Shadowing Practice: Easy English 8 - What are you doing today? - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
86 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
What are you doing today?
2
I'm a fan So let's find out what the people of York are up to.
3
So the question is, what are you doing today?
4
I'm working at the National Memory Museum.
5
We've been to a hotel for the night.
6
As a birthday present from our youngest son.
7
Oh, happy birthday.
8
So we're just returning from the hotel, stopping off in York, and then going home.
9
I'm handing out leaflets.
10
Alright, what for?
11
Go on, sell it to me to me.
12
This is good advertising.
13
I'm a new hairdresser, I'm just trying to build up my clientele.
14
Okay, so what are you doing today?
15
I'm delivering parcels by a bicycle, or a bicycle, strictly speaking.
16
Really, so how many parcels have you got in there?
17
That's more than one question.
18
May I ask the second one?
19
You may, you may.
20
Okay, how many parcels have you got in there?
21
About a dozen, I think, about 150 kilos.
22
Do you know what's in them?
23
No, that's like asking the postman what's in the post.
24
Do you never kind of feel them to try and guess what's in?
25
Not really, no. Occasionally, maybe.
26
That's what I do at Christmas, with presents.
27
I'm going to the university to study.
28
What do you study?
29
Physiotherapy.
30
And you're from Norway, you said?
31
I'm from Norway.
32
I've been on placement for 10 weeks on your hospital.
33
I'm going to have a cup of tea.
34
A cup of tea?
35
Okay.
36
Why did you put your hand up like that?
37
What have you got there?
38
I've just been to the post office, I went to the depot to pick up things my mum hadn't put sufficient postage on.
39
Ah, okay, so then you had to pick it up.
40
Yeah.
41
That's annoying of your mum, isn't it?
42
Yeah, doesn't understand stamps.
43
Yeah.
44
What do you have to do?
45
I have to serve coffee, clean tables and serve customers.
46
Or so I'm just delivering posters and stuff everywhere at the moment, but then going back to the office and doing some more work.
47
We might go shopping.
48
What is the special or favourite shop?
49
I'm not sure, I haven't lived here that long.
50
Why should I choose to have my hair cut at your place and nowhere else?
51
Go on, sell it to me.
52
Because it's £20 and you got 20% student discount off and I was trained really well, So it's a high standard.
53
It's Sally's birthday, so we've come to York, to have a walk around, and then probably go to the seaside, to Whitby.
54
Oh, well.
55
I tried on wedding dresses because I'm getting married.
56
Oh.
57
Yeah, that's what we did.
58
I went with her and said things, commented upon them.
59
And what are you doing tonight to relax?
60
Erm, packing for my holiday.
61
Erm, I'm on my way to uni to go to some classes.
62
What am I doing today?
63
Getting wet shopping.
64
And what is your favorite shop?
65
I have no idea.
66
I should think the one down there that sells toffee.
67
We're going to a restaurant tonight.
68
Yeah, we're going to a Porsche Indian restaurant.
69
Porsche Indian restaurant?
70
Yes, apparently.
71
Okay.
72
Tonight I'm eating dinner with my host family.
73
Ah, okay.
74
Last dinner with them.
75
The last supper?
76
Yeah.
77
Oh, really?
78
Yeah.
79
And what are you doing this evening?
80
I'm going to a friend's birthday party.
81
Cool, how old is she?
82
21. Okay, and what's her name?
83
It's two people together, so it's Chantal and Jemima.
84
Okay, would you like to say happy birthday to Chantal and Jemima?
85
Happy birthday, Chantal and Jemima.
86
Thank you very much.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A21
Useful everyday phrases - Super Easy Swedish 1
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Talking to people in York | Easy English 1
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Easy English 26 - If you won the lottery
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Welcome to Quebec | Easy French 61
Travel English
A24
Ordering in a bakery | Super Easy French 61
Travel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
A11
Easy Egyptian Arabic - Basic Phrases 1
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
A2Easy English 22 - What's your favorite season?
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B15
Easy English 29 - Talking about the future
Daily Conversation
A21
Easy Japanese 1 - Typical Japanese
TeensDaily Conversation
B1Easy English 32 - Travel destinations
Travel EnglishTeensUniversity Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B1342
36 sentences
IELTS Speaking Part 1: Food, Shopping and the Weather
American AccentBritish AccentIELTS PrepDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
235 sentences
BBE English Podcast 08 - Chủ động luyện nghe Tiếng Anh có phụ đề | I'm Mary
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
443 sentences
Common English Mistakes in Daily Conversations | Speak English More Naturally (A2-B1)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
379 sentences
Real-Life English Speaking Practice | Speak English with Confidence
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B14
56 sentences
Interchange 1 Unit 2 Video
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
C14
122 sentences
New Total English advanced video 10
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A21
454 sentences
4 Easy Danish Dialogues for Beginners | Everyday Situations in Denmark (A1-A2 Level)
Travel EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
194 sentences
Practice English speaking skills - Easy to speak English fluently - Spoken English practice
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A222
29 sentences
Small Talk at the Office Coffee Machine
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B1408 sentences
I Understand English, But Speaking Is Hard! | Simple English Conversations
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B23
194 sentences
Learn English without even trying
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This A2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Easy English 8 - What are you doing today?”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: birthday, Chantal, Jemima, parcels, restaurant. This video has 86 sentences and 602 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:21. The speaker talks fast, about 180 words per minute, so expect linked and reduced sounds. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start. 28 of its 86 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| parcel noun | /ˈpɑɹsəl/ | A package wrapped, as for shipment or transport. |
| bicycle noun | /ˈbaɪsɪk(ə)l/ | A vehicle that has two primary wheels, one behind the other, a steering handle, and a saddle seat or seats and is usually propelled by the action of a rider’s… |
| nowhere adverb | /ˈnoʊ.(h)wɛɹ/ | In no place. |
| discount noun | /ˈdɪskaʊnt/ | A reduction in price. |
| sufficient | /səˈfɪʃənt/ | An adequate quantity of; enough. |
| relax verb | /ɹɪˈlæks/ | To make something loose. |
| poster noun | /ˈpoʊstɚ/ | A picture of a celebrity, an event etc., intended to be attached to a wall. |
| strictly adverb | /ˈstɹɪktli/ | In a strict manner. |
| stamp noun | /stæmp/ | An act of stamping the foot, paw or hoof. |
| youngest adjective | /ˈjʌŋ.ɡɪst/ | Most recently begun or formed. |
| placement noun | /ˈpleɪ̯smənt/ | The act of placing or putting in place; the act of locating or positioning; the state of being placed. |
| depot noun | /ˈdiːpoʊ/ | A storage facility, in particular, a warehouse. |
| supper noun | /ˈsʌpɚ/ | An optional light meal consumed shortly before going to bed. |
| seaside noun | /ˌsiːˈsaɪd/ | The area by and around the sea; including the beach, promenade or cliffs. |
| postage noun | /ˈpoʊstɪd͡ʒ/ | The system of transporting letters, and parcels. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| build up verb | To erect; to construct. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. |
| go back to verb | To stem from; to originate in. |
| hand out verb | To distribute; to give out, either by hand or as if so (figuratively). |
| hand up verb | To deliver an indictment (e.g. to a judge). |
| pick up verb | To lift; to grasp and raise. |
| walk around verb | To walk with no planned destination; to meander. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What are you doing today?
- May I ask the second one?
- Do you know what's in them?
- Why did you put your hand up like that?
- That's annoying of your mum, isn't it?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 27 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we're, I've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like parcel, bicycle, nowhere.
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.