Shadowing Practice: 5-Minute English Shadowing Practice | Episode 2: "Make Sense" (B1-B2 Level) - Learn English Speaking with Video

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Hey, this is Coffee English, Quick Shadowing Podcast.
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We have about five minutes.
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Let's dive in.
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Today, we are exploring one incredibly powerful phrase that native speakers use in almost every conversation.
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This phrase will make your English sound natural and confident immediately.
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Let's examine the phrase makes sense.
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Now, listen carefully to what this really means and why it is so important.
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When something makes sense, it means you understand it, it is logical, it is clear to your mind.
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Native speakers use this phrase constantly in three main situations.
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First situation, when you want to check if someone understands You ask, does this make sense?
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This is polite, professional, and shows you care about clear communication.
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Second situation, when you finally understand something difficult.
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You say, oh, now it makes sense.
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This expresses that moment of clarity, that aha feeling when everything becomes clear.
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Third situation, when you want to say something is logical or reasonable.
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You say, that makes sense, meaning you agree with the logic or reasoning.
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Now here is something fascinating about this phrase.
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Native speakers use it in questions, statements, and even negative forms.
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Let's practice all three ways right now so you can use them naturally in any situation.
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Let's start with the question form.
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This is probably the most common way you will use it in real life.
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Does this explanation make sense to you?
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Does this explanation make sense to you?
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Can you explain that again?
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It doesn't make sense yet.
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Can you explain that again?
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It doesn't make sense yet.
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Perfect!
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Notice how natural it sounds in questions when you want to check understanding.
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Now let's move to the positive statement form.
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This is when you express your own understanding.
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After reading it twice, everything finally makes sense.
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Your advice really makes sense for my situation right now.
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Your advice really makes sense for my situation right now.
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Beautiful!
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Adding perfect makes your agreement even stronger and more enthusiastic.
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Now let's practice the negative form.
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This is important when something is confusing or illogical to you.
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This instruction manual doesn't make any sense at all.
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This instruction manual doesn't make any sense at all.
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His decision doesn't make sense to me, but I respect it.
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His decision doesn't make sense to me, but I respect it.
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Great job!
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Notice how you can use this phrase to politely express confusion without sounding rude or aggressive.
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Now here are two bonus examples that show how flexible and useful this phrase really is in everyday conversations.
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Let's take a break and come back when this makes more sense.
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Let's take a break and come back when this makes more sense.
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It didn't make sense at first, but now I see why it works.
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It didn't make sense at first, but now I see why it works.
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Fantastic!
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You just practiced one of the most essential phrases in English conversations.
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Starting today, try to use make sense at least three times, ask someone does this make sense, tell someone that makes sense,
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or express when something doesn't make sense to you.
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The more you use it, the more natural it becomes.
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See you in the next five minutes.
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Keep practicing.

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Who Is This Video For?

This 5-minute shadowing practice video is perfect for B1-B2 level learners aiming to sound more natural in English. Whether you’re prepping for IELTS speaking practice or just want to converse confidently, it’s a quick win. Shadowing—repeating phrases immediately after a native speaker—builds fluency fast, and this episode focuses on a high-frequency phrase you’ll use daily. It’s ideal for anyone using a shadowing site or shadowing app to level up their speaking skills.

Words & Idioms Worth Stealing

The star of the show is “makes sense”—a versatile phrase native speakers use in almost every conversation. Here’s how to wield it:

  • “Does this make sense?”: Polite way to check if someone understands (great for work or class).
  • “Now it makes sense”: Express that “aha!” moment when confusion fades.
  • “That makes sense”: Agree that something is logical (softer than “I agree”).
  • Negative forms like “It doesn’t make sense” let you politely say something’s confusing.
This phrase alone will make your English sound more natural—no complex grammar required!

How to Get the Accent Right

To nail the pronunciation, focus on the rhythm. The video’s speaker uses a relaxed, conversational tone—copy her pace, not just the words. Notice how “makes sense” flows: the “s” in “makes” links smoothly to “sense,” so it sounds like “make-sense.” For questions like “Does this explanation make sense to you?”, rise slightly at the end to sound friendly, not confrontational. Practice with the video on loop—this is how shadowspeak (shadowing + speaking) works! Even 5 minutes a day will sharpen your accent and fluency.

Ready to start? This video is a great tool for learning English with YouTube—press play, repeat, and watch your confidence soar. You’ll be using “makes sense” like a pro in no time!

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →