Shadowing English Speaking Practice: Three Rounds, Seventeen Phrases and One Busy Saturday
It is a Monday at quarter past seven, in a café in Edinburgh. Emily is in a long queue and only wants a coffee and a small cake. The person behind the counter asks, “Anything with that?” Emily says “Sorry?” She gets the same question again, faster. “Sorry?” A third time. In the end she points at a cake and says nothing, and she feels, in her words, “about ten years old” (01:21).
The odd part is that she knew every word. “Anything. With. That. I knew them all. My ears just couldn’t keep up.” This episode is for B1 and B2 learners who know the feeling: your English is fine on paper, but your mouth is two steps behind. Emily’s fix was ten minutes a day with one short clip, for two weeks. The method has a name, shadowing, and in this episode Paul and Emily let you try it three times, at three speeds.
Watch the episode: Watch the episode on YouTube
Time: about 36 minutes to listen, and about 15 minutes for the practice below.
Before you listen: think of one moment when fast English beat you, in a shop, on the phone or in a meeting. You will come back to it at the end, when you write three true sentences.
How to use this page: listen once for the stories. Then play round one again and say every line in the gap. Read the phrase table and do the practice. The full transcript is at the bottom.
What You’ll Learn
- The line of the day: Copy it. Then own it.
- What shadowing is, why it trains rhythm and not only words, and what Emily’s first week felt like
- Three rounds: slow with gaps, normal speed with no gaps, and fast and connected
- A trick for long lines: say only the last three words, then grow the sentence from the end
- Seventeen phrases for busy weeks, plans, hard mornings and big goals, such as I’ve got a lot on my plate, I’m making it work and every step counts
- How spoken English joins words (a lotta, I’ve gotta, wanna) and why you copy that too
- Three common shadowing mistakes and their fixes
- A six-question quiz, three role-plays and a task: three true sentences about your busiest week
Key Idea
First you copy the rhythm. Later, you make the sentences your own.
Paul says it early (00:56), and the episode is built on it. The idea behind the shadowing is that your mouth has to learn the music of English, not only the words. Emily puts it this way: “Your mouth learns the rhythm, not only the words.” Paul adds a picture (02:52): shadowing is like walking beside a friend who walks faster than you. At first you almost have to run. After some days your steps get longer, and one day you are walking side by side.
| Round | Speed | What you do | Where in the episode |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slow, with gaps | Listen to a line, then say it in the gap (“One… two…“) | 03:40, Paul’s baking stall |
| 2 | Normal, no gaps | Ride along with the speakers, like a friend walking beside you | 14:36, Emily’s notebook and a warm coat |
| 3 | Fast and connected | Stay with the rhythm, catch the stressed words, jump back in if you fall behind | 25:20, the challenge round |
Emily’s Café Story: What Is Shadowing? (01:14)
Emily tells the story with a day, a time and a place, which makes it easy to retell: Last March, a Monday, quarter past seven, a long queue. After the café she did something simple. “Every morning on the bus, I played one short clip. For ten minutes, I said each sentence out loud, right after the speaker.”
She does not pretend it was pleasant. “Honestly, it felt bad. My mouth was always late, and on day four I wanted to stop.” What kept her going was a small promise: “Only ten minutes. Ten minutes is small enough to start.” After two weeks, on a Monday in April, the same café asked the same question, and she understood it the first time.
Two details are worth stealing for your own practice. The first is the size of the promise: ten minutes is a plan you can keep on a bad day. The second is Paul’s reminder (03:14) that you do not need to understand every word to start.
Round One, Slow: Paul’s Baking Stall (03:40)
The first conversation begins with flour on Paul’s sleeve. Emily notices it on a Monday morning, and Paul explains that he sells bread and cinnamon rolls at a market every Saturday, while still working at an office during the week. His alarm rings at five. He wants a tiny bakery of his own one day, and his rule is “short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit”.
The story has a shape that is good for shadowing, because each line answers the one before it:
| What happens | The line you shadow |
|---|---|
| Emily asks about the flour | ”Is that flour on your sleeve, Paul? It’s Monday morning.” |
| Paul explains the weekend | ”I washed my hands, but I forgot my sleeve. It was a busy weekend.” |
| Why the stall? | ”Because one day I want a tiny bakery of my own.” |
| The cold mornings | ”I remind myself why I’m doing it. It’s the bakery. Then I push through.” |
| The map | ”A strip of paper on the fridge. It shows my whole week, hour by hour.” |
| The mistake | ”I forgot the registration deadline for the market. It closed at five, and I found out at ten past.” |
| The lesson | ”It was a gift in disguise. I bought a calendar, and I’ve never missed a date since.” |
After the round (08:42), Emily gives the tip that makes long lines easier (08:47): “If a line is too long, say only the last three words.” Paul finishes it: “Then add more words each time. The sentence grows from the end.” Then the two hosts retell the story in a few short sentences (08:57) to show how a story holds phrases together in your head.
Ten Phrases from the Baking Stall (09:24)
Paul and Emily go through the phrases one by one, with a pause after each one so you can say it. The full list with examples is in the table further down. The ones that need a note:
- I’ve got a lot on my plate. Paul points out the word got: “I’ve got is very natural in spoken English.” You can also say so much on my plate, which adds feeling.
