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Shadowing practice: British Pronunciation 101

Listen to the line, then say it out loud
Line 1

Full transcript

  1. I'm a firm believer that what we learn becomes a part of who we are.0:00
  2. Now, I've been British pretty much my entire life.0:02
  3. My mum used to say that my first words were jolly good and I'd love a cuppa.0:05
  4. Alright, that isn't strictly true, but I am passionate about English and I love how we use language to express0:09
  5. our identities.0:14
  6. I've been teaching English for over 15 years now, and I believe that learning a new language is one of0:17
  7. the most exciting things that we can do.0:22
  8. But it can leave us feeling overwhelmed and confused.0:24
  9. The purpose of a really British guide to English pronunciation is to give you the knowledge and confidence to communicate0:27
  10. fluently in spoken English.0:32
  11. Now, having lived in Spain and Argentina, I know just how hard it is to fully express yourself in another0:34
  12. language.0:39
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  1. And I wish I'd had a course like this to give me the pathway to fluency.0:40
  2. You may be learning English to get that job promotion or perhaps you're doing an English exam.0:46
  3. I know that a lot of you use English as a common language to communicate with people around the world.0:51
  4. and I know that some of you use English because you're in love.0:55
  5. Whatever your reason, this is the course for you.0:58
  6. Have you ever been in a conversation and thought, I know exactly what I want to say, but I just1:05
  7. can't say it the way that I want to.1:10
  8. Hi, I'm Teacher Tom and I created British Pronunciation 101 to help you fix that exact problem.1:12
  9. This isn't just about learning a few tricks or or repeating words after me.1:18
  10. No, this is about training your mouth just like you're in the gym.1:23
  11. It's about building new muscle memory, learning the music of English, the rhythm, the stress, the intonation.1:27
  12. So you stop sounding robotic and you start sounding a little bit more like your true self.1:34
  13. You've spent years learning English and you know your grammar and vocabulary are solid but your pronunciation is still holding1:40
  14. you back.1:47
  15. You're not alone.1:48
  16. own.1:49
  17. Pronunciation is the single biggest confidence killer for all English learners, especially if you are living, working or studying in1:50
  18. the UK.1:58
  19. There are 50 professionally crafted videos that walk you through the five key areas of British English pronunciation.1:58
  20. We start with module one, mastering the sounds of British English.2:04
  21. We'll kick things off by learning all the sounds required to speak British English.2:08
  22. You'll learn to accurately pronounce any word using the phonetic alphabet and how to position your lips, teeth and tongue2:12
  23. so your English is clearer and easier to understand.2:19
  24. Module 2 is exploring received pronunciation.2:22
  25. RP is known as the standard British accent, the one famous Brits like Emma Watson, Keira Knightley and Daniel Radcliffe2:25
  26. have.2:34
  27. This module is where you'll learn how to recognise and use its key sounds to express yourself clearly.2:34
  28. But we'll also cover the differences between RP and other accents so you can understand different people and adopt the2:41
  29. pronunciation style that you prefer.2:48
  30. Module 3 is called Unlocking the Secrets of Fluency.2:51
  31. Ever wondered why Brits are so hard to understand or how to speak more fluently?2:54
  32. This module has the answers.2:59
  33. We'll dive into the features of connected speech, revealing the secret tricks and techniques that you can use to sound3:01
  34. more fluent.3:08
  35. Module 4, Speaking Like You Live Here.3:09
  36. Next, we shine a light on how to use stress and intonation to make your English sound more natural and3:11
  37. fluent.3:17
  38. It's where we breathe life into your words and avoid that robotic classroom English sound that you've probably grown accustomed3:18
  39. to.3:26
  40. By the time you complete this module you'll finally be able to decode what your British colleagues and mates are3:26
  41. saying and you might even sound like one too.3:32
  42. And module five, untangling British accents.3:35
  43. Whether or not you want to use received pronunciation, it's important to learn how other accents sound.3:38
  44. learned.3:44
  45. So, in the final module, we'll explore this crazy island nation through its diverse regional accents.3:44
  46. By the end, you will feel more comfortable chatting to anyone, anywhere.3:51
  47. And you won't be doing it alone.3:55
  48. Every week we'll meet for group coaching calls where I'll answer your questions and give you expert feedback.3:57
  49. Plus, you will be part of an amazing community of learners from all around the world, all on the same4:03
  50. mission as you, to speak better English and feel more like themselves when they do.4:09
  51. Just like course graduate Eric from Spain who said, since completing the course, the change in my pronunciation has been4:14
  52. remarkable.4:22
  53. I feel much more at ease speaking in English and I've noticed a significant improvement in how I'm understood.4:23
  54. Whether it's ordering at a cafe or presenting at work meetings, I now speak with clarity and confidence.4:30
  55. If you've ever thought I'll never sound natural in English, let me stop stop you right there.4:36
  56. You can, you absolutely can.4:41
  57. You just need the right plan, the right teacher and the right practice.4:44
  58. British Pronunciation 101 is open for enrolment now.4:49
  59. Choose the package that suits you and join the course.4:53
  60. And in 12 weeks you won't just sound more natural, you'll feel more confident, more fluent and more like you4:56
  61. in English.5:02
  62. I have poured all of my 15 years of teaching experience into this course and I'm so proud I know5:05
  63. that you're going to get so much from it and the community that we've built around it.5:10
  64. Let's kickstart your learning and give you the confidence and skills to achieve your English language goals.5:15
  65. So come and learn fresh modern British English with me, Teacher Tom, and let's take your English to the next5:20
  66. level.5:26

