Shadowing Practice: 18 Must-Know Legal English Words & Idioms - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
219 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
In this lesson, I'm going to teach you 14 common legal English terms to give your professional English vocabulary a real boost.
2
But first of all, what is legal English?
3
Well, legal English is that specialized language that we use to talk about laws, rules and responsibilities.
4
Terms like liability, non -disclosure agreement or breach of contract.
5
At the end of the lesson, I'm also going to share some really useful idioms connected to rules
6
and laws so make sure you stick around for
7
that hi there i'm derek
8
and this is english for professionals the best place to improve your english communication skills for work before
9
we get started with the lesson
10
i just want to tell you about my professional english phrase booster it contains over 300 phrases to help you with presentations,
11
meetings, emails, projects, negotiations and more.
12
And it's completely free for you to download.
13
You'll find a link in the description below.
14
And now let's get started with the lesson.
15
So first up we have confidentiality agreement.
16
Now that first word has a lot of syllables.
17
It can be tricky to pronounce.
18
Con -fi -den -chi -a -li -ti.
19
Confidentiality agreement.
20
And the confidentiality agreement is a contract that stops someone from sharing private information.
21
Let's take a look at a couple of examples.
22
New employees sign a confidentiality agreement to protect company secrets.
23
Say it with me.
24
New employees sign a confidentiality agreement to protect company secrets.
25
Second example.
26
The researcher signed a confidentiality agreement before starting the project.
27
Say it with me.
28
The researcher signed a confidentiality agreement before starting the project.
29
You may also hear the term confidential information at times.
30
This term is more general as it just means important private information that should not be shared with others.
31
Take a moment to think about the types of confidential information you handle at work
32
but don't worry I'm not going to ask you to share them with me.
33
Next up we have liability.
34
Liability, which means to be legally responsible for something like debts or damages.
35
Understanding liability helps businesses manage potential risks, ensuring that they follow the law and protect themselves from financial harm.
36
Our examples?
37
By signing the contract, the supplier took on liability for any defects in the delivered goods, Say it with me.
38
By signing the contract, the supplier took on liability for any defects in the delivered goods.
39
Second example.
40
To limit liability, the partnership agreement included specific terms about financial responsibility.
41
To limit liability, the partnership agreement included specific terms about financial responsibility.
42
The adjective liable is used to describe someone or something that is legally responsible for a particular situation.
43
It often indicates potential legal obligations or risks.
44
Examples.
45
As a business owner, you are liable for any injuries caused by your products or services.
46
As a business owner, you are liable for any injuries caused by your products or services.
47
Second example.
48
After the incident, the company was found liable for the environmental damage.
49
After the incident, the company was found liable for the environmental damage.
50
Being liable means you may have to compensate for damages or fulfill certain legal obligations.
51
Understanding when and how you or your company could be liable is crucial for risk management and legal compliance.
52
Next up we have compliance.
53
Compliance which means following rules, laws or standards set up by governments, organizations or industries.
54
Compliance ensures that a company or an individual behaves in a legal and ethical way.
55
Our first example, the HR manager ensures compliance with labor laws.
56
Say it with me.
57
The HR manager ensures compliance with labor laws.
58
This means that the HR manager makes sure the company follows the rules about working conditions, pay and employee rights.
59
Our second example.
60
The finance department checks for compliance with tax regulations.
61
Say it with me.
62
The finance department checks for compliance with tax regulations.
63
Here, we mean that the finance department makes sure the company pays taxes correctly and follows the rules about financial reporting.
64
Our next term is to follow protocol.
65
Follow protocol, which means to follow set rules or procedures,
66
especially those set up by a company or organization to ensure safety, consistency and compliance.
67
First example, the IT specialist always follows protocol when installing new software.
68
Say it with me.
69
The IT specialist always follows protocol when installing new software.
70
Second example, during emergencies it's crucial for the safety officer to follow protocol.
71
Say it with me.
72
During emergencies it's crucial for the safety officer to follow protocol.
73
Next up we have NDA.
74
NDA which means a non -disclosure agreement.
75
Non -disclosure agreement.
76
And this is a contract where someone promises to keep information private.
77
Now you may be wondering how is this different from the first term we looked at.
78
The confidentiality agreement.
79
Well, they are essentially the same as both are legal contracts used to keep sensitive information private.
80
The term NDA is often used for more specific business deals,
81
while confidentiality agreements are more generally used in employment or company policies.
82
Our first example.
83
After the two companies discussed merging, they signed an NDA to keep their financial information secret.
84
Say it with me.
85
After the two companies discussed merging, they signed an NDA to keep their financial information secret.
86
Second example.
87
The supplier signed an NDA to prevent leaking new product details.
88
Say it with me.
89
The supplier signed an NDA to prevent leaking new product details.
90
Can you think of a scenario in your job where you might need to use a non -disclosure agreement?
91
If so, share it in the comments.
92
The next term we're going to look at is breach of contract.
93
Breach of contract, which basically means not doing what is agreed in a contract.
94
A common example of a breach of contract is when a supplier fails to deliver goods on an agreed delivery date.
95
For example, the supplier was fined for breach of contract for late delivery.