- I’m making it work. It puts the problem and the answer in one sentence: “The schedule is tight, but I’m making it work.”
- Go with the flow. Paul’s kite picture (12:00): it goes where the wind goes, “That’s fun, but it needs a string.” Emily goes with the flow when she picks a café, but for a train timetable she needs facts.
- I’m stretched thin. Informal. Emily uses butter on too much bread. With a manager, Paul suggests “my schedule is very full right now”.
- A wake-up call and a gift in disguise (13:31). You only say gift in disguise after the story, when you can see the good. “In the middle of the problem, nobody says it.”
Listening Bonus: Words That Melt Together (13:58)
Before round two comes a short lesson on connected speech. In real speech, a lot on my plate sounds like “a lotta… on my plate”, I’ve got a sounds like “I’ve gotta”, and want to becomes “wanna”. Emily’s warning is clear: don’t write these in an essay, but you will hear them everywhere. Paul adds the shadowing rule: copy the melting too, because it is part of the rhythm.
Round Two, Normal Speed: Emily’s Notebook and a Warm Coat (14:36)
Round two is a new conversation with no gaps. Emily has found her old photography notebook. “Back then, I dreamed of being a famous photographer.” Today her idea of success is “a quiet Sunday and one good photo”. On her list is her grandmother in Lisbon, whom she has not seen for three years, because every spring she said “next month”. Now she has booked a flight for March, for her grandmother’s ninetieth birthday.
The picture of the day comes at 16:05, when Paul asks her to explain the edge of the comfort zone: “Imagine a warm coat by the front door. Inside, you’re warm, but you never go out. Outside, it’s a bit cold. Standing at the door is just right.” Paul answers with his own story (17:24). On his first Saturday, a cold one in April, he stood behind his table with twelve cinnamon rolls and almost went home. He stayed, sold nine, and gave the last three to the man at the next stall, who is now his best customer.
Three Common Mistakes with Shadowing (17:52)
| Mistake | What Emily and Paul say about it |
|---|---|
| Copying the words and not the rhythm | ”Then you sound like a robot reading. Copy the music too.” |
| Waiting until you understand everything | ”You can start when you understand most of it. The rest grows while you practice.” |
| One hour on Sunday and nothing all week | ”The fix is ten minutes, five days a week. Small, regular steps.” |
Seven More Phrases (18:26)
The second half of the list comes from the second conversation: I stick to it, my idea of success has changed, at the edge of your comfort zone, you don’t find time, you make time, every step counts, back on track and I’ll figure it out. Each one has the same shape as before: the phrase, a pause for you, a meaning, and two or three example sentences. Pay attention to the small swaps the hosts suggest, such as my idea of a good weekend has changed, or I make time for my grandmother. Changing one word is how a copied phrase becomes your own.
Quiz and Role-Play with Pauses (22:07)
Now the phrases go to work. Emily asks six short questions and Paul gives a model answer after each pause, for example: “A friend says, you look so tired. What’s going on?” Paul’s model: “I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. Work, classes, everything.” The questions cover a tired friend, an extra project from a manager, an invitation the night before an exam, a question about success, a calm colleague and a friend who says “I’ve done nothing this year”.
Then there are three role-plays (24:04): Paul at the baking stall with a customer, a forgotten meeting room (“I’ll figure it out. Let me call the office. One thing at a time.”), and an English teacher who asks why you are learning English. Last, you take question one again with a different phrase (24:56): instead of a lot on my plate, try I’m stretched thin.
Round Three, Fast: The Challenge (25:20)
Round three replays the baking stall and the notebook conversation at full speed, with words joined together and nothing to wait for. Two pieces of advice come before it: “If you fall behind, jump back in at the next line,” and “Don’t chase every word.” Catch the stressed words first (plate, hard, five, wake-up call) and “the small words will follow”. Emily’s line for it: “Stress is the heartbeat of English. Follow the heartbeat.”
At 30:38 there are three listening questions with a pause for your answer. After them, Paul and Emily put the phrases back into their own stories (31:21), and the episode ends with your task and a recap.
