Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Sketchy - Learn English Speaking with Video
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14 sentences
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1
Welcome to English in a Minute.
2
A sketch is a simple drawing meant to show the main parts of something.
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But what does it mean if something is sketchy?
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So, are you doing anything fun over the long weekend?
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Yes, I'm going on a midnight hike at Fort Danger Park.
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Is that a good idea?
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Weird things happen at Fort Danger Park, even in the daytime.
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It's not as sketchy as people think.
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I hike there at night all the time.
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Of course you do.
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Sketchy has a couple of meanings.
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It can describe something that is not complete or clear, but it can also describe something dangerous or bad.
13
This usage of the word is very casual and informal.
14
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: Sketchy”. This video has 14 sentences and 126 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:53. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 3 of its 14 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| hike noun | /haɪk/ | A long walk, usually for pleasure or exercise. |
| midnight noun | /ˈmɪd(ˌ)naɪt/ | The middle of the night: the sixth temporal hour, equidistant between sunset and sunrise. |
| casual adjective | /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/ | Happening by chance. |
| usage noun | /ˈjuːsɪd͡ʒ/ | A custom or established practice. |
| sketch noun | /ˈskɛt͡ʃ/ | A rapidly executed freehand drawing that is not intended as a finished work, often consisting of a multitude of overlapping lines. |
| informal adjective | /ɪnˈfɔɹ.m(ə)l/ | Not formal or ceremonious. |
| daytime noun | /ˈdeɪtaɪm/ | The time of daylight; the time between sunrise and sunset. |
| sketchy adjective | /ˈskɛt͡ʃi/ | Roughly or hastily laid out; intended for later refinement. |
| describe verb | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ | To represent in words. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| 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. |
| meaning noun | /ˈmiː.nɪŋ/ | The denotation, referent, or idea connected with a word, expression, or symbol. |
| draw verb | /dɹɑ/ | To pull (someone or something) in a particular direction or manner. |
| weird adjective | /ˈwiɚd/ | Having an unusually strange character or behaviour. |
| dangerous adjective | /ˈdeɪn.ʒ(ə.)ɹəs/ | Full of danger. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present continuous am/is/are + -ing — something happening right now or around now | are you doing · I'm going |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: casual /ˈkæʒ(u)əl/, dangerous /ˈdeɪn.ʒ(ə.)ɹəs/
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 hike, midnight, casual.
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.