Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Dollars to Donuts - Learn English Speaking with Video

Creating lesson...
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Welcome to English in a Minute.
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This is a delicious donut.
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Here in the U.S., a donut costs about a dollar.
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But what could this mean?
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Hey, Anna.
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Are you still riding with me to Maggie's party later?
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Yes, and I took a nap earlier, so I am ready to par-tay.
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Great.
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Dollars to donuts, we get stuck in traffic on the way, though.
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Dollars to donuts, Maggie's party will go on way past midnight.
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Dollars to donuts means you are sure something will happen.
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Experts say the phrase first appeared in the 1800s.
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It replaced similar expressions at the time, like dollars to buttons and dollars to dumplings.
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And that's English in a Minute.

About This Lesson

You're practicing English with "English in a Minute: Dollars to Donuts" 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.

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 →