I'm
4:49:54finishing something else right now, but
4:49:56I'll send it by 4. Great. Thanks. If
4:50:00anything changes, I'll let you know.
4:50:02Repeat. I'll send it by 4. Again, I'll
4:50:06send it by four. If anything changes,
4:50:09I'll let you know. Repeat. If anything
4:50:12changes, I'll let you know. Now, let's
4:50:16practice a longer real life conversation
4:50:19with several of these expressions
4:50:20together. Listen first. Hey, are you
4:50:24still free to help me move Saturday? I
4:50:27think so, but let me doublech checkck my
4:50:29schedule tonight. No problem. I just
4:50:32need to know by Friday so I can plan.
4:50:35That's fair. I'll let you know by
4:50:37tomorrow morning. Thanks. We're hoping
4:50:40to start around 9. 9 should be fine. I
4:50:44just need to make sure I don't have
4:50:46anything else going on. Perfect. And
4:50:49don't worry, I'm not asking you to stay
4:50:52all day. Good, because I was about to
4:50:55say I'm happy to help, but I'm not that
4:50:58happy. That final line is a light joke.
4:51:01It is clear, relevant, and based on the
4:51:04situation. Now, shadow, let me doublech
4:51:08checkck my schedule tonight. Repeat. Let
4:51:11me doublech checkck my schedule tonight.
4:51:13I just need to know by Friday so I can
4:51:16plan. Repeat. I just need to know by
4:51:19Friday so I can plan. I'll let you know
4:51:22by tomorrow morning. Repeat. I'll let
4:51:25you know by tomorrow morning. I just
4:51:27need to make sure I don't have anything
4:51:29else going on. Repeat. I just need to
4:51:32make sure I don't have anything else
4:51:34going on. Double check means check again
4:51:36to make sure something is correct. Let
4:51:39me double check the time. Repeat. Let me
4:51:42double check the time. I just want to
4:51:44doublech checkck the address. Repeat. I
4:51:47just want to doublech checkck the
4:51:48address. Now let's practice giving
4:51:52reasons naturally without
4:51:54overexplaining.
4:51:55Sometimes one short reason is enough. I
4:51:58can't tonight. I have an early morning
4:52:01tomorrow. Repeat. I can't tonight. I
4:52:05have an early morning tomorrow. I'd
4:52:07rather go Saturday because Friday is
4:52:10going to be busy. Repeat. I'd rather go
4:52:13Saturday because Friday is going to be
4:52:15busy. I'm going to skip it this time.
4:52:18I've got too much going on. Repeat. I'm
4:52:22going to skip it this time. I've got too
4:52:25much going on. Skip it this time means
4:52:28choose not to participate on this
4:52:30occasion. I think I'll skip dessert.
4:52:33Repeat. I think I'll skip dessert. I'm
4:52:37going to skip the meeting and read the
4:52:38notes later. Repeat. I'm going to skip
4:52:42the meeting and read the notes later. Be
4:52:45careful with this phrase in formal
4:52:47situations,
4:52:48but it is very natural in casual speech.
4:52:51Now, let's practice another useful
4:52:54phrase. I'll pass. Repeat. I'll pass.
4:52:59This can mean you are politely declining
4:53:01an offer. Do you want another piece? No,
4:53:05thanks. I'll pass. Repeat. No thanks.
4:53:10I'll pass. It can also mean you do not
4:53:13want to participate in something. Want
4:53:16to go out tonight? I think I'll pass.
4:53:19I'm exhausted. Repeat. I think I'll
4:53:23pass. I'm exhausted. Now, let's practice
4:53:27quick corrections. If you say the wrong
4:53:30word, you can repair naturally. We're
4:53:33meeting Thursday. Sorry, Friday. Repeat.
4:53:37We're meeting Thursday. Sorry, Friday. I
4:53:40got there at 8. Actually, it was closer
4:53:44to 8:30. Repeat. I got there at 8.
4:53:47Actually, it was closer to 8:30. We've
4:53:51known each other for 10 years. Well,
4:53:54almost 10 years. Repeat. We've known
4:53:57each other for 10 years. Well, almost 10
4:54:00years. This kind of self-correction is
4:54:03normal. You do not need to restart
4:54:06everything. Correct the detail and keep
4:54:08moving. Now, listen to a longer story
4:54:12with natural corrections. I went to
4:54:14visit a friend last weekend. Actually,
4:54:17it was the weekend before and we decided
4:54:20to check out a new restaurant near her
4:54:22apartment. I'd heard good things about
4:54:24it, so I was expecting it to be crowded.
4:54:27Surprisingly, we got a table right away.
4:54:30The food took a while to come out, but
4:54:32it was worth the wait. I ordered
4:54:35something I'd never tried before, and it
4:54:37turned out to be really good. I probably
4:54:40wouldn't order it every time, but I'm
4:54:42glad I tried it. Shadow it. I went to
4:54:45visit a friend last weekend. Actually,
4:54:48it was the weekend before. Repeat. I
4:54:52went to visit a friend last weekend.
4:54:54Actually, it was the weekend before. We
4:54:58decided to check out a new restaurant
4:55:00near her apartment. Repeat. We decided
4:55:03to check out a new restaurant near her
4:55:05apartment. I'd heard good things about
4:55:07it, so I was expecting it to be crowded.
4:55:11Repeat. I'd heard good things about it,
4:55:13so I was expecting it to be crowded.
4:55:16Continue. Surprisingly, we got a table
4:55:19right away. Repeat. Surprisingly, we got
4:55:23a table right away. The food took a
4:55:26while to come out, but it was worth the
4:55:28wait. Repeat. The food took a while to
4:55:31come out, but it was worth the wait. I
4:55:34ordered something I'd never tried
4:55:35before, and it turned out to be really
4:55:38good. Repeat. I ordered something I'd
4:55:41never tried before, and it turned out to
4:55:44be really good. I probably wouldn't
4:55:46order it every time, but I'm glad I
4:55:49tried it. Repeat. I probably wouldn't
4:55:52order it every time, but I'm glad I
4:55:55tried it. Worth the wait means something
4:55:58was good enough to justify waiting for
4:56:00it. Repeat, it was worth the wait.
4:56:04Another useful phrase is, "It was worth
4:56:07the effort." Repeat, "It was worth the
4:56:10effort. The hike was difficult, but the
4:56:13view was worth it. Repeat. The hike was
4:56:17difficult, but the view was worth it.
4:56:20Now, let's practice talking about
4:56:23expectations.
4:56:24It was exactly what I expected. Repeat.
4:56:28It was exactly what I expected. It was
4:56:31better than I expected. Repeat. It was
4:56:34better than I expected. It wasn't quite
4:56:37what I expected. Repeat. It wasn't quite
4:56:41what I expected. Not quite means not
4:56:44completely or not exactly. The room
4:56:47wasn't quite as big as it looked online.
4:56:49Repeat. The room wasn't quite as big as
4:56:52it looked online. Now, imagine you
4:56:55bought something online. Listen. It
4:56:58looked better in the pictures. Repeat.
4:57:01It looked better in the pictures. The
4:57:04quality isn't as good as I expected.
4:57:07Repeat. The quality isn't as good as I
4:57:10expected. It's fine, but I probably
4:57:13wouldn't buy it again. Repeat. It's
4:57:16fine, but I probably wouldn't buy it
4:57:19again. Now, let's practice explaining
4:57:22what you expected and what actually
4:57:24happened. I thought it would be
4:57:26difficult, but it was surprisingly easy.
4:57:30Repeat. I thought it would be difficult,
4:57:33but it was surprisingly easy. I expected
4:57:36the place to be crowded, but it was
4:57:39almost empty. Repeat. I expected the
4:57:42place to be crowded, but it was almost
4:57:45empty. I thought the trip would be
4:57:47exhausting, but it was actually pretty
4:57:50relaxing. Repeat. I thought the trip
4:57:53would be exhausting, but it was actually
4:57:55pretty relaxing. Now, answer this
4:57:58question aloud. Think of something you
4:58:00did recently that was different from
4:58:02what you expected. maybe a restaurant, a
4:58:05movie, a trip, a task, a conversation,
4:58:10or a new experience. Use I thought it
4:58:13would or I expected and then explain
4:58:17what actually happened. Now, let's
4:58:21practice asking someone about an
4:58:23experience. How did it go? Repeat. How
4:58:27did it go? What was it like? Repeat.
4:58:31What was it like? Was it what you
4:58:33expected? Repeat. Was it what you
4:58:36expected? Would you do it again? Repeat.
4:58:40Would you do it again? These questions
4:58:42help you move beyond simple facts. They
4:58:45invite the other person to describe an
4:58:47experience. Listen, how did your
4:58:50interview go? I think it went pretty
4:58:52well. What was it like? Honestly, it was
4:58:56more relaxed than I expected. That's
4:58:58good. Yeah, they asked a lot of
4:59:01questions, but it felt more like a
4:59:04conversation than an interview. Shadow,
4:59:07I think it went pretty well. Repeat, I
4:59:10think it went pretty well. It was more
4:59:13relaxed than I expected. Repeat, it was
4:59:16more relaxed than I expected. It felt
4:59:19more like a conversation than an
4:59:20interview. Repeat. It felt more like a
4:59:24conversation than an interview. Now,
4:59:27let's practice. Felt like It felt like a
4:59:30long day. Repeat. It felt like a long
4:59:34day. It felt like everyone was in a
4:59:37hurry. Repeat. It felt like everyone was
4:59:41in a hurry. It felt like we were there
4:59:43forever. Repeat. It felt like we were
4:59:47there forever. You can also use feel
4:59:50like for desire. I feel like staying
4:59:53home. Repeat. I feel like staying home.
4:59:58The meaning depends on context. So
5:00:01listen to the whole sentence. Now let's
5:00:04practice giving a balanced opinion about
5:00:06an experience. There were a few things I
5:00:09didn't like, but overall it was
5:00:12positive. Repeat. There were a few
5:00:15things I didn't like, but overall it was
5:00:18positive. It wasn't perfect, but I'm
5:00:21glad I did it. Repeat. It wasn't
5:00:24perfect, but I'm glad I did it. I don't
5:00:27know if I'd do it again, but it was
5:00:29definitely interesting. Repeat. I don't
5:00:32know if I'd do it again, but it was
5:00:35definitely interesting. Now, let's move
5:00:38into another important communication
5:00:40skill. Asking someone to slow down or
5:00:43explain without feeling embarrassed.
5:00:47Listen. Could you slow down just a
5:00:49little? Repeat. Could you slow down just
5:00:52a little? I understood most of that, but
5:00:56I missed the last part. Repeat. I
5:00:59understood most of that. But I missed
5:01:02the last part. Could you say the last
5:01:04part again? Repeat. Could you say the
5:01:07last part again? This is better than
5:01:09pretending you understood when you did
5:01:11not. You can also say, "I'm following
5:01:14you so far." But what do you mean by
5:01:17that last part? Repeat. I'm following
5:01:20you so far. But what do you mean by that
5:01:22last part? I'm following you means I
5:01:25understand what you are explaining.
5:01:28Repeat, I'm following you. If you become
5:01:31confused, say you lost me there. Repeat,
5:01:35you lost me there. This is casual and
5:01:39means you stopped understanding at that
5:01:41point. Listen, first you need to open
5:01:44the settings. Then change the account
5:01:46permissions and after that you need to
5:01:49reconnect the device. Okay, you lost me
5:01:52after permissions. Could you go over
5:01:55that part again? Shadow, you lost me
5:01:58after permissions. Repeat, you lost me
5:02:01after permissions. Could you go over
5:02:03that part again? Repeat. Could you go
5:02:06over that part again? Go over can mean
5:02:09review or explain. Can we go over that
5:02:12one more time? Repeat. Can we go over
5:02:16that one more time? I want to go over
5:02:18the details before we decide. Repeat. I
5:02:22want to go over the details before we
5:02:24decide. Now, let's practice giving
5:02:27instructions clearly. First, open the
5:02:30email. Repeat. First, open the email.
5:02:34Then, click the link near the bottom.
5:02:36Repeat. Then, click the link near the
5:02:38bottom. Once the page opens, enter your
5:02:41information. Repeat. Once the page
5:02:44opens, enter your information. After
5:02:48that, you should be all set. Repeat.
5:02:51After that, you should be all set. All
5:02:54set means ready or finished. You're all
5:02:57set. Repeat. You're all set. I think
5:03:01we're all set for tomorrow. Repeat. I
5:03:04think we're all set for tomorrow. Do I
5:03:07need to do anything else? No. You're all
5:03:10set. Repeat. No, you're all set now.
5:03:16Listen to a short service conversation.
5:03:19Okay. I've updated your information.
5:03:23Great. Is there anything else I need to
5:03:25do? No, you're all set. Perfect. Thanks
5:03:30for your help. You're welcome, Shadow.
5:03:33Is there anything else I need to do?
5:03:36Repeat. Is there anything else I need to
5:03:39do? No. You're all set. Repeat. No,
5:03:44you're all set. Perfect. Thanks for your
5:03:48help. Repeat. Perfect. Thanks for your
5:03:51help. Repeat. Thanks for your help.
5:03:54Repeat. Now, let's practice talking
5:03:57about responsibilities at home. I need
5:04:00to take care of a few things around the
5:04:02house. Repeat. I need to take care of a
5:04:06few things around the house. I've been
5:04:08putting off cleaning the kitchen.
5:04:11Repeat. I've been putting off cleaning
5:04:13the kitchen. Put off means delay
5:04:16something. I keep putting it off.
5:04:19Repeat. I keep putting it off. I
5:04:23shouldn't put it off any longer. Repeat.
5:04:26I shouldn't put it off any longer.
5:04:29Another useful phrase is I need to get
5:04:32it out of the way. Repeat. I need to get
5:04:35it out of the way. This means complete
5:04:38something unpleasant or necessary so you
5:04:40do not have to think about it anymore.
5:04:43I'm going to do it first and get it out
5:04:45of the way. Repeat. I'm going to do it
5:04:49first and get it out of the way. Listen.
5:04:52What are you doing this morning? I have
5:04:54to clean the apartment. Fun. Yeah,
5:04:58exactly. I'm going to do it now and get
5:05:01it out of the way. Probably a good idea.
5:05:05Repeat. I'm going to do it now and get
5:05:08it out of the way again. I'm going to do
5:05:11it now and get it out of the way. Now,
5:05:15let's practice everyday expressions for
5:05:17frustration.
5:05:18This is getting annoying. Repeat. This
5:05:22is getting annoying. I can't figure out
5:05:24why this keeps happening. Repeat. I
5:05:27can't figure out why this keeps
5:05:29happening. Nothing seems to be working.
5:05:32Repeat. Nothing seems to be working.
5:05:35I've tried everything I can think of.
5:05:38Repeat. I've tried everything I can
5:05:40think of. Now, contrast that with relief
5:05:43when you solve the problem. Finally.
5:05:46Repeat. Finally. There we go. Repeat.
5:05:50There we go. That fixed it. Repeat. That
5:05:54fixed it. I knew there had to be a
5:05:56simple solution. Repeat. I knew there
5:05:59had to be a simple solution. Listen to
5:06:01this mini conversation. Is the printer
5:06:04still not working? No, I've tried
5:06:07restarting it twice. Did you check the
5:06:09paper tray? Wait. Oh, there we go. That
5:06:13was the problem. Seriously? Yeah, I
5:06:17spent 10 minutes on that, Shadow. I've
5:06:20tried restarting it twice. Repeat. I've
5:06:23tried restarting it twice. Oh, there we
5:06:26go. That was the problem. Repeat. Oh,
5:06:30there we go. That was the problem. I
5:06:33spent 10 minutes on that. Repeat. I
5:06:36spent 10 minutes on that. Now, let's
5:06:39finish this stage with a longer
5:06:41conversation that uses quick reactions,
5:06:44uncertainty, problem solving, and
5:06:47natural planning. Listen first. Hey, are
5:06:51we still going to that concert Saturday?
5:06:54I think so, but there's a small problem.
5:06:57What happened? I checked the tickets
5:06:59again and it turns out the start time is
5:07:02earlier than I thought. How much
5:07:04earlier? It starts at 6:30 and I was
5:07:08thinking it started at 8. Oh, that
5:07:11changes things. Yeah, if we leave after
5:07:14work, we might be cutting it pretty
5:07:16close. What if we leave a little early?
5:07:19I could probably do that. Let me check
5:07:22with my manager tomorrow. Okay, if that
5:07:26doesn't work, we can come up with
5:07:28another plan. Sounds good. I'll let you
5:07:31know as soon as I find out. Now, Shadow,
5:07:35it turns out the start time is earlier
5:07:37than I thought. Repeat. It turns out the
5:07:41start time is earlier than I thought.
5:07:44That changes things. Repeat. That
5:07:48changes things. If we leave after work,
5:07:51we might be cutting it pretty close.
5:07:53Repeat. If we leave after work, we might
5:07:56be cutting it pretty close. Cutting it
5:07:59close means leaving very little extra
5:08:01time. Repeat. We might be cutting it
5:08:04pretty close. Continue. What if we leave
5:08:07a little early? Repeat. What if we leave
5:08:10a little early? Let me check with my
5:08:13manager tomorrow. Repeat. Let me check
5:08:16with my manager tomorrow. If that
5:08:18doesn't work, we can come up with
5:08:20another plan. Repeat. If that doesn't
5:08:23work, we can come up with another plan.
5:08:26I'll let you know as soon as I find out.
5:08:29Repeat. I'll let you know as soon as I
5:08:32find out. Now it is your turn to create
5:08:35a short problem-solving conversation
5:08:37aloud. Imagine you have plans with
5:08:40someone, but a problem appears. Maybe
5:08:43the time changes. Maybe the place is
5:08:46closed. Maybe transportation is delayed.
5:08:50Explain the problem. suggest another
5:08:52option and agree on what you will do
5:08:54next. Use any of these phrases. It turns
5:08:58out what if we that changes things. Let
5:09:03me check. We can figure something out
5:09:06and I'll let you know. Do not worry
5:09:09about creating the perfect conversation.
5:09:12The value comes from retrieving these
5:09:14patterns by yourself. Every time you
5:09:17pull a phrase out of your memory and use
5:09:20it in a new context, it becomes easier
5:09:23to use again later. Now, let's end with
5:09:27one final shadowing passage. Listen
5:09:30carefully. Over the past few months,
5:09:33I've noticed that my English feels more
5:09:35natural when I stop trying to control
5:09:38every single word. I still care about
5:09:40grammar and accuracy, but I've learned
5:09:43that communication has to keep moving.
5:09:46If I forget a word, I explain around it.
5:09:50If I don't understand something, I ask a
5:09:53more specific question. If I need time
5:09:55to think, I use a natural phrase instead
5:09:58of going completely silent. And if I
5:10:01make a mistake, I correct it and move
5:10:03on. The more I practice this way, the
5:10:06less pressure I feel and the easier it
5:10:09becomes to focus on the actual
5:10:11conversation.
5:10:12Now, shadow it. Over the past few
5:10:16months, I've noticed that my English
5:10:18feels more natural when I stop trying to
5:10:20control every single word. Repeat. Over
5:10:24the past few months, I've noticed that
5:10:26my English feels more natural when I
5:10:28stop trying to control every single
5:10:30word. I still care about grammar and
5:10:33accuracy, but I've learned that
5:10:35communication has to keep moving.
5:10:38Repeat. I still care about grammar and
5:10:40accuracy, but I've learned that
5:10:42communication has to keep moving.
5:10:45Continue. If I forget a word, I explain
5:10:48around it. Repeat. If I forget a word, I
5:10:52explain around it. If I don't understand
5:10:55something, I ask a more specific
5:10:58question. Repeat. If I don't understand
5:11:01something, I ask a more specific
5:11:03question. If I need time to think, I use
5:11:07a natural phrase instead of going
5:11:09completely silent. Repeat. If I need
5:11:12time to think, I use a natural phrase
5:11:15instead of going completely silent. And
5:11:18if I make a mistake, I correct it and
5:11:20move on. Repeat. And if I make a
5:11:23mistake, I correct it and move on. Now,
5:11:27the final thought. The more I practice
5:11:29this way, the less pressure I feel and
5:11:32the easier it becomes to focus on the
5:11:34actual conversation. Repeat. The more I
5:11:37practice this way, the less pressure I
5:11:40feel and the easier it becomes to focus
5:11:42on the actual conversation. That is the
5:11:45mindset you want to carry into every
5:11:47speaking exercise. You are not trying to
5:11:50perform perfect English. You are
5:11:53training yourself to communicate
5:11:55clearly, react naturally, recover when
5:11:58something goes wrong, and keep going.
5:12:01The more often you do that, the more
5:12:03automatic your English becomes. Keep
5:12:06shadowing complete phrases. Keep
5:12:09listening for connected speech. Keep
5:12:12creating your own answers and keep
5:12:14practicing the language as something you
5:12:16use rather than something you only
5:12:19study.
5:12:20Now, let's continue by practicing
5:12:23something that becomes more important as
5:12:25your English improves. Explaining your
5:12:28thoughts clearly when the answer is not
5:12:30simply yes or no. Real conversations
5:12:34often involve mixed feelings, uncertain
5:12:36decisions, changing opinions, and
5:12:39situations where several things are true
5:12:42at the same time. Listen to this
5:12:44sentence. I can see both sides. Repeat.
5:12:49I can see both sides. This means you
5:12:51understand the advantages or arguments
5:12:54on both sides of a situation. Another
5:12:57useful phrase is it depends on the
5:13:00situation. Repeat, it depends on the
5:13:03situation. Or I don't think there's one
5:13:06simple answer. Repeat. I don't think
5:13:09there's one simple answer. Imagine
5:13:12someone asks, do you think working from
5:13:14home is better than working in an
5:13:16office? You could say, "I can see both
5:13:19sides. Working from home gives you more
5:13:22flexibility, but being in an office can
5:13:25make communication easier." I think it
5:13:28depends on the person and the type of
5:13:30work. Now, shadow it. I can see both
5:13:34sides. Repeat, I can see both sides.
5:13:38Working from home gives you more
5:13:39flexibility, but being in an office can
5:13:42make communication easier. Repeat.
5:13:45Working from home gives you more
5:13:47flexibility, but being in an office can
5:13:50make communication easier. I think it
5:13:52depends on the person and the type of
5:13:54work. Repeat. I think it depends on the
5:13:58person and the type of work. Now
5:14:01practice another balanced response. On
5:14:04the whole, I think it's a good idea, but
5:14:07there are definitely some drawbacks.
5:14:10Repeat. On the whole, I think it's a
5:14:13good idea, but there are definitely some
5:14:16drawbacks. On the whole means generally
5:14:19or when considering everything. The trip
5:14:22went well on the whole. Repeat. The trip
5:14:25went well on the whole. I'm happy with
5:14:28the decision on the whole. Repeat. I'm
5:14:31happy with the decision on the whole.
5:14:34Now, let's practice talking about
5:14:37changes in your opinion. Listen. I used
5:14:40to think that, but I've changed my mind.
5:14:43Repeat. I used to think that, but I've
5:14:46changed my mind. Another one. I wasn't
5:14:50sure about it at first, but it grew on
5:14:52me. Repeat. I wasn't sure about it at
5:14:56first.
5:14:57But it grew on me. Grow on someone means
5:15:00you gradually start liking something
5:15:02more over time. I didn't like the
5:15:05neighborhood at first, but it grew on
5:15:07me. Repeat. I didn't like The
5:15:10neighborhood at first, but it grew on
5:15:12me. I wasn't a fan of the show at first,
5:15:15but it really grew on me. Repeat. I
5:15:18wasn't a fan of the show at first, but
5:15:20it really grew on me. Now, listen to a
5:15:24natural exchange. Do you like your new
5:15:27apartment? Yeah, I do now. I wasn't
5:15:30completely sure about it at first. What
5:15:33changed? I think I just needed time to
5:15:36get used to the area. That makes sense.
5:15:39Yeah, it's really grown on me. Shadow, I
5:15:44wasn't completely sure about it at
5:15:46first. Repeat. I wasn't completely sure
5:15:49about it at first. I just needed time to
5:15:52get used to the area. Repeat, I just
5:15:55needed time to get used to the area.
5:15:58It's really grown on me. Repeat. It's
5:16:02really grown on me. Get used to means
5:16:05become comfortable with something that
5:16:07once felt unfamiliar. I'm still getting
5:16:10used to the new schedule. Repeat. I'm
5:16:13still getting used to the new schedule.
5:16:15It took me a while to get used to waking
5:16:17up early. Repeat. It took me a while to
5:16:21get used to waking up early. You'll get
5:16:23used to it. Repeat. You'll get used to
5:16:26it. Now, compare used to and get used
5:16:30to. I used to work nights describes a
5:16:33past habit. I'm getting used to working
5:16:35nights means working nights is becoming
5:16:38more familiar or comfortable. Listen and
5:16:41repeat. I used to work nights again. I
5:16:45used to work nights. Now I'm getting
5:16:48used to working nights. Repeat. I'm
5:16:51getting used to working nights. Now
5:16:54let's practice talking about something
5:16:56that surprised you positively. Listen. I
5:17:00was pleasantly surprised. Repeat. I was
5:17:04pleasantly surprised. It was much better
5:17:07than I expected. Repeat. It was much
5:17:10better than I expected. I wasn't
5:17:12expecting much, but I actually enjoyed
5:17:15it. Repeat. I wasn't expecting much, but
5:17:19I actually enjoyed it. Now, something
5:17:22that disappointed you. I had high
5:17:25expectations, so I was a little
5:17:27disappointed. Repeat. I had high
5:17:30expectations,
5:17:32so I was a little disappointed. It
5:17:34wasn't bad, but I expected more. Repeat.
5:17:39It wasn't bad, but I expected more. I
5:17:42don't think it lived up to the hype.
5:17:45Repeat. I don't think it lived up to the
5:17:47hype. Live up to the hype means be as
5:17:50good as people said or expected it to
5:17:52be. The restaurant was good, but I'm not
5:17:55sure it lived up to the hype. Repeat.
5:17:58The restaurant was good, but I'm not
5:18:01sure it lived up to the hype. The movie
5:18:03definitely lived up to the hype. Repeat,
5:18:06the movie definitely lived up to the
5:18:08hype. Now, listen to this conversation.
5:18:12So, was the new restaurant as good as
5:18:15everyone says? Honestly, I thought it
5:18:18was a little overrated.
5:18:20Really? Yeah. The food was fine, but I
5:18:24don't think it lived up to the hype.
5:18:26That's interesting. Everyone I know
5:18:28loves it. Maybe I just ordered the wrong
5:18:31thing. Shadow: Honestly, I thought it
5:18:36was a little overrated. Repeat.
5:18:39Honestly, I thought it was a little
5:18:41overrated. The food was fine, but I
5:18:44don't think it lived up to the hype.
5:18:46Repeat. The food was fine, but I don't
5:18:50think it lived up to the hype. Maybe I
5:18:52just ordered the wrong thing. Repeat.
5:18:56Maybe I just ordered the wrong thing.
5:18:58Now, let's practice polite uncertainty
5:19:01when you do not want to make a strong
5:19:04claim. It could just be me, but repeat.
5:19:09It could just be me, but for example, it
5:19:13could just be me, but this room feels
5:19:16really cold. Repeat, it could just be
5:19:20me, but this room feels really cold.
5:19:23Another phrase is, "Maybe I'm wrong, but
5:19:26I thought the meeting was at 3." Repeat.
5:19:30"Maybe I'm wrong, but I thought the
5:19:32meeting was at 3." You can also say,
5:19:35"Unless I'm mistaken." Repeat. Unless
5:19:38I'm mistaken. Unless I'm mistaken, we
5:19:41already paid for this. Repeat. Unless
5:19:45I'm mistaken, we already paid for this.
5:19:48This sounds more formal, but it is still
5:19:51useful. Now, let's practice
5:19:53conversations where you need to correct
5:19:55someone gently. Listen. Actually, I
5:19:59think it's tomorrow, not today. Repeat.
5:20:03Actually, I think it's tomorrow. Not
5:20:06today. Or, I might be wrong, but I
5:20:10believe the deadline is Friday. Repeat.
5:20:13I might be wrong, but I believe the
5:20:15deadline is Friday. Another useful
5:20:17phrase is just to clarify, we're talking
5:20:21about next week, right? Repeat. Just to
5:20:24clarify, we're talking about next week,
5:20:27right? Now, listen. The presentation is
5:20:31due Thursday. I thought it was Friday.
5:20:34No, I'm pretty sure it's Thursday. Let
5:20:37me check the email. Good idea. Actually,
5:20:41you're right. It is Thursday. Shadow. I
5:20:45thought it was Friday. Repeat. I thought
5:20:48it was Friday. Let me check the email.
5:20:51Repeat. Let me check the email.
5:20:54Actually, you're right. It is Thursday.
5:20:58Repeat. Actually, you're right. It is
5:21:02Thursday. Now, let's practice admitting
5:21:05you were wrong. You're right. I mixed up
5:21:08the dates. Repeat. You're right. I mixed
5:21:12up the dates. My mistake. Repeat it. My
5:21:17mistake. I stand corrected. Repeat. I
5:21:21stand corrected. That last expression is
5:21:24a little more formal and means you
5:21:26accept that your earlier statement was
5:21:28wrong. A very natural casual phrase is
5:21:32you were right. Repeat. You were right.
5:21:35I should have listened to you. Repeat.
5:21:39I should have listened to you. or okay,
5:21:42I'll admit it. You were right. Repeat.
5:21:46Okay, I'll admit it. You were right.
5:21:49Now, let's practice discussing choices
5:21:52when both options have advantages.
5:21:55Listen. Either option would work for me.
5:21:58Repeat. Either option would work for me.
5:22:01I don't have a strong preference.
5:22:03Repeat. I don't have a strong
5:22:05preference. I'm fine either way. Repeat.
5:22:09I'm fine either way. These are useful
5:22:12when you genuinely do not care which
5:22:14option is chosen. For example, do you
5:22:17want to eat inside or outside? I'm fine
5:22:21either way. Repeat, I'm fine either way.
5:22:25Would you rather meet Thursday or
5:22:26Friday? Either one works for me. Repeat,
5:22:30either one works for me. Now, if you do
5:22:34have a slight preference, you can say,
5:22:37"I'd prefer Friday, but Thursday works,
5:22:40too." Repeat, "I'd prefer Friday, but
5:22:44Thursday works, too." Or, "If I had to
5:22:47choose, I'd probably go with the first
5:22:50option." Repeat. If I had to choose, I'd
5:22:54probably go with the first option. Go
5:22:57with can mean choose. I think I'll go
5:22:59with the blue one. Repeat. I think I'll
5:23:02go with the blue one. Let's go with the
5:23:05earlier flight. Repeat. Let's go with
5:23:08the earlier flight. We decided to go
5:23:10with a different plan. Repeat. We
5:23:13decided to go with a different plan.
5:23:16Now, let's practice making decisions
5:23:18together. Listen, which one do you think
5:23:21we should choose? I'm leaning toward
5:23:24this one. Why? It's a little more
5:23:27expensive,
5:23:28but it has better reviews. True. And
5:23:31it's closer. Exactly. I think it makes
5:23:35more sense overall. Okay, let's go with
5:23:38that one. Shadow. I'm leaning toward
5:23:41this one. Repeat. I'm leaning toward
5:23:44this one. It has better reviews. Repeat.
5:23:47It has better reviews. I think it makes
5:23:50more sense overall.
5:23:52Repeat. I think it makes more sense
5:23:54overall. Let's go with that one. Repeat.
5:23:59Let's go with that one. Now, let's
5:24:02practice giving your opinion when you
5:24:04have not fully decided yet. My first
5:24:06impression is positive. Repeat. My first
5:24:10impression is positive. I need a little
5:24:13more time before I decide. Repeat. I
5:24:16need a little more time before I decide.
5:24:19So far, I like it. Repeat. So far, I
5:24:23like it. I'm still making up my mind.
5:24:26Repeat. I'm still making up my mind. So
5:24:29far means until now. So far everything
5:24:33is going well. Repeat. So far everything
5:24:37is going well. I've only been here for a
5:24:40week, but so far I really like it.
5:24:43Repeat. I've only been here for a week,
5:24:46but so far I really like it. Now let's
5:24:50move into another real life situation.
5:24:53Talking with neighbors. You might see
5:24:55someone outside and say, "Hey, how's it
5:24:58going?" Repeat. "Hey, how's it going?"
5:25:03Or, "Haven't seen you in a while."
5:25:06Repeat, "Haven't seen you in a while."