Useful Language from the Episode
| Phrase | Meaning | Example from the episode |
|---|---|---|
| I’ve got a lot on my plate (09:24) | Your days are full: too many tasks, not enough hours | ”I’d love to help, but I’ve got a lot on my plate this week.” |
| I’m making it work (09:55) | The week is tight, but you keep moving | ”The schedule is tight, but I’m making it work.” |
| Short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit | Give up something small now for something better later | ”Studying on Friday nights is hard. But it’s a short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit.” |
| I remind myself why I’m doing it | Picture your goal on the hardest morning | ”I remind myself why I’m doing it. It’s the bakery.” |
| Push through | Keep going when it is hard | ”I was tired, but I pushed through the last page.” |
| Go with the flow (11:52) | Accept things as they come | ”I usually go with the flow.” |
| I’m stretched thin | Giving a little to everything, with no energy left | ”This month, I’m stretched thin. Two projects and a family trip.” |
| One thing at a time | Choose one task, finish it, then the next | ”One thing at a time, please.” |
| A wake-up call | An event that tells you to act | ”A doctor’s advice or a missed bus can be a wake-up call.” |
| A gift in disguise (13:31) | A problem that later turns out to help you | ”Missing that deadline was a wake-up call. And it turned into a gift in disguise.” |
| I stick to it (18:24) | Keep to a plan even on a hard day. Past: stuck | ”My brother stuck to his study plan for six weeks.” |
| My idea of success has changed | Your view of a good life or job is different now | ”Five years ago, success meant a bigger salary. Today it means a free Sunday.” |
| At the edge of your comfort zone | A little scary, a little new: where you stretch | ”Speaking English to a stranger is outside my comfort zone. So I do it once a week.” |
| You don’t find time, you make time (20:04) | Put it in the calendar first | ”I make time for my grandmother.” |
| Every step counts | Small steps add up | ”Even a five-minute walk counts. Even one sentence counts.” |
| Back on track (21:01) | Returning to your plan after being off it | ”I missed Monday, but I’m back on track.” |
| I’ll figure it out (21:35) | I don’t know the answer yet, but I’ll find it | ”I’ll figure it out sounds calm and positive.” |
Mistake and Repair
These errors were written for this page. They are the ones learners often make with the phrases above, and each has a one-line fix.
| Often said | Better | Why |
|---|---|---|
| I have many things in my plate. | I’ve got a lot on my plate. | The phrase is fixed: on, and a lot. |
| It was a gift of disguise. | It was a gift in disguise. | The preposition is in. |
| I’ll figure out it. | I’ll figure it out. | A short pronoun goes between figure and out. |
| I’m back in track. | I’m back on track. | You are on a track, like a train. |
| I sticked to my plan. | I stuck to my plan. | Stick is irregular: stick, stuck, stuck. |
Practice with the Episode
1. Listen for details
Listen again to round one and round three and answer. The answers follow.
- What time does Paul’s alarm ring on Saturdays?
- Where does the flour on Paul’s sleeve come from?
- Why is Emily flying to Lisbon in March?
- How many cinnamon rolls did Paul take on his first day, and how many did he sell?
- What does Emily do when she falls behind?
Answers
- At five o’clock in the morning.
- From his stall at the market near his house, where he sells bread and cinnamon rolls every Saturday.
- For her grandmother’s ninetieth birthday.
- Twelve; he sold nine and gave three to the man at the next stall.
- She takes one small step: ten minutes with her camera.
2. Say it out loud: a ten-minute round one
Play round one from 03:40 and say every line in the gap. If a line is too long, use Emily’s tip: say the last three words, then add words from the end. Try it with Paul’s line Because one day I want a tiny bakery of my own: first “of my own”, then “bakery of my own”, then “a tiny bakery of my own”, and so on until you can say the whole line.
3. Pick the phrase
Choose the best phrase for each situation. Phrases are written for this page; the answers follow.
- A friend asks you to join a third project this month, but you are already busy.
- You missed a week of your study plan, and today you start again.
- Something new went wrong at work and you do not know the answer yet.
- You lost your job, and later it led you to a much better one.
Answers
- I’d love to, but I’ve got a lot on my plate. (or I’m stretched thin.)
- I’m back on track.
- I’ll figure it out.
- It was a gift in disguise.
Other phrases can also fit. If your sentence is true and the listener understands it, it works.
4. Your three sentences (32:52)
This is the task from the episode. Write three true sentences about your busiest week and use three phrases from the table. Real sentences are easier to remember than perfect ones. The hosts model it: “Last week, I had a lot on my plate. I was stretched thin, but I took one thing at a time.” If you want a harder version, add a fourth sentence about next week with I’ll figure it out or back on track.
Your small action
Say your three sentences out loud once today. Then make a ten-minute plan: one short clip, one round, five days a week. Emily’s plan was the bus every morning. Paul’s was Saturday at five, one thing at a time, and one extra roll for his neighbor (34:48).
Keep Practicing
Want to use the shadowing method with any audio, without the episode? Read How to Shadow English: Your Ten-Minute Session, Minute by Minute. It follows one short session from the first listen to the fast round, with the last-three-words trick, the three mistakes and a five-day plan.
For another look at small, regular practice, see Practice English for 30 Minutes a Day: Build a Routine You Can Follow and Train Your Ears to Understand Fast English. If you want to talk about a hard week with phrasal verbs, try How to Talk About a Hard Week in English with Four Get Phrases.
Chapters
- 00:00 Can’t Keep Up? Your Line for Today
- 01:14 Emily’s Café Story: What Is Shadowing?
- 03:40 Round 1 (Slow): Paul’s Baking Stall
- 09:24 10 Phrases from the Baking Stall
- 14:36 Round 2 (Normal): Success, Time, and Comfort Zones
- 18:26 7 More Phrases
- 22:07 Quiz and Role-Play with Pauses
- 25:20 Round 3 (Fast): The Challenge
- 31:21 Phrase Review with Our Stories
- 32:56 Your Task for Today
- 34:20 Recap and Your Comment Challenge
Full Transcript
Emily: Have you ever tried to repeat what a native speaker just said?
