Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Up to Snuff - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
13 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Welcome to English in a Minute.
2
We always try to give you high-quality materials for learning English.
3
So we hope this episode is up to snuff.
4
Hey, Anna, are you all packed for Martha's big camping trip?
5
Yeah, but my gear is really old.
6
It's not up to snuff for a big camping adventure.
7
I wouldn't worry.
8
Martha's idea of camping is very comfortable.
9
I'm pretty sure we are camping in modern cabins.
10
So it's not a camping adventure at all, is it?
11
If something is up to snuff, it meets an acceptable standard.
12
It is as good as it needs to be.
13
We often use this expression in the negative to describe something that is not up to snuff.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
Same Channel
A257
English in a Minute: Make Up Your Mind
American AccentTravel EnglishTeensDaily Conversation
B1English in a Minute: Thorn in My Side
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B2English in a Minute: Ahead of the Curve
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B147
English in a Minute: When it Rains, it Pours
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B159
English in a Minute: Wishful Thinking
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B126
English in a Minute: Make (One's) Head Swim
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B186
English in a Minute: Get Out Of Here
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
A248
Call It A Day
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B211
English in a Minute: Pound the Pavement
American AccentInterview EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
A210
English in a Minute: Start from Scratch
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B14
English in a Minute: Call It a Day
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B18
English in a Minute: Under The Weather
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B134
English in a Minute: Stay in Touch
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B21
English in a Minute: Break Even
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B14
English in a Minute: Sink or Swim
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B110
English in a Minute: It's Up To You
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B13
English in a Minute: Divide and Conquer
American AccentTOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishDaily Conversation
A25
Grab a Bite
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B115
English in a Minute: Like Oil and Water
American AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B21
English in a Minute: The Jury is Still Out
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B26
769 sentences
English with FRIENDS | Seasons 6-10 COMPILATION
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B2184 sentences
English with Friends | Season 8 | Idioms, Expressions, Vocab
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
!["AT A SNAIL'S PACE" - English in a minute - Idioms & phrases [Eng/viet sub]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/8h1vY4Ff7II/mqdefault.jpg)
A259
27 sentences
"AT A SNAIL'S PACE" - English in a minute - Idioms & phrases [Eng/viet sub]
KidsTeensDaily Conversation
B1789 sentences
50 English Expressions Americans Use Every Day (Sick and Tired, Safe and Sound...)
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
A266 sentences
Daily Easy English Expression 0005 -- 3 Minute English Lesson: What's up this weekend?
TeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B21
16 sentences
English in a Minute: Take With a Grain of Salt
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
13 sentences
English in a Minute: Run-of-the-Mill
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
14 sentences
English in a Minute: Whitewash
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
15 sentences
English in a Minute: (Not) Firing on All Cylinders
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B11
13 sentences
English in a Minute: Tie Up Loose Ends
American AccentTravel EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “English in a Minute: Up to Snuff”. This video has 13 sentences and 121 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:53. The speaker talks at a steady 136 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 2 of its 13 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 |
|---|---|---|
| adventure noun | /ədˈvɛn.t͡ʃə/ | A feeling of desire for new and exciting things. |
| gear noun | /ɡɪɚ/ | Equipment or paraphernalia, especially that used for an athletic endeavor. |
| acceptable adjective | /əkˈsɛp.tə.bəl/ | Worthy, decent, sure of being accepted or received with at least moderate pleasure. |
| cabin noun | /ˈkæbɪn/ | A small dwelling characteristic of the frontier, especially when built from logs with simple tools and not constructed by professional builders, but by those… |
| snuff noun | /snʌf/ | Finely ground or pulverized tobacco (or other plant derivative) intended for use by being sniffed or snorted into the nose. |
| comfortable adjective | /ˈkʌm(p)f.tə.bəl/ | Providing physical comfort and ease; agreeable. |
| pack noun | /pæk/ | A bundle made up and prepared to be carried; especially, a bundle to be carried on the back, but also a load for an animal, a bale. |
| describe verb | /dɪˈskɹaɪb/ | To represent in words. |
| expression noun | /əkˈspɹɛʃ.n̩/ | The action of expressing thoughts, ideas, feelings, etc. |
| camp noun | /ˈkæmp/ | An outdoor place acting as temporary accommodation in tents or other simple structures. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| episode noun | /ˈɛp.ə.soʊd/ | A discrete but connected event, situation, or period within a broader sequence, narrative, or life course. |
| material noun | /məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/ | A basic matter (as metal, wood, plastic, fiber, etc.) from which the whole or the greater part of something physical (as a machine, tool, building, fabric… |
| trip noun | /tɹɪp/ | A journey; an excursion or jaunt. |
| worry verb | /ˈwʌ.ɹi/ | To be troubled; to give way to mental anxiety or doubt. |
Pronunciation to watch
- Long words — get the stress right: acceptable /əkˈsɛp.tə.bəl/, material /məˈtɪə.ɹi.əl/
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 adventure, gear, acceptable.
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.