5:25:09Another natural line is, "How have
5:25:11things been?" Repeat, "How have things
5:25:14been?" Suppose you need to ask a
5:25:16neighbor for a small favor. Listen.
5:25:19"Would you mind keeping an eye on my
5:25:21place while I'm away?" Repeat. Would you
5:25:24mind keeping an eye on my place while
5:25:26I'm away? Keep an eye on means watch or
5:25:29check something occasionally. Can you
5:25:31keep an eye on my bag for a minute?
5:25:34Repeat. Can you keep an eye on my bag
5:25:36for a minute? Could you keep an eye on
5:25:38the oven while I run upstairs? Repeat.
5:25:42Could you keep an eye on the oven while
5:25:44I run upstairs? Now, listen to a
5:25:47neighbor conversation. Hey, are you
5:25:50going to be around this weekend? Yeah, I
5:25:54should be. Why? I'm going out of town
5:25:57and I was wondering if you could keep an
5:25:59eye out for a package. Sure. No problem.
5:26:04Thanks. I really appreciate it. Of
5:26:07course, Shadow, are you going to be
5:26:11around this weekend? Repeat. Are you
5:26:14going to be around this weekend? I was
5:26:17wondering if you could keep an eye out
5:26:19for a package. Repeat. I was wondering
5:26:23if you could keep an eye out for a
5:26:24package. I really appreciate it. Repeat.
5:26:29I really appreciate it. I was wondering
5:26:32if is a polite way to introduce a
5:26:35request. I was wondering if you could
5:26:37help me with something. Repeat. I was
5:26:41wondering if you could help me with
5:26:42something. I was wondering if you were
5:26:45free tomorrow. Repeat. I was wondering
5:26:48if you were free tomorrow. Now practice
5:26:51showing appreciation. Thanks. I really
5:26:54appreciate it. Repeat. Thanks. I really
5:26:58appreciate it. I appreciate you letting
5:27:01me know. Repeat. I appreciate you
5:27:04letting me know. Thanks for taking care
5:27:06of that. Repeat. Thanks for taking care
5:27:09of that. Now, let's practice dealing
5:27:13with noise or another small neighbor
5:27:15problem politely. Listen.
5:27:18Hi, sorry to bother you. I just wanted
5:27:21to ask if you could keep the music down
5:27:23a little. Repeat. Hi, sorry to bother
5:27:27you. I just wanted to ask if you could
5:27:29keep the music down a little. Another
5:27:32option is, I hate to ask, but would you
5:27:35mind turning it down a bit? Repeat. I
5:27:38hate to ask, but would you mind turning
5:27:41it down a bit? I hate to ask does not
5:27:44literally mean you hate asking. It shows
5:27:47that you know the request may
5:27:48inconvenience the other person. I hate
5:27:51to ask, but could you help me move this?
5:27:54Repeat. I hate to ask, but could you
5:27:57help me move this? Now, let's practice
5:28:00going to a service appointment, such as
5:28:03getting your car repaired, having
5:28:05something fixed, or asking someone to
5:28:08look at a problem. Listen. I've been
5:28:10hearing a strange noise when I start the
5:28:13car. Repeat. I've been hearing a strange
5:28:16noise when I start the car. It started a
5:28:19couple of days ago. Repeat. It started a
5:28:23couple of days ago. It seems to get
5:28:26worse when I drive faster. Repeat. It
5:28:30seems to get worse when I drive faster.
5:28:32Notice how you are giving useful
5:28:34details. what the problem is, when it
5:28:37started, and when it happens. This makes
5:28:41your description much clearer. Listen to
5:28:43this exchange. What seems to be the
5:28:46problem? There's a strange noise coming
5:28:49from the front of the car. When do you
5:28:51hear it? Mostly when I'm turning. Okay,
5:28:55we'll take a look. Do you have any idea
5:28:58how long it might take? Probably a
5:29:01couple of hours. Shadow. There's a
5:29:04strange noise coming from the front of
5:29:06the car. Repeat. There's a strange noise
5:29:09coming from the front of the car. Mostly
5:29:12when I'm turning. Repeat. Mostly when
5:29:15I'm turning, do you have any idea how
5:29:18long it might take? Repeat. Do you have
5:29:21any idea how long it might take? Do you
5:29:24have any idea is useful when asking for
5:29:27an estimate. Do you have any idea when
5:29:30it'll be ready? Repeat. Do you have any
5:29:33idea when it'll be ready? Do you have
5:29:35any idea how much it'll cost? Repeat. Do
5:29:39you have any idea how much it'll cost?
5:29:42Now, if the answer is uncertain, you may
5:29:46hear, "It's hard to say until we take a
5:29:49look." Repeat. It's hard to say until we
5:29:53take a look. Or, "I can't give you an
5:29:56exact number yet." Repeat. I can't give
5:29:59you an exact number yet. Another phrase
5:30:02is I can give you a rough estimate.
5:30:06Repeat. I can give you a rough estimate.
5:30:09Rough estimate means an approximate
5:30:11amount. Can you give me a rough
5:30:13estimate? Repeat. Can you give me a
5:30:16rough estimate? I'd say somewhere around
5:30:19$200.
5:30:21But that's just a rough estimate.
5:30:23Repeat. I'd say somewhere around $200,
5:30:27but that's just a rough estimate. Now,
5:30:30let's practice another common task.
5:30:33Calling customer service. These
5:30:35conversations can be frustrating, so
5:30:38having clear language helps. Listen, I'm
5:30:42calling because I was charged for
5:30:43something I didn't order. Repeat. I'm
5:30:47calling because I was charged for
5:30:48something I didn't order. Another one.
5:30:51I'm having trouble accessing my account.
5:30:54Repeat, I'm having trouble accessing my
5:30:57account. or I'm calling to check the
5:31:01status of my order. Repeat, I'm calling
5:31:04to check the status of my order. If the
5:31:07representative asks you to hold, they
5:31:09may say, can I put you on hold for a
5:31:12moment? You can answer, "Sure." Repeat,
5:31:17"Sure." Or, "That's fine." Repeat.
5:31:22That's fine. Now, listen. Thanks for
5:31:26waiting. I looked into the issue and it
5:31:29appears the charge was made by mistake.
5:31:32Okay. Can it be refunded? Yes. I've
5:31:35submitted the refund and you should see
5:31:38it within 3 to 5 business days. Great.
5:31:41Is there anything else I need to do? No,
5:31:44that's all. Thanks for your help,
5:31:47Shadow. Can it be refunded? Repeat. Can
5:31:51it be refunded? You should see it within
5:31:533 to 5 business days. Repeat. You should
5:31:57see it within 3 to 5 business days. Is
5:32:00there anything else I need to do?
5:32:02Repeat. Is there anything else I need to
5:32:05do? Look into means investigate. I'll
5:32:09look into it. Repeat. I'll look into it.
5:32:13Let me look into that for you. Repeat.
5:32:16Let me look into that for you. We're
5:32:18looking into the problem now. Repeat.
5:32:21We're looking into the problem now. Now,
5:32:24let's practice following up on
5:32:26something. Listen, I'm just following up
5:32:29on my email from yesterday. Repeat, I'm
5:32:32just following up on my email from
5:32:34yesterday. Or, I wanted to check whether
5:32:37there have been any updates. Repeat, I
5:32:41wanted to check whether there have been
5:32:42any updates. Another useful phrase is,
5:32:46"Have you heard anything yet?" Repeat,
5:32:49"Have you heard anything yet?" listen to
5:32:51this conversation. Have you heard
5:32:54anything about the apartment? Not yet. I
5:32:57followed up this morning, but they
5:32:59haven't responded. When are they
5:33:01supposed to let you know? By the end of
5:33:03the week. Hopefully, you hear something
5:33:06soon. Shadow, I followed up this
5:33:08morning, but they haven't responded.
5:33:11Repeat. I followed up this morning, but
5:33:15they haven't responded. They're supposed
5:33:17to let me know by the end of the week.
5:33:20Repeat. They're supposed to let me know
5:33:22by the end of the week. Hopefully, I
5:33:25hear something soon. Repeat. Hopefully,
5:33:28I hear something soon.
5:33:30Now, let's practice talking about
5:33:33waiting for a decision. I'm still
5:33:35waiting to hear back. Repeat. I'm still
5:33:38waiting to hear back. Hear back means
5:33:41receive a response. I applied last week,
5:33:44but I haven't heard back yet. Repeat. I
5:33:47applied last week, but I haven't heard
5:33:49back yet. I'll let you know when I hear
5:33:52back. Repeat. I'll let you know when I
5:33:55hear back. Now, let's move into another
5:33:58social skill. Changing the subject
5:34:00naturally. Maybe a conversation has
5:34:03finished or you want to ask something
5:34:05unrelated. You can say, "By the way, how
5:34:08was your trip?" Repeat, "By the way, how
5:34:12was your trip?" by the way introduces a
5:34:16new or additional topic. Another phrase
5:34:19is speaking of work, did you hear about
5:34:22the new project? Repeat. Speaking of
5:34:26work, did you hear about the new
5:34:28project? Speaking of connects the new
5:34:31topic to something that was just
5:34:33mentioned. Listen, I've been so busy
5:34:36lately. Same here. Speaking of being
5:34:40busy, are you still working this
5:34:42weekend? Unfortunately, yes. That's
5:34:46rough. Shadow. Speaking of being busy,
5:34:50are you still working this weekend?
5:34:52Repeat. Speaking of being busy, are you
5:34:55still working this weekend? Now, let's
5:34:58practice bringing a conversation back to
5:35:01the original topic. Anyway, getting back
5:35:04to what we were saying. Repeat. Anyway,
5:35:08getting back to what we were saying. Or
5:35:11where were we? Repeat. Where were we?
5:35:14Another natural phrase is so as I was
5:35:18saying. Repeat. So, as I was saying,
5:35:23these help when a conversation gets
5:35:25interrupted. Now, let's practice
5:35:28reacting when you suddenly remember
5:35:30something. Oh, that reminds me. Repeat.
5:35:34Oh, that reminds me. I almost forgot.
5:35:38Repeat. I almost forgot. Before I
5:35:41forget, I need to ask you something.
5:35:44Repeat. Before I forget, I need to ask
5:35:47you something. Listen. I'm heading to
5:35:50the store after work. Oh, that reminds
5:35:54me. We're almost out of coffee. Okay,
5:35:58I'll get some. Thanks. I almost forgot.
5:36:01Shadow. Oh, that reminds me. Repeat. Oh,
5:36:06that reminds me. We're almost out of
5:36:08coffee. Repeat. We're almost out of
5:36:12coffee. I almost forgot. Repeat. I
5:36:16almost forgot. Now, let's practice
5:36:19talking about running out of things.
5:36:21We're running out of milk. Repeat. We're
5:36:25running out of milk. I'm almost out of
5:36:27toothpaste. Repeat. I'm almost out of
5:36:30toothpaste. We ran out of coffee this
5:36:33morning. Repeat. We ran out of coffee
5:36:36this morning. Run out of means use all
5:36:40of something so there is none left.
5:36:42Another useful phrase is we're low on
5:36:46listen. We're low on groceries. Repeat.
5:36:50We're low on groceries. We're getting
5:36:53low on paper towels. Repeat. We're
5:36:56getting low on paper towels. Now listen
5:36:59to a home conversation. Are you going to
5:37:01the store today? Yeah. Do we need
5:37:04anything? We're almost out of milk and
5:37:07we're getting low on eggs. Anything
5:37:09else? I think that's it. Okay. Text me
5:37:13if you think of anything. Shadow, do we
5:37:16need anything? Repeat. Do we need
5:37:19anything? We're almost out of milk.
5:37:21Repeat, we're almost out of milk. Text
5:37:24me if you think of anything. Repeat.
5:37:27Text me if you think of anything. Now,
5:37:30let's practice asking about quantities
5:37:32naturally. How much do we have left?
5:37:35Repeat. How much do we have left? How
5:37:38many do we need? Repeat. How many do we
5:37:42need? Do we have enough for tomorrow?
5:37:45Repeat. Do we have enough for tomorrow?
5:37:48Now, let's practice talking about chores
5:37:51and sharing responsibilities.
5:37:53I'll take care of the dishes. Repeat.
5:37:56I'll take care of the dishes. Can you
5:37:59handle the laundry? Repeat. Can you
5:38:02handle the laundry? I already cleaned
5:38:04the kitchen, so could you take out the
5:38:07trash? Repeat. I already cleaned the
5:38:10kitchen, so could you take out the
5:38:12trash? Handle can mean take
5:38:14responsibility for something. I'll
5:38:16handle it. Repeat. I'll handle it. Can
5:38:20you handle this while I'm gone? Repeat.
5:38:23Can you handle this while I'm gone?
5:38:25Don't worry. I've got it. Repeat. Don't
5:38:29worry. I've got it. Now, let's practice
5:38:33asking whether something has been done.
5:38:35Did you get a chance to call them?
5:38:37Repeat. Did you get a chance to call
5:38:40them? Have you had a chance to look at
5:38:42the email? Repeat. Have you had a chance
5:38:45to look at the email? Get a chance to is
5:38:48a softer way to ask whether someone had
5:38:50enough time or opportunity. If they did
5:38:53not, they can say, "Not yet. I haven't
5:38:57had a chance." Repeat. Not yet. I
5:39:01haven't had a chance. Or it's on my
5:39:04list. Repeat. It's on my list. That
5:39:08means you plan to do it. Now, listen.
5:39:12Did you get a chance to call the repair
5:39:14company? Not yet. I've been in meetings
5:39:18all morning. No problem. Do you think
5:39:20you can do it this afternoon? Yeah, it's
5:39:23on my list. Shadow. I haven't had a
5:39:27chance. Repeat. I haven't had a chance.
5:39:31I've been in meetings all morning.
5:39:33Repeat. I've been in meetings all
5:39:36morning. It's on my list. Repeat. It's
5:39:39on my list. Now, let's practice talking
5:39:43about things that keep getting delayed.
5:39:45I keep meaning to do it, but something
5:39:48always comes up. Repeat. I keep meaning
5:39:52to do it, but something always comes up.
5:39:55Every time I try to start, I get
5:39:57interrupted. Repeat. Every time I try to
5:40:01start, I get interrupted. I need to make
5:40:04time for it. Repeat. I need to make time
5:40:08for it. Now, let's talk about making
5:40:11time for important things. I've been
5:40:14trying to make more time for reading.
5:40:17Repeat. I've been trying to make more
5:40:19time for reading. I need to make time to
5:40:22exercise. Repeat. I need to make time to
5:40:26exercise. It's hard to find the time
5:40:29during the week. Repeat. It's hard to
5:40:32find the time during the week. Notice
5:40:35the difference between find time and
5:40:37make time. Find time can sound like
5:40:41looking for free time in your schedule.
5:40:43Make time emphasizes deliberately
5:40:46creating space for something important.
5:40:49Now answer this question aloud. What is
5:40:52something you wish you had more time
5:40:54for? Maybe reading, exercise, friends,
5:40:59family, sleep, travel, hobbies, or
5:41:03learning English. Explain why it matters
5:41:05to you and what usually gets in the way.
5:41:08A natural answer might be, "I wish I had
5:41:11more time for reading. I enjoy it, but
5:41:15during the week, I'm usually too tired
5:41:17by the time I finish everything else.
5:41:21I've been trying to read for 20 minutes
5:41:23before bed instead of spending that time
5:41:25on my phone. Now make your own answer.
5:41:29Now let's practice talking about
5:41:32distractions.
5:41:33I keep getting distracted. Repeat. I
5:41:37keep getting distracted. It's hard to
5:41:39focus when my phone keeps going off.
5:41:42Repeat. It's hard to focus when my phone
5:41:44keeps going off. Go off can mean make a
5:41:48sound like an alarm or notification. My
5:41:51alarm went off at 6. Repeat. My alarm
5:41:54went off at 6. My phone keeps going off.
5:41:58Repeat. My phone keeps going off.
5:42:01Another natural phrase is I lost track
5:42:04of time. Repeat. I lost track of time.
5:42:08That means you did not notice how much
5:42:10time had passed. I started watching
5:42:12videos and completely lost track of
5:42:15time. Repeat. I started watching videos
5:42:18and completely lost track of time. Sorry
5:42:21I'm late. I lost track of time. Repeat.
5:42:26Sorry I'm late. I lost track of time.
5:42:29Now listen to this conversation. I
5:42:32thought you were going to bed early. So
5:42:35did I. What happened? I started watching
5:42:38something and lost track of time.
5:42:41How late were you up? Almost 1:00. Well,
5:42:45that explains why you're tired, Shadow.
5:42:48I started watching something and lost
5:42:50track of time. Repeat. I started
5:42:53watching something and lost track of
5:42:54time. That explains why you're tired.
5:42:57Repeat. That explains why you're tired.
5:43:00Now, let's practice describing being
5:43:03productive.
5:43:05I got a lot done today. Repeat. I got a
5:43:08lot done today. I finally caught up on
5:43:11everything. Repeat. I finally caught up
5:43:14on everything. I managed to finish
5:43:16everything I needed to do. Repeat. I
5:43:19managed to finish everything I needed to
5:43:22do. Manage to means succeed in doing
5:43:25something. Often despite difficulty, I
5:43:28managed to get there on time. Repeat. I
5:43:32managed to get there on time. We managed
5:43:35to find a table. Repeat. We managed to
5:43:38find a table. I didn't think I'd finish,
5:43:42but I managed to get it done. Repeat.
5:43:45Ideas are the beginning points of all
5:43:47fortunes. Now, listen to a natural end
5:43:51of day conversation. How was your day?
5:43:55Actually, pretty productive. I managed
5:43:58to finish almost everything on my list.
5:44:00Nice. Yeah, I still have a couple of
5:44:04things to do tomorrow, but I'm in good
5:44:06shape. That's a good feeling, Shadow. I
5:44:10managed to finish almost everything on
5:44:12my list. Repeat. I managed to finish
5:44:16almost everything on my list. I still
5:44:19have a couple of things to do tomorrow.
5:44:22Repeat, I still have a couple of things
5:44:24to do tomorrow. I'm in good shape.
5:44:28Repeat, I'm in good shape. In good shape
5:44:31can mean physically fit. But in this
5:44:34context, it means your situation is
5:44:36under control or progressing well. We're
5:44:39in good shape for the deadline. Repeat,
5:44:42we're in good shape for the deadline. I
5:44:45think we're in pretty good shape.
5:44:47Repeat. I think we're in pretty good
5:44:49shape. Now, let's practice the opposite
5:44:53situation. I'm falling behind. Repeat.
5:44:56I'm falling behind. This means you are
5:44:59not keeping up with the work or
5:45:01schedule. I'm a little behind on my
5:45:03work. Repeat. I'm a little behind on my
5:45:06work. I need to catch up. Repeat. I need
5:45:10to catch up. Listen, how's the project
5:45:13going? Honestly, I'm a little behind. Do
5:45:16you need more time? Maybe. I'm going to
5:45:20see how much I can get done today first.
5:45:22Okay. Keep me posted, Shadow. I'm a
5:45:26little behind. Repeat. I'm a little
5:45:29behind. I'm going to see how much I can
5:45:32get done today first. Repeat. I'm going
5:45:35to see how much I can get done today
5:45:37first. Now, let's practice setting
5:45:41realistic expectations.
5:45:43I don't want to promise something I
5:45:45can't deliver. Repeat. I don't want to
5:45:48promise something I can't deliver. I'd
5:45:51rather give you a realistic time.
5:45:54Repeat. I'd rather give you a realistic
5:45:56time. I think tomorrow afternoon is more
5:46:00realistic. Repeat. I think tomorrow
5:46:03afternoon is more realistic. This kind
5:46:05of language is useful at work and in
5:46:08daily life because clear expectations
5:46:11prevent misunderstandings.
5:46:13Now, let's practice conversations about
5:46:16someone arriving unexpectedly.
5:46:18Listen. I wasn't expecting you this
5:46:20early. Repeat. I wasn't expecting you
5:46:24this early. You're early. Repeat. You're
5:46:28early. I thought you weren't coming
5:46:30until 6:00. Repeat. I thought you
5:46:33weren't coming until 6:00. A natural
5:46:36answer could be, "Traffic was lighter
5:46:38than I expected." Repeat. Traffic was
5:46:42lighter than I expected. Or, "I finished
5:46:45earlier than I thought I would." Repeat.
5:46:48I finished earlier than I thought I
5:46:50would. Now, imagine someone arrives
5:46:53late. We were starting to wonder where
5:46:56you were. Repeat. We were starting to
5:46:59wonder where you were. Everything okay?
5:47:02Repeat. Everything okay? A natural
5:47:05answer is, "Yeah, sorry. I got held up
5:47:08at work." Repeat. Yeah, sorry. I got
5:47:13held up at work. Get held up means be
5:47:16delayed. I got held up at work. Repeat.
5:47:19I got held up at work. Sorry I'm late.
5:47:23Something held me up at the office.
5:47:25Repeat. Sorry I'm late. Something held
5:47:29me up at the office. Now, let's practice
5:47:32talking about plans changing because of
5:47:34circumstances. We'll have to play it by
5:47:37ear. Repeat. We'll have to play it by
5:47:40ear. Play it by ear means decide what to
5:47:43do later based on how the situation
5:47:45develops rather than making a fixed
5:47:47plan. Now, we don't know what the
5:47:50weather will be like, so let's play it
5:47:52by ear. Repeat. We don't know what the
5:47:55weather will be like, so let's play it
5:47:57by ear. Listen to this exchange. What
5:48:00are we doing after dinner? I'm not sure.
5:48:03Let's play it by ear. Sounds good. We
5:48:06can see how everyone feels. Exactly.
5:48:09Shadow, let's play it by ear. Repeat.
5:48:13Let's play it by ear. We can see how
5:48:15everyone feels. Repeat. We can see how
5:48:19everyone feels. Now, let's practice. See
5:48:22how it goes. I'll try it for a week and
5:48:25see how it goes. Repeat. I'll try it for
5:48:28a week and see how it goes. Let's start
5:48:31with this and see how it goes. Repeat.
5:48:34Let's start with this and see how it
5:48:36goes. This is useful when you do not
5:48:39know the outcome yet. Now, listen to a
5:48:42conversation about starting a new
5:48:44routine. Are you still going to wake up
5:48:46at 6:00 every day? That's the plan. Even
5:48:49on weekends? Maybe not. I'm going to try
5:48:53it during the week first and see how it
5:48:55goes. Probably smart. If it works, I'll
5:48:59stick with it. Shadow. I'm going to try
5:49:02it during the week first and see how it
5:49:04goes. Repeat. I'm going to try it during
5:49:07the week first and see how it goes. If
5:49:10it works, I'll stick with it. Repeat. If
5:49:14it works, I'll stick with it. Stick with
5:49:17means continue doing something instead
5:49:20of quitting or changing. I'm going to
5:49:22stick with this routine for a month.
5:49:25Repeat. I'm going to stick with this
5:49:27routine for a month. It's difficult, but
5:49:30I'm going to stick with it. Repeat. It's
5:49:34difficult, but I'm going to stick with
5:49:36it. Now, let's practice describing
5:49:39quitting a habit or plan. I gave up on
5:49:42that idea. Repeat. I gave up on that
5:49:45idea. Give up on means stop trying or
5:49:49stop believing something will work. I
5:49:52almost gave up but I decided to keep
5:49:54trying. Repeat. I almost gave up but I
5:49:58decided to keep trying. Be careful
5:50:01because give up can also mean stop doing
5:50:04a habit. I gave up coffee for a month.
5:50:08Repeat. I gave up coffee for a month.
5:50:11But in everyday conversation, context
5:50:14makes the meaning clear. Now let's
5:50:17practice a longer reflection about
5:50:19learning. Listen first. There are days
5:50:22when learning English feels easier and
5:50:25days when it feels frustrating.
5:50:27Sometimes you understand almost
5:50:29everything you hear and then the next
5:50:32day a simple conversation feels
5:50:34strangely difficult. That doesn't
5:50:36necessarily mean you're getting worse.
5:50:39Your energy
5:50:41The speaker's accent, the topic, the
5:50:44speed, and even background noise can
5:50:46affect how much you understand. What
5:50:49matters is your progress over time. If
5:50:52you keep listening, shadowing, speaking,
5:50:55and reviewing useful phrases, you
5:50:58gradually build a stronger foundation.
5:51:01Now, shadow. There are days when
5:51:03learning English feels easier and days
5:51:06when it feels frustrating. Repeat. There
5:51:09are days when learning English feels
5:51:11easier and days when it feels
5:51:13frustrating.
5:51:15Sometimes you understand almost
5:51:16everything you hear and then the next
5:51:19day a simple conversation feels
5:51:21strangely difficult. Repeat. Sometimes
5:51:24you understand almost everything you
5:51:26hear and then the next day a simple
5:51:29conversation feels strangely difficult.
5:51:32Continue. That doesn't necessarily mean
5:51:34you're getting worse. Repeat. That
5:51:37doesn't necessarily mean you're getting
5:51:39worse. Your energy, the speaker's
5:51:42accent, the topic, the speed, and even
5:51:46background noise can affect how much you
5:51:48understand. Repeat your energy, the
5:51:52speaker's accent, the topic, the speed,
5:51:56and even background noise can affect how
5:51:58much you understand. What matters is
5:52:01your progress over time. Repeat. What
5:52:04matters is your progress over time.
5:52:07Continue. If you keep listening,
5:52:10shadowing, speaking, and reviewing
5:52:13useful phrases, you gradually build a
5:52:16stronger foundation. Repeat. If you keep
5:52:20listening, shadowing, speaking, and
5:52:24reviewing useful phrases, you gradually
5:52:27build a stronger foundation. Now, let's
5:52:30practice another useful pattern. What
5:52:33matters is, repeat. What matters is,
5:52:38this helps you emphasize the important
5:52:40point. What matters is that you keep
5:52:43practicing. Repeat, what matters is that
5:52:46you keep practicing. What matters is how
5:52:49you respond to the problem. Repeat. What
5:52:53matters is how you respond to the
5:52:54problem. What matters most is
5:52:57consistency.
5:52:58Repeat. What matters most is
5:53:01consistency.
5:53:03Now another pattern. The important thing
5:53:06is repeat. The important thing is the
5:53:10important thing is to keep going.
5:53:13Repeat. The important thing is to keep
5:53:16going. The important thing is that
5:53:18everyone understands the plan. Repeat.
5:53:22The important thing is that everyone
5:53:24understands the plan. Now let's practice
5:53:28speaking about confidence. I'm still
5:53:30working on my confidence.
5:53:32Repeat. I'm still working on my
5:53:34confidence. I feel more comfortable than
5:53:37I used to. Repeat. I feel more
5:53:40comfortable than I used to. I still get
5:53:43nervous sometimes, but it doesn't stop
5:53:45me from speaking. Repeat. I still get
5:53:49nervous sometimes, but it doesn't stop
5:53:51me from speaking. That last sentence is
5:53:54important. Confidence does not always
5:53:57mean feeling zero nervousness.
5:54:00Sometimes confidence means speaking even
5:54:02though you feel a little nervous. Now
5:54:05listen. I used to avoid conversations
5:54:08because I was afraid of making mistakes.
5:54:11Repeat. I used to avoid conversations
5:54:15because I was afraid of making mistakes.
5:54:18Now I try to focus on getting my message
5:54:20across. Repeat. Now I try to focus on
5:54:25getting my message across. Get your
5:54:27message across means communicate your
5:54:30meaning successfully. Even if the
5:54:32sentence isn't perfect, I can usually
5:54:35get my message across. Repeat. Even if
5:54:38the sentence isn't perfect, I can
5:54:40usually get my message across. Now
5:54:44practice this phrase. That's what I was
5:54:47trying to say. Repeat. That's what I was
5:54:50trying to say. This is useful when
5:54:52someone understands or expresses your
5:54:54idea more clearly than you did. Exactly.
5:54:58That's what I was trying to say. Repeat.
5:55:01Exactly. That's what I was trying to
5:55:03say. Another phrase is you know what I
5:55:07mean. Repeat. You know what I mean. This
5:55:10is common in casual conversation when
5:55:12checking whether the listener
5:55:14understands your idea. Do not use it
5:55:17after every sentence, but it is useful.
5:55:20Listen. Sometimes I know the word, but I
5:55:23just can't think of it in the moment.
5:55:25You know what I mean? Repeat. Sometimes
5:55:28I know the word, but I just can't think
5:55:31of it in the moment. You know what I
5:55:32mean? Now, let's practice a slightly
5:55:36more advanced phrase. I know what I want
5:55:38to say, but I can't quite put it into
5:55:41words. Repeat. I know what I want to
5:55:44say, but I can't quite put it into
5:55:47words. Put something into words means
5:55:50express an idea or feeling verbally.
5:55:53It's hard to put into words. Repeat.
5:55:57It's hard to put into words. Now listen
5:56:00to this conversation. How did you feel
5:56:03when you finally finished the project?
5:56:06Honestly, it's hard to put into words.
5:56:09Mostly relieved. I think you worked on
5:56:13it for months. Exactly. It felt strange
5:56:16not having to think about it anymore.
5:56:19Shadow, it's hard to put into words.
5:56:22Repeat. It's hard to put into words.
5:56:25Mostly relieved. I think. Repeat. Mostly
5:56:30relieved. I think it felt strange not
5:56:34having to think about it anymore.
5:56:36Repeat. It felt strange not having to
5:56:38think about it anymore. Now, let's
5:56:41practice talking about being unsure how
5:56:43you feel. I'm still trying to figure out
5:56:46how I feel about it. Repeat. I'm still
5:56:49trying to figure out how I feel about
5:56:51it. I have mixed feelings. Repeat. I
5:56:55have mixed feelings. Part of me is
5:56:58excited, but part of me is nervous.
5:57:01Repeat. Part of me is excited, but part
5:57:04of me is nervous. Part of me is a useful
5:57:07pattern when you have two competing
5:57:09feelings. Part of me wants to go, but
5:57:12part of me wants to stay home. Repeat.
5:57:15Part of me wants to go, but part of me
5:57:18wants to stay home. Part of me thinks
5:57:20it's a good idea, but I'm still unsure.
5:57:23Repeat. Part of me thinks it's a good
5:57:25idea, but I'm still unsure. Now, let's
5:57:29practice talking about personal
5:57:30decisions with more nuance. I know it's
5:57:33the right decision, but that doesn't
5:57:35make it easy. Repeat. I know it's the
5:57:38right decision, but that doesn't make it
5:57:41easy. I'm excited about the change, but
5:57:44I'll miss some things about the way life
5:57:46is now. Repeat. I'm excited about the
5:57:49change, but I'll miss some things about
5:57:52the way life is now. These kinds of
5:57:54sentences are useful because real
5:57:56feelings are often complicated. Now,
5:58:00let's practice another longer natural
5:58:02conversation.
5:58:04Listen first. Have you decided whether
5:58:06you're going to move? I think so. I'm
5:58:09leaning toward it. You don't sound
5:58:12completely sure. I'm not. I know it
5:58:15could be a great opportunity, but moving
5:58:17would mean leaving a lot behind. That's
5:58:20understandable. Part of me is really
5:58:22excited and part of me is nervous. You
5:58:25don't have to feel 100% certain for it
5:58:27to be the right choice. That's true. I
5:58:31think I just need a little more time to
5:58:33process everything.
5:58:35Now, shadow, I'm leaning toward it.
5:58:39Repeat, I'm leaning toward it. I know it
5:58:43could be a great opportunity, but moving
5:58:45would mean leaving a lot behind. Repeat,
5:58:49I know it could be a great opportunity,
5:58:52but moving would mean leaving a lot
5:58:54behind. Part of me is really excited and
5:58:58part of me is nervous. Repeat. Part of
5:59:01me is really excited and part of me is
5:59:04nervous. I just need a little more time
5:59:07to process everything. Repeat. I just
5:59:10need a little more time to process
5:59:12everything. Now, let's practice talking
5:59:16about consequences.
5:59:17If I leave now, I should get there by 6.
5:59:21Repeat. If I leave now, I should get
5:59:24there by 6. If we wait too long, we
5:59:28might miss our chance. Repeat. If we
5:59:31wait too long, we might miss our chance.
5:59:35If I take the job, I'll have to move.
5:59:38Repeat. If I take the job, I'll have to
5:59:41move. Now, practice a more advanced
5:59:44conditional. If I had known about the
5:59:47traffic, I would have left earlier.