Paul: And your mouth just couldn’t keep up?
Emily: Exactly. You understand every word. But your mouth is two steps behind.
Paul: I know that feeling very well. I’ve lived it.
Emily: Welcome to English Practice Daily. I’m Emily.
Paul: And I’m Paul. This podcast episode is for B1 and B2 learners.
Emily: It’s for you if you understand a lot, but you want to sound smoother.
Paul: Today you’ll shadow one real conversation, three times, at three different speeds.
Emily: You’ll also learn seventeen phrases for busy weeks, big plans, and small goals.
Paul: And you don’t need to watch anything before this. This episode stands on its own.
Emily: If you want, say each line out loud with us. Quietly is fine too.
Paul: Our line for today is short. Copy it. Then own it.
Emily: Copy it. Then own it. Hmm, I like that.
Paul: First you copy the rhythm. Later, you make the sentences your own.
Emily: And it works. Even ten minutes a day changes how your mouth feels.
Paul: It isn’t magic, of course. It’s small, regular practice.
Emily: Let’s begin with a little story. It’s about a café, and one small word.
Paul: Go ahead, Emily. I’m listening.
Emily: Last March, I was in Edinburgh. It was a Monday, at quarter past seven.
Emily: I stood in a long queue at a café. I only wanted a coffee and a small cake.
Paul: And the person behind the counter spoke fast?
Emily: Very fast. She asked, anything with that? To me it sounded like one long word.
Emily: I said, sorry? She said it again, even faster. I said, sorry? A third time.
Paul: Oh, Emily. Three times?
Emily: Three times. Then I just pointed at a cake and said nothing. I felt about ten years old.
Paul: But you knew every word in that question.
Emily: I did! Anything. With. That. I knew them all. My ears just couldn’t keep up.
Paul: So what did you do?
Emily: Something very simple. Every morning on the bus, I played one short clip.
Emily: For ten minutes, I said each sentence out loud, right after the speaker.
Paul: Every morning? For how long?
Emily: Two weeks. Then one Monday in April, same café, same question. I understood it the first time.
Paul: What did the first week feel like?
Emily: Honestly, it felt bad. My mouth was always late, and on day four I wanted to stop.
Paul: So what kept you going?
Emily: I told myself, only ten minutes. Ten minutes is small enough to start.
Paul: That’s wonderful. What’s the method called?
Emily: It’s called shadowing. Your voice follows the speaker, like a shadow.
Paul: I think of it as walking beside a friend who walks faster than you.
Emily: Ha. Tell me more.
Paul: At first, you almost have to run. But after some days, your steps get longer.
Paul: And one day, you’re walking side by side.
Emily: I love that picture. Your mouth learns the rhythm, not only the words.
Paul: And you don’t need to understand every word to start.
Emily: Right. So today we shadow one conversation in three rounds. Slow, normal, and fast.
Paul: The useful phrases are hidden inside the story. We’ll explain them after each round.
Emily: And near the end, you’ll use them in your own real situations.
Paul: Okay. Round one is the slow round. Listen to each line.
Emily: Then say it out loud, in the gap. Ready? Here we go.
Emily: Is that flour on your sleeve, Paul? It’s Monday morning.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Yes. I washed my hands, but I forgot my sleeve. It was a busy weekend.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Busy? You usually say your weekends are quiet.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Not anymore. These days I’ve got a lot on my plate.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: Tell me everything. Where does the flour come from?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: From my stall. Every Saturday, I sell bread and cinnamon rolls at the market near my house.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: You have a stall? You never told me!
Paul: One… two…
Paul: It’s new. I started last April. And during the week, I still work at the office.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Both at the same time? Do you ever sleep?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Not a lot. On Saturdays, my alarm rings at five.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: Five! I can’t imagine that.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Some mornings, I can’t either. But I’m making it work.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: So why do it? You already have a good job.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Because one day I want a tiny bakery of my own. Short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit. That’s my rule.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I like that rule. But what about the cold, dark mornings?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Those are the hard ones. The bed is warm, and the street is empty.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: So what’s your trick?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: I remind myself why I’m doing it. It’s the bakery. Then I push through.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: I’d never manage. I usually go with the flow.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: I used to be the same. In my first month, I burned two trays of rolls.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Two trays! So what changed?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: I made a map.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: A map?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: A strip of paper on the fridge. It shows my whole week, hour by hour.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: And you actually follow it?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Mostly. I stick to it, even when I’m tired.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: What happens when the list is too long?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Then I’m stretched thin. So I do one thing at a time.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: Smart. And when did the map begin?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: After a mistake. Last March, I got a wake-up call.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: What was it?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: I forgot the registration deadline for the market. It closed at five, and I found out at ten past.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Ten minutes late! What did you do?
Paul: One… two…
Paul: I ran to the office. The door was locked, and a lady inside shook her head. I lost a month.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: Oh, Paul. That must have been painful.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: It was. But it was a gift in disguise. I bought a calendar, and I’ve never missed a date since.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: A gift in disguise. That’s a good lesson for all of us.
