Speak FAST English Conversations [Advanced Speaking Practice]

Vanessa: Hi, I'm Vanessa from SpeakEnglishWithVanessa.com.

Are you ready to understand fast English conversations?

Let's do it.

Let's just say I've got a lot to do.

Have you ever watched an English TV show, or a movie, and thought, "Oh my goodness,

this is a completely different language than what I learned in school."?

Well, you're kind of right.

What you learned in school was classroom English, but what people speak in the real world is

real English.

But never fear, into today's lesson you are going to learn with my proven Conversation

Breakdown Method, to help you understand and speak real English.

With the Conversation Breakdown Method, we will break down real conversations, not textbook

conversations, real conversations.

To breakdown means that we will study only the most important vocabulary, phrasal verbs,

pronunciation, and concepts, from a conversation.

In this lesson, we are going to focus specifically on breaking down real pronunciation.

This will help you to specifically understand fast in English conversations, but also, it

will help you to speak more naturally and clearly, so that you sound like an American

English speaker.

To help you with today's lesson, I have created a free PDF worksheet that you can download,

with all of the pronunciation tips from today's lesson.

Download it, never forget what you've learned.

There is a link in the description, make sure that you click on it.

If you've been studying English with me for about a year, you might have seen this video,

where my husband Dan and I sit down in front of our Christmas tree with a glass of wine,

and talk about some important conversation questions that you can ask the people that

you love, your friends, your family, or anyone.

We are going to be watching a couple clips from that conversation and breaking it down.

What are the key elements of pronunciation that you can use from that conversation?

Will your listening and speaking skills improve today?

Let's find out.

If you enjoy today's lesson, continue learning with the Conversation Breakdown Method in

my course, The Fearless Fluency Club, where you can speak English confidently, understand

fast English speakers, and enjoy the process of learning English.

Click on the link in the description to find out more about how the Fearless Fluency Club

can help you to express yourself completely in English.

All right, let's get started from our first clip in the real English conversation.

We're going to watch a short clip, and then I'll break down the pronunciation with you,

and you can also speak out loud.

Let's watch.

Dan: See, I have two most embarrassing moments,

so I've got a lot of embarrassment to go around.

See, I have two most embarrassing moments, so I've got a lot of embarrassment to go around.

Vanessa: In this clip, Dan and I are talking about

our most embarrassing moments.

Dan shares a couple embarrassing moments, so he says this statement, "I have a lot of

embarrassment to go around."

But does he say it that clearly?

Nope.

Instead, he says, "I gotta lotta embarrassment to go around."

What's happening to the word, have?

I have a lot of embarrassment, or "I gotta lotta of embarrassment."

In common daily conversation, oftentimes we change the word have, to the word got.

So in this situation, he says, "I gotta, I gotta."

Notice the pronunciation here, the T, does it sound like a T?

"I gotta, gotta."

Nope.

Instead, it sounds like a D, god-a.

This is one of the key features of American English pronunciation.

Can you say it with me?

"I gotta, I gotta.

I gotta go to the store.

I gotta study English.

I gotta go to sleep, I'm tired."

And look what happens directly after this, "I gotta lotta embarrassment to go around."

The phrase, "A lot of."

Becomes pushed together into something that sounds quite familiar, "Lotta, lotta."

It looks like it has a T, right?

But instead, it sounds like a D, "lod-a."

Can you say that beginning part with me?

"I gotta lotta embarrassment.

I gotta lotta embarrassment.

I gotta lotta embarrassment."

Let's take a look at it in another sentence.

I have a lot of things to do today.

Okay, you could say that, but you could also say, "I gotta lotta things to do today.

I gotta lotta things to do today.

In fact, I gotta lotta things to do today, I don't even have time to say the full sentence."

I have a lot of things to do today.

Instead, you reduce it, "I gotta lotta things to do today."

Excellent.

Okay.

We're going to watch the original clip one more time, and I have a feeling you're going

to be able to hear the reduction, "Gotta lotta."

A lot more clearly than you did at the beginning.

Let's watch.

Dan: See, I have two most embarrassing moments,

so I've got a lot of embarrassment to go around.

See, I have two most embarrassing moments, so I've got a lot of embarrassment to go around.

Vanessa: Did you catch, "I gotta lotta."?

I hope so.

Let's go on to our next clip.

Listen carefully, and we'll break it down together.