5:59:49Repeat. If I had known about the
5:59:52traffic, I would have left earlier. If
5:59:54we had booked earlier, we probably would
5:59:57have saved money. Repeat. If we had
6:00:00booked earlier, we probably would have
6:00:02saved money. This pattern helps you talk
6:00:05about an unreal past. You are describing
6:00:08something that did not happen and
6:00:11imagining a different result. Now
6:00:14listen, if I had known the restaurant
6:00:17was going to be that crowded,
6:00:19I would have made a reservation. Repeat.
6:00:23If I had known the restaurant was going
6:00:24to be that crowded, I would have made a
6:00:27reservation. If I had realized how long
6:00:30it would take, I would have started
6:00:32earlier. Repeat. If I had realized how
6:00:35long it would take, I would have started
6:00:38earlier. Now, make one sentence about
6:00:41something you would have done
6:00:42differently recently. Keep it simple.
6:00:45Maybe if I had known it was going to
6:00:48rain, I would have brought an umbrella.
6:00:51Or if I had known the store closed
6:00:54early, I would have gone sooner. Say
6:00:57your own example aloud. Now let's
6:01:00practice expressing possibility in the
6:01:02past. It might have been easier if we
6:01:05had gone earlier. Repeat. It might have
6:01:08been easier if we had gone earlier. We
6:01:11could have taken the train instead.
6:01:14Repeat. We could have taken the train
6:01:16instead. I probably should have checked
6:01:19first. Repeat. I probably should have
6:01:22checked first. Now listen to a
6:01:25reflective conversation. Would you do
6:01:28anything differently next time? Yeah,
6:01:31I'd probably plan more in advance. What
6:01:34happened? We waited until the last
6:01:36minute to book everything, so our
6:01:38options were limited. That makes sense.
6:01:42If we had booked earlier, we could have
6:01:44saved money, too. Shadow, I'd probably
6:01:48plan more in advance. Repeat. I'd
6:01:52probably plan more in advance. We waited
6:01:55until the last minute to book
6:01:57everything. Repeat, we waited until the
6:02:01last minute to book everything. If we
6:02:03had booked earlier, we could have saved
6:02:06money, too. Repeat, if we had booked
6:02:09earlier, we could have saved money, too.
6:02:12Now, let's practice in advance. It means
6:02:16before something happens. often with
6:02:18enough preparation time. You need to
6:02:21book in advance. Repeat. You need to
6:02:24book in advance. Thanks for letting me
6:02:27know in advance. Repeat. Thanks for
6:02:30letting me know in advance. I like to
6:02:32plan things in advance. Repeat. I like
6:02:35to plan things in advance. Now, let's
6:02:39move into more advanced connected speech
6:02:41recognition. Listen to this sentence
6:02:43carefully. What would you have done?
6:02:46Repeat clearly. What would you have done
6:02:50in fast conversation? Those words can
6:02:52blend strongly. Your job is not to
6:02:55separate every sound perfectly. Your job
6:02:58is to recognize the entire phrase. What
6:03:01would you have done? Answer naturally.
6:03:04Honestly, I probably would have done the
6:03:07same thing. Repeat. Honestly, I probably
6:03:11would have done the same thing. or I
6:03:14think I would have waited. Repeat. I
6:03:17think I would have waited. Now listen.
6:03:20What should I have done? Repeat. What
6:03:22should I have done? A response could be,
6:03:25I think you handled it fine. Repeat. I
6:03:28think you handled it fine. Or maybe you
6:03:31could have called first. Repeat. Maybe
6:03:34you could have called first. Now, let's
6:03:37practice giving reassurance. You did the
6:03:40best you could. Repeat. You did the best
6:03:43you could. I think you handled it well.
6:03:46Repeat. I think you handled it well.
6:03:49Don't be too hard on yourself. Repeat.
6:03:52Don't be too hard on yourself. That last
6:03:55phrase means do not judge yourself too
6:03:58harshly. Another useful response is
6:04:01these things happen. Repeat these things
6:04:05happen. Or it could have happened to
6:04:07anyone. Repeat. It could have happened
6:04:10to anyone. Listen to this exchange. I
6:04:14feel terrible. I completely forgot about
6:04:16the meeting. These things happen. I
6:04:20should have written it down. Maybe. But
6:04:22don't be too hard on yourself. Just
6:04:25apologize and move on. Yeah, you're
6:04:28right, Shadow. These things happen.
6:04:32Repeat. These things happen. Don't be
6:04:35too hard on yourself. Repeat. Don't be
6:04:39too hard on yourself. Just apologize and
6:04:42move on. Repeat, just apologize and move
6:04:46on. Now, let's practice move on. It can
6:04:50mean continue after a problem,
6:04:53discussion, or event. Let's move on to
6:04:56the next thing. Repeat. Let's move on to
6:04:59the next thing. I made a mistake, but I
6:05:02learned from it and moved on. Repeat. I
6:05:06made a mistake, but I learned from it
6:05:09and moved on. Now, let's practice
6:05:12talking about lessons from past
6:05:14experiences.
6:05:15I learned that the hard way. Repeat. I
6:05:18learned that the hard way. This means
6:05:21you learned from a difficult or
6:05:23unpleasant experience. I learned the
6:05:26hard way that I need to back up my
6:05:28files. Repeat. I learned the hard way
6:05:31that I need to back up my files. I
6:05:34learned that lesson the hard way.
6:05:36Repeat. I learned that lesson the hard
6:05:38way. Now listen. Do you always make
6:05:41reservations now? Yes. We I learned that
6:05:45lesson the hard way. What happened? We
6:05:48once waited almost 2 hours for a table.
6:05:52Okay, that would do it. Shadow. I
6:05:55learned that lesson the hard way.
6:05:58Repeat. I learned that lesson the hard
6:06:00way. We once waited almost 2 hours for a
6:06:03table. Repeat. We once waited almost 2
6:06:07hours for a table. Now let's practice
6:06:10learning from experience in a more
6:06:13positive way. Looking back, I'm glad it
6:06:16happened. Repeat. Looking back, I'm glad
6:06:20it happened. Looking back means thinking
6:06:23about the past from your current
6:06:25perspective. Looking back, I probably
6:06:29worried too much. Repeat. Looking back,
6:06:33I probably worried too much. Looking
6:06:35back, that was a good decision. Repeat.
6:06:39Looking back, that was a good decision.
6:06:42Now, a longer reflection. Looking back,
6:06:46I think one of the biggest changes in my
6:06:48English came when I stopped waiting
6:06:50until I felt completely ready to speak.
6:06:53I realized I was never going to feel
6:06:56perfectly prepared for every
6:06:57conversation.
6:06:59Instead, I started using the language I
6:07:02already had. If I didn't know the exact
6:07:05word, I described the idea. If I made a
6:07:09mistake, I kept going. If someone spoke
6:07:13too quickly, I asked them to repeat the
6:07:16important part. That made real
6:07:18conversations feel much more manageable.
6:07:21Now, shadow, looking back, I think one
6:07:26of the biggest changes in my English
6:07:27came when I stopped waiting until I felt
6:07:30completely ready to speak. Repeat.
6:07:33Looking back, I think one of the biggest
6:07:36changes in my English came when I
6:07:38stopped waiting until I felt completely
6:07:40ready to speak. I realized I was never
6:07:43going to feel perfectly prepared for
6:07:45every conversation.
6:07:47Repeat. I realized I was never going to
6:07:50feel perfectly prepared for every
6:07:52conversation.
6:07:54Continue. Instead, I started using the
6:07:57language I already had. Repeat. Instead,
6:08:02I started using the language I already
6:08:04had. If I didn't know the exact word, I
6:08:07described the idea. Repeat. If I didn't
6:08:11know the exact word, I described the
6:08:14idea. If I made a mistake, I kept going.
6:08:18Repeat. If I made a mistake, I kept
6:08:21going. If someone spoke too quickly, I
6:08:25asked them to repeat the important part.
6:08:27Repeat. If someone spoke too quickly, I
6:08:31asked them to repeat the important part.
6:08:34That made real conversations feel much
6:08:36more manageable. Repeat. That made real
6:08:40conversations feel much more manageable.
6:08:42Manageable means something is possible
6:08:45to handle even if it is not easy. The
6:08:48workload is busy but manageable. Repeat.
6:08:52The workload is busy but manageable. The
6:08:56trip is long but manageable. Repeat. The
6:09:00trip is long but manageable. Now let's
6:09:04practice talking about gradual
6:09:06improvement. I'm getting better little
6:09:08by little. Repeat. I'm getting better.
6:09:11Little by little, it's starting to feel
6:09:15easier. Repeat. It's starting to feel
6:09:18easier. I'm noticing small improvements.
6:09:22Repeat. I'm noticing small improvements.
6:09:26I'm not where I want to be yet, but I'm
6:09:28making progress. Repeat. I'm not where I
6:09:32want to be yet, but I'm making progress.
6:09:35Now, answer this question aloud. What is
6:09:38one area of your English that feels
6:09:40easier now than it did before? Maybe
6:09:43listening, pronunciation, vocabulary,
6:09:47confidence, understanding fast speech,
6:09:50forming sentences, or responding more
6:09:53quickly. Explain what changed and what
6:09:56you think helped. You might say, "I
6:09:59think listening is getting easier. I
6:10:01still miss some words, but I'm better at
6:10:04understanding the overall meaning
6:10:06without translating everything. Shadow
6:10:08that if it matches your experience. I'm
6:10:11better at understanding the overall
6:10:13meaning without translating everything.
6:10:16Repeat. I'm better at understanding the
6:10:19overall meaning without translating
6:10:21everything. Now, let's practice overall
6:10:25meaning. You do not always need every
6:10:28word. Sometimes understanding the main
6:10:30idea is enough. Listen. I didn't catch
6:10:34every word, but I understood the main
6:10:36point. Repeat. I didn't catch every
6:10:39word, but I understood the main point. I
6:10:43could follow the conversation even
6:10:45though I missed a few details. Repeat. I
6:10:48could follow the conversation even
6:10:50though I missed a few details. That is
6:10:53an important listening skill. Real life
6:10:55listening is not a test where you lose
6:10:58points for every word you miss. You are
6:11:00trying to understand the message well
6:11:02enough to respond appropriately. Now,
6:11:05let's practice a final natural
6:11:07conversation for this stage. Listen
6:11:10first. How's your English practice going
6:11:12lately? Pretty well, actually. I feel
6:11:15like I'm understanding more when people
6:11:17speak naturally. That's great. What's
6:11:20helped the most? probably shadowing and
6:11:23listening to the same kinds of phrases
6:11:25repeatedly. I used to focus too much on
6:11:28individual words. Do you still translate
6:11:31in your head sometimes? Especially if
6:11:34the topic is complicated but much less
6:11:37than before. That's progress. Yeah, I'm
6:11:41still working on responding faster, but
6:11:44I definitely feel more comfortable now.
6:11:47Shadow. I feel like I'm understanding
6:11:50more when people speak naturally.
6:11:52Repeat. I feel like I'm understanding
6:11:55more when people speak naturally.
6:11:57Probably shadowing and listening to the
6:11:59same kinds of phrases repeatedly.
6:12:02Repeat. Probably shadowing and listening
6:12:05to the same kinds of phrases repeatedly.
6:12:08I used to focus too much on individual
6:12:10words. Repeat. I used to focus too much
6:12:14on individual words. Continue.
6:12:17Sometimes, especially if the topic is
6:12:20complicated but much less than before.
6:12:23Repeat. Sometimes, especially if the
6:12:26topic is complicated, but much less than
6:12:29before. I'm still working on responding
6:12:32faster, but I definitely feel more
6:12:35comfortable. Repeat. I'm still working
6:12:38on responding faster, but I definitely
6:12:41feel more comfortable. Now, let's finish
6:12:44with a fluency challenge that brings
6:12:46many of these skills together. Talk for
6:12:49one or two minutes about a decision,
6:12:52change, or recent experience in your
6:12:54life. It does not have to be dramatic.
6:12:58Maybe you changed your schedule, started
6:13:00a new routine, bought something, visited
6:13:03a new place, decided not to do
6:13:06something, or changed your opinion.
6:13:09Begin with some background. Explain what
6:13:12you originally thought or planned, then
6:13:15say what changed. Use phrases like, "At
6:13:18first, I wasn't sure it turned out I
6:13:22ended up looking back." Or, "If I had
6:13:26known." Mention one thing you learned
6:13:28from the experience. Then explain
6:13:30whether you would make the same choice
6:13:32again. Here is an example. At first, I
6:13:36wasn't sure whether I wanted to change
6:13:38my morning routine because I didn't
6:13:41think waking up earlier would make much
6:13:43difference. I decided to try it for a
6:13:46week and see how it went. The first few
6:13:48days were difficult because I wasn't
6:13:50used to getting up that early, but after
6:13:53a while, it got easier. I ended up
6:13:55having more time in the morning and I
6:13:58felt less rushed. Looking back, I'm glad
6:14:01I tried it. If I had known how much
6:14:04calmer my mornings would feel, I
6:14:06probably would have made the change
6:14:08earlier. Now, shadow that example in
6:14:11thought groups. At first, I wasn't sure
6:14:14whether I wanted to change my morning
6:14:16routine. Repeat. At first, I wasn't sure
6:14:20whether I wanted to change my morning
6:14:22routine. I decided to try it for a week
6:14:25and see how it went. Repeat. I decided
6:14:29to try it for a week and see how it
6:14:31went. The first few days were difficult
6:14:34because I wasn't used to getting up that
6:14:36early. Repeat. The first few days were
6:14:39difficult because I wasn't used to
6:14:41getting up that early. Continue. After a
6:14:44while, it got easier. Repeat. After a
6:14:48while, it got easier. I ended up having
6:14:51more time in the morning and I felt less
6:14:54rushed. Repeat. I ended up having more
6:14:57time in the morning and I felt less
6:14:59rushed. Looking back, I'm glad I tried
6:15:02it. Repeat. Looking back, I'm glad I
6:15:06tried it. If I had known how much calmer
6:15:08my mornings would feel, I probably would
6:15:11have made the change earlier. Repeat. If
6:15:14I had known how much calmer my mornings
6:15:16would feel, I probably would have made
6:15:19the change earlier. Now, create your own
6:15:22story. Do not copy mine word for word.
6:15:26Use the structure and the language
6:15:28patterns, but make the details yours.
6:15:32Speak out loud. If you forget a word,
6:15:35describe it. If you need time, say, "Let
6:15:39me think." If you make a mistake, repair
6:15:42it naturally and keep going. The goal
6:15:45now is not just to repeat English
6:15:48accurately. The goal is to become
6:15:50flexible with it. You want to hear a
6:15:53phrase like, "It turned out." and
6:15:56immediately know how you could use it in
6:15:58your own story. You want I'm fine either
6:16:01way to feel ready when someone gives you
6:16:04two choices. You want I haven't had a
6:16:08chance yet to come naturally when
6:16:11someone asks about something you still
6:16:13need to do. That kind of automatic
6:16:16response develops through repeated
6:16:18exposure and active use. You hear a
6:16:21phrase, you shadow it, you recognize it
6:16:24in another context, you use it yourself,
6:16:28then you use it again in a slightly
6:16:30different situation. Each time the
6:16:33phrase becomes easier to retrieve. Keep
6:16:36noticing how spoken English groups words
6:16:38together. I haven't had a chance yet
6:16:41should begin to feel like one familiar
6:16:43unit. I'm still trying to figure it out.
6:16:47Should feel like a complete pattern. If
6:16:49I had known, I would have should become
6:16:52a structure you can fill with your own
6:16:54experience. And keep remembering that
6:16:57natural speaking does not mean speaking
6:16:59as quickly as possible. Clear rhythm,
6:17:02appropriate stress, useful pauses, and
6:17:06confident delivery matter more than
6:17:08rushing. A good shadowing exercise
6:17:11teaches you when to connect words and
6:17:13when to pause between ideas. You are now
6:17:17working with much more than basic
6:17:18sentences. You are expressing
6:17:21uncertainty, mixed feelings,
6:17:24preferences, regret, hypothetical
6:17:27situations, follow-ups, polite
6:17:30corrections, requests, reactions,
6:17:34explanations,
6:17:35and reflections on past experiences.
6:17:38These are the tools that allow you to
6:17:40have longer and more meaningful
6:17:42conversations.
6:17:44So, keep practicing aloud. Keep
6:17:46listening for patterns instead of
6:17:48chasing every individual sound. Keep
6:17:51using repair phrases when you need them.
6:17:54Keep answering questions with reasons
6:17:56and examples. And keep turning the
6:17:59sentences you hear into sentences about
6:18:01your own life. That is how this practice
6:18:04moves from simple repetition into real
6:18:07speaking fluency.
6:18:09Now, let's keep moving forward by
6:18:11practicing conversations where people
6:18:14explain what they are thinking while
6:18:15they are still deciding. In real life,
6:18:18you do not always have a clear answer
6:18:20immediately. Sometimes you are weighing
6:18:23different options, thinking through
6:18:25consequences, or trying to decide what
6:18:27makes the most sense. Listen to this
6:18:30phrase. I'm still weighing my options.
6:18:34Repeat, I'm still weighing my options.
6:18:37This means you are comparing different
6:18:39choices before making a decision.
6:18:42Another natural expression is, "I'm
6:18:45trying to figure out what makes the most
6:18:47sense." Repeat, "I'm trying to figure
6:18:50out what makes the most sense." Or, "I
6:18:53haven't ruled anything out yet." Repeat,
6:18:56"I haven't ruled anything out yet." Rule
6:19:00something out means decide that an
6:19:02option is no longer possible or
6:19:04suitable. I haven't ruled out moving.
6:19:08Repeat. I haven't ruled out moving. We
6:19:11can rule out the first option. Repeat.
6:19:15We can rule out the first option. I
6:19:18don't think we should rule anything out
6:19:19yet. Repeat. I don't think we should
6:19:22rule anything out yet. Now, listen to a
6:19:26natural conversation. Have you decided
6:19:29what you're going to do? Not yet. I'm
6:19:32still weighing my options. What are you
6:19:35choosing between? Either staying where I
6:19:37am or taking a new position in another
6:19:40city. That's a big decision. Yeah, I'm
6:19:44trying to think about what makes the
6:19:45most sense longterm.
6:19:47Now, Shadow, I'm still weighing my
6:19:50options. Repeat, I'm still weighing my
6:19:54options. I'm trying to think about what
6:19:56makes the most sense longterm. Repeat,
6:20:00I'm trying to think about what makes the
6:20:01most sense longterm. Long-term is useful
6:20:05when talking about the future over a
6:20:07longer period. It might be more
6:20:09expensive now, but it could save money
6:20:12long term. Repeat, it might be more
6:20:15expensive now, but it could save money
6:20:18longterm. I'm thinking about what will
6:20:20be better for me longterm. Repeat, I'm
6:20:24thinking about what will be better for
6:20:26me longterm. Now compare that with short
6:20:30term. In the short term, staying here
6:20:33would be easier. Repeat. In the short
6:20:37term, staying here would be easier.
6:20:40Long-term though, moving might create
6:20:43more opportunities.
6:20:45Repeat. Long-term though, moving might
6:20:49create more opportunities.
6:20:51Now, let's practice explaining
6:20:53trade-offs. A trade-off is a situation
6:20:56where gaining one advantage usually
6:20:59means giving up another. You do not need
6:21:02to use the word every time, but the
6:21:04language around it is very useful.
6:21:07Listen. The advantage is that it's
6:21:09cheaper, but the downside is that it
6:21:11takes longer. Repeat. The advantage is
6:21:15that it's cheaper, but the downside is
6:21:17that it takes longer. Another one. I'd
6:21:20have more flexibility, but I'd also have
6:21:23less stability. Repeat. I'd have more
6:21:26flexibility, but I'd also have less
6:21:29stability. Listen to this conversation.
6:21:32Why are you considering the smaller
6:21:34apartment? Mostly because it's cheaper
6:21:37and much closer to work. What don't you
6:21:39like about it? It doesn't have much
6:21:42storage and the kitchen is tiny. So,
6:21:45there's a trade-off exactly. I'm trying
6:21:48to decide what matters more. Shadow,
6:21:52it's cheaper and much closer to work.
6:21:54Repeat, it's cheaper and much closer to
6:21:57work. It doesn't have much storage and
6:22:00the kitchen is tiny. Repeat, it doesn't
6:22:03have much storage and the kitchen is
6:22:05tiny. I'm trying to decide what matters
6:22:08more. Repeat, I'm trying to decide what
6:22:12matters more. Now, let's practice
6:22:15ranking priorities. The most important
6:22:17thing for me is location. Repeat. The
6:22:21most important thing for me is location.
6:22:24After that, price matters. Repeat. After
6:22:28that, price matters. Everything else is
6:22:31secondary. Repeat. Everything else is
6:22:35secondary. Another natural phrase is
6:22:38that's not a deal breaker for me.
6:22:40Repeat. That's not a deal breakaker for
6:22:43me. A deal breaker is something that
6:22:45makes you reject an option completely.
6:22:48The long commute would be a dealbreaker
6:22:50for me. Repeat, the long commute would
6:22:53be a deal breakaker for me. I don't love
6:22:55the small kitchen, but it's not a deal
6:22:58breakaker. Repeat. I don't love the
6:23:01small kitchen, but it's not a deal
6:23:03breakaker. Now listen, would you take
6:23:07the job if they offered it? Maybe. It
6:23:10depends on the schedule. Would working
6:23:13weekends be a problem? Occasionally, no.
6:23:17Every weekend would probably be a deal
6:23:19breakaker. Shadow. It depends on the
6:23:22schedule. Repeat. It depends on the
6:23:26schedule. Every weekend would probably
6:23:28be a deal breakaker. Repeat. Every
6:23:32weekend would probably be a deal
6:23:34breakaker. Now, let's move into another
6:23:37useful skill. Explaining why you changed
6:23:40your mind. Listen. I thought about it
6:23:43more and I decided against it. Repeat. I
6:23:47thought about it more and I decided
6:23:50against it. Decide against means choose
6:23:53not to do something. We were going to
6:23:55travel this weekend but we decided
6:23:58against it. Repeat. We were going to
6:24:01travel this weekend but we decided
6:24:04against it. Another expression is I had
6:24:08second thoughts. Repeat. I had second
6:24:12thoughts. This means you began to doubt
6:24:15a decision after initially making it. I
6:24:18was going to buy it, but I had second
6:24:20thoughts. Repeat. I was going to buy it,
6:24:24but I had second thoughts. I'm starting
6:24:27to have second thoughts about moving.
6:24:30Repeat. I'm starting to have second
6:24:32thoughts about moving. Now, listen to a
6:24:36natural exchange. I thought you were
6:24:38buying that car. I was, but I had second
6:24:42thoughts. What changed your mind? Mostly
6:24:45the cost. Once I added everything up, it
6:24:48didn't really make sense. Probably a
6:24:51smart decision. Shadow. I was, but I had
6:24:55second thoughts. Repeat. I was, but I
6:24:59had second thoughts. Once I added
6:25:01everything up, it didn't really make
6:25:03sense. Repeat. Once I added everything
6:25:07up, it didn't really make sense. Add
6:25:10everything up can literally mean
6:25:13calculate a total, but it can also mean
6:25:16consider all the costs or facts
6:25:18together. Once you add everything up,
6:25:21it's actually pretty expensive. Repeat,
6:25:24once you add everything up, it's
6:25:27actually pretty expensive. Now, let's
6:25:30practice talking about money in a more
6:25:32natural way. It's more than I want to
6:25:35spend. Repeat. It's more than I want to
6:25:38spend. It's a little outside my budget.
6:25:42Repeat. It's a little outside my budget.
6:25:45I can afford it, but I'm not sure it's
6:25:48worth the money. Repeat. I can afford
6:25:51it, but I'm not sure it's worth the
6:25:53money. Afford means have enough money
6:25:56for something without causing financial
6:25:58difficulty. I can't really afford that
6:26:01right now. Repeat. I can't really afford
6:26:04that right now. We could afford it, but
6:26:07we'd have to cut back somewhere else.
6:26:10Repeat. We could afford it, but we'd
6:26:12have to cut back somewhere else. Now,
6:26:16practice saying something is good value.
6:26:18For the price, it's pretty good. Repeat.
6:26:22For the price, it's pretty good. You get
6:26:25a lot for your money. Repeat. You get a
6:26:28lot for your money. It seems like a good
6:26:31value. Repeat. It seems like a good
6:26:34value. Now, let's practice explaining a
6:26:38purchase decision. Listen, I ended up
6:26:41buying the cheaper one because the
6:26:43difference didn't seem big enough to
6:26:45justify the extra cost. Repeat in
6:26:48smaller pieces. I ended up buying the
6:26:51cheaper one. Repeat. I ended up buying
6:26:54the cheaper one. The difference didn't
6:26:56seem big enough to justify the extra
6:26:59cost. Repeat. The difference didn't seem
6:27:02big enough to justify the extra cost.
6:27:05Justify means give a good enough reason
6:27:07for something. I couldn't justify
6:27:10spending that much. Repeat. I couldn't
6:27:13justify spending that much. It's hard to
6:27:16justify the extra cost. Repeat. It's
6:27:19hard to justify the extra cost. Now,
6:27:22let's shift to conversations about time
6:27:25management again, but with more natural
6:27:27advanced expressions. Listen.
6:27:31I've been stretched pretty thin lately.
6:27:33Repeat. I've been stretched pretty thin
6:27:36lately. This means you have too many
6:27:39responsibilities and not enough time or
6:27:42energy. Another phrase is I've got too
6:27:45much going on at once. Repeat. I've got
6:27:49too much going on at once. Or I'm trying
6:27:53not to overcommit. Repeat. I'm trying
6:27:56not to overcommit. Overcommit means
6:27:59agree to do more than you realistically
6:28:02have time or energy for. I've been
6:28:04saying yes to too many things. Repeat,
6:28:08I've been saying yes to too many things.
6:28:11I need to stop overcommitting.
6:28:13Repeat. I need to stop overcommitting.
6:28:16Listen to this conversation. Are you
6:28:19coming to the event Friday? I don't
6:28:21think so. I've got too much going on
6:28:24this week. You've been really busy
6:28:26lately. Yeah, I think I overcommitted. I
6:28:30need a quiet night. Fair enough, Shadow.
6:28:34I've got too much going on this week.
6:28:36Repeat. I've got too much going on this
6:28:39week. I think I overcommitted.
6:28:42Repeat. I think I overcommitted. I need
6:28:45a quiet night. Repeat. I need a quiet
6:28:49night. Now, let's practice setting
6:28:52boundaries naturally. I don't have the
6:28:55capacity to take that on right now.
6:28:57Repeat. I don't have the capacity to
6:29:00take that on right now. In professional
6:29:03English, capacity can mean available
6:29:06time and energy. A simpler version is I
6:29:10don't really have time to take that on
6:29:12right now. Repeat, I don't really have
6:29:16time to take that on right now. You can
6:29:19also say, "I can help, but I won't be
6:29:22able to start until tomorrow." Repeat. I
6:29:26can help, but I won't be able to start
6:29:29until tomorrow. Or I can do this, but
6:29:33I'll need to push something else back.
6:29:35Repeat. I can do this, but I'll need to
6:29:39push something else back. Now, listen to
6:29:42a workplace exchange. Can you take on
6:29:45one more task today? I can, but I'm
6:29:49already working on two urgent things.
6:29:51Which one should I push back? Good
6:29:54point. Finish the report first. This can
6:29:57wait until tomorrow. Okay, that works.
6:30:01Shadow, I'm already working on two
6:30:04urgent things. Repeat. I'm already
6:30:08working on two urgent things. Which one
6:30:10should I push back? Repeat. Which one
6:30:14should I push back? This can wait until
6:30:17tomorrow. Repeat. This can wait until
6:30:20tomorrow. Now, let's practice asking for
6:30:24clarity when priorities change. Has
6:30:26anything changed since this morning?
6:30:29Repeat. Has anything changed since this
6:30:32morning? Is this still the top priority?
6:30:36Repeat. Is this still the top priority?
6:30:39Should I stop what I'm doing and focus
6:30:41on this instead? Repeat. Should I stop
6:30:45what I'm doing and focus on this
6:30:47instead? These questions are practical
6:30:49because they help prevent wasted effort.
6:30:52Now, let's practice saying something is
6:30:55urgent without sounding dramatic. This
6:30:58needs to be handled today. Repeat. This
6:31:01needs to be handled today. We need to
6:31:03address this as soon as possible.
6:31:06Repeat, we need to address this as soon
6:31:09as possible. This is time-sensitive.
6:31:12Repeat. This is timesensitive.
6:31:15Timesensitive means a delay could create
6:31:18a problem. Now listen, is this something
6:31:22that can wait? Not really. It's pretty
6:31:25timesensitive.
6:31:26How soon do you need it? Ideally, by
6:31:29noon. Okay, I'll move it to the top of
6:31:32my list. Shadow, it's pretty
6:31:35timesensitive.
6:31:37Repeat, it's pretty timesensitive.
6:31:40Ideally by noon. Repeat. Ideally by noon
6:31:44I'll move it to the top of my list.
6:31:47Repeat. I'll move it to the top of my
6:31:49list. Now let's practice. Ideally,
6:31:53Ideally, I'd like to leave by five.
6:31:56Repeat. Ideally, I'd like to leave by
6:31:59five. Ideas are the beginning points of
6:32:02all fortunes.
6:32:04Ideas are the beginning points of all
6:32:06fortunes.
6:32:08Ideas are the beginning points of all
6:32:10fortunes. That works for me. Where do
6:32:13you want to meet? Maybe outside the
6:32:16station. Sure. Which entrance? The main
6:32:20entrance. Near the coffee shop. Perfect.
6:32:23I'll text you when I get there. Now,
6:32:26Shadow, how about 6:30? Repeat. How
6:32:31about 6:30? Maybe outside the station.
6:32:35Repeat. Maybe outside the station. I'll
6:32:38text you when I get there. Repeat. I'll
6:32:41text you when I get there. Now, make the
6:32:45situation more complicated. I might be
6:32:47running late because I have a meeting
6:32:49right before. How late do you think?
6:32:52Probably no more than 15 minutes. That's
6:32:55fine. Just keep me posted. We'll do.
6:32:59Repeat. Probably no more than 15
6:33:02minutes. again. Probably no more than 15
6:33:05minutes. Just keep me posted. Repeat.
6:33:09Just keep me posted. Now, let's practice
6:33:12estimating. I'd say about 20 minutes.
6:33:16Repeat. I'd say about 20 minutes at
6:33:19most. Half an hour. Repeat at most. Half
6:33:24an hour. At least an hour. Repeat. At
6:33:27least an hour. No more than 10 minutes.
6:33:30Repeat. No more than 10 minutes. These
6:33:34expressions help you communicate
6:33:36approximate time clearly. Now, let's
6:33:39practice asking someone how long
6:33:41something will take. How long do you
6:33:43think you'll be? Repeat. How long do you
6:33:46think you'll be? How much longer do you
6:33:49need? Repeat. How much longer do you
6:33:52need? Do you have an estimate? Repeat.
6:33:55Do you have an estimate? Now listen. How
6:33:59much longer do you need? Maybe 20
6:34:01minutes. Okay, I'll wait downstairs. You
6:34:05don't have to. I can text you when I'm
6:34:08ready. That works, too. Shadow, maybe 20
6:34:12minutes. Repeat. Maybe 20 minutes. I can
6:34:16text you when I'm ready. Repeat. I can
6:34:20text you when I'm ready. Now, let's
6:34:23practice talking about unexpected
6:34:25delays. I got caught up in something.
6:34:28Repeat. I got caught up in something.
6:34:31This means something took your attention
6:34:33or time longer than expected. Sorry, I
6:34:37got caught up in a meeting. Repeat.
6:34:40Sorry. I got caught up in a meeting. I
6:34:43was going to call earlier, but I got
6:34:45caught up with work. Repeat. I was going
6:34:48to call earlier, but I got caught up
6:34:51with work. Now compare that with caught
6:34:54up on. I got caught up in work means
6:34:57work kept you busy. I caught up on work
6:35:00means you completed work that had built
6:35:02up. Listen carefully. I got caught up in
6:35:05work. Repeat. I got caught up in work.
6:35:09Now I caught up on work. Repeat. I
6:35:13caught up on work. Now let's practice
6:35:16come up again in a more advanced way.
6:35:19Something unexpected came up. Repeat.
6:35:23Something unexpected came up. A question
6:35:26came up during the meeting. Repeat. A
6:35:29question came up during the meeting. The
6:35:31topic came up naturally. Repeat.