Paul: One… two…
Emily: Well done, everyone. Round one is finished.
Paul: How did it feel? If you missed some lines, that’s completely normal.
Emily: Here’s a quick tip. If a line is too long, say only the last three words.
Paul: Then add more words each time. The sentence grows from the end.
Emily: Let me check that I understood the story. Paul works at an office all week.
Paul: And on Saturdays, he gets up at five to bake for a market stall.
Emily: Because one day he wants a bakery of his own.
Paul: And a missed deadline last March taught him to plan.
Emily: See how the story holds the phrases together? That’s why they stay in your head.
Emily: Now let’s look closely at the phrases. Listen first, then say each one.
Paul: Phrase one. I’ve got a lot on my plate.
Emily: One… two…
Paul: It means your days are full. Too many tasks, not enough hours.
Emily: For example, I’d love to help, but I’ve got a lot on my plate this week.
Paul: Notice the word got. I’ve got is very natural in spoken English.
Emily: You can also say, I’ve got so much on my plate. Same meaning, more feeling.
Paul: Phrase two. I’m making it work.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: The week is messy, the plan is tight, and still you keep moving.
Paul: The schedule is tight, but I’m making it work.
Emily: Notice the word but. It puts the problem and the answer in one sentence.
Paul: A friend asks, how are you managing? You answer, it’s not easy, but I’m making it work.
Emily: Phrase three. Short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: You give up something small today for something better later.
Emily: Studying on Friday nights is hard. But it’s a short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit.
Paul: You can change the words for your own life. A small cost now, a big gain later.
Emily: I like the sound of two short parts. They’re easy to remember.
Paul: Phrase four. I remind myself why I’m doing it.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: On the worst morning, you picture the goal. That picture pulls you out of bed.
Paul: Some people write the reason on a small note. Then they put it on the fridge.
Emily: Mine is on my phone, next to a photo of my grandmother.
Paul: Phrase five. Push through.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: Imagine a very heavy door. You can’t open it softly. You lean in and push.
Paul: I was tired, but I pushed through the last page.
Emily: It works for studying, for work, and for exercise. Push through the last ten minutes.
Paul: The last page, the last mile, the last email. It’s a very flexible phrase.
Emily: Phrase six. Go with the flow.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: Think of a kite in the wind. It goes wherever the wind goes. That’s fun, but it needs a string.
Emily: I go with the flow when I choose a café. For a train timetable, I need facts.
Paul: Notice the word usually. I usually go with the flow means it’s often true for me.
Emily: It’s a softer way to describe your style. It isn’t a strict rule.
Paul: Phrase seven. I’m stretched thin.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: It means you’re giving a little to everything, so you have no energy left. Like butter on too much bread.
Paul: This month, I’m stretched thin. Two projects and a family trip.
Emily: It’s informal, so it’s perfect for friends and colleagues.
Paul: With a manager, you might say, my schedule is very full right now.
Emily: Phrase eight. One thing at a time.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: When everything feels like too much, choose one task. Finish it. Then choose the next one.
Emily: You can say it to other people too. When three people talk to you at once, say, one thing at a time, please.
Emily: Phrase nine. A wake-up call.
Paul: One… two…
Emily: Imagine a smoke alarm in the middle of the night. It’s loud and scary, but it tells you to act.
Paul: It doesn’t have to be a disaster. A doctor’s advice or a missed bus can be a wake-up call.
Emily: Phrase ten. A gift in disguise.
Paul: One… two…
Paul: A problem that, later on, turns out to help you.
Emily: Missing that deadline was a wake-up call. And it turned into a gift in disguise.
Paul: Notice something. You say gift in disguise after the story, when you can see the good.
Emily: In the middle of the problem, nobody says it. Only later, when you look back.
Paul: Before round two, a small listening bonus. It helps you shadow faster speech.
Emily: In real speech, words join together. Take a lot on my plate.
Paul: It sounds like, a lotta… on my plate. The words melt into each other.
Emily: Another one. I’ve got a sounds like, I’ve gotta.
Paul: And want to often becomes wanna. I wanna go home.
Emily: Don’t write these in an essay. But you will hear them everywhere.
Paul: So when you shadow, copy the melting too. It’s part of the rhythm.
Paul: That was ten phrases. Now let’s try a different conversation, at normal speed.
Emily: Round two. This one is new. You haven’t heard it yet.
Paul: No gaps this time. Ride along with us, like a friend walking beside you.
Emily: Ready? Here we go.
Emily: Paul, look at this. I found my old photography notebook.
Paul: Wow. Is that from your first class?
Emily: Yes. Back then, I dreamed of being a famous photographer.
Paul: And now?
Emily: Now my idea of success has changed. It’s a quiet Sunday and one good photo.
Paul: That sounds peaceful. What else is on your list?
Emily: My grandmother in Lisbon. I haven’t seen her for three years.
Paul: Three years? Why so long?
Emily: Every spring I told myself, next month. But next month always had a reason. You don’t find time. You make time.
Paul: I know that story. I did the same with my bakery.
Emily: So last month I booked a flight. It’s for March.
Paul: What will you do there?
