Understand FAST English Conversations Advanced Listening Practice
Vanessa:
Hi, I’m Vanessa from SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com.
Are you ready to understand fast English conversations?
Let’s do it.
I’m just going to kind of probably two or
three.
Hmm?
Have you ever watched an English TV show or
movie and people spoke like that and you thought,
“Uh, this is like a completely different language
than what I learned in school.”
You know what?
You’re pretty much right, because you learned
classroom English at school, not real life
English.
But never fear!
In today’s lesson, you’re going to be using
my proven conversation breakdown method to
understand fast conversations.
With the conversation breakdown method, we
listened to a real English conversation, not
a textbook conversation, real conversation,
and then we break it down together.
To break down means that you study short pieces,
specific vocabulary, specific phrases that
native speakers use, or like today’s lesson,
specific pronunciation that will help you
to sound like an American English speaker.
To help you with today’s lesson, I’ve created
a free PDF worksheet that you can download
so that you never forget what you’ve learned.
Click on the link in the description to download
your PDF today.
If you’ve been studying English with me for
a while, you might have seen this video, where
my husband and I go to a local bakery and
review some tasty desserts that we got.
I was also very pregnant in this video.
My belly is huge.
And in today’s lesson, you’re going to be
watching a couple clips from that conversation.
We’ll break it down.
You will practice the pronunciation from those
clips, and then we’ll review the clip.
Will your listening and pronunciation skills
improve?
Let’s find out.
If you enjoy this lesson, continue using the
conversation breakdown method with me in my
course, The Fearless Fluency Club.
You can speak confidently, express yourself
completely, and understand fast English speakers.
Click on the link in the description to find
out more about The Fearless Fluency Club and
how it can help you to speak confident English.
All right, let’s get started with the first
clip from our natural real life conversation.
We’re going to watch it, and then I’ll break
it down so that you can practice it with me.
Let’s watch.
All right.
You want to try the peanut brittle?
Dan:
Sure.
I’m going to take this huge piece.
Vanessa:
Okay.
All right.
You want to try the peanut brittle?
Dan:
Sure.
I’m going to take this huge piece.
Vanessa:
Okay.
You heard Dan say, “I’m going to take this
huge piece.”
But did it sound like that?
Nope.
He said, “I’m unna take this huge piece.”
Let’s break this down.
At the beginning of the sentence, he uses
a great contraction.
I’m.
I’m.
This is I plus am.
That makes I’m.
And then he makes a reduction within another
reduction.
He says going to take.
But he doesn’t say going to, he says gonna,
and then he reduces it even further.
He cuts off the G and says unna.
I’m unna take this huge piece.
I’m unna this huge piece.
Sometimes when we’re speaking really quickly,
we reduce going to to gonna.
I’m gonna take this huge piece.
But we might reduce it even more, cut off
the G, and just say, “I’m unna take this huge
piece.
I’m unna take this huge piece.”
Do you want to practice the sample sentence
with me?
Yes, let’s do it.
I’m going to visit my friend becomes I’m unna
visit my friend.
Can you say that with me?
Let’s say it slowly first and then we’ll speed
it up.
Because if you’re going to use unna, it needs
to be in fast English.
You can’t say I’m unna meet my friend.
No.
This needs to be a reduction in a fast sentence.
Let’s say it slowly and then we’ll speed it
up.
I’m unna visit my friend.
I’m unna visit my friend.
Let’s say it fast.
I’m unna visit my friend.
I’m unna visit my friend.
I’m unna visit my friend.
Great work.
All right.
Let’s watch the original clip one more time,
and I want to know, has your listening and
pronunciation skills improved with just this
one clip?
Imagine when we do all of the other clips
from this video.
All right.
Let’s watch.
All Right.
You want to try the peanut brittle?
Dan:
Sure.
I’m going to take this huge piece.
Vanessa:
Okay.
All right.
You want to try the peanut brittle?
Dan:
Sure.
I’m going to take this huge piece.
Vanessa:
Okay.
Did you hear I’m unna?
I hope so.
Let’s go on to our second clip where you’re
going to hear another interesting reduction
that native speakers use all the time in daily
conversation.
Let’s watch.
Well, I’m going to clean off my spoon and
try the chocolate.
Maybe I should refresh.
Dan:
I don’t always like fruity kind of desserts,
but this has just like a layer of tart jelly
or jam on the top.
And that really just hits the spot for me.
Vanessa:
Yeah.
It doesn’t feel too heavy.
Well, I’m going to clean off my spoon and
try the chocolate.
Maybe I should refresh.
Dan:
I don’t always like fruity kind of desserts,
but this has just like a layer of tart jelly
or jam on the top.
And that really just hits the spot for me.
Vanessa:
Yeah.
It doesn’t feel too heavy.
In this clip, you heard Dan say and I’m going
to read his words exactly, “I don’t always
like fruity desserts, but this has just like
a layer of tart jam or jelly on top.
And that just hits the spot for me.”
Oh, did he say that just hits the spot for
me?