6:35:35The topic came up naturally. Now, let's
6:35:39talk about keeping conversations going
6:35:41when you disagree slightly. Suppose
6:35:44someone says, "I think everyone should
6:35:46work from the office." You could say, "I
6:35:50get what you're saying, but I think that
6:35:52depends a lot on the job." Repeat. I get
6:35:56what you're saying, but I think that
6:35:58depends a lot on the job. Another one. I
6:36:01agree in principle, but I'm not sure it
6:36:04works in every situation. Repeat. I
6:36:07agree in principle, but I'm not sure it
6:36:10works in every situation. In principle
6:36:12means you agree with the general idea,
6:36:15even if the details may be difficult. In
6:36:18principle, I agree. Repeat. In
6:36:21principle, I agree. In practice, though,
6:36:25it might be difficult. Repeat. In
6:36:28practice, though, it might be difficult.
6:36:31Now, listen to this exchange. I think
6:36:34meetings should always be in person. I
6:36:37agree in principle, but that can be
6:36:40difficult if people are in different
6:36:41locations. True. Sometimes online is
6:36:44simply more practical. That's fair,
6:36:47Shadow. I agree in principle, but that
6:36:50can be difficult if people are in
6:36:52different locations. Repeat, I agree in
6:36:55principle, but that can be difficult if
6:36:58people are in different locations.
6:37:00Sometimes online is simply more
6:37:02practical. Repeat, sometimes online is
6:37:06simply more practical. Now, let's
6:37:09practice clarifying your position. I'm
6:37:12not saying we should never do it.
6:37:14Repeat. I'm not saying we should never
6:37:17do it. I'm just saying we should be
6:37:19careful. Repeat. I'm just saying we
6:37:22should be careful. Or what I mean is
6:37:25that we need more information before we
6:37:28decide. Repeat. What I mean is that we
6:37:31need more information before we decide.
6:37:34What I mean is is an excellent repair
6:37:37and clarification phrase. What I mean
6:37:40is, I don't want to rush the decision.
6:37:43Repeat. What I mean is, I don't want to
6:37:47rush the decision. That's not exactly
6:37:49what I meant. Repeat. That's not exactly
6:37:53what I meant. Let me explain it another
6:37:55way. Repeat. Let me explain it another
6:37:58way. Now, listen. So, you're saying we
6:38:02should cancel? No, that's not exactly
6:38:05what I meant. I'm saying we should wait
6:38:08until we have more information. Oh,
6:38:11okay. That makes more sense. Shadow,
6:38:15that's not exactly what I meant. Repeat.
6:38:18That's not exactly what I meant. I'm
6:38:21saying we should wait until we have more
6:38:23information.
6:38:24Repeat. I'm saying we should wait until
6:38:27we have more information. Now, let's
6:38:30practice conversational emphasis. The
6:38:33thing is, repeat. The thing is, this
6:38:36phrase is often used before explaining
6:38:39the real issue. The thing is, I don't
6:38:42know if I'll be free that day. Repeat.
6:38:45The thing is,
6:38:47I don't know if I'll be free that day.
6:38:49The problem is we don't have enough
6:38:51time. Repeat. The problem is we don't
6:38:54have enough time. The good news is we
6:38:57still have another option. Repeat. The
6:39:00good news is we still have another
6:39:02option. Now combine them. The problem is
6:39:06we're running out of time. The good news
6:39:09is most of the work is already done.
6:39:12Repeat. The problem is we're running out
6:39:15of time. The good news is most of the
6:39:19work is already done. Now let's practice
6:39:22describing something that almost
6:39:24happened. I almost missed the bus.
6:39:27Repeat. I almost missed the bus. We
6:39:30almost forgot the tickets. Repeat. We
6:39:34almost forgot the tickets. I was about
6:39:36to leave when you called. Repeat. I was
6:39:40about to leave when you called. About to
6:39:43means something was going to happen very
6:39:45soon. I was just about to text you.
6:39:49Repeat. I was just about to text you.
6:39:52We're about to start. Repeat. We're
6:39:54about to start. Now listen to a story. I
6:39:59was about to leave the house when I
6:40:00realized I couldn't find my keys. I
6:40:03checked my pockets, my bag, and the
6:40:06kitchen counter, but they were nowhere.
6:40:09I was starting to panic because I was
6:40:11already running late. Then I noticed
6:40:13them sitting on a chair right by the
6:40:15door. I must have walked past them three
6:40:18times. Shadow it. I was about to leave
6:40:21the house when I realized I couldn't
6:40:23find my keys. Repeat. I was about to
6:40:26leave the house when I realized I
6:40:28couldn't find my keys. I checked my
6:40:31pockets. My bag and the kitchen counter,
6:40:35but they were nowhere. Repeat. I checked
6:40:38my pockets. My bag and the kitchen
6:40:41counter, but they were nowhere.
6:40:44Continue. I was starting to panic
6:40:46because I was already running late.
6:40:48Repeat. I was starting to panic because
6:40:51I was already running late. Then I
6:40:53noticed them sitting on a chair right by
6:40:56the door. Repeat. Then I noticed them
6:40:59sitting on a chair right by the door. I
6:41:02must have walked past them three times.
6:41:04Repeat. I must have walked past them
6:41:07three times. Now, let's practice must
6:41:10have for making a strong guess about the
6:41:12past. I must have left it at work.
6:41:16Repeat. I must have left it at work. She
6:41:19must have forgotten. Repeat. She must
6:41:22have forgotten. They must have changed
6:41:24the schedule. Repeat. They must have
6:41:27changed the schedule. You are not saying
6:41:30you know for certain. You are saying
6:41:32that explanation seems very likely. Now
6:41:36practice a weaker guess. I might have
6:41:38left it in the car. Repeat. I might have
6:41:42left it in the car. He may have
6:41:44misunderstood.
6:41:45Repeat. He may have misunderstood. We
6:41:49could have taken the wrong exit. Repeat.
6:41:52We could have taken the wrong exit. Now
6:41:56listen to this conversation. Where's
6:41:58your jacket? I can't find it. Did you
6:42:01leave it at the restaurant? Maybe. I
6:42:04must have put it on the back of my chair
6:42:06and forgotten about it. You should call
6:42:08them. Yeah, I will. Shadow. I must have
6:42:13put it on the back of my chair and
6:42:15forgotten about it. Repeat. I must have
6:42:18put it on the back of my chair and
6:42:20forgotten about it. Now, let's practice
6:42:23remembering and forgetting more
6:42:25naturally. I vaguely remember that.
6:42:28Repeat. I vaguely remember that. Vaguely
6:42:32means not clearly. That sounds familiar.
6:42:36Repeat. That sounds familiar. I can't
6:42:39remember the details. Repeat. I can't
6:42:42remember the details. It's on the tip of
6:42:45my tongue. Repeat. It's on the tip of my
6:42:48tongue. On the tip of my tongue means
6:42:51you almost remember a word or name but
6:42:54cannot quite produce it. What's her
6:42:56name? It's on the tip of my tongue.
6:42:59Repeat. It's on the tip of my tongue.
6:43:02Now listen. What was the name of that
6:43:05restaurant? I know this. It's on the tip
6:43:08of my tongue. Was it something Italian?
6:43:11Yes. Wait. I remember now. Repeat. It's
6:43:16on the tip of my tongue. Again, it's on
6:43:19the tip of my tongue. Wait, I remember
6:43:23now. Repeat. Wait, I remember now. Now,
6:43:28let's practice talking about something
6:43:30familiar. That rings a bell. Repeat.
6:43:34That rings a bell. This means something
6:43:36sounds familiar, but you may not
6:43:39remember exactly why. Have you heard of
6:43:41that company? The name rings a bell.
6:43:44Repeat, the name rings a bell. Now,
6:43:48let's move into social conversations
6:43:50about people you have not seen recently.
6:43:53How have things been with you? Repeat.
6:43:56How have things been with you? What have
6:43:59you been up to? Repeat. What have you
6:44:02been up to? Anything new? Repeat.
6:44:05Anything new? A natural answer could be
6:44:09nothing too exciting. Mostly work and
6:44:12the usual stuff. Repeat. Nothing too
6:44:15exciting. Mostly work and the usual
6:44:18stuff. Or a few things have changed.
6:44:22Actually, repeat. A few things have
6:44:25changed. Actually, now listen. Anything
6:44:30new with you? Actually, yeah. I started
6:44:34a new job a few weeks ago. Oh, really?
6:44:37How's that going? Pretty well so far.
6:44:40I'm still getting used to everything,
6:44:42but I like the team. That's good to
6:44:45hear, Shadow. I started a new job a few
6:44:48weeks ago. Repeat. I started a new job a
6:44:52few weeks ago. I'm still getting used to
6:44:54everything, but I like the team. Repeat,
6:44:58I'm still getting used to everything,
6:45:00but I like the team. That's good to
6:45:03hear. Is a useful, supportive response.
6:45:06Repeat, that's good to hear. You can
6:45:09also say, I'm glad to hear that. Repeat,
6:45:13I'm glad to hear that. Now, practice
6:45:16when the news is less positive. How's
6:45:18the new job? It's been a little
6:45:21stressful. Sorry to hear that. Repeat.
6:45:24Sorry to hear that. Or hopefully it gets
6:45:28easier once you settle in. Repeat.
6:45:31Hopefully it gets easier once you settle
6:45:33in. Settle in means become comfortable
6:45:37in a new place, role, or routine. It
6:45:41took me a few weeks to settle in.
6:45:43Repeat. It took me a few weeks to settle
6:45:46in. I'm starting to settle into the new
6:45:49routine. Repeat. I'm starting to settle
6:45:52into the new routine. Now, let's
6:45:55practice talking about first impressions
6:45:57versus later impressions. At first, I
6:46:00felt a little overwhelmed. Repeat. At
6:46:04first, I felt a little overwhelmed.
6:46:07After a few weeks, things started to
6:46:09make more sense. Repeat. After a few
6:46:13weeks, things started to make more
6:46:15sense. Now I feel much more comfortable.
6:46:19Repeat. Now I feel much more
6:46:22comfortable. Listen to the complete
6:46:24response. At first the new job felt
6:46:28overwhelming because there was so much
6:46:30to learn. After a few weeks though, I
6:46:34started getting used to the systems and
6:46:36understanding how everything worked. I
6:46:38still have questions sometimes, but I
6:46:41feel much more comfortable now. Now,
6:46:44Shadow. At first, the new job felt
6:46:48overwhelming because there was so much
6:46:50to learn. Repeat. At first, the new job
6:46:54felt overwhelming because there was so
6:46:56much to learn. After a few weeks though,
6:46:59I started getting used to the systems
6:47:01and understanding how everything worked.
6:47:04Repeat. After a few weeks though,
6:47:07though, I started getting used to the
6:47:09systems and understanding how everything
6:47:11worked. I still have questions
6:47:14sometimes. But I feel much more
6:47:16comfortable now. Repeat. I still have
6:47:20questions sometimes. But I feel much
6:47:22more comfortable now. Now, let's
6:47:25practice giving updates on progress. I'm
6:47:28getting the hang of it. Repeat. I'm
6:47:31getting the hang of it. This means you
6:47:33are beginning to understand how to do
6:47:35something. I'm still learning, but I'm
6:47:38getting the hang of it. Repeat. I'm
6:47:41still learning, but I'm getting the hang
6:47:43of it. Once you get the hang of it, it's
6:47:46pretty easy. Repeat. Once you get the
6:47:49hang of it, it's pretty easy. Now,
6:47:53listen. How's that new software?
6:47:56Confusing at first, but I'm getting the
6:47:58hang of it. Yeah, it takes a little
6:48:01time. Exactly. Once you know where
6:48:04everything is, it's not too bad, Shadow.
6:48:08I'm getting the hang of it. Repeat. I'm
6:48:12getting the hang of it. Once you know
6:48:14where everything is, it's not too bad.
6:48:17Repeat. Once you know where everything
6:48:20is, it's not too bad. Now, let's
6:48:24practice not too bad in different
6:48:27contexts. The traffic wasn't too bad.
6:48:30Repeat, the traffic wasn't too bad. The
6:48:34test wasn't too bad. Repeat, the test
6:48:37wasn't too bad. The weight wasn't too
6:48:40bad. Repeat, the weight wasn't too bad.
6:48:43This often means something was better or
6:48:45easier than expected. Now, let's move
6:48:48into conversations about making mistakes
6:48:50while learning something. I messed that
6:48:53up. Repeat. I messed that up. This is
6:48:56informal and means you made a mistake. I
6:48:59completely messed up the first time.
6:49:01Repeat. I completely messed up the first
6:49:04time, but I figured out what I did
6:49:06wrong. Repeat. But I figured out what I
6:49:09did wrong. Now a less negative version.
6:49:13I made a few mistakes, but that's part
6:49:16of learning. Repeat. I made a few
6:49:18mistakes, but that's part of learning.
6:49:21It took me a couple of tries to get it
6:49:23right. Repeat. It took me a couple of
6:49:26tries to get it right. A couple of tries
6:49:30means you attempted something more than
6:49:31once. I didn't get it right on the first
6:49:34try. Repeat. I didn't get it right on
6:49:37the first try. I finally got it on the
6:49:40third try. Repeat. I finally got it on
6:49:43the third try. Now, let's practice
6:49:46explaining a learning process. At first,
6:49:50I had to think about every step. Repeat.
6:49:53At first, I had to think about every
6:49:56step. Now, I can do it without thinking
6:49:59as much. Repeat. Now, I can do it
6:50:03without thinking as much. It's starting
6:50:05to become automatic. Repeat. It's
6:50:08starting to become automatic. That same
6:50:11idea applies directly to your English.
6:50:14At first, you may need to consciously
6:50:17think which tense do I need? Which word
6:50:20comes next? But with repeated exposure,
6:50:23common phrases start becoming automatic.
6:50:26Now, shadow this reflection. At first,
6:50:30shadowing can feel difficult because
6:50:32you're trying to listen, understand, and
6:50:35speak almost at the same time. That's a
6:50:39lot for your brain to handle. But with
6:50:41practice, familiar sentence patterns
6:50:44become easier to follow. You stop
6:50:47thinking about every individual word and
6:50:50start hearing the sentence in larger
6:50:52chunks. That's when your rhythm becomes
6:50:55smoother and your response time becomes
6:50:58faster.
6:50:59Repeat in thought groups. At first,
6:51:02shadowing can feel difficult because
6:51:05you're trying to listen, understand, and
6:51:08speak almost at the same time. Repeat.
6:51:12At first, shadowing can feel difficult
6:51:15because you're trying to listen,
6:51:17understand, and speak almost at the same
6:51:20time. That's a lot for your brain to
6:51:23handle. Repeat. That's a lot for your
6:51:25brain to handle. Continue. But with
6:51:28practice, familiar sentence patterns
6:51:31become easier to follow. Repeat. But
6:51:34with practice, familiar sentence
6:51:37patterns become easier to follow. You
6:51:39stop thinking about every individual
6:51:41word and start hearing the sentence in
6:51:44larger chunks. Repeat. You stop thinking
6:51:48about every individual word and start
6:51:50hearing the sentence in larger chunks.
6:51:53That's when your rhythm becomes smoother
6:51:55and your response time becomes faster.
6:51:57Repeat. That's when your rhythm becomes
6:52:00smoother and your response time becomes
6:52:02faster. Now, let's practice natural
6:52:06filler phrases carefully. Fillers can
6:52:08give you time, but you do not want to
6:52:11use too many. Listen. Well, repeat.
6:52:15Well, actually, repeat. Actually, let me
6:52:20think. Repeat. Let me think. I mean,
6:52:24repeat. I mean, you know, repeat. You
6:52:28know, these are common, but use them
6:52:31with purpose. For example, well, I'm not
6:52:35completely sure. Repeat. Well, I'm not
6:52:40completely sure. I mean, I understand
6:52:43why they did it. Repeat. I mean, I
6:52:47understand why they did it. You know,
6:52:49it's one of those things that takes
6:52:51time. Repeat. You know, it's one of
6:52:55those things that takes time. Now,
6:52:58listen to a natural response. Would you
6:53:00ever move to another country? Hm. I
6:53:04don't know. I mean, I definitely
6:53:07consider it if the right opportunity
6:53:08came up, but it would be a big change.
6:53:12Shadow, I'd definitely consider it if
6:53:14the right opportunity came up. Repeat.
6:53:18I'd definitely consider it if the right
6:53:20opportunity came up, but it would be a
6:53:23big change. Repeat. But it would be a
6:53:26big change. Come up here means become
6:53:29available or appear unexpectedly.
6:53:32If the right job came up, I'd consider
6:53:35moving. Repeat. If the right job came
6:53:38up, I'd consider moving. Now, let's
6:53:42practice hypothetical future situations.
6:53:45If I had the opportunity, I'd probably
6:53:48take it. Repeat. If I had the
6:53:50opportunity, I'd probably take it. If
6:53:54money weren't an issue, I'd travel more.
6:53:57Repeat. If money weren't an issue, I'd
6:54:00travel more. If I could work from
6:54:02anywhere, I'd probably spend part of the
6:54:05year somewhere warmer. Repeat. If I
6:54:08could work from anywhere, I'd probably
6:54:11spend part of the year somewhere warmer.
6:54:13Now answer this question aloud. If you
6:54:17could change one thing about your daily
6:54:19routine, what would you change? Give
6:54:22your answer and explain why. You might
6:54:24say, "If I could change one thing, I'd
6:54:27probably start work a little later
6:54:29because I'm more productive in the
6:54:31afternoon." Now, make your own response.
6:54:35Now, another question. If you could
6:54:37spend a month anywhere, where would you
6:54:40go? You can say, "I'd probably go
6:54:43somewhere quiet near the ocean because
6:54:45I'd like a break from busy city life."
6:54:48Or, "Choose your own place and reason."
6:54:50These hypothetical questions are useful
6:54:53because they force you to connect ideas,
6:54:56give reasons, and speak beyond simple
6:54:59factual information. Now, let's practice
6:55:03describing things you value. What
6:55:06matters most to me is having enough time
6:55:08for the people I care about. Repeat.
6:55:11What matters most to me is having enough
6:55:13time for the people I care about. I
6:55:16value flexibility more than I used to.
6:55:19Repeat. I value flexibility more than I
6:55:22used to. I've realized that free time is
6:55:25just as important as money. Repeat. I've
6:55:28realized that free time is just as
6:55:30important as money. Now listen to this
6:55:34conversation. What do you look for in a
6:55:37job? Obviously pay matters, but
6:55:40flexibility is really important to me,
6:55:42too. What kind of flexibility?
6:55:45Mostly having some control over my
6:55:47schedule. I've realized that makes a big
6:55:50difference in my quality of life.
6:55:52Shadow. Flexibility is really important
6:55:55to me, too. Repeat. Flexibility is
6:55:59really important to me, too. Having some
6:56:01control over my schedule. Repeat. Having
6:56:05some control over my schedule. That
6:56:07makes a big difference in my quality of
6:56:09life. Repeat. That makes a big
6:56:12difference in my quality of life. Now,
6:56:16let's practice talking about something
6:56:18being worthwhile. It takes effort, but I
6:56:21think it's worth it. Repeat. It takes
6:56:24effort, but I think it's worth it. It's
6:56:27not always easy, but the results are
6:56:30worth the effort. Repeat. It's not
6:56:33always easy, but the results are worth
6:56:35the effort. Use that with English.
6:56:38Practicing out loud can feel
6:56:40uncomfortable at first, but it's worth
6:56:42it. Repeat. Practicing out loud can feel
6:56:46uncomfortable at first, but it's worth
6:56:48it. The more you use your voice, the
6:56:51easier speaking becomes. Repeat. The
6:56:54more you use your voice, the easier
6:56:57speaking becomes. Now, let's practice a
6:57:00longer conversation about personal
6:57:02development. Listen first. Have you
6:57:05always been comfortable speaking in
6:57:07front of people? Not at all. I used to
6:57:10get really nervous. What changed? Mostly
6:57:14practice. I realized I was avoiding it
6:57:16because I wanted everything to come out
6:57:18perfectly. That sounds familiar.
6:57:21Eventually, I stopped trying to sound
6:57:24perfect and focused more on being clear.
6:57:27That made a huge difference. Do you
6:57:29still get nervous sometimes? But now I
6:57:34know I can handle it. Now shadow, I used
6:57:38to get really nervous. Repeat, I used to
6:57:41get really nervous. I realized I was
6:57:44avoiding it because I wanted everything
6:57:46to come out perfectly. Repeat, I
6:57:50realized I was avoiding it because I
6:57:52wanted everything to come out perfectly.
6:57:55Eventually, I stopped trying to sound
6:57:57perfect and focused more on being clear.
6:58:00Repeat. Eventually, I stopped trying to
6:58:03sound perfect and focused more on being
6:58:06clear. Sometimes, but now I know I can
6:58:10handle it. Repeat. Sometimes, but now I
6:58:14know I can handle it. Handle it means
6:58:17manage or deal with a situation
6:58:19successfully. I was nervous, but I
6:58:22handled it. Repeat. I was nervous, but I
6:58:26handled it. Don't worry, you can handle
6:58:29it. Repeat. Don't worry, you can handle
6:58:33it. Now, let's practice language for
6:58:36overcoming a small challenge. I was
6:58:39nervous at first, but once I got
6:58:41started, I felt better. Repeat. I was
6:58:44nervous at first, but once I got
6:58:47started, I felt better. The hardest part
6:58:49was getting started. Repeat. The hardest
6:58:52part was getting started. Once I got
6:58:54into it, it was fine. Repeat. Once I got
6:58:58into it, it was fine. Get into it here
6:59:02means become involved or comfortable
6:59:04doing something. I wasn't sure about the
6:59:07book at first, but once I got into it, I
6:59:10really liked it. Repeat. I wasn't sure
6:59:13about the book at first, but once I got
6:59:16into it, I really liked it. Now, let's
6:59:20practice talking about motivation.
6:59:23I don't always feel motivated, so I try
6:59:26to rely on routine. Repeat. I don't
6:59:30always feel motivated, so I try to rely
6:59:32on routine. Some days are easier than
6:59:35others. Repeat. Some days are easier
6:59:39than others. I try to do something even
6:59:42if I only have 10 minutes. Repeat. I try
6:59:46to do something even if I only have 10
6:59:48minutes. Now listen to a learning
6:59:51related response. I used to think I
6:59:54needed a full hour to study. So if I
6:59:57didn't have enough time, I'd skip it
6:59:59completely. Now I try to do something
7:00:02small instead. Even 10 minutes of
7:00:05listening or shadowing is better than
7:00:07doing nothing. Shadow it. I used to
7:00:10think I needed a full hour to study.
7:00:12Repeat. I used to think I needed a full
7:00:15hour to study. So if I didn't have
7:00:18enough time, I'd skip it completely.
7:00:21Repeat. So if I didn't have enough time,
7:00:24I'd skip it completely.
7:00:26Now I try to do something small instead.
7:00:29Repeat. Now I try to do something small
7:00:33instead. Even 10 minutes of listening or
7:00:36shadowing is better than doing nothing.
7:00:38Repeat. Even 10 minutes of listening or
7:00:41shadowing is better than doing nothing.
7:00:44Now let's practice better than nothing.
7:00:47A short walk is better than nothing.
7:00:50Repeat. A short walk is better than
7:00:53nothing. 10 minutes of practice is
7:00:56better than nothing. Repeat. 10 minutes
7:00:59of practice is better than nothing. It
7:01:02wasn't perfect, but it was better than
7:01:04nothing. Repeat. It wasn't perfect, but
7:01:07it was better than nothing. Now, let's
7:01:10talk about consistency. The key is to
7:01:13keep showing up. Repeat. The key is to
7:01:16keep showing up. Show up literally means
7:01:20arrive somewhere. But in this context,
7:01:22it can also mean continue making an
7:01:25effort. I'm trying to show up and
7:01:27practice even on days when I don't feel
7:01:29motivated. Repeat. I'm trying to show up
7:01:33and practice even on days when I don't
7:01:35feel motivated. Now, let's practice
7:01:38another natural phrase. I'm trying to
7:01:41build momentum. Repeat. I'm trying to
7:01:44build momentum. Build momentum means
7:01:47create progress that becomes easier to
7:01:49continue. Once I get into a routine,
7:01:53it's easier to keep the momentum going.
7:01:55Repeat. Once I get into a routine, it's
7:01:59easier to keep the momentum going. Now,
7:02:02listen to this conversation. How do you
7:02:05stay consistent? Honestly, I don't try
7:02:09to do too much at once. What do you
7:02:12mean? I'd rather practice 20 minutes
7:02:14every day than study for 3 hours once a
7:02:17week. That makes sense. It's easier to
7:02:20build momentum that way. Shadow, I don't
7:02:24try to do too much at once. Repeat. I
7:02:27don't try to do too much at once. I'd
7:02:30rather practice 20 minutes every day
7:02:32than study for 3 hours once a week.
7:02:35Repeat. I'd rather practice 20 minutes
7:02:38every day than study for 3 hours once a
7:02:41week. It's easier to build momentum that
7:02:44way. Repeat. It's easier to build
7:02:48momentum that way. Now, let's practice
7:02:51describing improvement you can feel. I
7:02:54don't have to think as long before I
7:02:56answer. Repeat. I don't have to think as
7:02:59long before I answer. I'm starting to
7:03:02recognize phrases before I consciously
7:03:04translate them. Repeat. I'm starting to
7:03:08recognize phrases before I consciously
7:03:10translate them. My pronunciation feels
7:03:13smoother than it used to. Repeat. My
7:03:16pronunciation feels smoother than it
7:03:18used to. Now, let's work with one of the
7:03:22most important fluency skills.
7:03:24Paraphrasing your own idea in a simpler
7:03:27way. Suppose you begin a sentence and
7:03:30realize it is becoming too complicated.
7:03:33You can say, "Let me put it another way,
7:03:36repeat." Let me put it another way. Or
7:03:40to put it simply, repeat. To put it
7:03:43simply or basically repeat basically
7:03:48listen I think the main issue is that
7:03:50we're trying to do too many things at
7:03:52the same time to put it simply we need
7:03:55to focus repeat to put it simply we need
7:03:59to focus another one the process has
7:04:03several different stages but basically
7:04:06you fill out the form send it in and
7:04:09wait for approval repeat basically
7:04:12You fill out the form, send it in, and
7:04:15wait for approval. These phrases help
7:04:18you control the complexity of your
7:04:20English. If your first explanation feels
7:04:23too complicated, simplify it. Now,
7:04:27practice this repair. I'm not explaining
7:04:29this very well, let me put it another
7:04:32way. Repeat. I'm not explaining this
7:04:35very well. Let me put it another way.
7:04:38This is extremely useful because it
7:04:40allows you to restart an explanation
7:04:43without feeling embarrassed. Now listen
7:04:46to a natural example. Why don't you want
7:04:49to take the earlier flight? Because if
7:04:51we take the earlier flight, we'd have to
7:04:54leave the hotel before 6 and then
7:04:57actually I'm making this too
7:04:59complicated. Basically, I don't want to
7:05:02wake up that early. Shadow, I'm making
7:05:06this too complicated. Repeat. I'm making
7:05:09this too complicated. Basically, I don't
7:05:12want to wake up that early. Repeat.
7:05:15Basically, I don't want to wake up that
7:05:18early. Now, let's practice telling
7:05:21someone you understand their point, but
7:05:24need time to think. I see what you mean.
7:05:27Let me think about that. Repeat. I see
7:05:30what you mean. Let me think about that.
7:05:33That's a good point. I hadn't thought
7:05:35about it that way. Repeat, that's a good
7:05:38point. I hadn't thought about it that
7:05:41way. I hadn't thought about it that way
7:05:44is useful when someone gives you a new
7:05:46perspective. Repeat, I hadn't thought
7:05:49about it that way. You can also say,
7:05:51"That gives me something to think
7:05:53about." Repeat, "That gives me something
7:05:56to think about." Now, listen, maybe the
7:06:00cheaper option costs less now, but what
7:06:02if you have to replace it sooner? That's
7:06:04a good point. I hadn't thought about it
7:06:07that way. It might be worth paying more
7:06:09for something that lasts. Yeah, that
7:06:12gives me something to think about.
7:06:14Shadow, I hadn't thought about it that
7:06:17way. Repeat. I hadn't thought about it
7:06:20that way. That gives me something to
7:06:23think about. Repeat. That gives me
7:06:26something to think about. Now, let's
7:06:29practice ending a discussion without
7:06:31necessarily making a decision. Let's
7:06:34think about it and come back to it
7:06:36tomorrow. Repeat. Let's think about it
7:06:39and come back to it tomorrow. We don't
7:06:42have to decide right now. Repeat. We
7:06:45don't have to decide right now. Let's
7:06:48sleep on it. Repeat. Let's sleep on it.
7:06:51Sleep on it means wait until the next
7:06:53day before making an important decision.
7:06:56I'm not sure yet. Let me sleep on it.
7:07:00Repeat. Let me sleep on it. We can sleep
7:07:03on it and decide tomorrow. Repeat. We
7:07:06can sleep on it and decide tomorrow.
7:07:09Now, let's practice another useful
7:07:11phrase. There's no need to rush. Repeat.
7:07:15There's no need to rush. We have time to
7:07:18think it through. Repeat. We have time
7:07:21to think it through. Think something
7:07:23through means consider it carefully from
7:07:25beginning to end. I want to think this
7:07:28through before I decide. Repeat. I want
7:07:31to think this through before I decide.
7:07:34Now, listen to this exchange. Do you
7:07:37want to accept the offer? I'm not sure
7:07:40yet. You have until Friday, right? Yeah.
7:07:43Then there's no need to rush. Think it
7:07:46through. You're right. I'll sleep on it,
7:07:49Shadow. There's no need to rush. Repeat.
7:07:53There's no need to rush. Think it
7:07:55through. Repeat. Think it through. I'll
7:07:58sleep on it. Repeat. I'll sleep on it
7:08:02now. Let's practice talking about
7:08:05something becoming clear. It's starting
7:08:07to make sense now. Repeat. It's starting
7:08:10to make sense now. I think I understand
7:08:13the bigger picture. Repeat. I think I
7:08:16understand the bigger picture. The
7:08:18bigger picture means the overall
7:08:20situation rather than small details. At
7:08:24first I was focused on one problem but
7:08:27now I can see the bigger picture.
7:08:30Repeat. At first I was focused on one
7:08:33problem but now I can see the bigger
7:08:36picture. Now connect this to listening
7:08:40practice. When you listen to natural
7:08:42English, do not get trapped by one word
7:08:45you missed. Keep listening for the
7:08:47bigger picture. Ask yourself what are
7:08:50they talking about? What happened? How
7:08:53does the speaker feel? What decision are
7:08:56they making? What problem are they
7:08:58trying to solve? If you understand those
7:09:01things, you may understand the
7:09:04conversation even if you missed several
7:09:06individual words. Now, shadow this. I
7:09:10don't need to understand every single
7:09:12word to follow the conversation. Repeat.
7:09:16I don't need to understand every single
7:09:18word to follow the conversation. I can
7:09:21use context to fill in some of the gaps.
7:09:24Repeat. I can use context to fill in
7:09:27some of the gaps. The more I listen, the
7:09:30better I get at predicting what comes
7:09:31next. Repeat. The more I listen, the
7:09:35better I get at predicting what comes
7:09:36next. Fill in the gaps means use
7:09:39available information to understand what
7:09:42is missing. Repeat. Fill in the gaps.
7:09:45Context helps you fill in the gaps.
7:09:48Repeat. Context helps you fill in the
7:09:51gaps. Now, let's practice a listening
7:09:54challenge with faster, more connected
7:09:56ideas. Listen first without repeating.
7:09:59Yesterday was one of those days where
7:10:01nothing went exactly wrong, but
7:10:04everything took longer than it should
7:10:05have. I left home on time, but traffic
7:10:09was unusually heavy. Then I got to work
7:10:12and realized I'd forgotten something I
7:10:14needed for a meeting. The meeting itself
7:10:17went fine, but it ran over by almost 40
7:10:20minutes, which meant I had to move
7:10:22everything else around. By the time I
7:10:25finished work, I was tired and behind on
7:10:27a few things I'd planned to do after
7:10:30work. I almost canled dinner with a
7:10:32friend, but I decided to go anyway. I'm
7:10:36glad I did because once I got there, I
7:10:39relaxed and stopped thinking about work.
7:10:42Now, shadow it in thought groups.
