Get the app

Shadowing practice: Spoken English Class 1 - How to Speak Fluent English Beginner to Advanced

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

Full transcript

  1. Hello everyone and welcome back to English with Lucy.0:09
  2. Today I have a spoken English class for you.0:13
  3. I have got eight tips that will help you to master spoken English.0:18
  4. If you apply these tips to your everyday life you will really notice a difference and you will become more confident and more comfortable speaking English.0:24
  5. My first tip is to get to know the parts of your body that you use whilst speaking English.0:35
  6. This might sound a little odd but trust me on this one.0:44
  7. If you don't understand which parts of your face, tongue and throat are used when speaking English then how will you ever be able to correct your pronunciation mistakes?0:48
  8. Watch yourself in the mirror whilst speaking English is a common tip that many teachers give.1:01
  9. However I think you should go one step further than this.1:06
  10. You absolutely need to analyse what your lips, tongue, throat, face in general is doing when you speak English.1:10
  11. You need to find a close up video, a zoomed in video of a native speaker or a speaker that you admire speaking in English.1:21
  12. You then need to record yourself up close, preferably at the same distance, speaking the same sentence.1:31
Show all 169 lines Show fewer lines
  1. Analyse the way your lips move in comparison to their lips.1:41
  2. Analyse how far they stick their tongue out or maybe they push it right back in their mouth.1:46
  3. What are you doing with your tongue?1:51
  4. This started a big learning curve for me when I was learning Spanish.1:54
  5. I started to really analyse Spanish speakers' tongues.1:59
  6. They might have found this quite weird when I was watching them speak, looking at their tongue instead of their eyes but I realised that when in English we say2:04
  7. d with the tongue inside of our mouths, d, d, it's quite a delicate sound.2:12
  8. The Spanish speakers in the area I was living in would stick their tongue out a little bit more, the, the, like that.2:18
  9. By listening alone I would never have realised that but by watching and analysing I managed to transform my pronunciation and you can do the same with English.2:27
  10. You should also analyse the voice quality.2:38
  11. How much voice do we allow to escape through our throats?2:42
  12. Compare it to yours as well.2:45
  13. If you are serious about improving your pronunciation and you're spoken English then you do need to be very critical about what you are speaking at present and work towards2:48
  14. correcting it.2:59
  15. Tip number two is to combine reading and listening, thus improving your pronunciation.3:00
  16. Perhaps you will know by now that a way a word is written in English normally gives very little indication as to how that word is pronounced in English.3:08
  17. In many languages across the world the way a word is written tells you and shows you exactly how that word should be spoken.3:19
  18. This is not the case in English and it's part of the reason why English pronunciation and English speaking is so difficult for learners.3:28
  19. I have found a really good method that has helped so many of my students.3:39
  20. Take a book that you have already read in English or a book that you would like to read in English.3:45
  21. I have got a fair few recommendations in the description box down below and read that book again but here's the important part whilst listening to the audiobook version on3:51
  22. Audible.4:03
  23. If you listen to a word as you read it your brain will start making connections and the next time you hear that word you'll know how it's spelt and4:04
  24. the next time you read that word you'll know how it's pronounced.4:14
  25. It's such an effective method and the best part is you can get a free audiobook that's a 30 day free trial on Audible all you've got to do is4:18
  26. click on the link in the description box and sign up.4:28
  27. Then you can download one of my recommendations.4:31
  28. Give it a try it really works.4:34
  29. Tip number three is another reading one but it's practice speed reading.4:37
  30. This isn't such a common technique but I think it should be.4:42
  31. It's a really good way of improving your fluency so how fluently you speak English, your velocity so that's how quickly you speak English and also it will help with4:46
  32. your connected speech how you join one word to another or one sound to another in English.4:57
  33. You need to find a text that you'd like to read.5:03
  34. This text can accommodate your level.5:07
  35. Honestly I recommend using reputable news sources and news websites.5:10
  36. If you want to practice your informal speech then you could find a blogger you like who writes as if they're chatting to a friend.5:16
  37. Read the text aloud and time yourself as you're reading it.5:24
  38. Then read that text aloud again and try to beat your previous time.5:29
  39. You can repeat this as many times as you want but I find after four times, four, after four times I'm getting pretty bored of the text.5:35
  40. This will help you to familiarize yourself with the common sounds in English.5:45
  41. A step further would be to record yourself and to send it to your language instructor or to use it as a topic in your next language lesson.5:50
  42. Tip number four is a tip that has been massively important for me as a native speaker so I can only imagine how important it could be for you.5:59
  43. It is to prepare your monologues and stories that you are likely to repeat in advance.6:08
  44. I'm talking funny stories you want to tell at a dinner party.6:17
  45. I'm talking about your elevator pitch.6:21
  46. I'm talking about your answer to what do you do for a living or where do you come from.6:23
  47. These common questions that you get asked again and again and again, prepare your answer.6:27
  48. Have them up your sleeve.6:34
  49. That's the way we say to have something prepared to have it up your sleeve.6:35
  50. If you're an advanced speaker and you're more worried about keeping people interested or making people laugh then prepare your funny and interesting stories.6:39
  51. I first thought about this when I was dating.6:48
  52. This was a long time ago and I remember that I would get stuck and I wouldn't know what to talk about so I always felt good and confident if6:51
  53. I went into a dating situation with my best stories and my most interesting things to say up my sleeve.7:00
  54. It was funny because when I met my husband to be I had all these stories and interesting things to say up my sleeve and it all went out the7:08
  55. window.7:15
  56. Conversations just flowed without any effort but I understand that speaking English, speaking a second language can be very nerve -wracking.7:16
  57. It's just like dating in my opinion and you do want to have these things prepared.7:23
  58. Tip number five is focus on pronunciation over grammar.7:29
  59. Now there will be some teachers out there watching this and thinking oh my god what?7:35
  60. This is honestly my opinion.7:41
  61. I think that bad grammar habits are much easier to correct than bad pronunciation habits.7:44
  62. I would say that it's much easier to understand somebody speaking with great pronunciation but bad grammar than hearing someone speak with perfect grammar but terrible pronunciation.7:52
  63. I've met so many students that know every single grammar rule.8:05
  64. They even can sometimes correct me but their pronunciation they just they got to a certain level and then they found it very very difficult to improve.8:10
  65. They are able to improve with specific help professional help but it could have been so much easier but from a very very young age they were taught bad pronunciation8:18