Dan: Daniel, King of Scotts.

Vanessa: Oh, why would you want to do that?

Dan: For Ireland maybe?

I don't know.

Daniel, King of Scotts.

Vanessa: Oh, why would you want to do that?

Dan: For Ireland maybe?

I don't know.

Vanessa: In this clip, Dan and I are talking about

a silly hypothetical question, which is, claiming our throne, our royal throne.

Would we do it?

In this clip, Dan said, yes, he would do it, and I was quite surprised, so I said this

question, "Why would you want to do that?"

But did I say it that clearly?

Nope.

Instead, I said, "Why would you wanna do that?

Why in the world would you wanna do that?"

Here, made a common English reduction, which is, want to, becomes, "Wanna."

"Why would you wanna do that?"

A common mistake that I see English learners make is, when they do this reduction, now,

it's great to add this to your conversation, but I often see that English learners add

the word to, "Wanna to."

"Why would you wanna to do that?"

Now I know that this seems like we should add the word to to be more clear, but in this

reduction, that final part, "Wanna."

Ah, Is the word to.

The word to has been reduced to become just the sound, ah.

And you wouldn't say, "Why would you wanna to to do that?"

We don't need to use the word to, two times.

So, make sure that you cut out the word two, because we've already included it, and you

can simply say, "Why would you wanna do that?"

Let's practice another sample sentence that use this word.

Do you have a pet?

I have a couple pets, some cats, some chickens, some children.

There's one pet that I do not have.

One pet I will probably never get.

I would like to ask you, "Why would you wanna get a pet snake?"

I just don't understand.

"Why would you wanna get a pet snake?"

If you have a pet snake, let me know in the comments, why would you "wanna" get a pet

snake?

Convince me about it.

Tell me why in the world would you want a pet snake.

But make sure they hear you're using the lovely reduction, "Wanna, wanna.

Why would you wanna get a pet snake?

All right.

Let's watch the original clip one more time, and I think you're going to hear this reduction

even clearer than before.

Let's watch.

Dan: Daniel, King of Scotts.

Vanessa: Oh, why would you want to do that?

Dan: For Ireland maybe?

I don't know.

Daniel King of Scotts.

Vanessa: Oh, why would you want to do that?

Dan: For Ireland maybe me?

I don't know.

Vanessa: Did you hear, "Wanna."?

I hope so.

Let's go on to our next clip, and then we'll break it down together.

Dan: I've been having an itch to go visit Japan-

Vanessa: Okay.

Dan: But I know it's not going to happen for a

long time, because it's far away, and we have little kids.

I've been having an itch to go visit Japan- Vanessa:

Okay.

Dan: But I know it's not going to happen for a

long time, because it's far away, and we have little kids.

Vanessa: In this clip, Dan and I are talking about

our dreams, what would we like to do?

And he mentions that he'd love to go to Japan, but due to the state of the world, and we

have two small children, he said the statement, "I know it is not going to happen."

And then he adds another part, "Anytime soon."

Hopefully it will happen sometime in our lifetime.

But he doesn't say it that clearly, I know it is not going to happen.

Instead, he says this, "I know it's not gonna to happen.

I know it's not gonna happen."

There are a couple reductions here.

We're taking it up to the next level, so let's break it down.

First, we have a common contraction, "I know it's, it's."

This is it, plus is, becomes it's.

"I know it's not."

And then we have another reduction going to becomes, "Gonna, gonna."

Same as what we talked about before with, "Wanna."

Make sure that you don't add the word, to, after this, you just say, "Gonna."

You don't say, "I'm gonna to go to the store."

No, we can just say, "I'm gonna go to the store."

Excellent.

"I'm gonna."

But, he takes this to the next level.

So we have our basic reduction, "It's not gonna happen."

But there's one letter that gets cut out, it's a letter that's often cut out of American

English speech.

Listen carefully as I say this sentence, "But it's not gonna happen, but it's not going

to happen."

Oh, very strange here, I’s, "But it's not gonna happen."

In fast English conversations, we sometimes reduce the word it's to become i’s.

It sounds a little bit like, is, what is your name?

But that word has a Z sound, what is your name?

Here, we're keeping it with an S, "i’s not gonna happen.

I’s not gonna happen.

I’s not gonna happen."

It makes the sentence so fast, so reduced.

