Shadowing Practice: English in a Minute: Wet Blanket - Learn English Speaking with Video
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16 sentences
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1
Welcome to English in a Minute.
2
A thick blanket helps keep you warm.
3
But what does a wet blanket do?
4
Let's listen.
5
So is everything ready for next week's cookout?
6
No. Bob from accounting complained to management.
7
He said we're not allowed to cook outside.
8
Are you serious?
9
Bob is such a wet blanket.
10
I know.
11
Let's call him No Fun Bob.
12
A wet blanket is someone who says or does things that stop other people from enjoying themselves.
13
Long ago, cooks kept a wet blanket nearby to help put out any kitchen fires.
14
These days, a wet blanket puts out other people's joy.
15
Bob.
16
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: Wet Blanket”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: blanket, wet, Bob. This video has 16 sentences and 111 words to shadow. The speech runs for 0:53. The speaker talks at a steady 125 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 3 of its 16 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 9 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| blanket noun | /ˈblæŋ.kɪt/ | A heavy, loosely woven fabric, usually large and woollen, used for warmth while sleeping or resting. |
| thick adjective | /θɪk/ | Relatively great in extent from one surface to the opposite in its smallest solid dimension. |
| complain verb | /kəmˈpleɪn/ | To express feelings of pain, dissatisfaction, or resentment. |
| cookout noun | /ˈkʊkaʊt/ | A gathering for a meal that is cooked and eaten outside; either a domestic barbecue or a larger social event. |
| cook verb | /kʊk/ | To prepare food for eating, typically by heating it, combining it with other ingredients, seasoning it, preparing it for serving, etc. |
| kitchen noun | /ˈkɪt͡ʃ(ə)n/ | A room or area for preparing food. |
| nearby adverb | /ˌnɪə(ɹ)ˈbaɪ/ | Next to, close to. |
| welcome | /ˈwɛl.kəm/ | Greeting given upon someone's arrival. |
| warm adjective | /wɔɹm/ | Of a somewhat high temperature, often but not always connoting that the high temperature is pleasant rather than uncomfortable. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| put out verb | To blind (eyes). |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | someone who says |
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 blanket, thick, complain.
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.