96
Say it with me.
97
The supplier was fined for breach of contract for late delivery.
98
Second example, the employee's disclosure of company secrets was considered a breach of contract.
99
Say it with me.
100
The employee's disclosure of company secrets was considered a breach of contract.
101
Next up we have dispute.
102
Dispute.
103
And this is a disagreement or argument between people or groups.
104
For example, two employees could have a dispute on who should handle specific tasks.
105
Or another example could be a company having a dispute with a supplier over the quality of delivered goods.
106
The noun dispute is often used together with the verb resolve.
107
For example, the mediator helped resolve the dispute between the two companies.
108
Say it with me.
109
The mediator helped resolve the dispute between the two companies second example the team members found themselves in a dispute
110
but the team leader managed to resolve it the team members found themselves in a dispute
111
but the team leader managed to resolve it
112
next up we have fine print fine print
113
and this is the small text in a contract that contains important information usually found at the bottom of the contract.
114
It contains important information that you might not notice if you don't read it.
115
We always say don't forget to read the fine print.
116
Our first example always read the fine print before signing a lease.
117
Say it with me always read the fine print before signing a lease.
118
Second example the accountant checked the fine print for hidden fees.
119
Say it with me the account and check the fine print for hidden fees.
120
The next term we're going to look at is to sue someone.
121
To sue someone and this means to take legal action against someone in court to seek compensation or to resolve a dispute.
122
To seek compensation means to ask for money or something else to make up for losses or damages.
123
Suing an individual or suing a company is often seen as a last resort when everything else has failed.
124
For example, the company decided to sue their former employee for breach of contract.
125
Say it with me.
126
The company decided to sue their former employee for breach of contract.
127
Or, the customer threatened to sue the manufacturer after their product caused an injury.
128
The customer threatened to sue the manufacturer after their product caused an injury.
129
Next up we have lawsuit.
130
Lawsuit.
131
And this is a legal case brought to court to resolve a dispute or claim between different parties.
132
In law, parties means the people or groups involved in a legal case or agreement.
133
Our first example, the company decided to carry out a lawsuit against the former employee for stealing.
134
Say it with me, the company decided to carry out a lawsuit against the former employee for stealing.
135
Second example, she won her lawsuit against the landlord for not fixing the plumbing issue in her shop.
136
Say it with me, she won her lawsuit against the landlord for not fixing the plumbing issue in her shop.
137
Our next term is legal proceedings.
138
Legal proceedings.
139
And this is the process of taking a case to court.
140
This happens when there's a disagreement that can't be solved outside of court.
141
For example, if a contract isn't followed or if there's a dispute over money,
142
one party might start a legal proceeding to ask a judge to make a decision.
143
Legal proceedings cover all activities involved in any legal case,
144
including lawsuits, hearings, trials, negotiations and any other legal steps taken in order to resolve a legal matter.
145
Our first example, the company prepared for legal proceedings over the patent dispute.
146
Say it with me.
147
The company prepared for legal proceedings over the patent dispute.
148
Second example, legal proceedings can be costly and time -consuming.
149
Legal proceedings can be costly and time -consuming.
150
Next up we have whistleblower.
151
Whistleblower.
152
And this is a person who tells authorities about illegal or wrong actions happening in a company or organization.
153
Our first example.
154
For example, the whistleblower reported the company's illegal pollution practices to the environmental agency.
155
Say it with me.
156
The whistleblower reported the company's illegal pollution practices to the environmental agency.
157
Second example.
158
She became a whistleblower when she found out her company was lying about their finances.
159
She became a whistleblower when she found out her company was lying about their finances.
160
The next term we're going to look at is power of attorney.
161
Power of attorney.
162
And this is legal permission for someone to act on someone else's behalf.
163
Example 1.
164
She gave her lawyer power of attorney to manage her finances.
165
Say it with me.
166
She gave her lawyer power of attorney to manage her finances.
167
Example 2.
168
During his absence, the director granted power of attorney to his deputy.
169
Say it with me.
170
During his absence, the director granted power of attorney to his deputy.
171
Next we have to void a contract.
172
Void a contract, which means to cancel a contract so it has no legal effect.
173
A contract might be voided when one party doesn't fulfill their obligation stated in the contract, when there's a mistake in the contract,
174
or the contract is against the law or public policy.
175
Our examples.
176
The buyer decided to void the contract due to defects in the product.
177
Say it with me.
178
The buyer decided to void the contract due to defects in the product.
179
Second example.
180
You can void a contract if both parties agree.
181
You can void a contract if both parties agree.
182
Great.
183
So, there we have 14 legal English terms to give your professional English vocabulary a boost.
184
And now we're going to look at some really nice idioms connected to legal English.
185
The first one is above board.
186
Above board.
187
And this means.. open honest
188
and legal our business practices are above board to ensure full compliance with the law say
189
it with me our business practices are above board to ensure full compliance with the law
190
second example there's no need to worry the deal was completely above board say it with me there's no need to worry.
191
The deal was completely above board.
192
So the deal was honest and legal.
193
Next we have by the book.
194
By the book.
195
And this means following the rules or official procedures exactly.