  66. or they weren't corrected on their pronunciation.8:29
  67. The focus was only on grammar and that focus needs to switch.8:33
  68. I'm not talking about having a perfect accent.8:38
  69. You don't need a perfect accent.8:41
  70. You just need to be clear and understandable when you speak.8:45
  71. It will make you feel more confident.8:48
  72. When people move to an English speaking country they are most likely embarrassed of their pronunciation than they are their grammar.8:51
  73. Bad grammar can make it not so easy to understand someone but bad pronunciation can make it impossible to understand someone.8:59
  74. So big tip focus on pronunciation.9:07
  75. Tip number six is to try and think in English.9:11
  76. I have made an entire video about this topic but it's such a big topic.9:16
  77. Some people find it very easy to think in English and some people find it near impossible to think in English.9:22
  78. If you want to be able to speak English fluently without even thinking then you need to train yourself to think in English.9:28
  79. A good way to start doing this is to have a little English narrator in your head.9:36
  80. Choose someone's voice that you like.9:42
  81. I know a lot of people use Emma Watson's voice.9:44
  82. They have her speaking in her head.9:47
  83. This is normally females but for a couple of hours a day or even a couple of minutes a day have your little chosen person Emma Watson or whoever it9:48
  84. is narrate in your head everything you're doing.9:57
  85. I am washing the dishes.10:01
  86. I am picking up the spoon.10:02
  87. I'm putting it on the table.10:04
  88. Oh no I don't like that.10:05
  89. What have I done?10:06
  90. Just chat to yourself as you would in your own language but in English something weird might happen after a while.10:07
  91. You might automatically start thinking in English and you might even start dreaming in English.10:14
  92. They say that you are really really becoming fluent if you start dreaming in a second language and a very weird thing can happen.10:21
  93. You can start dreaming about your friends and family that don't speak your second language speaking in your second language.10:30
  94. I've had my parents telling me to do stuff in Spanish and I've just woken up very very confused.10:38
  95. Another point still related to the topic of thinking in English is to be constantly on the search for new words new phrases and new vocabulary.10:45
  96. Keep a note app on your phone or a physical vocab book and when you are idle or not doing something for example commuting to work or at work look10:56
  97. around think what don't I know in English and if you see something for example lamppost curtain then note it down and make a point about the end of the11:08
  98. day finding out what that word is in English.11:19
  99. Number seven this tip is very helpful because I know a lot of you just want to learn one specific accent.11:23
  100. Well this tip is speak with a variety of native speakers who all have different accents.11:32
  101. It's so tempting to just focus on one accent but you will be doing yourself a disservice.11:41
  102. The wider the variety of people that you speak with the more flexible your brain will be when it comes to understanding speech.11:49
  103. A great example is my poor mother.11:58
  104. She struggles so badly when it comes to understanding different accents.12:00
  105. It's funny and it can also be insulting to the speakers sometimes but I'm talking Scottish accents, Irish accents, Spanish people speaking English.12:07
  106. She is surrounded by mainly English people she speaks with people who all speak the same accent and she really really struggles.12:17
  107. I however have been to many different countries and I've had students from all over the world I've lived in different locations and I find it very easy to understand12:23
  108. different accents.12:32
  109. We've got the same genetics we've had the same upbringing to a certain point but because I listen to speakers with lots of different accents I am able to understand12:34
  110. and she isn't.12:44
  111. Thank you mum for letting me use you as an example she does find it funny she really struggles but it might happen to you as well.12:46
  112. If you just focus on a clear RP accent then you will struggle to understand a Glaswegian accent or an Australian accent or an accent from the deep south of12:54
  113. America.13:04
  114. Many of you will be thinking great I would love to speak to loads of native people but I don't know how to speak to them.13:05
  115. Well I have a couple of suggestions.13:10
  116. Number one is of course attend English classes, group English classes.13:12
  117. Number two is attend expat meetups.13:17
  118. Expats are people who have left their home country to live in another country.13:20
  119. A lot of them will have meetups because they want to speak with other people that speak their language and have a taste of their own culture, their home culture.13:25
  120. Well you can also try going to those and seeing if you can mix with them and speak their own language with them.13:34
  121. You'll find a wide variety of accents because they normally come from all over the world.13:39
  122. You can also use italki's language partner feature.13:43
  123. I've spoken about this quite a lot.13:47
  124. This is a free feature where you can find a language partner to practice with.13:49
  125. If you speak a language that the partner wants to learn and the partner speaks a language that you want to learn you can do a tandem I think it's13:54
  126. called in some countries a language exchange.14:02
  127. I've left a link to that in the description box.14:06
  128. Some people find it quite hard to find native speakers that want to speak their language especially if you come from a country where everyone wants to learn English but14:09
  129. it isn't as popular for English speakers to learn your language.14:17
  130. You could perhaps consider paying for a private language tutor.14:20
  131. Italki's prices are really really good per hour.14:24
  132. Yeah they're very very affordable.14:27
  133. I would recommend I've used them myself.14:29
  134. And number eight if you cannot find native speakers with whom to practice then just find like -minded people.14:32
  135. A really great resource is Facebook.14:41
  136. I never thought I'd be recommending Facebook but honestly Facebook groups are fantastic for finding like -minded people and for helping each other out.14:45
  137. If you have a question about English if you want someone to analyze the way you speak there will probably be someone on a Facebook group that will be willing14:55
  138. to help you.15:02
  139. I'm on lots of Facebook groups for many different reasons.15:04
  140. Facebook groups for wedding planning Facebook groups for being a farmer's wife.15:07
  141. Lots of them and there are so many helpful people.15:12
  142. I'm a member of some English groups as well.15:15
  143. I'm not going to tell you which but I will often respond to people's questions anonymously.15:17
  144. There are also some good forums on websites like Reddit and places like that.15:24
  145. Right that is the end of my lesson.15:32
  146. Those are the eight tips for spoken English.15:35
  147. Don't forget to check out Audible.15:39
  148. The link is in the description box.15:40
  149. You can click that and claim your free audiobook.15:42
  150. And don't forget to connect with me on all of my social media.15:46
  151. I've got my Facebook, my Instagram and my Twitter and I shall see you soon for another lesson.15:48
  152. I'm only one minute from finishing.15:55
  153. I'll see you in a sec.15:57
  154. Oh could you just hang out the duvet?15:58
  155. The duvet is in the wash.16:01
  156. Would you mind just hanging it up?16:02
  157. Thanks hon.16:04