And if you heard this in an English movie, or a TV show, you might pause for a second

and say, "What?

What did they say?"

But I hope now that you know that this is a common reduction, you'll be able to pick

up on it, and catch it more readily.

So, let's try to say this sentence together, "I know it's not gonna happen.

I know it's not gonna happen.

I know it's not gonna happen.

I know it's not gonna happen."

Let's take a look at another sample sentence.

My son wants to eat ice cream for dinner, but it is not going to happen.

Let's reduce this to, "My son wants to eat ice cream for dinner, but it's not gonna happen.

But it's not gonna happen.

But is not gonna happen."

Lovely reduction.

All right, let's watch the original clip.

And I hope that you'll be able to pick up on, "It's not gonna happen."

A little bit more clearly than before.

Let's watch.

Dan: I've been having an itch to go visit Japan-

Vanessa: Okay.

Dan: But I know it's not going to happen for a

long time, because it's far away, and we have little kids.

I've been having an itch to go visit Japan- Vanessa:

Okay.

Dan: But I know it's not going to happen for a

long time, because it's far away, and we have little kids.

Vanessa: Did you hear, "It's not gonna happen?"

I hope so.

Let's go on to our next clip, and then we'll break it down together.

Let's watch.

Dan: It's usually if somebody doesn't want any

kids, then that could be a brick wall, where you don't want to go any further.

Vanessa: We call that a deal-breaker.

That's a deal-breaker.

Dan: That's a deal-breaker.

Vanessa: Yep.

Dan: It's usually if somebody doesn't want any

kids, then that could be a brick wall, where you don't want to go any further.

Vanessa: We call that a deal-breaker.

That's a deal-breaker.

Dan: Deal-breaker.

Vanessa: Yep.

In this clip, Dan and I are talking about some things that might be so important in

a relationship that they cause you to break up if you can't agree about them.

In this conversation, Dan said this sentence, "You do not want to go any further."

This is talking about the progression of your relationship.

You want to stop your relationship right there, because, well, if you can't agree about this,

then you're going to have major problems in the future.

But did he say it that clearly?

Wouldn't that be nice?

Instead, he said, "You don't wanna go any further.

You don't wanna go any further."

Let's break this down starting at the beginning.

Our first here, you, is often reduced to "Ya."

"Ya don't wanna go any further.

Ya.

Ya don't want to...

Ya."

But look at the negative contraction that's happening here, we have pushed together, do

not, to become don't.

But I have some bad news.

Negative contractions in American English often have that final T sound cut off.

In my opinion, it would be much clearer, much easier for you to understand if we always

included that T, because that's kind of the indicator that this is a negative word.

I don't want that.

Instead of, I don't want that.

When the T is cut off, it's much harder to pick up the negative contraction, but it is

essential to understand if someone is saying something positive or negative in a conversation.

So, let's hear what he says.

He says, "You don't.

You don't.

You don't."

Do you hear how there's an N sound coming out of my nose here?

"You don't."

If I close my nose, then that sound stops, it sounds very strange.

So we need to end this reduced contraction with that N sound.

Can you say it with me?

"You don't.

You don't."

It's coming out of my nose.

"You don't."

The things that you say on YouTube that you never thought you'd say to the internet, here

we are.

Let's try to say it together, "You don't.

You don't.

You don't."

And then we have something familiar, "Wanna."

Oh, do you recognize this from before?

It is want plus to pushed together to become, "Wanna."

Here we have a little review, it comes up so much in daily conversation.

Let's try to say the whole thing together.

Do you think you can do it?

Yes, let's do it.

"You don't wanna.

You don't wanna.

You don't wanna go any further.

You don't wanna go any further.

You don't wanna go any further.

You don't wanna go any further."

Do you see how that smoothly links all of these words together?

Let's take a look at another sample sentence.

"You don't wanna get cold, you should grab your jacket."

Oh, you don't want to get cold, you should grab your jacket.

"You don't wanna get cold, you should grab your jacket.

You don't wanna get cold, you should grab your jacket."

Excellent.

All right, let's watch the original clip so that you can see Dan saying this super fast

sentence.

I hope you'll be able to pick up on it a bit more, integrate these concepts into your spoken

English as well, and understand it better.

Let's watch.

Dan: It's usually if somebody doesn't want any

kids, then that could be a brick wall, where you don't want to go any further.

Vanessa: We call that a deal-breaker.