This has just like no.
For the word just, we often cut off that final
T and say jus'.
Jus'.
I don’t know where the T is.
Maybe it’s off on vacation somewhere.
I wish I could go.
But instead, we just say jus'.
I want you to practice a sample sentence with
me so that you can practice this common reduction.
When someone asks you, “Where do you live,”
you could say, “I jus' live down the street.
I jus' live down the street.”
This is if you’re in your neighborhood and
someone wants to know, “Where is your house?”
You can use this great phrase.
Can you say it with me and cut off that final
T sound in the word just?
Yes, you got this.
Let’s say it together.
I jus' live down the street.
I jus' lived down the street.
I jus' live down the street.
I jus' lived down the street.
Excellent work.
All right.
Let’s watch the original clip and I want you
to be listening carefully, especially for
the two times that Dan says just reduced to
jus'.
Listen carefully.
Well, I’m going to clean off my spoon and
try the chocolate.
Maybe I should refresh.
Dan:
I don’t always like fruity kind of desserts,
but this has just like a layer of tart jelly
or jam on the top.
And that really just hits the spot for me.
Vanessa:
Yeah.
It doesn’t feel too heavy.
Well, I’m going to clean off my spoon and
try the chocolate.
Maybe I should refresh.
Dan:
I don’t always like fruity kind of desserts,
but this has just like a layer of tart jelly
or jam on the top.
And that really just hits the spot for me.
Vanessa:
Yeah.
It doesn’t feel too heavy.
Let’s go on to our next clip.
You’re going to hear another interesting reduction
that native speakers use all the time in daily
conversation.
Let’s watch.
What about that raspberry?
Are we going to fight over it?
Dan:
Nah, you can have it.
I got to save space.
Vanessa:
Oh yeah, we’ve got a lot of desserts coming.
What about that raspberry?
Are we going to fight over it?
Dan:
Nah, you can have it.
I got to save space.
Vanessa:
Oh yeah, we’ve got a lot of desserts coming.
In this clip, you heard Dan say, “I’ve got
to save space.”
He’s talking about some space in his stomach.
If he eats too much, he won’t have room for
more desserts, because we reviewed a lot of
desserts in that video.
But he doesn’t say, “I’ve got to save space.”
He uses an excellent reduction.
He says, “I gotta save space.
I gotta save space.”
There’s a lot of stuff going on here, so let’s
break it down.
This real phrase if we’re going to say it
in the textbook way is I have got to save
space.
That means I need to save space.
But in daily conversation, we never use that.
You might hear, I’ve gotta save space, but
we often drop the word have completely and
then we were deuce got to to gotta.
But listen carefully, there’s something very
interesting happening with the T’s in that
word, gotta, gotta.
Do you hear gotta with a clear T sound?
Nope.
Instead, in American English, when a T is
surrounded by vowels, it changes to a D sound.
So listen when I say that, I gotta.
I gotta save space.
I gotta save space.
It sounds like a D.
And in fact, when we say that in American
English, it is, and you can say that too.
So let’s practice a sample sentence together.
I’m tired.
I gotta get to bed early tonight.
I’m tired.
I gotta get to bed early tonight.
Can you say it out loud with me?
Let’s say it two times.
I’m tired.
I gotta get to bed early tonight.
I’m tired.
I gotta get to bed early tonight.
Excellent work practicing that reduction.
Let’s watch the original clip and I want you
to listen carefully for how Dan says I have
got to reduced to gotta.
Let’s listen.
What about that raspberry?
Are we going to fight over it?
Dan:
Nah, you can have it.
I got to save space.
Vanessa:
Oh yeah.
We’ve got a lot of desserts coming in.
What about that raspberry?
Are we going to fight over it?
Dan:
Nah, you can have it.
I got to save space.
Vanessa:
Oh yeah.
We’ve got a lot of desserts coming.
Did you hear gotta?
I hope so.
Let’s go on to our next clip where we’re going
to be seeing something we just talked about,
plus adding on a new concept.
Let’s watch.
They know what they’re doing as far as the
garnish.
They know what will look good, and they also
know what’s going to kind of give it that
extra edge.
They know what they’re doing as far as the
garnish.
They know what will look good, and they also
know what’s going to kind of give it that
extra edge.
In this clip, you heard me say, “They know
what’s gonna kin’a give it that extra edge.
They know what’s gonna kin’a give it that
extra edge.”
Whew!
Do you hear a reduction that we just talked
about?
They know what’s gonna.
Going to is going to, they know what’s gonna,
but then I said something that was another
reduction.
They know what’s gonna kin’a give it that
extra edge.
Hmm.
This expression kind of can be reduced in
a couple ways.
We could say what’s gonna kinda, kinda give
it that extra edge.
When the word of is reduced to a, kinda, kinda
give it that extra edge.
But sometimes we reduce it even further, and
that’s what I did in this clip.
I cut off the letter D completely.
We don’t know where it is.
Maybe it’s on vacation with the letter T.
Let’s go.
But here, I pronounced it kin’a, kin’a.