Emily: Eat my grandmother’s fish soup, and take a hundred photos of her kitchen.
Paul: That’s wonderful. Are you nervous?
Emily: A little. It’s her ninetieth birthday, and my Portuguese is not great.
Paul: You’ll be fine. You’ll figure it out.
Emily: I hope so. I always feel best right at the edge of my comfort zone.
Paul: The edge of your comfort zone? Explain that picture for me.
Emily: Imagine a warm coat by the front door. Inside, you’re warm, but you never go out. Outside, it’s a bit cold. Standing at the door is just right.
Paul: Just cold enough to step out.
Emily: Exactly. That’s where I take my best photos, and that’s where I learn.
Paul: And when life gets busy and you fall behind?
Emily: Then I get back on track with one small step. Maybe ten minutes with my camera.
Paul: Ten minutes is enough?
Emily: It is. Every step counts.
Paul: I need to remember that. Some weeks I feel I’m going nowhere.
Emily: Everyone feels that. But look at you. A job, a stall, and a plan for a bakery.
Paul: And you, with a flight and a camera.
Emily: Two people moving forward, a little at a time.
Paul: A little at a time. I like that.
Emily: That was round two. How did it feel? A bit faster, and no gaps.
Paul: Yes, and without the gaps, you have to keep up. That feels different, and that’s fine.
Emily: Remember our line. Copy it. Then own it.
Paul: Emily, I want to tell you what I noticed in that conversation.
Emily: Please do.
Paul: Your coat picture made me think of my first day at the market.
Emily: Go ahead.
Paul: It was a cold Saturday in April. I stood behind my table with twelve cinnamon rolls.
Paul: I almost packed up and went home. But I stayed at the door, like your coat.
Emily: Go on.
Paul: I sold nine rolls. I gave the last three to the man at the next stall. Now he’s my best customer.
Emily: Nine out of twelve on your first day. That’s one small step outside the comfort zone.
Paul: Since we’re talking about starting, let me share three common mistakes with shadowing.
Emily: Oh, please do. I made at least two of them.
Paul: Mistake one. Copying only the words, and not the rhythm.
Emily: Right. Then you sound like a robot reading. Copy the music too.
Paul: Mistake two. Waiting until you understand everything.
Emily: You can start when you understand most of it. The rest grows while you practice.
Paul: Mistake three. Practicing for one hour on Sunday, and nothing all week.
Emily: The fix is ten minutes, five days a week. Small, regular steps.
Paul: Now seven more phrases from this conversation. Phrase eleven. I stick to it.
Emily: One… two…
Emily: You keep to your plan, even on a hard day. I stick to my bus clips, even in the rain.
Paul: You can stick to a plan, a diet, or a schedule.
Emily: And in the past, you say, I stuck to it for a whole month.
Paul: My brother stuck to his study plan for six weeks. Then he passed his driving test.
Paul: Phrase twelve. My idea of success has changed.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: Swap the word success. My idea of a good weekend has changed. My idea of a perfect job has changed.
Emily: Change that one word to fit your life. My idea of a good day has changed.
Paul: Five years ago, success meant a bigger salary. Today it means a free Sunday.
Emily: Phrase thirteen. At the edge of your comfort zone.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: Remember the warm coat by the door. A little bit scary, a little bit new. That’s where you stretch.
Paul: You can also say, step out of your comfort zone. Or, that was outside my comfort zone.
Emily: Both are very common in everyday English.
Emily: Speaking English to a stranger is outside my comfort zone. So I do it once a week.
Paul: Phrase fourteen. You don’t find time, you make time.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: Put it in the calendar first, like a flight. Then everything else moves around it. Ten minutes counts.
Emily: Try it with a name. I make time for my grandmother.
Paul: I make time for my dog. Biscuit insists.
Paul: Tell a friend your time slot. A friend makes it harder to cancel.
Emily: Phrase fifteen. Every step counts.
Paul: One… two…
Emily: Each loaf Paul sells is small. Each photo I take is small. Together, they become a year.
Paul: It’s also a kind message for a friend. Keep going. Every step counts.
Emily: Say it softly, especially when someone feels slow.
Emily: Even a five-minute walk counts. Even one sentence counts.
Paul: Phrase sixteen. Back on track.
Emily: One… two…
Paul: It means you were off your plan, and now you’re returning to it. I missed Monday, but I’m back on track.
Emily: It works with a diet, a project, or a study plan. After the holiday, I’m back on track.
Paul: Or you can say it together. Let’s get back on track.
Paul: Missing a day isn’t failure. You get back on track tomorrow.
Emily: Phrase seventeen. I’ll figure it out.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: Use it when a problem is new. It says, I don’t know the answer yet, but I’ll find it.
Paul: Notice the verb figure out. It means to find the answer by thinking.
Emily: I can’t figure this out is also a very useful sentence when something is confusing.
Emily: I’ll figure it out sounds calm and positive. It shows you trust yourself.
Paul: Seventeen phrases! Now it’s your turn to use them.
Emily: This isn’t a test. It’s a game. I ask, you answer out loud. Then Paul gives a model.