7:10:45Yesterday was one of those days where
7:10:47nothing went exactly wrong, but
7:10:49everything took longer than it should
7:10:51have. Repeat. Yesterday was one of those
7:10:54days where nothing went exactly wrong,
7:10:57but everything took longer than it
7:10:58should have. I left home on time, but
7:11:02traffic was unusually heavy. Repeat. I
7:11:05left home on time, but traffic was
7:11:08unusually heavy. Continue. Then I got to
7:11:11work and realized I'd forgotten
7:11:13something I needed for a meeting.
7:11:15Repeat. Then I got to work and realized
7:11:18I'd forgotten something I needed for a
7:11:20meeting. The meeting itself went fine,
7:11:23but it ran over by almost 40 minutes.
7:11:26Repeat. The meeting itself went fine,
7:11:29but it ran over by almost 40 minutes.
7:11:32Run over can mean continue longer than
7:11:35scheduled. The meeting ran over by 20
7:11:38minutes. Repeat, the meeting ran over by
7:11:4120 minutes. Sorry, the call ran over.
7:11:46Repeat. Sorry, the call ran over.
7:11:49Continue the passage. That meant I had
7:11:51to move everything else around. Repeat.
7:11:54That meant I had to move everything else
7:11:56around. By the time I finished work, I
7:11:59was tired and behind on a few things I'd
7:12:01planned to do after work. Repeat. By the
7:12:05time I finished work, I was tired and
7:12:07behind on a few things I'd planned to do
7:12:09after work. Continue. I almost canled
7:12:13dinner with a friend, but I decided to
7:12:15go anyway. Repeat. I almost canled
7:12:19dinner with a friend, but I decided to
7:12:22go anyway. I'm glad I did because once I
7:12:25got there, I relaxed and stopped
7:12:28thinking about work. Repeat. I'm glad I
7:12:31did because once I got there, I relaxed
7:12:34and stopped thinking about work. Now
7:12:37tell a similar story about a day when
7:12:39things did not go exactly according to
7:12:41plan. Use the language you have learned.
7:12:44Maybe something ran over. Maybe you got
7:12:47held up. Maybe you forgot something.
7:12:50Maybe you almost cancelled a plan but
7:12:52went anyway. The details do not matter.
7:12:55The goal is to connect events clearly.
7:12:58Now let's practice describing a hectic
7:13:01day. It was one thing after another.
7:13:05Repeat. It was one thing after another.
7:13:08This means problems or tasks kept
7:13:11happening with almost no break. As soon
7:13:14as I finished one thing, something else
7:13:16came up. Repeat. As soon as I finished
7:13:19one thing, something else came up. I
7:13:22barely had time to stop. Repeat. I
7:13:26barely had time to stop. Now listen, how
7:13:29was work? Honestly, it was one thing
7:13:33after another. That bad? Not terrible,
7:13:37just non-stop. Every time I finish
7:13:40something, another problem came up.
7:13:43Sounds exhausting. Shadow. It was one
7:13:46thing after another. Repeat. It was one
7:13:49thing after another. Every time I finish
7:13:52something, another problem came up.
7:13:56Repeat. Every time I finish something,
7:13:59another problem came up. Now, let's
7:14:02practice the opposite. It was
7:14:04surprisingly quiet today. Repeat. It was
7:14:08surprisingly quiet today. I had a chance
7:14:11to catch up on a few things. Repeat, I
7:14:14had a chance to catch up on a few
7:14:16things. I finally got some breathing
7:14:19room. Repeat, I finally got some
7:14:22breathing room. Breathing room means
7:14:25extra time or space that reduces
7:14:27pressure. This gives us a little
7:14:29breathing room. Repeat. This gives us a
7:14:32little breathing room. Finishing early
7:14:34gave me some breathing room before the
7:14:36next deadline. Repeat. Finishing early
7:14:39gave me some breathing room before the
7:14:41next deadline. Now, let's practice
7:14:43language for making gradual progress.
7:14:46I'm slowly getting through it. Repeat.
7:14:49I'm slowly getting through it. I'm
7:14:52making steady progress. Repeat. I'm
7:14:55making steady progress. It's taking
7:14:58time, but I'm moving in the right
7:15:00direction. Repeat. It's taking time, but
7:15:04I'm moving in the right direction. Now,
7:15:06use that for English. I'm not fluent
7:15:09yet, but I'm moving in the right
7:15:11direction. Repeat. I'm not fluent yet,
7:15:15but I'm moving in the right direction.
7:15:17I'm getting more comfortable with
7:15:19natural speech. Repeat. I'm getting more
7:15:22comfortable with natural speech. I can
7:15:24tell that the practice is starting to
7:15:26pay off. Repeat. I can tell that the
7:15:29practice is starting to pay off. Payoff
7:15:32means produce a positive result after
7:15:34effort. All that practice is starting to
7:15:37pay off. Repeat. All that practice is
7:15:40starting to pay off. The extra effort
7:15:43really paid off. Repeat. The extra
7:15:47effort really paid off. Now, let's
7:15:50practice describing something that
7:15:52requires patience. It takes time.
7:15:55Repeat. It takes time. You have to give
7:15:59it time. Repeat. You have to give it
7:16:02time. Progress doesn't always happen in
7:16:04a straight line. Repeat. Progress
7:16:07doesn't always happen in a straight
7:16:09line. Sometimes you improve quickly,
7:16:12then feel stuck for a while. That does
7:16:14not necessarily mean you are not
7:16:16learning. Your brain may be
7:16:18consolidating patterns that you have
7:16:19heard many times. Then suddenly a phrase
7:16:22you used to struggle with starts feeling
7:16:25easy. Listen and shadow. Sometimes
7:16:28progress is obvious and sometimes it's
7:16:31hard to notice. Repeat. Sometimes
7:16:34progress is obvious and sometimes it's
7:16:37hard to notice. That's why it helps to
7:16:40compare yourself with where you were a
7:16:42few months ago, not where you want to be
7:16:44eventually. repeat. That's why it helps
7:16:47to compare yourself with where you were
7:16:49a few months ago, not where you want to
7:16:52be eventually. Now, let's practice
7:16:55expressing encouragement naturally.
7:16:58You're making progress. Repeat. You're
7:17:01making progress. Keep at it. Repeat.
7:17:05Keep at it. Keep at it means continue
7:17:09making an effort. You're doing better
7:17:11than you think. Repeat. You're doing
7:17:14better than you think. Give yourself
7:17:17time. Repeat. Give yourself time. Now,
7:17:22let's practice encouraging yourself. I
7:17:25don't need to get everything right
7:17:26today. Repeat. I don't need to get
7:17:30everything right today. I just need to
7:17:32keep improving. Repeat. I just need to
7:17:35keep improving. Every conversation gives
7:17:38me more practice. Repeat. Every
7:17:41conversation gives me more practice.
7:17:44Now, let's move into another natural
7:17:47conversation that includes planning,
7:17:49uncertainty, and compromise.
7:17:52Listen, first, what are you thinking
7:17:55about doing for the weekend? I'm not
7:17:57sure yet. I want to get out of the city,
7:18:00but I don't want to spend too much. What
7:18:03about a day trip instead of staying
7:18:05overnight? That might actually make more
7:18:08sense. We could leave early, spend the
7:18:11day somewhere, and come back at night.
7:18:14Yeah, I like that. It would be cheaper
7:18:17and easier to plan. Do you have anywhere
7:18:20in mind? Not yet. Let me look into a few
7:18:24places tonight. Now, Shadow, I want to
7:18:28get out of the city, but I don't want to
7:18:31spend too much. Repeat. I want to get
7:18:34out of the city, but I don't want to
7:18:36spend too much. What about a day trip
7:18:38instead of staying overnight? Repeat.
7:18:42What about a day trip instead of staying
7:18:44overnight? That might actually make more
7:18:46sense. Repeat. That might actually make
7:18:50more sense. Continue. It would be
7:18:52cheaper and easier to plan. Repeat. It
7:18:56would be cheaper and easier to plan. Do
7:18:59you have anywhere in mind? Repeat. Do
7:19:02you have anywhere in mind? Let me look
7:19:04into a few places tonight. Repeat. Let
7:19:08me look into a few places tonight. Have
7:19:10something in mind means already be
7:19:12thinking of a particular idea. Do you
7:19:15have a restaurant in mind? Repeat. Do
7:19:18you have a restaurant in mind? I have a
7:19:21couple of places in mind. Repeat. I have
7:19:24a couple of places in mind. Nothing
7:19:26specific comes to mind. Repeat. Nothing
7:19:30specific comes to mind. Now, let's
7:19:33practice come to mind. What's the first
7:19:36thing that comes to mind? Repeat. What's
7:19:39the first thing that comes to mind?
7:19:42Nothing comes to mind right now. Repeat.
7:19:45Nothing comes to mind right now. Now,
7:19:48let's talk about spontaneous plans. We
7:19:51decided at the last minute. Repeat. We
7:19:55decided at the last minute. It was
7:19:58completely spontaneous. Repeat. It was
7:20:01completely spontaneous. We didn't really
7:20:04plan anything in advance. Repeat, we
7:20:07didn't really plan anything in advance.
7:20:10Listen, did you plan that trip? Not at
7:20:13all. We decided Friday night and left
7:20:16Saturday morning. Wow, that was
7:20:18spontaneous.
7:20:20Yeah, and honestly, it was one of the
7:20:22best weekends we've had in a while.
7:20:25Shadow, we decided Friday night and left
7:20:28Saturday morning. Repeat. We decided
7:20:31Friday night and left Saturday morning.
7:20:34It was one of the best weekends we've
7:20:36had in a while. Repeat. It was one of
7:20:39the best weekends we've had in a while.
7:20:42Now, let's practice talking about
7:20:44something not going to plan, but still
7:20:47turning out well. Nothing went according
7:20:49to plan, but we still had a great time.
7:20:52Repeat. Nothing went according to plan,
7:20:55but we still had a great time. We got
7:20:58lost, it rained, and the restaurant we
7:21:01wanted was closed, but somehow it was
7:21:03still fun. Repeat. We got lost, it
7:21:07rained, and the restaurant we wanted was
7:21:09closed, but somehow it was still fun.
7:21:12This kind of storytelling sounds natural
7:21:15because you are giving contrast and
7:21:16reaction. Now, let's practice. Somehow,
7:21:21somehow we made it on time. Repeat.
7:21:25Somehow we made it on time. I don't know
7:21:29how, but somehow it worked. Repeat. I
7:21:33don't know how, but somehow it worked.
7:21:36Somehow I managed to finish everything.
7:21:39Repeat. Somehow I managed to finish
7:21:43everything. Now, let's practice telling
7:21:46someone something unexpected worked out.
7:21:48It all came together in the end. Repeat.
7:21:52It all came together in the end. Come
7:21:54together can mean different pieces
7:21:56finally worked successfully. At first
7:22:00everything felt disorganized
7:22:02but it all came together in the end.
7:22:05Repeat. At first everything felt
7:22:08disorganized but it all came together in
7:22:10the end. Now let's work on more advanced
7:22:14fluency through contrast. Listen. I
7:22:17thought I'd be nervous but once the
7:22:19conversation started I relaxed. Repeat.
7:22:23I thought I'd be nervous, but once the
7:22:26conversation started, I relaxed. I
7:22:29expected to struggle with the
7:22:30vocabulary, but the hardest part was
7:22:33actually understanding the speed.
7:22:35Repeat. I expected to struggle with the
7:22:38vocabulary, but the hardest part was
7:22:40actually understanding the speed. Now,
7:22:43build your own contrast. Think of an
7:22:46English skill you expected to be
7:22:48difficult. maybe pronunciation,
7:22:51listening, grammar or speaking. Then say
7:22:54what actually turned out to be
7:22:56difficult. For example, I thought
7:22:59pronunciation would be the hardest part,
7:23:01but for me, responding quickly is
7:23:04actually more difficult. Now, let's
7:23:07practice talking about progress without
7:23:10exaggerating.
7:23:11I'm definitely improving, but I still
7:23:14have a lot to work on. Repeat. I'm
7:23:17definitely improving, but I still have a
7:23:20lot to work on. I'm comfortable in some
7:23:23situations,
7:23:24but others are still challenging.
7:23:27Repeat. I'm comfortable in some
7:23:30situations, but others are still
7:23:32challenging. This balanced language
7:23:35sounds natural and realistic. Now,
7:23:38listen. Do you feel fluent yet? Not
7:23:42really, but I feel much more comfortable
7:23:44than I used to. What's still difficult?
7:23:48Fast group conversations are probably
7:23:50the hardest because people interrupt
7:23:52each other and change topics quickly.
7:23:55Yeah, those can be tough, but I'm
7:23:58getting better at following the main
7:23:59idea. Shadow, I feel much more
7:24:02comfortable than I used to. Repeat. I
7:24:05feel much more comfortable than I used
7:24:07to. Fast group conversations are
7:24:10probably the hardest. Repeat. Fast group
7:24:14conversations are probably the hardest.
7:24:17I'm getting better at following the main
7:24:19idea. Repeat. I'm getting better at
7:24:23following the main idea. Now, let's
7:24:26practice listening in groups. In group
7:24:29conversations,
7:24:31you may miss some words because people
7:24:33overlap, laugh, or speak quickly. Do not
7:24:37try to chase every missed word. Instead,
7:24:40listen for repeated key ideas. Listen
7:24:44for names, places, times, reactions, and
7:24:48changes in topic. Pay attention to
7:24:50whether people sound excited, uncertain,
7:24:54annoyed, amused, or serious. Now, shadow
7:24:59this advice. I don't need to understand
7:25:01everything to stay involved. Repeat. I
7:25:04don't need to understand everything to
7:25:06stay involved. If I lose the thread, I
7:25:10can listen for a few seconds and rejoin
7:25:12when I understand the topic again.
7:25:14Repeat. If I lose the thread, I can
7:25:18listen for a few seconds and rejoin when
7:25:20I understand the topic again. Lose the
7:25:23thread means stop following the main
7:25:25idea. Repeat, I lost the thread for a
7:25:29second. Another phrase is I missed part
7:25:32of that. Repeat, I missed part of that.
7:25:36Now imagine a group is talking and you
7:25:39want to join in. You can say, "Wait, are
7:25:43you talking about the restaurant
7:25:45downtown?" Repeat, "Wait, are you
7:25:49talking about the restaurant downtown?"
7:25:52Or, "Sorry, I missed the beginning. What
7:25:56happened?" Repeat, "Sorry, I missed the
7:26:00beginning. What happened?" These phrases
7:26:03help you re-enter instead of staying
7:26:05silent. Now, let's practice one more
7:26:08advanced conversation. Listen first. Did
7:26:12you hear about the schedule change? Only
7:26:14part of it. What happened? They moved
7:26:17the training session from Tuesday to
7:26:19Thursday. This Thursday? No, next
7:26:23Thursday. Okay, that makes more sense. I
7:26:27thought you meant this week. No, we've
7:26:30got another week. Good. I was wondering
7:26:33how we were supposed to get everything
7:26:34ready that quickly. Now, Shadow, only
7:26:38part of it. What happened? Repeat. Only
7:26:42part of it. What happened this Thursday?
7:26:46Repeat this Thursday. Okay, that makes
7:26:50more sense. Repeat. Okay, that makes
7:26:53more sense. I was wondering how we were
7:26:56supposed to get everything ready that
7:26:58quickly. Repeat. I was wondering how we
7:27:01were supposed to get everything ready
7:27:02that quickly. Now, let's practice
7:27:05supposed to in another way. How am I
7:27:08supposed to do that? Repeat. How am I
7:27:11supposed to do that? This can express
7:27:13confusion or frustration. Where are we
7:27:16supposed to meet? Repeat. Where are we
7:27:19supposed to meet? What time are we
7:27:21supposed to be there? Repeat. What time
7:27:24are we supposed to be there? Now, let's
7:27:27practice meant to. I was meant to call
7:27:30you yesterday. Repeat. I was meant to
7:27:33call you yesterday. In some contexts,
7:27:36meant to is similar to supposed to. I
7:27:39was meant to send that earlier. Repeat.
7:27:42I was meant to send that earlier. But
7:27:45mean to also expresses intention. I
7:27:48meant to call you. Repeat. I meant to
7:27:51call you. Listen. Did you send the form?
7:27:55No. I meant to do it yesterday, but it
7:27:59slipped my mind. Repeat. I meant to do
7:28:02it yesterday, but it slipped my mind.
7:28:05Now, let's practice apologizing more
7:28:08naturally when you forgot something.
7:28:11I'm sorry, that completely slipped my
7:28:14mind. Repeat. I'm sorry, that completely
7:28:17slipped my mind. I should have written
7:28:20it down. Repeat. I should have written
7:28:23it down. I'll take care of it right now.
7:28:26Repeat. I'll take care of it right now.
7:28:29This gives an apology, an explanation,
7:28:32and a solution. Now, let's practice
7:28:35another kind of apology. Sorry for the
7:28:38late reply. Repeat. Sorry for the late
7:28:41reply. I got busy and completely lost
7:28:44track of time. Repeat. I got busy and
7:28:47completely lost track of time. Thanks
7:28:50for your patience. Repeat. Thanks for
7:28:53your patience. Thanks for your patience
7:28:56is useful when someone has had to wait.
7:28:58Repeat. Thanks for your patience.
7:29:01Another phrase is thanks for bearing
7:29:04with me. Repeat. Thanks for bearing with
7:29:06me. Bear with me means be patient while
7:29:10you finish or solve something. Listen.
7:29:13Bear with me for a second while I pull
7:29:15that up. Repeat. Bear with me for a
7:29:18second while I pull that up. Thanks for
7:29:21bearing with me. Repeat. Thanks for
7:29:24bearing with me. Now, let's practice
7:29:27pull up when working with information on
7:29:29a screen. Let me pull up your account.
7:29:33Repeat, let me pull up your account.
7:29:36I'll pull up the email. Repeat, I'll
7:29:39pull up the email. Can you pull up the
7:29:42schedule? Repeat. Can you pull up the
7:29:45schedule? Now, let's move into a more
7:29:48advanced narrative. Listen first. A few
7:29:52weeks ago, I had one of those mornings
7:29:54where everything seemed slightly off. I
7:29:57woke up before my alarm, which sounds
7:30:00good, but then I fell back asleep, and
7:30:03ended up getting up later than usual. I
7:30:06rushed through breakfast, grabbed my
7:30:08bag, and left the house without checking
7:30:10the weather. Halfway to work, it started
7:30:14raining. Of course, I didn't have an
7:30:16umbrella. Then, I realized I'd left my
7:30:19lunch at home. None of these things was
7:30:22a serious problem, but together they
7:30:24made the morning feel more stressful
7:30:26than it needed to be. By lunchtime
7:30:29though, things had settled down. A
7:30:32coworker invited me to eat with them.
7:30:34The rain stopped and the rest of the day
7:30:37was actually fine. Looking back, it's
7:30:41funny how quickly a few small problems
7:30:43can make a normal morning feel chaotic.
7:30:46Now, shadow it. I woke up before my
7:30:49alarm, which sounds good, but then I
7:30:52fell back asleep and ended up getting up
7:30:54later than usual. Repeat. I woke up
7:30:57before my alarm, which sounds good, but
7:31:01then I fell back asleep and ended up
7:31:03getting up later than usual. I rushed
7:31:06through breakfast, grabbed my bag, and
7:31:08left the house without checking the
7:31:10weather. Repeat. I rushed through
7:31:13breakfast, grabbed my bag, and left the
7:31:16house without checking the weather.
7:31:18Continue. Halfway to work, it started
7:31:21raining. Repeat. Halfway to work, it
7:31:25started raining. Of course, I didn't
7:31:28have an umbrella. Repeat. Of course, I
7:31:31didn't have an umbrella. Then I realized
7:31:34I'd left my lunch at home. Repeat. Then
7:31:37I realized I'd left my lunch at home.
7:31:40Continue. None of these things was a
7:31:42serious problem, but together they made
7:31:45the morning feel more stressful than it
7:31:47needed to be. Repeat. None of these
7:31:50things was a serious problem, but
7:31:52together they made the morning feel more
7:31:54stressful than it needed to be. By
7:31:57lunchtime though, things had settled
7:31:59down. Repeat. By lunchtime though,
7:32:02things had settled down. Settle down can
7:32:05mean become calmer. Things eventually
7:32:08settled down. Repeat. Things eventually
7:32:12settled down. The office was chaotic in
7:32:14the morning, but it settled down later.
7:32:17Repeat. The office was chaotic in the
7:32:20morning, but it settled down later.
7:32:23Continue the story. A coworker invited
7:32:26me to eat with them. The rain stopped
7:32:29and the rest of the day was actually
7:32:31fine. Repeat. A coworker invited me to
7:32:35eat with them. The rain stopped and the
7:32:38rest of the day was actually fine.
7:32:41Looking back, it's funny how quickly a
7:32:44few small problems can make a normal
7:32:46morning feel chaotic. Repeat. Looking
7:32:49back, it's funny how quickly a few small
7:32:52problems can make a normal morning feel
7:32:54chaotic. Now, tell your own short story
7:32:58about a day when several small things
7:33:00went wrong. Use ordinary details. Maybe
7:33:04you spilled coffee, forgot something,
7:33:07missed a bus, or had trouble finding
7:33:09something. Focus on sequence and
7:33:11reaction rather than trying to use
7:33:14difficult vocabulary.
7:33:16Now, let's practice another storytelling
7:33:18expression. One thing led to another.
7:33:22Repeat, one thing led to another. This
7:33:25means one event caused or was followed
7:33:28naturally by another, often
7:33:30unexpectedly.
7:33:31We were just going to get coffee, but
7:33:34one thing led to another, and we ended
7:33:36up spending the whole afternoon
7:33:38together. Repeat. We were just going to
7:33:41get coffee, but one thing led to
7:33:44another, and we ended up spending the
7:33:46whole afternoon together. Now, another
7:33:49phrase, before I knew it. Repeat, before
7:33:53I knew it. This means time passed or
7:33:56something happened faster than you
7:33:57realized. I started cleaning and before
7:34:00I knew it, 2 hours had passed. Repeat. I
7:34:04started cleaning and before I knew it, 2
7:34:07hours had passed. Listen. I sat down to
7:34:11answer a few emails and before I knew
7:34:14it, it was lunchtime. Repeat. I sat down
7:34:18to answer a few emails and before I knew
7:34:21it, it was lunchtime. Now, let's
7:34:24practice talking about time passing. The
7:34:27day got away from me. Repeat. The day
7:34:31got away from me. This means the day
7:34:33passed quickly and you did not
7:34:35accomplish everything you intended. I
7:34:38meant to call you, but the day got away
7:34:40from me. Repeat. I meant to call you,
7:34:43but the day got away from me. Now listen
7:34:47to this. Did you finish everything you
7:34:49wanted to today? Not even close. The day
7:34:53completely got away from me. What
7:34:56happened? A few unexpected things came
7:34:58up and before I knew it, it was 5:00.
7:35:02Shadow, the day completely got away from
7:35:05me. Repeat. The day completely got away
7:35:09from me. A few unexpected things came
7:35:12up. Repeat. A few unexpected things came
7:35:16up. Before I knew it, it was 5:00.
7:35:20Repeat. Before I knew it, it was 5:00.
7:35:24Now, let's practice natural ways to end
7:35:27your workday. I'm calling it a day.
7:35:30Repeat. I'm calling it a day. This means
7:35:34you are stopping work for the day. I've
7:35:37done enough. I'm calling it a day.
7:35:40Repeat. I've done enough. I'm calling it
7:35:43a day. Another phrase is, I'm wrapping
7:35:46things up. Repeat. I'm wrapping things
7:35:49up. Listen. Are you still working? Not
7:35:52for much longer. I'm wrapping things up
7:35:55now. Good. You've been at it all day.
7:35:58Yeah. I think I'm going to call it a
7:36:01day, Shadow. I'm wrapping things up now.
7:36:05Repeat. I'm wrapping things up now. I
7:36:08think I'm going to call it a day.
7:36:10Repeat. I think I'm going to call it a
7:36:13day. You've been at it all day means you
7:36:16have been working on something for a
7:36:18long time. Repeat. You've been at it all
7:36:21day. I've been at this for hours.
7:36:24Repeat. I've been at this for hours.
7:36:27Now, let's practice taking a break
7:36:29before you reach that point. I need to
7:36:32step away for a few minutes. Repeat. I
7:36:35need to step away for a few minutes. I
7:36:37need to clear my head. Repeat. I need to
7:36:40clear my head. I'm going to take a quick
7:36:43walk and come back. Repeat. I'm going to
7:36:46take a quick walk and come back. Now,
7:36:49listen. You okay? Yeah. I've just been
7:36:53staring at this too long. Take a break.
7:36:56I think I will. I need to clear my head.
7:36:59Shadow. I've just been staring at this
7:37:02too long. Repeat. I've just been staring
7:37:05at this too long. I need to clear my
7:37:08head. Repeat. I need to clear my head.
7:37:12Now, let's practice returning with
7:37:14renewed focus. I need to clear my head.
7:37:18Repeat. I need to clear my head. I feel
7:37:22much better now. Repeat. I feel much
7:37:25better now. I think I can focus again.
7:37:28Repeat. I think I can focus again. Now,
7:37:33let's connect this to speaking practice.
7:37:35If your pronunciation starts getting
7:37:37worse because you are tired, stop for a
7:37:40few minutes. Shadowing is physical as
7:37:43well as mental. Your mouth, tongue, jaw,
7:37:48and breathing are all involved.
7:37:51Practicing clearly for a shorter period
7:37:53is often more useful than forcing
7:37:55yourself to continue when you are no
7:37:57longer paying attention. Now, shadow
7:38:00this advice. Quality matters more than
7:38:03rushing through a large number of
7:38:05sentences. Repeat. Quality matters more
7:38:09than rushing through a large number of
7:38:11sentences. Listen closely. Repeat
7:38:14clearly and then gradually increase the
7:38:16speed. Repeat. Listen closely. Repeat
7:38:20clearly and then gradually increase the
7:38:23speed. Now, let's practice a three-step
7:38:26shadowing drill with one longer
7:38:28sentence. Listen first. I was going to
7:38:32call you earlier, but I got caught up in
7:38:34a meeting and completely lost track of
7:38:36time. Now, repeat slowly. I was going to
7:38:40call you earlier, but I got caught up in
7:38:42a meeting and completely lost track of
7:38:44time. Again, more naturally. I was going
7:38:48to call you earlier, but I got caught up
7:38:50in a meeting and completely lost track
7:38:53of time. Now, take the same structure
7:38:56and change one detail. I was going to
7:38:59leave earlier, but I got caught up in a
7:39:02conversation and completely lost track
7:39:05of time. Repeat. I was going to leave
7:39:08earlier, but I got caught up in a
7:39:11conversation and completely lost track
7:39:13of time. Now change it again. I was
7:39:17going to finish the report, but I got
7:39:19caught up in something else and ran out
7:39:21of time. Repeat. I was going to finish
7:39:25the report, but I got caught up in
7:39:27something else and ran out of time. This
7:39:30is how you make a structure flexible.
7:39:32You are not memorizing one sentence. You
7:39:35are learning a pattern you can reuse.
7:39:38Now try the pattern yourself. Begin with
7:39:42I was going to then say what stopped
7:39:45you. Then explain the result. Now let's
7:39:49practice another flexible pattern. I
7:39:52thought it would but it turned out
7:39:55Listen. I thought it would take all day
7:39:57but it turned out to be pretty quick.
7:40:00Repeat. I thought it would take all day,
7:40:03but it turned out to be pretty quick.
7:40:05Now change it. I thought the restaurant
7:40:08would be expensive.
7:40:11But it turned out to be pretty
7:40:12reasonable. Repeat. I thought the
7:40:15restaurant would be expensive, but it
7:40:17turned out to be pretty reasonable. Now
7:40:21make your own sentence with that
7:40:22structure. Now another pattern. I used
7:40:26to, but lately I've been listen. I used
7:40:30to stay up late, but lately I've been
7:40:33trying to go to bed earlier. Repeat. I
7:40:36used to stay up late, but lately I've
7:40:39been trying to go to bed earlier. Now
7:40:42change it. I used to stay up late. I
7:40:45used to stay up late, but lately I've
7:40:48been practicing out loud more often.
7:40:50Repeat. I used to stay up late. But
7:40:54lately I've been practicing out loud
7:40:56more often. Now make your own. This kind
7:41:00of pattern practice is powerful because
7:41:02it gives you a structure before you need
7:41:04it in conversation. When the moment
7:41:07comes, you only have to insert your own
7:41:10information. Now let's practice one
7:41:13final extended response.
7:41:16Listen first. Over the past year, I've
7:41:19become much more aware of how I use my
7:41:21time. I used to say yes to almost
7:41:24everything because I didn't want to miss
7:41:26opportunities or disappoint anyone. The
7:41:28problem was that I often ended up with
7:41:30too much on my plate. I'd rush from one
7:41:33thing to another and by the end of the
7:41:36week, I'd feel exhausted. Lately, I've
7:41:39been trying to be more realistic about
7:41:41what I can actually handle. If I'm
7:41:44already busy, I try not to commit to
7:41:46something unless I genuinely have time
7:41:48for it. I'm still learning how to do
7:41:51that without feeling guilty, but I've
7:41:53noticed that having more space in my
7:41:55schedule helps me focus better and enjoy
7:41:58the things I do choose to spend time on.
7:42:01Now, shadow it in thought groups. Over
7:42:04the past year, I've become much more
7:42:07aware of how I use my time. Repeat. Over
7:42:11the past year, I've become much more
7:42:13aware of how I use my time. I used to
7:42:16say yes to almost everything because I
7:42:19didn't want to miss opportunities or
7:42:21disappoint anyone. Repeat. I used to say
7:42:25yes to almost everything because I
7:42:28didn't want to miss opportunities or
7:42:30disappoint anyone. Continue. The problem
7:42:33was that I often ended up with too much
7:42:36on my plate. Repeat. The problem was
7:42:39that I often ended up with too much on
7:42:41my plate. I'd rush from one thing to
7:42:44another and by the end of the week I'd
7:42:46feel exhausted. Repeat. I'd rush from
7:42:50one thing to another and by the end of
7:42:52the week I'd feel exhausted. Continue.
7:42:56Lately, I've been trying to be more
7:42:59realistic about what I can actually
7:43:01handle. Repeat. Lately, I've been trying
7:43:04to be more realistic about what I can
7:43:07actually handle. If I'm already busy, I
7:43:10try not to commit to something unless I
7:43:13genuinely have time for it. Repeat. If
7:43:16I'm already busy, I try not to commit to
7:43:19something unless I genuinely have time
7:43:21for it. Continue. I'm still learning how
7:43:24to do that without feeling guilty. But
7:43:27I've noticed that having more space in
7:43:29my schedule helps me focus better and
7:43:31enjoy the things I do choose to spend
7:43:33time on. Repeat. I'm still learning how
7:43:36to do that without feeling guilty. But
7:43:39I've noticed that having more space in
7:43:41my schedule helps me focus better and
7:43:43enjoy the things I do choose to spend
7:43:46time on. Now create your own longer
7:43:49answer using the same kind of structure.
7:43:53Choose one area where you have changed
7:43:55over time. Maybe the way you study,
7:43:58work, exercise, spend money, manage your
7:44:02time, communicate or practice English.
7:44:05Say what you used to do. Explain the
7:44:08problem. Describe what you are doing
7:44:10differently now. Then say whether the
7:44:13change is helping. Try to speak for at
7:44:16least a minute without stopping
7:44:18completely. Use thinking phrases when
7:44:20you need them. Correct yourself
7:44:22naturally if necessary. If you forget a
7:44:26word, explain around it. At this level,
7:44:29the goal is not to sound like you
7:44:31memorized a textbook. The goal is to
7:44:33sound like you can think, react,
7:44:36explain, and adjust. In English, natural
7:44:39speaking includes hesitation sometimes.
7:44:42It includes changing your mind halfway
7:44:45through a sentence. It includes saying,
7:44:48"Actually, let me say that differently."
7:44:51It includes asking for clarification. It
7:44:54includes using short reactions while the
7:44:57other person speaks. So do not confuse
7:45:00natural fluency with perfect
7:45:02performance. Real conversations are
7:45:05flexible. People restart sentences. They
7:45:08forget words. They correct details. They
7:45:12pause to think. They ask, "What was I
7:45:15saying?" and then continue. Practice
7:45:17this line. Sorry, I lost my train of
7:45:20thought for a second. Repeat. Sorry, I
7:45:25lost my train of thought for a second.
