Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Play it by Ear - Learn English Speaking with Video
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15 sentences
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1
Welcome to English in a Minute.
2
Your sense of hearing is important, especially when you sing or play an instrument.
3
Play it by ear.
4
So is this expression about music?
5
Are you coming on the camping trip?
6
I'm going to have to play it by ear.
7
I might have to work.
8
You work on weekends?
9
No, not usually, but I'm hoping the boss will need me then.
10
I really don't like nature.
11
If you play it by ear, you wait to decide to do something until a situation develops.
12
You do not make a formal plan ahead of time.
13
This expression does, in fact, come from music.
14
phrase first meant to be able to play a song after hearing it without looking at sheet music.
15
And that's English in a Minute.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “English in a Minute: Play it by Ear”. This video has 15 sentences and 131 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:56. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 3 of its 15 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 14 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| formal adjective | /ˈfɔɹməl/ | In accordance with established forms. |
| sheet noun | /ʃit/ | A thin bed cloth used as a covering for a mattress or as a layer over the sleeper. |
| phrase noun | /ˈfɹeɪ̯z/ | A short written or spoken expression. |
| instrument noun | /ˈɪnstɹəmənt/ | A device used to produce music. |
| expression noun | /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/ | The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc. |
| sing verb | /ˈsɪŋ/ | To produce musical or harmonious sounds with one’s voice. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| nature noun | /ˈneɪ̯.t͡ʃəɹ/ | The way things are, the totality of all things in the physical universe and their order, especially the physical world in contrast to spiritual realms and… |
| weekend noun | /ˈwiˌkɛnd/ | The break in the working week, usually two days including the traditional holy or sabbath day. Thus in Western countries, Saturday and Sunday. |
| trip noun | /tɹɪp/ | A journey; an excursion or jaunt. |
| camp noun | /ˈkæmp/ | An outdoor place acting as temporary accommodation in tents or other simple structures. |
| decide verb | /dɪˈsaɪd/ | To resolve (a contest, problem, dispute, etc.); to choose, determine, or settle. |
| boss noun | /bɔs/ | One who oversees and directs the work of others; a supervisor. |
| develop verb | /dɪˈvɛl.əp/ | To change with a specific direction, progress. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- Are you coming on the camping trip?
- I'm going to have to play it by ear.
- You work on weekends?
- I really don't like nature.
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Possibility with “might / may” might/may + verb — something that is possible but not certain | might have |
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | Are you coming · I'm hoping |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to play · have to work |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | I'm going to have |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 3 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: sheet /ʃit/, expression /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Shadow it sentence by sentence at normal speed, repeating each one until your rhythm matches the speaker.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like formal, sheet, phrase.
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.