Emily: Number one. A friend says, you look so tired. What’s going on? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A model answer. I’ve got a lot on my plate right now. Work, classes, everything.
Emily: Number two. Your manager asks you to take one more project this month. Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: You could say, honestly, I’ve got a lot on my plate. But I’m making it work, so let me check my map first.
Emily: Number three. A friend invites you out, but your exam is on Monday. Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: Try this. I’d love to, but this is a short-term sacrifice. Exam first, party later.
Emily: Number four. Someone asks, has your idea of success changed? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: Yes. My idea of success has changed. Now it means a free Sunday and a warm roll.
Emily: Number five. A colleague says, you always seem so calm. What’s your secret? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A model. Honestly, I take one thing at a time. And I remind myself why I’m doing it.
Emily: Number six. A friend says, I’ve done nothing this year. What do you say? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A kind answer. That’s not true. Every step counts, and you’re back on track now.
Emily: Great. Now a short role play. You are Paul at the baking stall. I’m a customer.
Emily: Good morning! These cinnamon rolls look amazing. Did you make them yourself?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A model. Yes, I baked them at five this morning. It’s early, but I’m making it work.
Emily: Next. I’m your friend, and you forgot to book the meeting room. Oh no. What do we do now?
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A model. Don’t worry. I’ll figure it out. Let me call the office. One thing at a time.
Emily: One more. I’m your English teacher now. Why are you learning English? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: A model. My idea of success has changed. I want to speak with confidence, so I make time every day.
Emily: Now try number one again, but change the phrase. Same situation, new words.
Paul: One… two… three…
Paul: For example, instead of a lot on my plate, you could say, I’m stretched thin.
Emily: Very good. Now the challenge round. Round three.
Paul: Full speed. Words joined together. Nothing to wait for.
Emily: Part one is the baking stall. Part two is success and time.
Paul: If you fall behind, jump back in at the next line. Staying in the game is what counts.
Emily: One tip for this round. Don’t chase every word.
Paul: Catch the stressed words first. Plate, hard, five, wake-up call. The small words will follow.
Emily: Stress is the heartbeat of English. Follow the heartbeat.
Emily: Is that flour on your sleeve, Paul? It’s Monday morning.
Paul: Yes. I washed my hands, but I forgot my sleeve. It was a busy weekend.
Emily: Busy? You usually say your weekends are quiet.
Paul: Not anymore. These days I’ve got a lot on my plate.
Emily: Tell me everything. Where does the flour come from?
Paul: From my stall. Every Saturday, I sell bread and cinnamon rolls at the market near my house.
Emily: You have a stall? You never told me!
Paul: It’s new. I started last April. And during the week, I still work at the office.
Emily: Both at the same time? Do you ever sleep?
Paul: Not a lot. On Saturdays, my alarm rings at five.
Emily: Five! I can’t imagine that.
Paul: Some mornings, I can’t either. But I’m making it work.
Emily: So why do it? You already have a good job.
Paul: Because one day I want a tiny bakery of my own. Short-term sacrifice, long-term benefit. That’s my rule.
Emily: I like that rule. But what about the cold, dark mornings?
Paul: Those are the hard ones. The bed is warm, and the street is empty.
Emily: So what’s your trick?
Paul: I remind myself why I’m doing it. It’s the bakery. Then I push through.
Emily: I’d never manage. I usually go with the flow.
Paul: I used to be the same. In my first month, I burned two trays of rolls.
Emily: Two trays! So what changed?
Paul: I made a map.
Emily: A map?
Paul: A strip of paper on the fridge. It shows my whole week, hour by hour.
Emily: And you actually follow it?
Paul: Mostly. I stick to it, even when I’m tired.
Emily: What happens when the list is too long?
Paul: Then I’m stretched thin. So I do one thing at a time.
Emily: Smart. And when did the map begin?
Paul: After a mistake. Last March, I got a wake-up call.
Emily: What was it?
Paul: I forgot the registration deadline for the market. It closed at five, and I found out at ten past.
Emily: Ten minutes late! What did you do?
Paul: I ran to the office. The door was locked, and a lady inside shook her head. I lost a month.
Emily: Oh, Paul. That must have been painful.
Paul: It was. But it was a gift in disguise. I bought a calendar, and I’ve never missed a date since.
Emily: A gift in disguise. That’s a good lesson for all of us.
Emily: Paul, look at this. I found my old photography notebook.
Paul: Wow. Is that from your first class?
Emily: Yes. Back then, I dreamed of being a famous photographer.
Paul: And now?
Emily: Now my idea of success has changed. It’s a quiet Sunday and one good photo.
Paul: That sounds peaceful. What else is on your list?
Emily: My grandmother in Lisbon. I haven’t seen her for three years.
Paul: Three years? Why so long?
Emily: Every spring I told myself, next month. But next month always had a reason. You don’t find time. You make time.
Paul: I know that story. I did the same with my bakery.
Emily: So last month I booked a flight. It’s for March.
Paul: What will you do there?
Emily: Eat my grandmother’s fish soup, and take a hundred photos of her kitchen.
Paul: That’s wonderful. Are you nervous?