7:45:27Lose your train of thought means forget
7:45:30what you were about to say. Another
7:45:32phrase is where was I? Repeat. Where was
7:45:37I? Then you can continue. Listen, I was
7:45:41explaining what happened after the
7:45:43meeting and sorry, I lost my train of
7:45:47thought for a second. Oh, right. After
7:45:50the meeting, we went back to the office.
7:45:53Repeat. Sorry, I lost my train of
7:45:56thought for a second. Again, sorry, I
7:46:00lost my train of thought for a second.
7:46:02Oh, right. After the meeting, we went
7:46:05back to the office. Repeat. Oh, right.
7:46:10After the meeting, we went back to the
7:46:12office. These recovery phrases are
7:46:15useful because they reduce pressure. You
7:46:18do not need to panic when your brain
7:46:20pauses. Now, let's practice the phrase.
7:46:24Bear with me. Bear with me. I'm trying
7:46:27to remember exactly what happened.
7:46:30Repeat. Bear with me. I'm trying to
7:46:33remember exactly what happened. Or bear
7:46:36with me for a second while I find the
7:46:38right word. Repeat. Bear with me for a
7:46:41second while I find the right word. Now,
7:46:44let's practice another speaking repair.
7:46:47That came out wrong. Repeat.
7:46:50That came out wrong. Let me try that
7:46:52again. Repeat. Let me try that again.
7:46:55This is useful if your sentence
7:46:57accidentally sounded different from what
7:46:59you meant. Listen, I don't mean the job
7:47:02is easy. That came out wrong. I mean the
7:47:05work is challenging, but the people make
7:47:07it easier. Repeat. That came out wrong.
7:47:11Again, that came out wrong. I mean, the
7:47:14work is challenging, but the people make
7:47:16it easier. Repeat. I mean, the work is
7:47:20challenging, but the people make it
7:47:22easier. Now, let's practice softening
7:47:25something after you say it. That sounded
7:47:28harsher than I meant it to. Repeat. That
7:47:31sounded harsher than I meant it to. What
7:47:34I mean is, repeat. What I mean is, these
7:47:38phrases help when your wording feels too
7:47:40strong. Now listen. Do you hate the new
7:47:44schedule? Hate is probably too strong. I
7:47:47just haven't gotten used to it yet.
7:47:50Repeat. Hate is probably too strong. I
7:47:53just haven't gotten used to it yet. This
7:47:56is natural precision. You are adjusting
7:47:59the strength of your language. Now,
7:48:01let's practice degrees of opinion. I
7:48:04love it. Repeat. I love it. I really
7:48:08like it. Repeat. I really like it. I
7:48:12quite like it. Repeat. I quite like it.
7:48:16It's okay. Repeat. It's okay. I'm not a
7:48:20huge fan. Repeat. I'm not a huge fan. I
7:48:25really don't like it. Repeat. I really
7:48:28don't like it. These levels allow you to
7:48:31express yourself more accurately. Now,
7:48:34listen. Do you like spicy food? I don't
7:48:38mind a little spice, but I'm not a huge
7:48:41fan of really spicy food. Repeat. I
7:48:44don't mind a little spice, but I'm not a
7:48:47huge fan of really spicy food. I don't
7:48:50mind often means you are okay with
7:48:52something, even if it is not your first
7:48:54choice. I don't mind walking. Repeat. I
7:48:58don't mind walking. I don't mind waiting
7:49:01a few minutes. Repeat. I don't mind
7:49:04waiting a few minutes. I don't mind
7:49:06waiting a few minutes. I don't mind
7:49:09waiting a few minutes. Now practice. I
7:49:12wouldn't mind. I wouldn't mind taking a
7:49:15break. Repeat. I wouldn't mind taking a
7:49:18break.
7:49:19I wouldn't mind going somewhere warm
7:49:21this winter. Repeat. I wouldn't mind
7:49:24going somewhere warm this winter. This
7:49:27often means the idea sounds pleasant.
7:49:30Now, let's practice one more
7:49:32conversational challenge. Imagine
7:49:34someone asks, "What would your ideal
7:49:37weekend look like?" You could answer,
7:49:40"Honestly, something pretty simple. I'd
7:49:43sleep a little later than usual, have a
7:49:45slow morning, maybe go somewhere for
7:49:48lunch, and spend some time outside if
7:49:50the weather was nice. I'd probably see a
7:49:53friend at some point, but I wouldn't
7:49:55want the whole weekend to be packed with
7:49:57plans. I like having some time where I
7:50:00don't have to be anywhere. Now shadow
7:50:03it. Honestly, something pretty simple.
7:50:06Repeat. Honestly, something pretty
7:50:10simple. I'd sleep a little later than
7:50:12usual and have a slow morning. Repeat.
7:50:16I'd sleep a little later than usual and
7:50:19have a slow morning. I'd probably see a
7:50:22friend at some point. Repeat. I'd
7:50:25probably see a friend at some point, but
7:50:27I wouldn't want the whole weekend to be
7:50:29packed with plans. Repeat. But I
7:50:32wouldn't want the whole weekend to be
7:50:34packed with plans. I like having some
7:50:37time where I don't have to be anywhere.
7:50:39Repeat. I like having some time where I
7:50:42don't have to be anywhere. Packed with
7:50:44plans means very full of scheduled
7:50:47activities. My weekend is packed.
7:50:50Repeat. My weekend is packed. Saturday
7:50:53is pretty packed, but Sunday is open.
7:50:56Repeat. Saturday is pretty packed. But
7:51:00Sunday is open. Now answer the question
7:51:04yourself. What would your ideal weekend
7:51:07look like? Try to speak in complete
7:51:09thoughts. Mention your morning,
7:51:12afternoon, evening, people you might see
7:51:16and whether you prefer a busy or relaxed
7:51:18schedule. Now another question. What
7:51:22would your ideal workday or study day
7:51:24look like? Think about when you would
7:51:27start, when you would take breaks, how
7:51:30much interaction you would want with
7:51:32other people, and when you would finish.
7:51:35This type of practice helps you use
7:51:37hypothetical language in a personal way.
7:51:40Now, let's finish this stage with a
7:51:43final extended shadowing passage. Listen
7:51:46carefully. One of the biggest changes in
7:51:49my speaking came when I stopped treating
7:51:51every conversation like a test. Before I
7:51:55felt like I had to prove that my grammar
7:51:57was correct and that I knew enough
7:51:59vocabulary that made me nervous and when
7:52:02I got nervous even simple words became
7:52:05harder to remember. Over time I started
7:52:09thinking about conversation differently.
7:52:11Instead of asking myself was that
7:52:14sentence perfect. I started asking did
7:52:17the other person understand what I
7:52:19meant? That change helped me relax. Once
7:52:23I relaxed, I could listen better,
7:52:26respond faster, and notice the phrases
7:52:28people were actually using. I still make
7:52:31mistakes, but they don't feel as
7:52:33important as they used to. I correct
7:52:36them when necessary and keep going. Now,
7:52:39shadow it. One of the biggest changes in
7:52:42my speaking came when I stopped treating
7:52:44every conversation like a test. Repeat.
7:52:48One of the biggest changes in my
7:52:50speaking came when I stopped treating
7:52:52every conversation like a test. Repeat.
7:52:55Before I felt like I had to prove that
7:52:58my grammar was correct and that I knew
7:53:00enough vocabulary.
7:53:02Repeat. Before I felt like I had to
7:53:05prove that my grammar was correct and
7:53:07that I knew enough vocabulary.
7:53:10Continue. That made me nervous. And when
7:53:13I got nervous, even simple words became
7:53:16harder to remember. Repeat. That made me
7:53:19nervous. And when I got nervous, even
7:53:22simple words became harder to remember.
7:53:25Over time, I started thinking about
7:53:28conversation differently. Repeat. Over
7:53:31time, I started thinking about
7:53:33conversation differently. Continue.
7:53:36Instead of asking myself, was that
7:53:39sentence perfect? I started asking, "Did
7:53:42the other person understand what I
7:53:44meant?" Repeat. Instead of asking
7:53:47myself, "Was that sentence perfect?" I
7:53:51started asking, "Did the other person
7:53:53understand what I meant?" That change
7:53:56helped me relax. Repeat. That change
7:54:00helped me relax. Continue. Once I
7:54:03relaxed, I could listen better,
7:54:06continue, respond faster, and notice the
7:54:09phrases people were actually using.
7:54:12Repeat. Once I relaxed, I could listen
7:54:15better, respond faster, and notice the
7:54:18phrases people were actually using. I
7:54:21still make mistakes, but they don't feel
7:54:24as important as they used to. Repeat. I
7:54:28still make mistakes, but they don't feel
7:54:30as important as they used to.
7:54:33I correct them when necessary and keep
7:54:35going. Repeat. I correct them when
7:54:39necessary and keep going. Carry that
7:54:42idea into your own practice. When you
7:54:45speak, focus first on getting the
7:54:47message across. Then improve the details
7:54:50over time. When you listen, focus first
7:54:54on the meaning. Then notice
7:54:56pronunciation, linking, reductions, and
7:54:59useful expressions. When you shadow,
7:55:02begin clearly and slowly enough that you
7:55:05can produce the sentence well. Then
7:55:07repeat it with a more natural speed and
7:55:09rhythm. You are training several
7:55:11abilities at the same time. Listening,
7:55:15pronunciation, rhythm, vocabulary,
7:55:18sentence structure, reaction speed, and
7:55:22confidence. None of these develops
7:55:24perfectly overnight. But every time you
7:55:27hear a phrase, repeat it and use it in a
7:55:30new situation, you make that language a
7:55:33little easier to access the next time
7:55:35you need it. Keep reminding yourself
7:55:38that fluent speech is built from
7:55:40familiar patterns. You do not create
7:55:42every sentence from nothing. You reuse
7:55:45structures you have heard many times. I
7:55:48was going to, but it turned out I'd
7:55:52rather I haven't had a chance. I'm
7:55:56leaning toward if I had known. The thing
7:55:59is, what I mean is, let me put it
7:56:02another way. These patterns give your
7:56:05ideas a shape. Once the shape is
7:56:07familiar, you can change the details
7:56:10endlessly. That is why shadowing
7:56:12complete sentences is so useful. You are
7:56:15not only training pronunciation,
7:56:18you are building a library of natural
7:56:20structures that your brain can reach for
7:56:22during real conversation.
7:56:24Keep listening, keep repeating, keep
7:56:28changing the examples so they match your
7:56:30own life. Keep answering questions aloud
7:56:33instead of only answering them silently
7:56:35in your head. The more often you produce
7:56:39English with your own voice, the more
7:56:41familiar it becomes and the less effort
7:56:44it takes to turn your thoughts into
7:56:46spoken language. Now, let's continue
7:56:49with a skill that separates basic
7:56:51conversation from more confident
7:56:54conversation. Being able to explain your
7:56:56reasoning. Sometimes people do not only
7:57:00want to know what you think, they want
7:57:02to understand why you think it. Listen
7:57:05to this sentence. The way I see it, we
7:57:08have two options. Repeat. The way I see
7:57:11it, we have two options. Another useful
7:57:15phrase is from my point of view the
7:57:18biggest issue is time. Repeat, from my
7:57:22point of view, the biggest issue is
7:57:24time. Or as far as I'm concerned, either
7:57:28option could work. Repeat, as far as I'm
7:57:31concerned, either option could work.
7:57:35These phrases help you introduce an
7:57:37opinion clearly, but be careful with as
7:57:40far as I'm concerned. Depending on your
7:57:42tone, it can sound strong. In relaxed
7:57:46conversation, you might prefer the way I
7:57:49see it. Repeat, the way I see it, or
7:57:53personally, I think, repeat. Personally,
7:57:57I think now listen to a natural
7:58:01discussion. Do you think we should wait
7:58:03another week? The way I see it, waiting
7:58:06could give us more information, but it
7:58:09could also delay everything. So, what
7:58:11would you do? Personally, I'd make the
7:58:15decision now. Why? Because I don't think
7:58:18another week is going to change much
7:58:21now. Shadow, the way I see it, waiting
7:58:25could give us more information, but it
7:58:28could also delay everything. Repeat. The
7:58:31way I see it, waiting could give us more
7:58:34information, but it could also delay
7:58:37everything. Personally, I'd make the
7:58:40decision now. Repeat. Personally, I'd
7:58:45make the decision now. I don't think
7:58:47another week is going to change much.
7:58:50Repeat. I don't think another week is
7:58:52going to change much. Now, let's
7:58:55practice explaining the main reason
7:58:57behind a choice. The main reason I chose
7:59:00this one is the location. Repeat. The
7:59:04main reason I chose this one is the
7:59:06location. What made the difference for
7:59:08me was the price. Repeat. What made the
7:59:12difference for me was the price. In the
7:59:14end, convenience mattered more. Repeat.
7:59:18In the end, convenience mattered more.
7:59:22What made the difference is useful when
7:59:24one factor finally influenced your
7:59:26decision. Both options were good, but
7:59:29the shorter commute made the difference.
7:59:32Repeat. Both options were good, but the
7:59:36shorter commute made the difference. Now
7:59:39listen, why did you choose the second
7:59:41apartment? Honestly, both were pretty
7:59:44good, but the location made the
7:59:47difference because it's closer to work.
7:59:50Exactly. I'd save almost an hour every
7:59:53day. Yeah, that adds up. Shadow, the
7:59:58location made the difference. Repeat,
8:00:01the location made the difference. I'd
8:00:04save almost an hour every day. Repeat,
8:00:07I'd save almost an hour every day. That
8:00:11adds up. Repeat. That adds up. That adds
8:00:15up. Can mean small amounts become
8:00:18significant over time. 10 minutes here
8:00:21and there doesn't sound like much, but
8:00:23it adds up. Repeat. 10 minutes here and
8:00:27there doesn't sound like much, but it
8:00:29adds up. It can also mean something
8:00:32makes logical sense depending on
8:00:34context. Something about that story
8:00:37doesn't add up. Repeat, something about
8:00:40that story doesn't add up. Now, let's
8:00:43practice describing a gradual
8:00:45realization. It took me a while to
8:00:48realize that. Repeat. It took me a while
8:00:51to realize that. I didn't notice it at
8:00:54first. Repeat. I didn't notice it at
8:00:57first. Over time, it became more
8:01:00obvious. Repeat. Over time, it became
8:01:04more obvious. Listen to this reflection.
8:01:08I used to think being productive meant
8:01:10filling every hour of the day. It took
8:01:12me a while to realize that being busy
8:01:15and being productive are not always the
8:01:17same thing. Sometimes doing fewer things
8:01:20well is more useful than trying to do
8:01:22everything. Now shadow, I used to think
8:01:26being productive meant filling every
8:01:28hour of the day. Repeat. I used to think
8:01:32being productive meant filling every
8:01:34hour of the day. It took me a while to
8:01:37realize that being busy and being
8:01:39productive are not always the same
8:01:41thing. Repeat. It took me a while to
8:01:44realize that being busy and being
8:01:47productive are not always the same
8:01:49thing. Sometimes doing fewer things well
8:01:53is more useful than trying to do
8:01:55everything.
8:01:57Repeat. Sometimes doing fewer things
8:02:00well is more useful than trying to do
8:02:03everything.
8:02:04Now, let's practice comparing what
8:02:07something looks like from the outside
8:02:08with what it actually feels like. From
8:02:11the outside, it looks pretty easy.
8:02:14Repeat. From the outside, it looks
8:02:17pretty easy. In reality, there's a lot
8:02:20more involved. Repeat. In reality,
8:02:23there's a lot more involved. It's one of
8:02:26those things that looks simple until you
8:02:28try it. Repeat. It's one of those things
8:02:31that looks simple until you try it. Use
8:02:34that with English. Speaking naturally
8:02:37looks simple when you hear someone else
8:02:39doing it, but there's a lot happening at
8:02:41once. You're listening, choosing words,
8:02:45organizing grammar, pronouncing sounds,
8:02:48and reacting to another person in real
8:02:50time. Repeat. Speaking naturally looks
8:02:54simple when you hear someone else doing
8:02:56it, but there's a lot happening at once.
8:02:59Now, let's practice in real time. I have
8:03:03trouble responding in real time. Repeat.
8:03:06I have trouble responding in real time.
8:03:09I understand the sentence afterward, but
8:03:12sometimes I miss it in real time.
8:03:14Repeat. I understand the sentence
8:03:17afterward, but sometimes I miss it in
8:03:20real time. That is exactly why repeated
8:03:22listening matters. The goal is not only
8:03:25to understand when you pause and
8:03:27analyze. The goal is to understand while
8:03:30the conversation is actually happening.
8:03:33Now, let's practice another useful
8:03:35phrase. In the moment, repeat. In the
8:03:39moment, for example, in the moment, I
8:03:43couldn't think of the right word.
8:03:45Repeat. In the moment, I couldn't think
8:03:48of the right word. Looking back, the
8:03:51answer seems obvious. Repeat. Looking
8:03:54back, the answer seems obvious. Listen
8:03:57to this. Why didn't you ask them to
8:04:00repeat it? Honestly, I didn't think of
8:04:02that in the moment. That happens. Yeah,
8:04:06looking back. I should have just asked.
8:04:10Shadow, I didn't think of that in the
8:04:12moment. Repeat. I didn't think of that
8:04:15in the moment. Looking back, I should
8:04:18have just asked. Repeat. Looking back, I
8:04:22should have just asked. Now, let's
8:04:25practice talking about pressure. I was
8:04:28under a lot of pressure. Repeat. I was
8:04:31under a lot of pressure. I felt like I
8:04:34had to answer immediately. Repeat. I
8:04:37felt like I had to answer immediately.
8:04:40Once I gave myself permission to pause,
8:04:42it got easier. Repeat. Once I gave
8:04:46myself permission to pause, it got
8:04:48easier. This is useful for speaking. You
8:04:52do not need to answer every question
8:04:54instantly. A short pause can make your
8:04:56response clearer. Practice these natural
8:04:59time buying phrases. Give me a second to
8:05:02think about that. Repeat. Give me a
8:05:05second to think about that. That's an
8:05:07interesting question. Repeat. That's an
8:05:11interesting question. I haven't really
8:05:13thought about that before. Repeat. I
8:05:16haven't really thought about that
8:05:18before. Now, let's use them in a more
8:05:21advanced question. What do you think
8:05:23makes a good friend? A natural answer
8:05:26could begin. That's an interesting
8:05:28question. I think for me, reliability is
8:05:32really important. I value people who
8:05:35show up when they say they will and who
8:05:38are honest even when the conversation is
8:05:40difficult. I also think a good
8:05:42friendship should feel balanced. Both
8:05:45people should make an effort. Now shadow
8:05:48it. Reliability is really important to
8:05:51me. Repeat. Reliability is really
8:05:55important to me. I value people who show
8:05:58up when they say they will. Repeat. I
8:06:01value people who show up when they say
8:06:03they will. I also think a good
8:06:05friendship should feel balanced. Repeat.
8:06:09I also think a good friendship should
8:06:11feel balanced. Both people should make
8:06:13an effort. Repeat. Both people should
8:06:16make an effort. Now answer the question
8:06:20yourself. What do you think makes a good
8:06:22friend? Do not only list adjectives.
8:06:26Explain what those qualities look like
8:06:28in real life. Maybe honesty means
8:06:30someone tells you the truth
8:06:32respectfully. Maybe reliability means
8:06:35they do what they said they would do.
8:06:37Maybe being supportive means listening
8:06:39without immediately judging. This kind
8:06:42of speaking practice takes you beyond
8:06:44memorized English because you have to
8:06:46connect language with your own thoughts.
8:06:49Now let's practice talking about
8:06:51communication itself. I think a lot of
8:06:54misunderstandings happen because people
8:06:56make assumptions. Repeat. I think a lot
8:07:00of misunderstandings happen because
8:07:02people make assumptions.
8:07:04Make an assumption means believe
8:07:06something without checking whether it is
8:07:08true. Instead of assuming, it's usually
8:07:11better to ask. Repeat, instead of
8:07:14assuming, it's usually better to ask.
8:07:17Now, listen to this conversation. I
8:07:20thought you wanted me to finish
8:07:21everything today. No, I only needed the
8:07:25first part. Oh, I guess I made an
8:07:28assumption. No worries. I should have
8:07:31been clearer, too. Next time, I'll
8:07:33double check. Shadow, I guess I made an
8:07:37assumption. Repeat. I guess I made an
8:07:40assumption. I should have been clearer,
8:07:43too. Repeat. I should have been clearer,
8:07:46too. Next time, I'll double check.
8:07:49Repeat. Next time, I'll double check.
8:07:52Now, let's practice taking
8:07:54responsibility without over apologizing.
8:07:58That was on me. Repeat. That was on me.
8:08:02This means you accept responsibility. I
8:08:05should have communicated more clearly.
8:08:07Repeat, I should have communicated more
8:08:10clearly. I misunderstood what you meant.
8:08:13Repeat, I misunderstood what you meant.
8:08:16You can also say, I take responsibility
8:08:19for that. Repeat, I take responsibility
8:08:23for that. This is more formal. Now,
8:08:27practice responding graciously when
8:08:29someone apologizes.
8:08:31It happens. Repeat. It happens. No harm
8:08:35done. Repeat. No harm done. Don't worry
8:08:40about it. Repeat. Don't worry about it.
8:08:44Thanks for clearing it up. Repeat.
8:08:47Thanks for clearing it up. Clear
8:08:49something up means remove confusion. I'm
8:08:52glad we cleared that up. Repeat. I'm
8:08:56glad we cleared that up. Can we clear
8:08:58something up? Repeat. Can we clear
8:09:01something up now? Listen, I think we
8:09:05misunderstood each other yesterday.
8:09:07Yeah, I think so, too. I thought you
8:09:11were asking me to cancel the meeting.
8:09:13No, I just meant we might need to move
8:09:15it. Okay, I'm glad we cleared that up.
8:09:19Shadow, I think we misunderstood each
8:09:21other yesterday. Repeat. I think we
8:09:25misunderstood each other yesterday. I
8:09:27just meant we might need to move it.
8:09:30Repeat. I just meant we might need to
8:09:32move it. I'm glad we cleared that up.
8:09:35Repeat. I'm glad we cleared that up.
8:09:38Now, let's practice correcting a
8:09:40misunderstanding early. Just so we're on
8:09:43the same page. Repeat. Just so we're on
8:09:46the same page. This means you want to
8:09:48make sure everyone has the same
8:09:50understanding. Just so we're on the same
8:09:53page. The deadline is Friday morning.
8:09:56Repeat. Just so we're on the same page,
8:10:00the deadline is Friday morning. Another
8:10:02phrase is, "Let's make sure we're
8:10:05talking about the same thing." Repeat.
8:10:08Let's make sure we're talking about the
8:10:10same thing. Now, listen. Just so we're
8:10:14on the same page, are we sending the
8:10:16final version today or tomorrow?
8:10:19Tomorrow. Today, we're only sending the
8:10:21draft. Got it, Shadow. Just so we're on
8:10:26the same page. Repeat. Just so we're on
8:10:29the same page. Today we're only sending
8:10:32the draft. Repeat. Today we're only
8:10:35sending the draft. Now let's practice
8:10:38draft and final version in a general
8:10:41way. This is only a rough draft. Repeat.
8:10:45This is only a rough draft. I still need
8:10:48to make a few changes. Repeat. I still
8:10:52need to make a few changes. This should
8:10:54be the final version. Repeat. This
8:10:57should be the final version. Now, let's
8:11:00move into conversational English for
8:11:02giving feedback. You might say,
8:11:05"Overall, I think this is really
8:11:08strong." Repeat. Overall, I think this
8:11:12is really strong. There are just a
8:11:14couple of things I'd change. Repeat.
8:11:17There are just a couple of things I'd
8:11:19change. more. I think the main idea is
8:11:22good, but this part could be clearer.
8:11:25Repeat. I think the main idea is good,
8:11:28but this part could be clearer. This is
8:11:31useful because feedback sounds better
8:11:33when it is specific rather than vague.
8:11:36Listen to this exchange. What did you
8:11:38think of the presentation? Overall, I
8:11:41thought it was strong. Anything you'd
8:11:44change? Maybe the middle section. There
8:11:47was a lot of information and I think it
8:11:49could be simplified. That's helpful.
8:11:52Shadow. Overall, I thought it was
8:11:55strong. Repeat. Overall, I thought it
8:11:58was strong. I think it could be
8:12:00simplified.
8:12:02Repeat. I think it could be simplified.
8:12:05That's helpful. Repeat. That's helpful.
8:12:09Now, practice asking for feedback. Does
8:12:12this make sense to you? Repeat. Does
8:12:15this make sense to you? Is there
8:12:18anything you'd change? Repeat. Is there
8:12:21anything you'd change? Do you think this
8:12:23is clear enough? Repeat. Do you think
8:12:26this is clear enough? These are
8:12:28practical questions in work and everyday
8:12:31life. Now, let's practice responding to
8:12:34feedback without becoming defensive.
8:12:37That's a fair point. Repeat. That's a
8:12:40fair point. I can see what you mean.
8:12:43Repeat. I can see what you mean. Let me
8:12:47take another look at it. Repeat. Let me
8:12:50take another look at it. Or I hadn't
8:12:53noticed that. Repeat. I hadn't noticed
8:12:56that. Listen. I think this sentence is a
8:13:00little confusing. Yeah, I can see that
8:13:03now. Let me rewrite it. Repeat. I can
8:13:06see that now. Let me rewrite it. Now,
8:13:10let's practice giving feedback when you
8:13:12disagree with the suggestion. I see why
8:13:15you're suggesting that, but I'm not sure
8:13:17it fits here. Repeat. I see why you're
8:13:21suggesting that, but I'm not sure it
8:13:23fits here. Or, I understand the concern,
8:13:28but I think there's a reason to keep it
8:13:30this way. Repeat. I understand the
8:13:33concern, but I think there's a reason to
8:13:35keep it this way. Now, let's move into
8:13:38conversations about expectations. I want
8:13:41to make sure we're realistic about what
8:13:43we can finish today. Repeat. I want to
8:13:46make sure we're realistic about what we
8:13:48can finish today. We might be able to
8:13:50finish everything, but I don't want to
8:13:53count on it. Repeat. We might be able to
8:13:56finish everything, but I don't want to
8:13:58count on it. Count on means depend on
8:14:01something. You can count on me. Repeat.
8:14:05You can count on me. Don't count on
8:14:08traffic being light. Repeat. Don't count
8:14:11on traffic being light. I wouldn't count
8:14:14on getting there before 6. Repeat. I
8:14:17wouldn't count on getting there before
8:14:196. Now listen. Do you think we'll finish
8:14:23today? Maybe. But I wouldn't count on
8:14:26it. We still have a lot left. Should we
8:14:29tell them tomorrow is more realistic? I
8:14:32think so, Shadow. I wouldn't count on
8:14:35it. Repeat. I wouldn't count on it.
8:14:39Tomorrow is more realistic. Repeat.
8:14:42Tomorrow is more realistic. Now practice
8:14:46realistically.
8:14:48Realistically, I need another day.
8:14:51Repeat. Realistically, I need another
8:14:54day. Realistically, we should leave by
8:14:586. Repeat. Realistically, we should
8:15:02leave by 6.
8:15:04This helps you distinguish what is
8:15:05possible from what is likely or
8:15:07practical. Now, let's practice talking
8:15:10about something you underestimated.
8:15:13I didn't realize how much work was
8:15:15involved. Repeat. I didn't realize how
8:15:18much work was involved. I underestimated
8:15:21how complicated it would be. Repeat. I
8:15:25underestimated how complicated it would
8:15:27be. I thought it would be quick, but
8:15:30there was more to it than I expected.
8:15:32Repeat. I thought it would be quick, but
8:15:35there was more to it than I expected.
8:15:38There's more to it than means something
8:15:40is more complex than it first appears.
8:15:43There's more to it than I thought.
8:15:46Repeat, there's more to it than I
8:15:48thought. It looks simple, but there's
8:15:51actually a lot more to it. Repeat, it
8:15:54looks simple, but there's actually a lot
8:15:56more to it. Now, connect that to fluent
8:16:00speaking. There's more to natural
8:16:02conversation than knowing vocabulary.
8:16:04You also need timing, listening, rhythm,
8:16:08reactions, and confidence. Repeat.
8:16:12There's more to natural conversation
8:16:14than knowing vocabulary. Now, let's
8:16:16practice talking about gaining
8:16:18experience. The more experience I get,
8:16:21the easier it becomes. Repeat. The more
8:16:25experience I get, the easier it becomes.
8:16:28I'm learning as I go. Repeat, I'm
8:16:31learning as I go. This means you are
8:16:34learning through the process rather than
8:16:36knowing everything before you start.
8:16:38Listen, have you done this before? Not
8:16:41exactly, but I'm learning as I go.
8:16:44Repeat. I'm learning as I go. Another
8:16:47phrase is, I'm figuring it out as I go.
8:16:51Repeat, I'm figuring it out as I go.
8:16:54Now, listen to a natural conversation.
8:16:57How did you learn to do that? Mostly by
8:17:00trying things and making mistakes.
8:17:03So, nobody really taught you? Not
8:17:06formally. I kind of figured it out as I
8:17:08went. That's impressive. Shadow. Mostly
8:17:12by trying things and making mistakes.
8:17:15Repeat. Mostly by trying things and
8:17:18making mistakes. I kind of figured it
8:17:20out as I went. Repeat. I kind of figured
8:17:23it out as I went. Now, practice, trial,
8:17:27and error. It took some trial and error.
8:17:31Repeat. It took some trial and error.
8:17:34Trial and error means learning by trying
8:17:37different things, seeing what works, and
8:17:40correcting mistakes. I learned through
8:17:43trial and error. Repeat. I learned
8:17:46through trial and error. Now, let's
8:17:49practice explaining that improvement was
8:17:52gradual. It didn't happen overnight.
8:17:55Repeat. It didn't happen overnight. I
8:17:59improved gradually. Repeat. I improved
8:18:02gradually. It took a lot of repetition.
8:18:06Repeat. It took a lot of repetition. Use
8:18:09that for English. Fluency doesn't happen
8:18:12overnight. Repeat. Fluency doesn't
8:18:16happen overnight. Your brain needs
8:18:18repeated exposure to the same kinds of
8:18:20patterns. Repeat. Your brain needs
8:18:24repeated exposure to the same kinds of
8:18:26patterns. Now, let's practice another
8:18:30longer response. Listen first. When
8:18:33people hear fluent speakers, it can seem
8:18:36as though every sentence appears
8:18:38instantly. But fluent speakers rely
8:18:41heavily on familiar patterns. They've
8:18:43heard and used phrases like, "That makes
8:18:46sense. I'll get back to you. It
8:18:49depends." And I'm not sure yet. So many
8:18:53times that those expressions require
8:18:55almost no effort. That gives the brain
8:18:58more space to focus on the new
8:19:00information in the conversation. This is
8:19:03one reason learning phrases can be more
8:19:05useful than memorizing long lists of
8:19:07isolated words. Now, shadow. Fluent
8:19:12speakers rely heavily on familiar
8:19:14patterns. Repeat. Fluent speakers rely
8:19:18heavily on familiar patterns. They've
8:19:20heard and used common expressions so
8:19:23many times that those expressions
8:19:25require almost no effort. Repeat.
8:19:28They've heard and used common
8:19:30expressions so many times that those
8:19:32expressions require almost no effort.
8:19:35That gives the brain more space to focus
8:19:37on the new information in the
8:19:39conversation. Repeat. That gives the
8:19:42brain more space to focus on the new
8:19:45information in the conversation.
8:19:47Continue. This is one reason learning
8:19:50phrases can be more useful than
8:19:52memorizing long lists of isolated words.
8:19:55Repeat. This is one reason learning
8:19:58phrases can be more useful than
8:19:59memorizing long lists of isolated words.
8:20:03Now, let's practice one of those high
8:20:06value phrases. I'll get back to you.
8:20:09Repeat. I'll get back to you. If you do
8:20:12not know an answer now, say, "I'm not
8:20:16sure, but I'll find out and get back to
8:20:18you." Repeat. "I'm not sure, but I'll
8:20:22find out and get back to you." Another
8:20:24phrase is, "Let me get back to you on
8:20:27that." Repeat. "Let me get back to you
8:20:30on that." This sounds especially natural
8:20:33in work situations.
8:20:35Now, practice find out. I'll find out.
8:20:39Repeat. I'll find out. Let me find out
8:20:42what happened. Repeat. Let me find out
8:20:46what happened. Did you ever find out why
8:20:48it was cancelled? Repeat. Did you ever
8:20:51find out why it was cancelled? Now,
8:20:54let's distinguish find out and figure
8:20:57out. Find out often means discover
8:21:00information. Figure out often means
8:21:03understand or solve something. I need to
8:21:06find out what time they close. Repeat.