That's a deal-breaker.

Dan: A deal breaker.

Vanessa: Yep.

Dan: It's usually if somebody doesn't want any

kids, then that could be a brick wall, where you don't want to go any further.

Vanessa: We call that a deal-breaker.

That's a deal-breaker.

Dan: A deal breaker.

Vanessa: Yep.

Did you hear that reduction, "You don't wanna?"

I hope so.

Let's go on to our final clip, where you're going to hear another reduction, and then

we'll break it down together.

Let's go.

Dan: I do want to help people though-

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: But it's not in the influence kind of way,

if you know what I mean, lifestyle.

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: I do want to help people though-

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: But it's not in the influence kind of way,

if you know what I mean, lifestyle.

Vanessa: Yeah.

In this clip, Dan and I are talking about something that you as viewers, as our students,

might find surprising about us, something that you don't know.

I'll let you watch the original video to find out what we talked about.

But Dan uses a great phrase, "If you know what I mean."

So here, we often use this phrase when we are implying something that we either feel

like we didn't describe very clearly, but we hope the other person can understand, or

you're kind of implying another meaning, if you know what I mean.

So, let's take a look at how he really said this, because he definitely did not clearly

say, "If you know what I mean."

Instead, this is how we said it, "If you know what I mean.

If you know what mean."

Lovely.

Let's break this down, starting at the beginning.

"If you know."

We have a common phrase, "You know."

We've already talked about how, you, often becomes, "Ya."

But we can reduce, you, even further to become simply y, that Y sound.

So here in this phrase, it sounds like, "If you know, you know."

Can you say that with me?

"If you know, if you know."

And then we have something very beautiful happening, "What I mean."

Becomes, "What I mean."

Oh boy.

So let's take the beginning of the word, what, it sounds like wh, right?

wh, and then the next word, I, is going to have something that happens between these

two words, "What I mean."

Becomes, "What I mean, what I mean."

Because that T at the end of, what, is surrounded by vowels, and in American in English, that

T often changes to a D just like we talked about in our very first sentence, "Gotta lotta."

So here, "What I." Becomes, "whud’a mean, you know what I mean, you know what I mean."

And the word, I, is less clear, it's just, uh.

"You know what I mean?

You know what I mean."

Can you say that with me?

"You know what I mean.

You know what mean.

You know what I mean."

All right, let's take a look at another sample sentence.

"It's just been one of those days, you know what I mean?"

"It's just been one of those days..."

That means a very difficult day, but you're not saying that directly, you're indirectly

saying, "One of those days."

"It's just been one of those days, you know what I mean?"

And here you're hoping that the other person will get your sense here.

They'll get it from your tone, and they'll get it because as you're adding this extra

phrase, "You know what I mean?"

Can you say that with me?

"It's just been one of those days, you know what I mean?

It's just been one of those days, you know what I mean?"

I hope, you know what I mean.

All right, let's watch the original clip, and I hope you'll be able to hear this extreme

reduction much more clearly now, and also use it yourself.

Let's watch.

Dan: I do want to help people though-

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: But it's not in the influence kind of way,

if you know what I mean, lifestyle.

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: I do want to help people though-

Vanessa: Yeah.

Dan: But it's not in the influence kind of way,

if you know what I mean, lifestyle.

Vanessa: Yeah.

Did you hear, "You know what I mean."

I hope so.

Well, congratulations on leveling up your pronunciation skills today.

If you would like to continue learning with the Conversation Breakdown Method, don't forget

to join me in the Fearless Fluency Club.

Just like Gely, who said, "This is the best course I've ever had."

Thank you, Gely.

This is a great place for you to be able to express yourself completely, understand fast

English, and most importantly, speak confidently in English.

You can click on the link in the description to join us in the Fearless Fluency Clubs.

Well, now I have a question for you, what do you want to do today?

What do you want to do today?

Let me know in the comments, if you would like to write your answer clearly, and then

write it with the reductions, the way that we would say it, this is excellent practice,

it will help you to be able to say it out loud like that.

And also help other our students as they're reading your answer, be able to speak clearly,

and speak like an American English speaker.

Well, thank you so much for learning English with me, and I will see you again next Friday

for a new lesson here on my YouTube channel.

Bye.

The next step is to download the free PDF 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.

Don't forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel for a free English lesson every Friday.

Bye.