Emily: A little. It’s her ninetieth birthday, and my Portuguese is not great.
Paul: You’ll be fine. You’ll figure it out.
Emily: I hope so. I always feel best right at the edge of my comfort zone.
Paul: The edge of your comfort zone? Explain that picture for me.
Emily: Imagine a warm coat by the front door. Inside, you’re warm, but you never go out. Outside, it’s a bit cold. Standing at the door is just right.
Paul: Just cold enough to step out.
Emily: Exactly. That’s where I take my best photos, and that’s where I learn.
Paul: And when life gets busy and you fall behind?
Emily: Then I get back on track with one small step. Maybe ten minutes with my camera.
Paul: Ten minutes is enough?
Emily: It is. Every step counts.
Paul: I need to remember that. Some weeks I feel I’m going nowhere.
Emily: Everyone feels that. But look at you. A job, a stall, and a plan for a bakery.
Paul: And you, with a flight and a camera.
Emily: Two people moving forward, a little at a time.
Paul: A little at a time. I like that.
Emily: Round three, done. How did that feel? Fast, right? That is exactly the point.
Paul: You don’t need to catch every word. You only need to stay with the rhythm.
Emily: Quick listening question. What time does Paul’s alarm ring on Saturdays? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: At five o’clock in the morning.
Paul: Second question. Why is Emily flying to Lisbon in March? Your turn.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: For her grandmother’s ninetieth birthday.
Emily: Third question. What does Emily do when she falls behind? Your turn.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: She takes one small step. Ten minutes with her camera.
Emily: If you got all three, your ears are getting stronger.
Paul: Now let’s put the phrases back into our own stories.
Emily: Say each phrase after us. Ready, Paul?
Paul: Ready. Last year, I had a lot on my plate.
Emily: One… two…
Paul: Work, plus the stall. I was stretched thin.
Emily: One… two…
Paul: So I did one thing at a time, and I was making it work.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: Every Saturday at five was a short-term sacrifice. But I reminded myself why I was doing it.
Emily: One… two… three…
Paul: Then I pushed through. And that old wake-up call was really a gift in disguise.
Emily: One… two… three…
Emily: My turn. In Edinburgh, I was far outside my comfort zone.
Paul: One… two…
Emily: Now my idea of success has changed. It’s about time, and I make time.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: When I fall behind, I get back on track. Every step counts.
Paul: One… two… three…
Emily: And when a problem is new, I say, I’ll figure it out.
Paul: One… two…
Emily: Now your task. Today, try one small thing. Write three sentences about your busiest week.
Paul: Make them true. Real sentences are easier to remember than perfect ones.
Paul: Use three phrases from this episode. Only three. Keep it simple.
Emily: Here is my example. Last week, I had a lot on my plate. I was stretched thin, but I took one thing at a time.
Paul: And mine. I stick to my list. I remind myself why I’m doing it. And every step counts.
Emily: Here’s how to use this episode again. It takes about ten minutes.
Paul: Step one. Play round one, and say every line in the gap.
Emily: Step two. Play round three, and stay with the rhythm for just one minute.
Paul: Step three. Close the video, and say five phrases from memory.
Emily: If you forget one, that’s fine. Listen again tomorrow.
Paul: Little and often is better than one big session on Sunday.
Emily: Remember the coat by the door. Step out a little, every day.
Emily: Write yours today, and say it out loud once. Copy it. Then own it.
Paul: The sentences can be simple. True and simple is perfect.
Emily: If you want a bigger challenge, add a fourth sentence about next week.
Paul: Use I’ll figure it out, or back on track, for that one.
Paul: Learning English is a goal too. It’s one more thing on your plate, and that’s hard.
Emily: Some weeks you’re stretched thin. But ten minutes of shadowing still counts.
Paul: Remember, you don’t find time, you make time.
Emily: One more thought. Shadowing is for rhythm. It isn’t for becoming someone else.
Paul: Your accent is part of your story. We only want your English to feel easier.
Emily: Before we go, let me tell you my plan for this week.
Paul: Go ahead. I’d love to hear it.
Emily: I’m going back to the bus. Ten minutes, one short clip, every morning.
Paul: And mine is simple. On Saturday at five, one thing at a time. And one extra roll for my neighbor.
Emily: That’s a good plan. Small, true, and easy to start.
Paul: Now it’s your turn to choose your plan. It can be just as small.
Emily: So let’s go back over today. First, shadowing. You follow the speaker, in three speeds.
Paul: Second, seventeen phrases for busy weeks, plans, and hard moments.
Emily: And third, you use them in your own life, one sentence at a time.
Paul: Now a question for you. Which phrase fits your week best?
Emily: And what is one sentence you will write with it? Please write it in the comments, in English.
Paul: You can also tell us which round was hardest for you. Slow, normal, or fast.
Paul: Share your sentence, and we’ll cheer for you.
Emily: Next time, we’ll bring you another conversation to shadow, with a brand new situation.
Paul: If this helped you today, please subscribe, so you don’t miss it.
Emily: Thank you for listening, and for choosing to practice.
Paul: Remember. Copy it. Then own it. See you next time.
Emily: Bye, everyone!