8:21:10I need to find out what time they close.
8:21:12I need to figure out how to get there.
8:21:15Repeat. I need to figure out how to get
8:21:17there. Now, listen. Do you know where
8:21:20we're meeting? Not yet. I need to find
8:21:23out. And do you know how you're getting
8:21:25there? Not yet. I need to figure that
8:21:28out, too. Shadow, I need to find out.
8:21:32Repeat. I need to find out. I need to
8:21:36figure that out, too. Repeat. I need to
8:21:39figure that out, too. Now, let's
8:21:42practice another conversational pair.
8:21:44Find and find out. I found my keys.
8:21:48Repeat. I found my keys. I found my
8:21:52keys. I found my keys. Repeat. I found
8:21:56out where the keys were. One is locating
8:21:59something. The other is discovering
8:22:01information. Now let's move into
8:22:04conversations about responsibility and
8:22:07follow through. If I say I'll do
8:22:09something, I try to follow through.
8:22:12Repeat. If I say I'll do something, I
8:22:15try to follow through. Follow through
8:22:18means complete what you promised or
8:22:20intended to do. It's easy to make plans.
8:22:23The hard part is following through.
8:22:26Repeat. It's easy to make plans. The
8:22:29hard part is following through. Now
8:22:32listen. You said you wanted to start
8:22:35exercising in the morning. How's that
8:22:37going? Pretty well. I've actually
8:22:40followed through this time. Nice. Yeah,
8:22:44I think keeping it simple made it
8:22:46easier. Shadow. I've actually followed
8:22:49through this time. Repeat. I've actually
8:22:52followed through this time. Keeping it
8:22:54simple made it easier. Repeat. Keeping
8:22:57it simple made it easier. Now practice.
8:23:01Stick to I'm trying to stick to my
8:23:04schedule. Repeat. I'm trying to stick to
8:23:07my schedule. I made a plan and I'm
8:23:10trying to stick to it. Repeat. I made a
8:23:13plan and I'm trying to stick to it.
8:23:16Stick to means continue following
8:23:19something. Now compare stick with and
8:23:22stick to. Stick with this routine.
8:23:26Repeat. Stick with this routine. Stick
8:23:29to the schedule. Repeat. Stick to the
8:23:32schedule. Repeat. Stick to the schedule.
8:23:36Repeat. They are similar, but stick to
8:23:39often focuses on following a plan, rule,
8:23:42or limit. Now, let's practice talking
8:23:45about distractions from a plan. I got
8:23:48off track. Repeat. I got off track. This
8:23:52means you stopped following the intended
8:23:54direction or plan. I was doing well for
8:23:57a few weeks. But then I got off track.
8:24:00Repeat. I was doing well for a few
8:24:03weeks, but then I got off track. I'm
8:24:06trying to get back on track. Repeat. I'm
8:24:10trying to get back on track. This is
8:24:12extremely useful. I'm trying to get back
8:24:15on track with my sleep schedule. Repeat.
8:24:18I'm trying to get back on track with my
8:24:20sleep schedule. I fell behind, but I'm
8:24:24getting back on track. Repeat. I fell
8:24:27behind, but I'm getting back on track.
8:24:30Now listen, have you been studying every
8:24:33day? Not lately. I got a little off
8:24:36track. Busy. Yeah, but I'm trying to get
8:24:40back into a routine this week. Shadow. I
8:24:44got a little off track. Repeat. I got a
8:24:47little off track. I'm trying to get back
8:24:50into a routine this week. Repeat. I'm
8:24:53trying to get back into a routine this
8:24:55week.
8:24:56Now, let's practice reacting to
8:24:59setbacks. It's not the end of the world.
8:25:02Repeat. It's not the end of the world. I
8:25:05can start again tomorrow. Repeat. I can
8:25:09start again tomorrow. One bad day
8:25:12doesn't erase all my progress. Repeat.
8:25:16One bad day doesn't erase all my
8:25:18progress. Now, let's practice setback.
8:25:22It was a small setback. Repeat. It was a
8:25:26small setback. A setback is a problem
8:25:29that slows progress. We had a setback,
8:25:32but we're moving forward again. Repeat.
8:25:35We had a setback, but we're moving
8:25:37forward again. Now listen. Did the delay
8:25:41cause a big problem? It was a setback,
8:25:44but nothing we can't recover from.
8:25:47Repeat. It was a setback, but nothing we
8:25:50can't recover from. Now, let's practice
8:25:54recover from. In general, it took a
8:25:57while to recover from the busy week.
8:25:59Repeat. It took a while to recover from
8:26:02the busy week. We lost some time, but we
8:26:05can recover from it. Repeat. We lost
8:26:09some time, but we can recover from it.
8:26:12Now, let's shift back to everyday
8:26:15conversation and practice reacting when
8:26:17someone changes plans unexpectedly.
8:26:20I might not be able to make it tonight.
8:26:23A natural response could be, "Okay, just
8:26:27let me know when you know for sure."
8:26:29Repeat, "Okay, just let me know when you
8:26:32know for sure." Another one, "No
8:26:34problem. We can always reschedu."
8:26:37Repeat, "No problem. We can always
8:26:40reschedu." If the plan affects other
8:26:43people, you might say, "I just need to
8:26:45know by 5 so I can let everyone else
8:26:48know." Repeat. I just need to know by 5
8:26:51so I can let everyone else know. Now
8:26:54listen, I'm still waiting to hear
8:26:57whether I have to work late. Okay. When
8:27:00will you know? Probably around 4. That's
8:27:03fine. Just let me know as soon as you
8:27:06know. Shadow, I'm still waiting to hear
8:27:09whether I have to work late. Repeat. I'm
8:27:12still waiting to hear whether I have to
8:27:14work late. Just let me know as soon as
8:27:17you know. Repeat. Just let me know as
8:27:20soon as you know. Now, let's practice
8:27:23talking about certainty. I'm pretty sure
8:27:26I can make it. Repeat. I'm pretty sure I
8:27:29can make it. I'm almost certain. Repeat.
8:27:33I'm almost certain. I can't say for sure
8:27:36yet. Repeat. I can't say for sure yet.
8:27:40There's a chance I'll be late. Repeat.
8:27:43There's a chance I'll be late. Now a
8:27:46stronger phrase. I'm definitely going.
8:27:50Repeat. I'm definitely going. A weaker
8:27:53one. I'll probably go. Repeat. I'll
8:27:57probably go. An uncertain one. I might
8:28:01go. Repeat. I might go. Learning these
8:28:04degrees helps you communicate
8:28:06accurately. Now, let's practice
8:28:09expressing probability about another
8:28:11person. She's probably still at work.
8:28:14Repeat. She's probably still at work. He
8:28:18might be driving. Repeat. He might be
8:28:21driving. They must be almost here.
8:28:24Repeat. They must be almost here. Now
8:28:28listen. Where's Alex? He said he was
8:28:32leaving 20 minutes ago. He must be
8:28:35almost here. Repeat. He must be almost
8:28:38here. Why isn't Sarah answering? She
8:28:42might be in a meeting. Repeat. She might
8:28:45be in a meeting. Now, let's practice
8:28:48reasoning from evidence. The lights are
8:28:50off, so they're probably closed. Repeat.
8:28:55The lights are off, so they're probably
8:28:57closed. His car isn't here, so he must
8:29:00have left already. Repeat. His car isn't
8:29:04here, so he must have left already. Now,
8:29:08let's practice one more longer daily
8:29:10life conversation. Listen first. Did you
8:29:14ever decide what you're doing about the
8:29:16apartment? Yeah, I think I'm going to
8:29:19take it. Really? What changed your mind?
8:29:22I went back and looked at it again, and
8:29:25I realized the things I liked mattered
8:29:27more than the things I didn't. What were
8:29:29you unsure about before? Mostly the size
8:29:32of the kitchen and the lack of storage.
8:29:35And you're okay with that now? I think
8:29:38so. Neither one is ideal, but they're
8:29:41not deal breakers. The location is
8:29:44great, the rent is reasonable, and the
8:29:47commute would be much shorter. Sounds
8:29:49like you've thought it through. I have.
8:29:52I just needed a little time. Now,
8:29:55Shadow, I went back and looked at it
8:29:58again, and I realized the things I liked
8:30:00mattered more than the things I didn't.
8:30:03Repeat. I went back and looked at it
8:30:05again and I realized the things I liked
8:30:08mattered more than the things I didn't.
8:30:11Neither one is ideal, but they're not
8:30:13deal breakers. Repeat. Neither one is
8:30:17ideal, but they're not deal breakers.
8:30:20The location is great, the rent is
8:30:22reasonable, and the commute would be
8:30:24much shorter. Repeat. The location is
8:30:28great, the rent is reasonable, and the
8:30:31commute would be much shorter. I just
8:30:33needed a little time. Repeat. I just
8:30:37needed a little time. Now create a
8:30:40similar answer about a decision you have
8:30:42made before. It could be choosing a
8:30:45product, accepting a plan, changing a
8:30:48routine, taking a trip, or deciding
8:30:51where to spend your time. Explain what
8:30:54made you uncertain, what finally
8:30:56mattered most, and why you chose what
8:30:59you chose. Now, let's practice another
8:31:02advanced but useful pattern. The more I
8:31:05thought about it, the more. Listen. The
8:31:09more I thought about it, the more I
8:31:11liked the idea. Repeat. The more I
8:31:14thought about it, the more I liked the
8:31:16idea. The more I looked into it, the
8:31:20less practical it seemed. Repeat. The
8:31:23more I looked into it, the less
8:31:25practical it seemed. Now use it with
8:31:29learning. The more I practice shadowing,
8:31:32the more natural connected speech
8:31:33sounds. Repeat, the more I practice
8:31:36shadowing, the more natural connected
8:31:39speech sounds. The more I speak, the
8:31:42less afraid I am of making mistakes.
8:31:44Repeat. The more I speak, the less
8:31:47afraid I am of making mistakes. Now,
8:31:50let's practice summarizing your own
8:31:52point. So basically I think consistency
8:31:56matters more than intensity. Repeat. So
8:32:00basically I think consistency matters
8:32:03more than intensity. In other words,
8:32:06doing a little every day can be more
8:32:08useful than doing a lot once in a while.
8:32:12Repeat. In other words, doing a little
8:32:15every day can be more useful than doing
8:32:17a lot once in a while. In other words,
8:32:20helps you say the same idea differently.
8:32:23Repeat. In other words, for example, the
8:32:27meeting has been moved up. In other
8:32:29words, we need to be there earlier.
8:32:32Repeat. In other words, we need to be
8:32:35there earlier now. Practice what I'm
8:32:39saying is. What I'm saying is we need a
8:32:43simpler plan. Repeat. What I'm saying is
8:32:47we need a simpler plan. This is useful
8:32:50when your explanation has become long
8:32:53and you want to state the main point
8:32:55clearly. Now listen. So are you saying
8:33:00we should cancel? No. What I'm saying is
8:33:03we should simplify the plan so it's
8:33:06easier to manage. Repeat. What I'm
8:33:09saying is we should simplify the plan so
8:33:12it's easier to manage. Now, let's
8:33:15practice summarizing another person's
8:33:17point. So, what you're saying is that we
8:33:20need more time. Repeat. So, what you're
8:33:23saying is that we need more time. Or if
8:33:26I understand you correctly, you'd rather
8:33:29wait until tomorrow. Repeat. If I
8:33:32understand you correctly, you'd rather
8:33:34wait until tomorrow. This is useful
8:33:37because it confirms meaning and gives
8:33:39the other person a chance to correct
8:33:41you. Now listen, I'm not saying we
8:33:44should stop. I just think we need to
8:33:46slow down. So what you're saying is that
8:33:49we should keep going but be more
8:33:50careful. Exactly, Shadow. So what you're
8:33:54saying is that we should keep going but
8:33:56be more careful. Repeat. So what you're
8:33:59saying is that we should keep going but
8:34:01be more careful. Now let's practice one
8:34:05final listening challenge at a natural
8:34:07conversational level. Listen first
8:34:10without repeating. I've been thinking a
8:34:13lot lately about how easy it is to
8:34:15confuse being busy with making progress.
8:34:19There are days when I answer messages,
8:34:21attend meetings, solve small problems,
8:34:25and move from one task to another
8:34:27without stopping. At the end of the day,
8:34:30I'm exhausted. But sometimes I realize I
8:34:33didn't actually spend much time on the
8:34:35things that mattered most. So, I've
8:34:38started asking myself a simple question
8:34:40in the morning. If I only finish one
8:34:43important thing today, what should it
8:34:45be? That doesn't mean I ignore
8:34:48everything else. It just helps me
8:34:50identify the task that deserves my best
8:34:53attention. Since I started doing that, I
8:34:56feel like my days are a little more
8:34:58focused.
8:34:59Now, shadow it in thought groups. I've
8:35:03been thinking a lot lately about how
8:35:05easy it is to confuse being busy with
8:35:07making progress. Repeat. I've been
8:35:10thinking a lot lately about how easy it
8:35:13is to confuse being busy with making
8:35:15progress. There are days when I answer
8:35:18messages, attend meetings, solve small
8:35:22problems, and move from one task to
8:35:24another without stopping. Repeat. There
8:35:28are days when I answer messages, attend
8:35:30meetings, solve small problems, and move
8:35:34from one task to another without
8:35:36stopping. Continue. At the end of the
8:35:39day, I'm exhausted,
8:35:42but sometimes I realize I didn't
8:35:44actually spend much time on the things
8:35:46that mattered most. Repeat. At the end
8:35:49of the day, I'm exhausted. But sometimes
8:35:52I realize I didn't actually spend much
8:35:55time on the things that mattered most.
8:35:57Continue.
8:35:58So, I've started asking myself a simple
8:36:01question in the morning. If I only
8:36:04finish one important thing today, what
8:36:06should it be? Repeat. So, I've started
8:36:09asking myself a simple question in the
8:36:11morning. If I only finish one important
8:36:14thing today, what should it be?
8:36:17Continue.
8:36:19That doesn't mean I ignore everything
8:36:20else. Repeat. That doesn't mean I ignore
8:36:24everything else. It just helps me
8:36:27identify the task that deserves my best
8:36:29attention. Repeat. It just helps me
8:36:33identify the task that deserves my best
8:36:35attention. Since I started doing that, I
8:36:39feel like my days are a little more
8:36:40focused. Repeat. Since I started doing
8:36:44that, I feel like my days are a little
8:36:46more focused. Now, create your own
8:36:50answer to this question. What is one
8:36:52habit that helps you stay organized or
8:36:55focused? If you do not have one, talk
8:36:58about a habit you would like to develop.
8:37:00Explain why you think it would help. Try
8:37:03using some of the language you have
8:37:05practiced. I've been trying to. What
8:37:08helps me is the main reason is I used
8:37:12to, but now the more I the more build a
8:37:16complete response instead of one
8:37:18sentence. Now, let's practice another
8:37:22question. What is one thing that usually
8:37:24wastes your time? Maybe checking your
8:37:27phone, switching between tasks, waiting
8:37:30until the last minute, or saying yes to
8:37:33too many things. Explain the situation
8:37:36and what you could do differently. A
8:37:38possible response is, "I probably waste
8:37:41the most time on my phone. I'll pick it
8:37:44up to check one thing, and before I know
8:37:46it, 20 minutes have passed. I've been
8:37:49trying to keep it away from me when I
8:37:51need to focus. It's a small change, but
8:37:54it seems to help. Now, shadow that
8:37:58example. I'll pick it up to check one
8:38:00thing, and before I know it, 20 minutes
8:38:03have passed. Repeat. I'll pick it up to
8:38:07check one thing, and before I know it,
8:38:1020 minutes have passed. I've been trying
8:38:13to keep it away from me when I need to
8:38:15focus. Repeat. I've been trying to keep
8:38:18it away from me when I need to focus.
8:38:21It's a small change, but it seems to
8:38:23help. Repeat. It's a small change, but
8:38:27it seems to help. Now, let's practice
8:38:31natural language for checking whether
8:38:33someone understands. Does that make
8:38:35sense? Repeat. Does that make sense? Am
8:38:40I explaining this clearly? Repeat. Am I
8:38:43explaining this clearly? Do you see what
8:38:46I mean? Repeat. Do you see what I mean?
8:38:50If you understand, you can say, "Yeah,
8:38:54that makes sense." Repeat, "Yeah, that
8:38:57makes sense. I see what you mean."
8:39:00Repeat, "I see what you mean." Or, "I
8:39:04think I follow you." Repeat, "I think I
8:39:08follow you." If you partly understand,
8:39:11say, "I think so." But can you give me
8:39:14an example? Repeat. I think so, but can
8:39:18you give me an example? Or I understand
8:39:22the general idea, but I'm not sure about
8:39:25this part. Repeat. I understand the
8:39:28general idea, but I'm not sure about
8:39:31this part. Now, let's practice another
8:39:35clarification pattern. When you say
8:39:37flexible, what exactly do you mean?
8:39:41Repeat. When you say flexible, what
8:39:44exactly do you mean? This is one of the
8:39:47best ways to clarify an unclear word
8:39:50because you identify the exact part that
8:39:52confused you. Now listen, we need the
8:39:56schedule to be more flexible. When you
8:39:59say flexible, do you mean the start time
8:40:01can change? Exactly, Shadow. When you
8:40:06say flexible, do you mean the start time
8:40:09can change? Repeat. When you say
8:40:12flexible, do you mean the start time can
8:40:14change? Now, let's practice asking for
8:40:18an example. Could you give me an example
8:40:20of what you mean? Repeat. Could you give
8:40:23me an example of what you mean? What
8:40:26would that look like in practice?
8:40:28Repeat. What would that look like in
8:40:31practice? What would that look like in
8:40:33practice? Is useful when an idea sounds
8:40:37abstract and you want a concrete
8:40:39example. Now, let's practice responding
8:40:42with an example. For example, we could
8:40:45start 1 hour earlier on busy days.
8:40:49Repeat. For example, we could start 1
8:40:52hour earlier on busy days. A good
8:40:55example would be what happened last
8:40:57week. Repeat. A good example would be
8:41:00what happened last week. Now, let's work
8:41:03on telling examples smoothly. Let's say
8:41:07repeat. Let's say suppose you have a
8:41:10meeting at 10:00. Repeat. Suppose you
8:41:13have a meeting at 10:00. Imagine you're
8:41:16running late. Repeat. Imagine you're
8:41:19running late. These phrases help you
8:41:21create hypothetical examples. Now
8:41:24listen. Let's say you're at a restaurant
8:41:27and they bring you the wrong order.
8:41:29Instead of getting frustrated, you can
8:41:31say, "Excuse me. I think this might be
8:41:34someone else's order." Repeat. Let's say
8:41:38you're at a restaurant and they bring
8:41:40you the wrong order. Again, let's say
8:41:43you're at a restaurant and they bring
8:41:44you the wrong order. Now, you can see
8:41:48how the language from earlier lessons
8:41:50can be reused inside explanations.
8:41:53That recycling is important. Useful
8:41:55phrases should not appear once and
8:41:57disappear. You want to hear them again
8:42:00in different contexts until they feel
8:42:02familiar. Now let's practice recognizing
8:42:05the same idea in different wording. I'm
8:42:08running late. I'm behind schedule. I'm
8:42:11running behind. These have similar
8:42:14meanings. Repeat. I'm running late. I'm
8:42:18behind schedule. I'm running behind. Now
8:42:22another group. I'm not sure. I haven't
8:42:25decided. I'm still thinking about it.
8:42:28I'm on the fence. Repeat. I'm on the
8:42:32fence. On the fence means undecided
8:42:35between options. I'm still on the fence
8:42:38about it. Repeat. I'm still on the fence
8:42:41about it. Listen. Are you going to the
8:42:44event? I'm still on the fence. What are
8:42:47you unsure about? Mostly whether I'll
8:42:49have enough time. Shadow. I'm still on
8:42:52the fence. Repeat. I'm still on the
8:42:55fence. Now another group. I'm tired. I'm
8:43:00exhausted. I'm wiped out. I'm running on
8:43:04empty. Repeat. I'm running on empty.
8:43:08This last expression means you have very
8:43:10little energy left. Now listen. I've
8:43:13been working since early this morning.
8:43:15I'm running on empty. Repeat. I've been
8:43:19working since early this morning. I'm
8:43:21running on empty. Now practice running
8:43:25low on. I'm running low on energy.
8:43:28Repeat. I'm running low on energy. We're
8:43:31running low on time. Repeat, we're
8:43:34running low on time. My phone is running
8:43:37low on battery. Repeat. My phone is
8:43:40running low on battery. Now, let's
8:43:44practice one more conversation. Do you
8:43:46want to keep working or stop for today?
8:43:49Honestly, I'm running on empty. Same.
8:43:53We're probably not going to do our best
8:43:55work if we keep going. Agreed. Let's
8:43:58call it a day and start fresh tomorrow.
8:44:01Shadow, I'm running on empty. Repeat,
8:44:05I'm running on empty. Let's call it a
8:44:08day and start fresh tomorrow. Repeat,
8:44:11let's call it a day and start fresh
8:44:13tomorrow. Start fresh means begin again
8:44:16with renewed energy or a clean approach.
8:44:19Let's start fresh tomorrow. Repeat.
8:44:22Let's start fresh tomorrow. Sometimes
8:44:25it's better to stop and start fresh in
8:44:27the morning. Repeat. Sometimes it's
8:44:31better to stop and start fresh in the
8:44:33morning. Now, let's practice
8:44:36conversations where someone asks for
8:44:38your honest opinion. Be honest. What do
8:44:41you think? Repeat. Be honest. What do
8:44:46you think? You can answer. Honestly, I
8:44:50think it needs a little more work.
8:44:52Repeat. Honestly, I think it needs a
8:44:55little more work. Or if I'm being
8:44:58honest, I'm not completely convinced.
8:45:02Repeat. If I'm being honest, I'm not
8:45:05completely convinced. Now, give
8:45:08constructive detail. I like the overall
8:45:11idea, but I think the beginning could be
8:45:14stronger. Repeat. I like the overall
8:45:17idea, but I think the beginning could be
8:45:20stronger. That tells the person both
8:45:22what works and what could improve. Now
8:45:26listen. Do you think this is ready?
8:45:29Almost. I think the main idea is clear,
8:45:32but I'd tighten up the ending. Too long.
8:45:35A little. I think you could say the same
8:45:38thing more simply. Shadow. I think the
8:45:41main idea is clear. Repeat. I think the
8:45:44main idea is clear. I think you could
8:45:47say the same thing more simply. Repeat.
8:45:50I think you could say the same thing
8:45:52more simply. Now, let's practice tighten
8:45:55up casually. We need to tighten up the
8:45:58schedule. Repeat, we need to tighten up
8:46:01the schedule. This can mean make
8:46:04something more efficient, concise, or
8:46:07organized. Now, let's practice receiving
8:46:10a compliment naturally. Your English
8:46:12sounds really good. You can say,
8:46:15"Thanks. I've been practicing a lot."
8:46:18Repeat, "Thanks. I've been practicing a
8:46:21lot." Or, "Thanks. I still have a lot to
8:46:25work on, but I appreciate that." Repeat,
8:46:28"Thanks. I still have a lot to work on,
8:46:31but I appreciate that." Try not to
8:46:34reject every compliment automatically. A
8:46:37simple thank you is enough. Now,
8:46:40practice giving a compliment. You
8:46:42explained that really clearly. Repeat.
8:46:46You explained that really clearly. You
8:46:49handled that well. Repeat. You handled
8:46:52that well. You've improved a lot.
8:46:56Repeat. You've improved a lot. Now,
8:47:00let's practice reacting modestly without
8:47:03denying the compliment. Thanks. That
8:47:06means a lot. Repeat. Thanks. That means
8:47:09a lot. I appreciate you saying that.
8:47:12Repeat. I appreciate you saying that.
8:47:15Now, let's finish this stage with a
8:47:18final speaking sequence that combines
8:47:20opinions, reflection, clarification, and
8:47:24fluency repair. Listen first. If someone
8:47:27asked me what has helped my English the
8:47:29most, I probably wouldn't give just one
8:47:32answer. Listening has helped me notice
8:47:35natural rhythm and pronunciation.
8:47:37Shadowing has helped me train my mouth
8:47:40to follow those patterns. Speaking
8:47:42practice has taught me how to retrieve
8:47:44language under pressure, and making
8:47:47mistakes has shown me which areas I
8:47:49still need to improve. The biggest
8:47:52lesson, though, is that I don't have to
8:47:55understand or say everything perfectly
8:47:57for communication to work. Once I
8:48:00accepted that, speaking became much less
8:48:03stressful. Now, shadow it. If someone
8:48:07asked me what has helped my English the
8:48:09most, I probably wouldn't give just one
8:48:12answer. Repeat. If someone asked me what
8:48:15has helped my English the most, I
8:48:18probably wouldn't give just one answer.
8:48:20Listening has helped me notice natural
8:48:23rhythm and pronunciation.
8:48:25Repeat. Listening has helped me notice
8:48:28natural rhythm and pronunciation.
8:48:30Continue. Shadowing has helped me train
8:48:33my mouth to follow those patterns.
8:48:36Repeat. Shadowing has helped me train my
8:48:39mouth to follow those patterns.
8:48:42Speaking practice has taught me how to
8:48:44retrieve language under pressure.
8:48:46Repeat. Speaking practice has taught me
8:48:49how to retrieve language under pressure.
8:48:52Continue. And making mistakes has shown
8:48:55me which areas I still need to improve.
8:48:58Repeat. and making mistakes has shown me
8:49:01which areas I still need to improve. The
8:49:04biggest lesson though is that I don't
8:49:07have to understand or say everything
8:49:09perfectly for communication to work.
8:49:12Repeat, the biggest lesson though is
8:49:15that I don't have to understand or say
8:49:17everything perfectly for communication
8:49:19to work. Once I accepted that, speaking
8:49:23became much less stressful. Repeat. Once
8:49:26I accepted that, speaking became much
8:49:29less stressful. Now give your own
8:49:32answer. What do you think has helped
8:49:34your English the most so far? Maybe
8:49:37listening, reading, conversations,
8:49:40vocabulary practice, shadowing, watching
8:49:43videos, speaking with other people, or
8:49:46simply practicing more consistently.
8:49:49Give at least two reasons. If you are
8:49:52not sure, start with that's a good
8:49:54question. I think now tell yourself what
8:49:59still needs work. Say one thing I still
8:50:02want to improve is then explain why.
8:50:07Maybe you want to understand fast speech
8:50:09more easily. Maybe you want to respond
8:50:12without translating. Maybe you want
8:50:14clearer pronunciation.
8:50:17Maybe you want a larger active
8:50:18vocabulary.
8:50:20Then say what you are going to do about
8:50:22it. I'm going to keep practicing.
8:50:25I'm going to pay more attention to I'm
8:50:28going to try to This turns a vague goal
8:50:31into something more practical. For
8:50:34example, one thing I still want to
8:50:36improve is my response speed. I
8:50:39understand a lot of English, but
8:50:41sometimes I hesitate too long before
8:50:44answering. I'm going to keep practicing
8:50:46short conversational responses and
8:50:49shadowing full sentences so that common
8:50:52phrases become more automatic.
8:50:54Now shadow that. One thing I still want
8:50:58to improve is my response speed. Repeat.
8:51:01One thing I still want to improve is my
8:51:04response speed. Sometimes I hesitate too
8:51:07long before answering. Repeat. Sometimes
8:51:10I hesitate too long before answering.
8:51:13I'm going to keep practicing short
8:51:15conversational responses and shadowing
8:51:18full sentences. Repeat. I'm going to
8:51:21keep practicing short conversational
8:51:24responses and shadowing full sentences.
8:51:27I want common phrases to become more
8:51:29automatic. Repeat. I want common phrases
8:51:33to become more automatic. Now create
8:51:36your own version. At this point, you
8:51:39have practiced a huge range of everyday
8:51:41English. From simple greetings and
8:51:44morning routines to more advanced
8:51:46explanations, opinions, regrets,
8:51:50choices, problem solving, storytelling,
8:51:54workplace discussions, travel
8:51:56situations,
8:51:57customer service, social plans, habits,
8:52:01goals, clarification, disagreement, and
8:52:05natural conversational repair. The key
8:52:08now is not to try to memorize every
8:52:10sentence from this lesson word for word.
8:52:13Instead, notice the expressions that
8:52:16feel useful for your own life. Pick a
8:52:19few and use them repeatedly. Maybe today
8:52:22your phrases are, "I haven't had a
8:52:24chance yet. Let me think about it." That
8:52:27makes sense. I'm leaning toward and it
8:52:31turned out tomorrow you can focus on a
8:52:34different group. When you revisit a
8:52:36useful expression, say it in several
8:52:39different sentences,
8:52:41change the person, change the time,
8:52:45change the situation.
8:52:47If you can move the phrase from one
8:52:49context to another, you truly understand
8:52:52how to use it. For example, start with,
8:52:56I haven't had a chance to call them yet.
8:52:59Repeat, I haven't had a chance to call
8:53:01them yet. Change it. I haven't had a
8:53:04chance to check the email yet. Repeat. I
8:53:07haven't had a chance to check the email
8:53:09yet. Change it again. I haven't had a
8:53:12chance to finish it yet. Repeat. I
8:53:16haven't had a chance to finish it yet.
8:53:18Now, I'm leaning towards staying home.
8:53:21Repeat. I'm leaning towards staying
8:53:24home. Change it. I'm leaning toward the
8:53:27cheaper option. Repeat. I'm leaning
8:53:30toward the cheaper option. Change it.
8:53:33I'm leaning toward going on Friday.
8:53:36Repeat. I'm leaning toward going on
8:53:38Friday now. It turned out to be easier
8:53:42than I expected. Repeat. It turned out
8:53:45to be easier than I expected. Change it.
8:53:49It turned out to be easier than I
8:53:51expected. Repeat. It turned out to be
8:53:54easier than I expected. Change it. It
8:53:58turned out we didn't need an
8:53:59appointment. Repeat. It turned out we
8:54:02didn't need an appointment. This
8:54:04flexible repetition is one of the best
8:54:07ways to make a phrase active. Now, let's
8:54:10practice one more set of rapid natural
8:54:12responses. Can you send that today? I
8:54:16should be able to repeat. I should be
8:54:19able to. Are you free tomorrow? I think
8:54:22so. Repeat. I think so. Did you
8:54:26understand what she meant? For the most
8:54:28part. Repeat. for the most part. Do you
8:54:32want to go out tonight? I'd rather stay
8:54:34home. Repeat. I'd rather stay home. Are
8:54:38you finished? Almost. Repeat. Almost.
8:54:43Did you call them? Not yet. Repeat. Not
8:54:47yet. Are you sure? Pretty sure. Repeat.
8:54:51Pretty sure. Do you mind waiting? Not at
8:54:54all. Repeat. Not at all. Now, make them
8:54:58a little longer. I should be able to
8:55:01finish it today. Repeat. I should be
8:55:04able to finish it today. For the most
8:55:06part, I understood what he was saying.
8:55:09Repeat. For the most part, I understood
8:55:12what he was saying. I'd rather stay home
8:55:15and take it easy tonight. Repeat. I'd
8:55:18rather stay home and take it easy
8:55:20tonight. I'm almost done. Give me 5
8:55:24minutes. Repeat. I'm almost done. Give
8:55:28me five minutes.
8:55:29The goal is to move between short
8:55:31reactions and longer explanations
8:55:34comfortably. Real conversation uses
8:55:37both. Now, let's practice one last story
8:55:41challenge for this stage. Think of a
8:55:43recent situation that involved a small
8:55:46problem and a solution. Maybe you lost
8:55:49something, were late, misunderstood
8:55:52someone, had a technology issue, changed
8:55:56plans, or needed help. Tell the story in
8:56:00this order. Give the background. Explain
8:56:03what went wrong. Say what you tried.
8:56:06Tell what finally worked. Then give your
8:56:09reaction. You might say, "A few days
8:56:12ago, I couldn't log into one of my
8:56:14accounts. At first, I thought I had
8:56:18forgotten my password, so I reset it.
8:56:21That didn't work. Then I realized I was
8:56:24using the wrong email address. Once I
8:56:26switched accounts, everything worked
8:56:28normally. I spent about 15 minutes
8:56:31trying to solve a problem that didn't
8:56:33really exist, which was a little
8:56:35embarrassing, but at least I figured it
8:56:38out. Now, shadow the useful structure.