A British accent pronunciation lecture at B1, delivered at 192 words per minute

This is british english pronunciation practice straight from the source, a lecture where a teacher explains why pronunciation trips up learners who already have solid grammar. The clip runs 78 lines at 192 words per minute, faster than 54 percent of the catalogue, so plan on replaying short stretches rather than trying to keep pace on a first listen.

The B1 level means most of the vocabulary is within reach. The real difficulty is following him at full speed while he lays out his own teaching philosophy and previews the course ahead. It is a monologue, one voice building an argument, so there is no back and forth to track, just his rhythm to catch.

The mum's cuppa line and the muscle memory metaphor

A few lines here reward a close listen, and they are exactly the kind of material worth an english shadowing practice pass because the phrasing is dense but the words themselves are common.

  • "My mum used to say that my first words were jolly good and I'd love a cuppa." A quirky, self deprecating way to open, and cuppa is the informal British word for a cup of tea, a good target if you want to improve your english accent on a distinctly British word.
  • "This isn't just about learning a few tricks or or repeating words after me." The doubled or or is a genuine stumble caught by the transcript, a reminder that even a trained teacher's live speech is not clean, so do not expect your own attempts to sound polished either.
  • "It's about building new muscle memory, learning the music of English, the rhythm, the stress, the intonation." One long sentence with four ideas stacked on commas. Say it out loud and try to keep the stress even across the whole list without running out of breath.

How to work through this english speaking practice lecture, line by line

Treat this as a listening and repeating exercise, not a read along, since the value is in matching his pace, not the transcript.

  • Start at line 3, the cuppa line, and shadow it on its own until the rhythm of jolly good and cuppa feels natural in your mouth, not just recognisable to your ear.
  • Move to lines 6 and 7, where he explains he has taught English for over 15 years and calls learning a language one of the most exciting things we can do. Play this stretch twice before repeating, since the sentence runs on longer than it first sounds.
  • Shadow line 21, the tricks or or repeating line, at his actual speed. The stumble is part of the line, so do not smooth it out when you repeat it.
  • Finish on line 23, the muscle memory sentence, and break it into its four parts, muscle memory, the music of English, the rhythm, the stress and the intonation, before trying to say the whole line in one breath the way he does.
  • Loop lines 3 through 23 once more end to end. This is a fair test of whether you can speak english fluently over a stretch this size, not just repeat single lines in isolation.
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