Let me say that whole sentence and then we’ll
practice the sentence together.
They know what’s gonna kin’a of give it that
extra edge.
Whew!
Let’s practice a sample sentence together
that you can use in your daily life.
The party starts at 7:00, but it’s gonna kin’a
be a come-and-go event.
This expression, a come-and-go event, means
that you don’t need to come strictly at 7:00.
You’re welcome to come whenever you want and
leave whenever you want.
So let’s say this sentence together and make
sure that you use the reduction it’s gonna
kin’a be a come-and-go event.
Kind of two for one here.
You’re practicing pronunciation and maybe
a new vocabulary expression.
All right.
Let’s say it together.
The party starts at 7:00, but it’s gonna kin’a
be a come-and-go event.
Let’s say it again.
The party starts at 7:00, but it’s gonna kin’a
be a come-and-go event.
Excellent work.
All right.
Let’s watch the original clip and I want you
to listen carefully for the two phrases that
we just talked about, gonna and kin’a.
Let’s watch.
They know what they’re doing as far as the
garnish.
They know what will look good, and they also
know what’s going to kind of give it that
extra edge.
They know what they’re doing as far as the
garnish.
They know what will look good, and they also
know what’s going to kind of give it that
extra edge.
Did you hear gonna, kin’a?
I hope so.
Let’s go on to our next clip where you will
also hear gonna, but another reduction that
we’re going to learn about in just a minute.
Let’s watch.
Oh, because it’s chocolate?
Dan:
Because it’s chocolate and fudgy.
It’s probably going to be putting similar.
Vanessa:
Okay.
Dan:
We’ll see.
Vanessa:
Oh, because it’s chocolate?
Dan:
Because it’s chocolate and fudgy.
It’s probably going to be pretty similar.
Okay.
Vanessa:
We’ll see.
You heard Dan say, “It’s probably going to
be pretty similar.
It’s probably going to be pretty similar.”
Hmm.
The full phrase is, it’s probably going to
be pretty similar.
But we already talked about going to becoming
gonna, but what about the word before that,
probably?
This bird trips up a lot of English learners,
but never fear.
I’m going to help you learn to come and reductions
for this word so that you can understand it
clearly and so that you can use them if you
wish.
The first reduction for the word probably
is probly.
Probly.
This is extremely common in daily conversations.
We might say, “It’s probly gonna rain.
It’s probly gonna rain.”
But that’s not how Dan used it.
Instead, he reduced the word probably even
more.
He said pro’ly gonna, pro’ly gonna, pro’ly.
This is the most reduced version of the word
probably, but it’s extremely common in daily
conversation.
So let’s practice saying this in a sentence
that you might use in your daily life.
Grab an umbrella.
It’s pro’ly gonna rain later.
Let’s say it a little bit slower.
Grab an umbrella.
It’s pro’ly gonna rain later.
Grab an umbrella.
It’s pro’ly gonna rain later.
You could say it’s probly gonna rain later.
It’s probly, using that first reduction.
That’s totally fine.
It’s probly gonna rain later.
It’s rain gonna rain later.
Or we could reduce it even further and say,
it’s pro’ly gonna rain later.
It’s pro’ly gonna rain later.
It’s pro’ly gonna to rain later.
Lots of exciting reductions and you see how
some of these reductions are used again and
again.
So they’re going to come up a lot as you’re
watching English TV shows and movies and having
real conversations.
You will hear these a lot.
You are giving yourself the tools to understand
and speak real English.
All right.
Let’s watch this clip and I want you to listen
carefully for that phrase, pro’ly going to.
Super fast, but now you’re going to understand
it.
Let’s watch.
Oh, because it’s chocolate?
Dan:
Because it’s chocolate and fudgy.
It’s probably going to be pretty similar.
Vanessa:
Okay.
Dan:
We’ll see.
Vanessa:
Oh, because it’s chocolate?
Dan:
Because it’s chocolate and fudgy.
It’s probably going to be pretty similar.
Vanessa:
Okay.
Dan:
We’ll see.
Vanessa:
Did you hear it’s pro’ly gonna be pretty similar?
Pro’ly gonna be?
I hope so.
Well, congratulations on leveling up your
pronunciation and your speaking skills with
the conversation breakdown method.
You did it.
Don’t forget, if you enjoyed this type of
lesson with the conversation breakdown method,
you can continue to learn with me in The Fearless
Fluency Club where we use this method to help
you speak confidently, express yourself completely,
and understand fast real English conversations.
And now I have a question for you.
Let me know in the comments, what are you
probably going to do tomorrow?
Let me know.
You can write out your answer.
Read it out loud.
Practice your pronunciation.
You can read each other sentences out loud
too.
You’re helping each other and working together.
Well, thanks so much for learning English
with me and I’ll see you again next Friday
for a new lesson here on my YouTube channel.
Bye!
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worksheet for this lesson.
With this free PDF, you will master today’s
lesson and never forget what you have learned.
You can be a confident English speaker.
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Bye!