8:56:42At first, I thought I had forgotten my
8:56:44password. Repeat. At first, I thought I
8:56:48had forgotten my password. That didn't
8:56:51work. Repeat. That didn't work. Then I
8:56:54realized I was using the wrong email
8:56:56address. Repeat. Then I realized I was
8:57:00using the wrong email address. At least
8:57:02I figured it out. Repeat. At least I
8:57:06figured it out. Now tell your own story
8:57:09aloud. If you can explain an ordinary
8:57:12problem clearly, you are practicing
8:57:14several advanced speaking skills at
8:57:16once. You are using past tenses,
8:57:20sequencing events, showing cause and
8:57:22effect, reacting to the situation, and
8:57:26organizing information so another person
8:57:29can follow it. And that is the point of
8:57:31all this practice. Advanced English does
8:57:34not always mean using difficult
8:57:36vocabulary. Often advanced communication
8:57:40means taking ordinary language and using
8:57:43it clearly, flexibly, and naturally
8:57:47across many situations.
8:57:49Keep building that flexibility. When you
8:57:52learn a new phrase, do not ask only,
8:57:55"What does this mean?" Also ask, "When
8:57:58would I actually say this? What could
8:58:01someone say before it? What could I say
8:58:04after it? Can I use it at work, with
8:58:07friends? while traveling or at home.
8:58:10That is how you turn vocabulary into
8:58:12conversational language. You are now
8:58:15very close to the full practice goal.
8:58:17So, keep your concentration strong.
8:58:20Continue speaking aloud rather than only
8:58:22reading silently.
8:58:24Notice where your mouth hesitates.
8:58:27Repeat those lines again. Notice where
8:58:30connected speech feels difficult. Slow
8:58:33it down. Then gradually bring the
8:58:35natural rhythm back. And remember, if a
8:58:38sentence feels too difficult, break it
8:58:41into thought groups rather than
8:58:43individual words. Practice each group,
8:58:46then reconnect the sentence. That keeps
8:58:49the rhythm natural and helps your brain
8:58:51store meaningful chunks instead of
8:58:53isolated sounds. Keep going with the
8:58:56same method you have used throughout
8:58:58this lesson. Listen first. Repeat
8:59:01clearly. shadow more naturally. Then
8:59:04personalize the pattern. The final stage
8:59:07will bring the remaining practice
8:59:09together so you can review, recycle, and
8:59:13strengthen the language you have built
8:59:14throughout the lesson. Let's use this
8:59:17final stage to combine the skills you
8:59:19have been practicing into longer, more
8:59:22realistic English. We'll move between
8:59:25short reactions,
8:59:27everyday questions, connected speech,
8:59:30explanations, problem solving, and
8:59:34personal responses.
8:59:36Start with a common question. How have
8:59:38things been going? Repeat, "How have
8:59:41things been going?" You could answer,
8:59:44"Pretty good, although I've been a
8:59:46little busy." Repeat, "Pretty good,
8:59:49although I've been a little busy." Or
8:59:51you might say, "I've had quite a lot
8:59:54going on recently." Repeat. I've had
8:59:57quite a lot going on recently. Now
9:00:00extend that thought. I've had quite a
9:00:03lot going on recently, but I'm finally
9:00:05starting to catch up. Repeat. I've had
9:00:08quite a lot going on recently, but I'm
9:00:11finally starting to catch up. Now,
9:00:14imagine someone asks, "Do you have much
9:00:17going on this week?" A natural reply
9:00:19could be, "Nothing too major. I'm mostly
9:00:23trying to finish a few things before the
9:00:25weekend." Repeat, "Nothing too major.
9:00:28I'm mostly trying to finish a few things
9:00:31before the weekend." You could also say,
9:00:34"Actually, I have a couple of things
9:00:36coming up." Repeat, "Actually, I have a
9:00:40couple of things coming up." When
9:00:43something is coming up, it will happen
9:00:45soon. I have an appointment coming up
9:00:47later today. Repeat. I have an
9:00:50appointment coming up later today. We've
9:00:53got a long weekend coming up. Repeat.
9:00:56We've got a long weekend coming up.
9:00:59Listen to this short conversation.
9:01:01Anything planned for the weekend? A few
9:01:04things, but nothing too busy. What are
9:01:06you doing? I'm seeing a friend Saturday
9:01:09afternoon, and I have a couple of
9:01:11errands to run. That sounds manageable.
9:01:14Yeah. Sunday should be pretty relaxed.
9:01:17Now, shadow the useful lines. A few
9:01:20things, but nothing too busy. Repeat. A
9:01:24few things, but nothing too busy. I have
9:01:27a couple of errands to run. Repeat. I
9:01:30have a couple of errands to run. Sunday
9:01:33should be pretty relaxed. Repeat. Sunday
9:01:36should be pretty relaxed. Here is
9:01:39another useful expression. I'll see how
9:01:41I feel. Repeat. I'll see how I feel. You
9:01:46can use this when you have not made a
9:01:47firm decision. Are you going out later?
9:01:51Maybe. I'll see how I feel. Repeat,
9:01:55maybe. I'll see how I feel. Another
9:01:58option is I'll see how the day goes.
9:02:02Repeat, I'll see how the day goes. That
9:02:05means your decision will depend on what
9:02:07happens. Suppose someone says, we're
9:02:11going to dinner around 7. Do you want to
9:02:14join us? You could answer, "Maybe. I'll
9:02:18see how the day goes and let you know."
9:02:21Repeat, "Maybe, I'll see how the day
9:02:24goes and let you know." If you are
9:02:26certain you want to go, your response
9:02:29could be, "Absolutely. I'd love to."
9:02:33Repeat, "Absolutely.
9:02:35I'd love to." Or, "Sounds great. Count
9:02:39me in." Repeat. Sounds great. Count me
9:02:43in. Count me in means you want to be
9:02:46included. If you want to decline, you
9:02:49might say, "I think I'll sit this one
9:02:52out." Repeat, "I think I'll sit this one
9:02:55out." Now, practice reacting quickly. I
9:02:59finally finished everything. You could
9:03:02say, "Nice. That must feel good."
9:03:05Repeat, "Nice. That must feel good. I
9:03:09have to do the entire thing again." You
9:03:11could respond, "Seriously, that's
9:03:14frustrating." Repeat, "Seriously, that's
9:03:18frustrating. They moved the deadline to
9:03:20next week." You could say, "That gives
9:03:23you a little breathing room." Repeat,
9:03:26"That gives you a little breathing room.
9:03:28I found my wallet." You could say,
9:03:31"Good. Where was it?" Repeat, "Good.
9:03:35Where was it?" A reaction followed by a
9:03:38question is one of the easiest ways to
9:03:40keep a conversation going. Practice
9:03:43these. That's great. How did you find
9:03:46out? Repeat. That's great. How did you
9:03:50find out? Really? What changed? Repeat.
9:03:55Really? What changed? That's too bad.
9:03:59What are you going to do now? Repeat.
9:04:02That's too bad. What are you going to do
9:04:05now? Imagine someone tells you, "I'm
9:04:08considering changing jobs." You might
9:04:10respond, "Really? What's making you
9:04:13think about leaving?" Repeat, "Really?
9:04:17What's making you think about leaving?"
9:04:19Or you could ask, "Have you been
9:04:21thinking about it for a long time?"
9:04:24Repeat. Have you been thinking about it
9:04:26for a long time? Now, listen to this
9:04:29answer. I've been thinking about it for
9:04:32a few months. The job itself is okay,
9:04:35but I don't feel like I'm learning much
9:04:37anymore. I'm not in a hurry to leave,
9:04:40but I've started looking at other
9:04:42possibilities.
9:04:43Shadow it. I've been thinking about it
9:04:46for a few months. Repeat. I've been
9:04:50thinking about it for a few months. The
9:04:52job itself is okay, but I don't feel
9:04:55like I'm learning much anymore. Repeat.
9:04:58The job itself is okay, but I don't feel
9:05:01like I'm learning much anymore. I'm not
9:05:04in a hurry to leave, but I've started
9:05:06looking at other possibilities.
9:05:09Repeat, I'm not in a hurry to leave, but
9:05:12I've started looking at other
9:05:14possibilities.
9:05:15I'm not in a hurry means you do not need
9:05:18something to happen immediately. Repeat,
9:05:21I'm not in a hurry. You can say, I'm not
9:05:24in a hurry to make a decision. Repeat.
9:05:28I'm not in a hurry to make a decision.
9:05:30We're not in any hurry. Repeat. We're
9:05:33not in any hurry. The opposite is I'm in
9:05:37a bit of a hurry. Repeat. I'm in a bit
9:05:40of a hurry. You can also say, I'm short
9:05:44on time. Repeat. I'm short on time. I'm
9:05:48short on time this morning. Repeat. I'm
9:05:51short on time this morning. We're a
9:05:53little short on staff today. Repeat.
9:05:56We're a little short on staff today.
9:05:58Now, imagine you need to leave a
9:06:01conversation quickly. You might say, "I
9:06:04hate to rush off, but I need to be
9:06:06somewhere in 20 minutes." Repeat, "I
9:06:09hate to rush off, but I need to be
9:06:12somewhere in 20 minutes." Another
9:06:14natural option is, "I should probably
9:06:17head out." Repeat, "I should probably
9:06:20head out." Or, "I'd better get going."
9:06:24Repeat. I'd better get going. Listen to
9:06:28this exchange. Are you heading out
9:06:30already? Yeah, I'd better get going. I
9:06:34have an appointment across town. All
9:06:36right. Good seeing you. You, too. We
9:06:39should catch up again soon. Shadow it.
9:06:42I'd better get going. Repeat. I'd better
9:06:46get going. I have an appointment across
9:06:48town. Repeat. I have an appointment
9:06:52across town. We should catch up again
9:06:54soon. Repeat. We should catch up again
9:06:58soon. Now work on connected speech.
9:07:02Start with the clear sentence. I should
9:07:04have left a little earlier. Repeat. I
9:07:08should have left a little earlier. In
9:07:10natural American English, should have
9:07:13often connects and becomes should have.
9:07:16Listen. I should have left a little
9:07:19earlier. Repeat. I should have left a
9:07:22little earlier now. I could have called
9:07:25first. Repeat. I could have called
9:07:28first. And I would have gone if I'd had
9:07:32time. Repeat. I would have gone if I'd
9:07:35had time. Put those ideas into a natural
9:07:38reflection. I should have checked the
9:07:41time and I could have called ahead, but
9:07:43honestly, I just wasn't thinking.
9:07:46Repeat. I should have checked the time
9:07:49and I could have called ahead, but
9:07:51honestly, I just wasn't thinking. Here
9:07:54is another phrase worth repeating. It
9:07:57completely slipped my mind. Repeat. It
9:08:00completely slipped my mind. You have
9:08:03heard this before and that repetition is
9:08:05deliberate. High value expressions need
9:08:08to appear in different situations before
9:08:10they become automatic. Listen, did you
9:08:13pick up the dry cleaning? Oh, no. It
9:08:17completely slipped my mind. Can you get
9:08:20it tomorrow? Yeah, I'll do it first
9:08:23thing. Shadow the responses. It
9:08:26completely slipped my mind. Repeat. It
9:08:30completely slipped my mind. I'll do it
9:08:32first thing. Repeat. I'll do it first
9:08:35thing. Now practice explaining a mistake
9:08:39directly. I misunderstood the
9:08:41instructions. Repeat. I misunderstood
9:08:45the instructions. I thought you meant
9:08:47tomorrow, not today. Repeat. I thought
9:08:51you meant tomorrow, not today. That was
9:08:55my mistake. I'll fix it. Repeat. That
9:08:59was my mistake. I'll fix it. Here is a
9:09:02more complete workplace response. I
9:09:05misunderstood what you needed, so I
9:09:07worked on the wrong section. That was my
9:09:10mistake. I fixed it now and I'll send
9:09:13you the updated version in about 10
9:09:15minutes. Shadow it. I misunderstood what
9:09:19you needed. Repeat, I misunderstood what
9:09:23you needed. That was my mistake. Repeat,
9:09:27that was my mistake. I fixed it now.
9:09:31Repeat, I fixed it now. I'll send you
9:09:34the updated version in about 10 minutes.
9:09:37Repeat. I'll send you the updated
9:09:40version in about 10 minutes. Notice the
9:09:43structure. You state the problem, accept
9:09:46responsibility,
9:09:48explain the solution, and give the next
9:09:50step. Now, move back to casual
9:09:53conversation. Why are you so late? Long
9:09:57story. I left on time, but there was an
9:10:00accident on the highway and traffic
9:10:02barely moved for nearly half an hour.
9:10:05That's rough. Yeah, I should have taken
9:10:08the other route. Shadow, long story.
9:10:12Repeat, long story. There was an
9:10:15accident on the highway and traffic
9:10:17barely moved for nearly half an hour.
9:10:20Repeat, there was an accident on the
9:10:22highway and traffic barely moved for
9:10:25nearly half an hour. I should have taken
9:10:28the other route.
9:10:30Repeat, I should have taken the other
9:10:32route. It's a long story. can tell
9:10:34someone that the explanation is
9:10:36complicated.
9:10:38Repeat, it's a long story. If you want
9:10:41to summarize, say, "Long story short."
9:10:45Repeat, "Long story short." For example,
9:10:50long story short, we missed the train
9:10:52and had to take a bus instead. Repeat.
9:10:56Long story short, we missed the train
9:10:58and had to take a bus instead. Try
9:11:01another one. Long story short, the order
9:11:04was wrong. They gave us a refund and
9:11:07everything worked out. Repeat. Long
9:11:11story short, the order was wrong. They
9:11:13gave us a refund.
9:11:15Now, practice a few flexible everyday
9:11:18expressions.
9:11:20It's up to you. Repeat. It's up to you.
9:11:24That means the other person can decide.
9:11:27Where should we eat? It's up to you.
9:11:30Repeat. It's up to you. Another phrase
9:11:33is, "I'm good with whatever." Repeat,
9:11:37"I'm good with whatever." Or, "Whatever
9:11:40works best for you." Repeat. "Whatever
9:11:44works best for you." Listen. Do you want
9:11:47to meet at 6 or 7? Either one works for
9:11:51me. Whatever works best for you. Let's
9:11:55make it 6:30. Perfect. Shadow. Either
9:12:00one works for me. Repeat. Either one
9:12:03works for me. Whatever works best for
9:12:06you. Repeat. Whatever works best for
9:12:09you. If you do have a preference, say it
9:12:12clearly. If possible. I'd rather meet
9:12:16earlier. Repeat. If possible. I'd rather
9:12:20meet earlier. 7 is a little late for me.
9:12:24Repeat. Seven is a little late for me.
9:12:27Could we do six instead? Repeat. Could
9:12:30we do six instead? Now practice. Work
9:12:34around. I can work around your schedule.
9:12:37Repeat. I can work around your schedule.
9:12:40We'll work around it. Repeat. We'll work
9:12:43around it. If Thursday doesn't work, we
9:12:46can work around that. Repeat. If
9:12:49Thursday doesn't work, we can work
9:12:51around that. Listen to this realistic
9:12:54scheduling exchange. What does your day
9:12:57look like tomorrow? pretty full until
9:13:00around 3, but I'm flexible after that. I
9:13:03was hoping we could go over the plan
9:13:05before Friday. Sure. Would four work?
9:13:08Four should be okay. I have a call at 3,
9:13:12but it shouldn't take more than half an
9:13:13hour. All right. Just let me know if it
9:13:16runs over. We'll do. And if 4 doesn't
9:13:19work, we can always push it back a
9:13:22little. Perfect. I'll put it on my
9:13:24calendar. Now, shadow the key lines.
9:13:28Pretty full until around 3, but I'm
9:13:31flexible after that. Repeat. Pretty full
9:13:34until around 3, but I'm flexible after
9:13:37that. I was hoping we could go over the
9:13:40plan before Friday. Repeat, I was hoping
9:13:43we could go over the plan before Friday.
9:13:45Would four work? Repeat, would four
9:13:48work? I have a call at 3, but it
9:13:51shouldn't take more than half an hour.
9:13:53Repeat. I have a call at 3, but it
9:13:56shouldn't take more than half an hour.
9:13:58Just let me know if it runs over.
9:14:01Repeat. Just let me know if it runs
9:14:03over. If four doesn't work, we can
9:14:06always push it back a little. Repeat. If
9:14:09four doesn't work, we can always push it
9:14:12back a little. Think about the reusable
9:14:14patterns inside that conversation.
9:14:17What does your day look like? I was
9:14:19hoping we could Would four work? It
9:14:22shouldn't take more than let me know if
9:14:26and we can always you can keep the
9:14:29structure and change the details. Now
9:14:33create your own scheduling exchange
9:14:35aloud. Imagine arranging a meeting,
9:14:38dinner, appointment or phone call.
9:14:41Suggest a time. Mention one possible
9:14:44difficulty. Give an alternative and
9:14:47confirm the next step. Next. Practice
9:14:51describing a normal day without making
9:14:53every sentence sound separate. Instead
9:14:56of saying, "I woke up. I ate.
9:15:00I went to work. I came home." Connect
9:15:03the events. Listen. I got up a little
9:15:06later than usual this morning, so I had
9:15:09to rush. I grabbed something quick for
9:15:11breakfast and left home around 8. Work
9:15:14was busy until lunchtime, but the
9:15:16afternoon was quieter. I stopped at the
9:15:19store on my way home, made dinner, and
9:15:22spent the rest of the evening relaxing.
9:15:25Shadow it. I got up a little later than
9:15:28usual this morning, so I had to rush.
9:15:31Repeat. I got up a little later than
9:15:34usual this morning, so I had to rush. I
9:15:37grabbed something quick for breakfast
9:15:39and left home around 8. Repeat. I
9:15:43grabbed something quick for breakfast
9:15:44and left home around 8. Work was busy
9:15:48until lunchtime, but the afternoon was
9:15:50quieter. Repeat. Work was busy until
9:15:54lunchtime, but the afternoon was
9:15:56quieter. I stopped at the store on my
9:15:59way home. Repeat. I stopped at the store
9:16:02on my way home. I spent the rest of the
9:16:05evening relaxing. Repeat. I spent the
9:16:09rest of the evening relaxing. Now, give
9:16:12your own version aloud. Use your real
9:16:14routine or invent one. Connect ideas
9:16:17with words and phrases such as so, but
9:16:21after that, on the way, by the time, and
9:16:25then try to continue for at least 1
9:16:28minute. Here is a more developed answer
9:16:30to how was your day. Listen, it was
9:16:34actually pretty good. The morning was a
9:16:36little stressful because I was running
9:16:38late, but once I arrived at work, things
9:16:41settled down. I had a few things I
9:16:43needed to finish and luckily I got most
9:16:46of them done before lunch. The afternoon
9:16:49was quieter, so I finally had time to
9:16:52catch up on some smaller tasks. By the
9:16:54end of the day, I was tired, but I felt
9:16:57like I'd been productive. Now, Shadow,
9:17:01the morning was a little stressful
9:17:03because I was running late. Repeat, the
9:17:06morning was a little stressful because I
9:17:08was running late. Once I arrived at
9:17:10work, things settled down. Repeat. Once
9:17:13I arrived at work, things settled down.
9:17:16Luckily, I got most of them done before
9:17:19lunch. Repeat. Luckily, I got most of
9:17:22them done before lunch. By the end of
9:17:25the day, I was tired, but I felt like
9:17:28I'd been productive. Repeat. By the end
9:17:31of the day, I was tired, but I felt like
9:17:34I'd been productive. Now answer how was
9:17:38your day in your own words. Begin with
9:17:41an overall reaction. Add one or two
9:17:44details. Include a contrast or change
9:17:48and finish with how you felt. You can
9:17:50use that structure for many everyday
9:17:52stories. Now listen carefully to this
9:17:56fluency passage. In a real English
9:17:59conversation, you cannot know in advance
9:18:02exactly what another person will say.
9:18:04That unpredictability is normal. You may
9:18:08hear a word you have never studied.
9:18:10Someone may suddenly change the topic.
9:18:13They may talk faster than you expected,
9:18:16use an unfamiliar expression, or ask a
9:18:19question you were not prepared to
9:18:21answer. You do not need to remove those
9:18:24situations.
9:18:25You need to become better at handling
9:18:27them. Repeat. You do not need to remove
9:18:31those situations. You need to become
9:18:33better at handling them. Again, you do
9:18:36not need to remove those situations. You
9:18:39need to become better at handling them.
9:18:41If you miss something, ask. Repeat. If
9:18:45you miss something, ask. If you need a
9:18:48moment, pause. Repeat. If you need a
9:18:52moment, pause. If you cannot remember a
9:18:55word, describe the idea another way.
9:18:58Repeat. If you cannot remember a word,
9:19:01describe the idea another way. If your
9:19:04sentence comes out incorrectly, fix it
9:19:07and keep going. Repeat. If your sentence
9:19:10comes out incorrectly, fix it and keep
9:19:13going. Now, say the full sequence. If
9:19:17you miss something, ask. If you need a
9:19:20moment, pause. If you cannot remember a
9:19:24word, describe the idea another way. If
9:19:27your sentence comes out incorrectly, fix
9:19:30it and keep going, repeat the complete
9:19:33sequence again. If you miss something,
9:19:36the ask. If you need a moment, pause. If
9:19:40you cannot remember a word, describe the
9:19:43idea another way. If your sentence comes
9:19:46out incorrectly, fix it and keep going.
9:19:49Now, practice these thoughts. Every time
9:19:52I keep a conversation moving, I'm
9:19:55developing fluency. Repeat. Every time I
9:19:59keep a conversation moving, I'm
9:20:01developing fluency. Every time I shadow
9:20:04a natural sentence, I'm training my
9:20:06rhythm. Repeat. Every time I shadow a
9:20:10natural sentence, I'm training my
9:20:12rhythm. Every time I listen without
9:20:14translating every single word, I'm
9:20:17teaching my brain to process English
9:20:19more directly. Repeat. Every time I
9:20:22listen without translating every single
9:20:24word, I'm teaching my brain to process
9:20:27English more directly. Now, give
9:20:30yourself one final speaking task. Talk
9:20:33about what you have been doing recently
9:20:35to improve your English. Explain what
9:20:38feels easier than before, what still
9:20:40feels difficult, and what you want to
9:20:43continue improving. A possible answer
9:20:46is, "Lately, I've been doing more
9:20:49listening and shadowing. I feel like I'm
9:20:52getting better at recognizing common
9:20:54expressions when people speak quickly. I
9:20:56still need to work on answering without
9:20:58pausing for too long. So, I'm trying to
9:21:01practice more responses aloud instead of
9:21:03only listening. Now, create your own
9:21:07answer. You can use these sentence
9:21:10beginnings if you need them. Lately,
9:21:12I've been repeat.
9:21:16I've been I've noticed that. Repeat.
9:21:20I've noticed that one thing that's
9:21:23getting easier is repeat. One thing
9:21:26that's getting easier is I still
9:21:29struggle with repeat. I still struggle
9:21:32with I want to keep working on repeat. I
9:21:36want to keep working on now connect
9:21:40them. Lately, I've been practicing more
9:21:43consistently. I've noticed that I can
9:21:45understand common expressions more
9:21:47quickly. One thing that's getting easier
9:21:50is following everyday conversations.
9:21:53I still struggle with very fast speech
9:21:55sometimes, and I want to keep working on
9:21:58responding more naturally.
9:22:01Repeat the complete response. Lately,
9:22:04I've been practicing more consistently.
9:22:07I've noticed that I can understand
9:22:08common expressions more quickly. One
9:22:11thing that's getting easier is following
9:22:13everyday conversations.
9:22:16I still struggle with very fast speech
9:22:18sometimes and I want to keep working on
9:22:21responding more naturally. Now make the
9:22:25answer personal. Your next goal is to
9:22:27keep moving useful English from
9:22:30recognition into active speech. Do not
9:22:33let good phrases remain only in your
9:22:35listening vocabulary. Take one, say it,
9:22:40change it, connect it to your own
9:22:42experience, and use it again. Listen,
9:22:46I'm still working on it. Repeat. I'm
9:22:49still working on it. Change it. I'm
9:22:53still working on my pronunciation.
9:22:55Repeat. I'm still working on my
9:22:58pronunciation.
9:22:59Change it again. I'm still working on
9:23:02speaking more confidently. Repeat. I'm
9:23:05still working on speaking more
9:23:07confidently now. I'm getting used to it.
9:23:10Repeat. I'm getting used to it. Change
9:23:13it. I'm getting used to listening at a
9:23:16faster speed. Repeat. I'm getting used
9:23:19to listening at a faster speed. Now I'm
9:23:22getting used to listening at a faster
9:23:24speed. Now I'm getting used to listening
9:23:27at a faster speed. Now I'm getting used
9:23:30to listening at a faster speed. Now I'm
9:23:34getting used to listening at a faster
9:23:36speed. Now I'm getting used to listening
9:23:39at a faster speed. Now I'm getting used
9:23:42to listening at a faster speed. Now I'm
9:23:45getting used to listening at a faster
9:23:47speed. Now I'm getting used to listening
9:23:50at a faster speed. Repeat. I'm getting
9:23:53used to it. Repeat. It's starting to
9:23:57feel more natural. Change it. Speaking
9:24:00without translating everything is
9:24:03starting to feel more natural. Repeat.
9:24:06Speaking without translating everything
9:24:09is starting to feel more natural now. I
9:24:13can tell I'm making progress. Repeat. I
9:24:16can tell I'm making progress. Change it.
9:24:20I can tell I'm making progress because I
9:24:22don't hesitate as much as I used to.
9:24:25Repeat. I can tell I'm making progress
9:24:28because I don't hesitate as much as I
9:24:30used to. Keep these structures active by
9:24:34making your own examples. The more often
9:24:36you retrieve the language yourself
9:24:39rather than only listening to me produce
9:24:41it, the more accessible it becomes when
9:24:44you need it in real conversation.
9:24:47As you practice, listen beyond the
9:24:50individual words. Pay attention to the
9:24:53movement of the whole sentence. Notice
9:24:56which words are stressed. Hear how
9:24:58smaller words become weaker. Listen to
9:25:01the way sounds connect. Notice how a
9:25:04speaker's voice may rise when they are
9:25:06uncertain and fall when an idea feels
9:25:10complete. Pay attention to the short
9:25:12pauses that separate one thought from
9:25:14the next. Then copy those features. You
9:25:18do not need to become an exact imitation
9:25:20of someone else's voice. Shadowing is
9:25:23there to help you develop smoother
9:25:25timing, clearer pronunciation, and more
9:25:28natural flow in your own speech.
9:25:31Practice this sentence. The more I
9:25:33listen, the more I notice. Repeat. The
9:25:37more I listen, the more I notice. The
9:25:40more I shadow, the more natural the
9:25:43rhythm feels. Repeat. The more I shadow,
9:25:47the more natural the rhythm feels. The
9:25:49more I speak, the easier it becomes to
9:25:52respond. Repeat. The more I speak, the
9:25:55easier it becomes to respond. The more I
9:25:58use English, the less I need to
9:26:00translate. Repeat. The more I use
9:26:03English, the less I need to translate.
9:26:06Now, say all four ideas together. The
9:26:09more I listen, the more I notice. The
9:26:12more I shadow, the more natural the
9:26:14rhythm feels. The more I speak, the
9:26:17easier it becomes to respond. The more I
9:26:20use English, the less I need to
9:26:22translate. Now, personalize one of them.
9:26:26The more I practice English, the more.
9:26:29Finish the idea yourself. Maybe you feel
9:26:32more confident. Maybe you remember
9:26:34vocabulary more easily. Maybe fast
9:26:37speech becomes less difficult. Maybe you
9:26:40feel more comfortable making a mistake
9:26:42and continuing. Say your sentence aloud.
9:26:45Then repeat it once more with smoother
9:26:48rhythm. That second attempt is useful.
9:26:51The first time helps you understand and
9:26:53produce the thought. Repeating gives you
9:26:55more control. Further repetition makes
9:26:58the structure familiar. With enough
9:27:00practice, familiar language becomes
9:27:03faster to access and faster access makes
9:27:06the language more useful in real
9:27:08conversation.
9:27:10Keep training your ears to recognize
9:27:12natural English, your mouth to reproduce
9:27:15it, and your mind to respond without
9:27:17planning every word in advance. When
9:27:20communication becomes difficult, use the
9:27:23tools you have practiced. Ask for
9:27:25clarification. Confirm details. Give
9:27:29yourself thinking time. Paraphrase a
9:27:31word you cannot remember. Correct
9:27:33yourself and continue. React to the
9:27:36other person. Ask a follow-up question.
9:27:39Explain your reason. Add an example.
9:27:42Keep the exchange moving. Listen one
9:27:45more time. I don't need perfect English
9:27:48to communicate well. Repeat. I don't
9:27:51need perfect English to communicate
9:27:53well. I need clear ideas, useful
9:27:56phrases, careful listening, and regular
9:27:59practice. Repeat. I need clear ideas,
9:28:03useful phrases, careful listening, and
9:28:06regular practice. I can make a mistake
9:28:09and keep speaking. Repeat. I can make a
9:28:12mistake and keep speaking. I can miss a
9:28:15word and still understand the
9:28:17conversation. Repeat. I can miss a word
9:28:20and still understand the conversation. I
9:28:23can miss a word and still understand the
9:28:25conversation. I can miss a word and
9:28:27still understand the conversation. I can
9:28:30miss a word and still understand the
9:28:32conversation. I can miss a word and
9:28:35still understand the conversation. I can
9:28:37miss a word and still understand the
9:28:39conversation. I can miss a word and
9:28:42still understand the conversation. I can
9:28:44miss a word and still understand the
9:28:47conversation. Repeat. I can miss a word
9:28:50and still understand the conversation. I
9:28:53can miss a word and still understand the
9:28:55conversation. I can miss a and continue.
9:28:58Now say those thoughts as one sequence.
9:29:02I don't need perfect English to
9:29:03communicate well. I need clear ideas,
9:29:07useful phrases, careful listening, and
9:29:10regular practice. I can make a mistake
9:29:13and keep speaking. I can miss a word and
9:29:16still understand the conversation. I can
9:29:19pause, think, and continue. Use that
9:29:23same method whenever you practice.
9:29:26First, listen for the message. Then,
9:29:29notice the pattern. Say it aloud. Copy
9:29:32the rhythm. Adapt the structure to your
9:29:35own life. Return to it again later until
9:29:38the language feels familiar enough to
9:29:40appear naturally. That is how
9:29:43understanding grows from listening. how
9:29:46pronunciation improves through
9:29:47repetition, how familiar expressions
9:29:50turn into quick responses, and how
9:29:53consistent everyday practice gradually
9:29:55develops into real spoken fluency. Thank
9:29:59you so much for practicing English with
9:30:01me today. I hope this lesson helped you
9:30:03improve your English listening,
9:30:06speaking, pronunciation,
9:30:08and confidence through real shadowing
9:30:11practice and useful everyday
9:30:13conversations. Remember,
9:30:16you do not need to understand every
9:30:18single word or speak perfectly to make
9:30:21progress. Keep listening carefully.
9:30:24Repeat the sentences aloud. Shadow the
9:30:27natural rhythm and try to use the
9:30:29phrases you learned in your own daily
9:30:31conversations.
9:30:33The more consistently you practice, the
9:30:35easier it will become to understand
9:30:37natural English and respond without
9:30:40translating everything in your head. If
9:30:42you found this lesson helpful, make sure
9:30:45to subscribe to the channel and press
9:30:47the bell icon so you don't miss our
9:30:49upcoming English learning videos. You
9:30:52can also come back to this lesson and
9:30:54practice it again. The second or third
9:30:57time you listen, you may notice
9:30:59expressions, pronunciation, and
9:31:02connected speech that you missed the
9:31:04first time. And before you go, write a
9:31:07short comment in English about your
9:31:09practice today. Tell me which part of
9:31:12your English you want to improve the
9:31:14most. Listening, speaking,
9:31:17pronunciation, vocabulary, or
9:31:20confidence. Writing even a few sentences
9:31:23is another great way to actively use
9:31:25your English. Keep listening, keep
9:31:28shadowing, keep speaking, and most
9:31:31importantly, keep using English
9:31:33everyday. Thank you again for spending
9:31:36this time learning and practicing with
9:31:38me. I'll see you in the next English
9:31:40lesson. Until then, take care, keep
9:31:43practicing, and keep moving forward with
9:31:46your English.

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