Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Call It a Day - Learn English Speaking with Video

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17 sentences
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1
Welcome to English in a Minute.
2
You already know there are seven days in a week.
3
But what is the it in this expression?
4
Jonathan, I've been working on this project for the past 15 hours.
5
I am so tired.
6
Fifteen hours?
7
I think it's time to call it a day off.
8
Call it a day, Anna.
9
I can't stop now, Jonathan.
10
I must get this done.
11
The other half of the project isn't due until next month. For real?
12
Yeah.
13
Call it a day, Anna.
14
To call it a day means to finish doing something for now.
15
This expression is usually used when talking about a person's workday.
16
From the looks of it, Anna probably should have called it a day a few hours earlier.
17
And that's English in a Minute.

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About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "English in a Minute: Call It a Day" using the Shadowing technique — a method originally developed for professional interpreter training.

Focus on sounding like the speaker — not just repeating words. With 15–30 minutes of daily practice, you'll build real-world speaking confidence.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

StructureIn the video
Present perfect continuous have/has been + -ing — an action that started earlier and is still going onI've been working
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does itis usually used
Advice with “should” should + verb — saying what is a good ideashould have
Verb + -ing enjoy, keep, stop… + -ing — verbs that are followed by the -ing formfinish doing

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 →