Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: To take a stab at something - Learn English Speaking with Video
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15 sentences
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1
Welcome to English in a Minute from home.
2
To stab means to cut or push into something with a sharp object.
3
Uh-oh, am I going to have to find Anna or Jonathan a doctor?
4
To take a stab at something.
5
Jonathan, I have a riddle and you will never guess the answer.
6
Anna, I'm a little busy right now.
7
Just take a stab at it.
8
What gets wetter and wetter the more it dries.
9
Oh, I don't know.
10
A towel?
11
Yeah, you're right.
12
To take a stab at something means to try to do something or make a guess.
13
Usually, we take a stab at something we've never done before or something that's a little tricky, like answering a riddle.
14
And that's English in a Minute.
15
Thank you.
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “English in a Minute: To take a stab at something”. This video has 15 sentences and 129 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:55. The speaker talks at a steady 142 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 11 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| establishment noun | /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ.mənt/ | The act or process of establishing; a ratifying or ordaining; settlement; confirmation. |
| sharp adjective | /ʃɑɹp/ | Terminating in a point or edge, especially one that can cut or pierce easily; not dull, obtuse, or rounded. |
| tricky adjective | /ˈtɹɪk.i/ | Hard to deal with, complicated. |
| towel noun | /ˈtaʊ̯əl/ | A cloth used for wiping, especially one used for drying anything wet, such as a person after a bath. |
| riddle noun | /ˈɹɪdəl/ | A verbal puzzle, mystery, or other problem of an intellectual nature. |
| wet adjective | /wɛt/ | Made up of liquid or moisture, usually (but not always) water. |
| object noun | /ˈɑb.d͡ʒɛkt/ | A thing that has physical existence but is not alive. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| doctor noun | /ˈdɑktɚ/ | A physician; a member of the medical profession; one who is trained and licensed to heal the sick or injured. The final examination and qualification may award… |
| push verb | /pʊʃ/ | To apply a force to (an object) such that it moves away from the person or thing applying the force. |
| dry adjective | /ˈdɹaɪ̯/ | Free from or lacking moisture. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | we've never done |
| Future with “going to” be going to + verb — a plan or something you can see coming | am I going to have |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will never guess |
| Obligation: must / have to / need to saying that something is necessary | have to find |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 4 contractions and reduced forms, such as don't, I'm, we've. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: establishment /ɪˈstæb.lɪʃ.mənt/, sharp /ʃɑɹp/, push /pʊʃ/
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 establishment, sharp, tricky.
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.