British english pronunciation practice at B1 pace

This is a spoken English class from English with Lucy, filmed in a British accent and pitched at B1. Lucy talks straight to camera at 176 words per minute, a pace faster than 41 percent of the catalogue, so it is a solid target for british english pronunciation practice without being rushed. She opens by promising you "eight tips that will help you to master spoken English" and spends the opening lines on the first one: learning which parts of your mouth and throat you actually use while speaking. There is no back and forth to follow, just one clear voice, which makes it easy english speaking practice to return to.

The lecture suits learners who already have the basics and want to sound more natural, not absolute beginners. Because it is one long monologue about method, it also works as english listening practice: watch it once for meaning, then go back and work each line for delivery.

The language in Lucy's spoken English tips

Three lines from the opening show how Lucy actually talks, not how a textbook writes a sentence.

  • "I have got eight tips that will help you to master spoken English." She reaches for "have got" instead of the shorter "have", a very British choice, and says the whole thing as one unbroken breath group.
  • "You absolutely need to analyse what your lips, tongue, throat, face in general is doing when you speak English." A run on sentence that stacks four body parts with barely a pause. Shadow this line in two halves before trying it whole.
  • "d with the tongue inside of our mouths, d, d, it's quite a delicate sound." She isolates a single sound and repeats it three times, a drill she built into the lecture herself, useful if you want to learn how to pronounce english words with a soft final consonant.

How to shadow this english lecture, line by line

Work the opening in order rather than jumping around. Each step below points at a specific line.

  • Open on line 1, "Hello everyone and welcome back to English with Lucy.", and match her greeting pace before she speeds up.
  • Take line 3, "I have got eight tips that will help you to master spoken English.", and repeat it until you can hold her rhythm at 176 words per minute without dropping a word.
  • Slow line 7, the long question about which parts of your face, tongue and throat are used, into two breath groups, then bring it back up to full speed.
  • Isolate the "d, d" repetition in line 19 and say it five times on its own before folding it back into the full sentence about a delicate sound.
  • Finish on line 21, the sentence about transforming her own pronunciation by watching and analysing. Once each clause is comfortable alone, say it start to finish for a proper shadowing english speaking practice check at b1.
Download on the App Store