196
The accountant made sure everything was done by the book to avoid any legal issues.
197
Say it with me.
198
The accountant made sure everything was done by the book to avoid any legal issues.
199
Second example, our new boss wants us to do everything by the book.
200
Say it with me, our new boss wants us to do everything by the book.
201
Our next idiom is to be in hot water, to be in hot water and this means to be in trouble or in a difficult situation.
202
The CEO found herself in hot water after the company's illegal activities were exposed.
203
Say it with me.
204
The CEO found herself in hot water after the company's illegal activities were exposed.
205
Second example.
206
The employee was in hot water for leaking confidential information to a competitor.
207
Say it with me.
208
The employee was in hot water for leaking confidential information to a competitor.
209
Next we have to throw the book at someone.
210
To throw the book at someone and this means to punish someone as hard as possible.
211
The court decided to throw the book at the company for breaking multiple environmental laws.
212
So the court punished the company as hard as possible.
213
Second example.
214
The CEO promised to throw the book at any employee caught leaking confidential information information.
215
Say it with me.
216
The CEO promised to throw the book at any employee caught leaking confidential information.
217
So which terms or idioms did you already know and which ones were new for you?
218
Make sure to leave a comment below and let me know.
219
If you liked the lesson give it a thumbs up and watch one of these next.
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
B12
Office Small Talk in English - Talking About Christmas & the Holidays
Business EnglishDaily ConversationWorking Adults
B22
How To Write Meeting Minutes In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B12
21 Phrases For Formal Emails - Business English (FREE E-phrasebook)
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B11
Important English Phrases For EVERYDAY LIFE
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B21
Why Experienced Professionals Still Hesitate In English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B28
36 English Phrases For Professional Customer Service (FREE PDF Guide)
TOEIC PrepBusiness EnglishWorking Adults
B211
41 Phrases For Leading A Business Meeting - Business English (FREE E-Phrasebook)
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B24
English for Business Meetings - Interactive Lesson
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B22
20 Collocations to Boost Your Business English
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B13
Business English Vocabulary - Talking about Decisions - Part 2
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B11
More Essential Verbs For Meetings - Business English Meetings
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B12
Phrasal Verbs For Meetings - Business English
Business EnglishWorking Adults
B23
40 Phrases For Presenting In English - Business English (FREE PDF)
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C13
82 sentences
😮12 MUST-KNOW irregular verbs for lawyers
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C15
490 sentences
Learn 20 Professional Accounting English Terms
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C16
114 sentences
Introduction to Contract Law
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C13
208 sentences
1: Networking - Preparation (Fiction)
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C12
371 sentences
19 Phrases Native English Speakers Use Every Day
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C11
89 sentences
Lower Limb Oedema: The Medical English You Need to Know | OET & PLAB | Part 1
Cambridge Exam PrepBusiness EnglishUniversity Students
B11
10 sentences
Don't disclose this!
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
C13
80 sentences
How to think like a lawyer | Zero-L from Harvard Law School
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
209 sentences
English Word Stress - 5 Reasons you MUST learn to stress words correctly.
American AccentBusiness EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C14
4 sentences
HOW TO LEARN 100+ ENGLISH WORDS A DAY. ENGLISH VOCABULARY WITH MARINA MOGILKO
Business EnglishUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
330 sentences
How to Build Client Trust in English | Legal English – Advanced Lesson 1.1
Business EnglishWorking Adults
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “18 Must-Know Legal English Words & Idioms”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: example, contract, legal, agreement, term. This video has 219 sentences and 2328 words to shadow. The speech runs for 17:45. The speaker talks at a steady 131 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| dispute noun | /dɪˈspjuːt/ | An argument or disagreement; a failure to agree. |
| compliance noun | /kəmˈplaɪ.əns/ | An act of complying. |
| breach noun | /ˈbɹiːt͡ʃ/ | A gap or opening made by breaking or battering, as in a wall, fortification or levee / embankment; the space between the parts of a solid body rent by violence. |
| resolve verb | /ɹɪˈzɑlv/ | To find a solution to (a problem). |
| liability noun | /laɪəˈbɪlɪti/ | An obligation, debt or responsibility owed to someone. |
| supplier noun | /səˈplaɪə/ | One who supplies; a provider. |
| proceedings noun | /pɹəˈsiːd.ɪŋz/ | The course of procedure in the prosecution of an action at law. |
| lawsuit noun | /ˈlɔˌs(j)ut/ | In civil law, a case where two or more people disagree and one or more of the parties take the case to a court for resolution. |
| void adjective | /vɔɪd/ | Containing nothing; empty; not occupied or filled. |
| liable adjective | /ˈlaɪ̯əbəl/ | Bound or obliged in law or equity; responsible; answerable. |
| protocol noun | /ˈpɹoʊtəˌkɑl/ | An amendment to an official treaty. |
| leak noun | /liːk/ | A crack, crevice, fissure, or hole which admits water or other fluid, or lets it escape. |
| disclosure noun | /dɪsˈkləʊʒə(ɹ)/ | The act of revealing something. |
| confidential adjective | /ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/ | Kept, or meant to be kept, secret within a certain circle of persons; not intended to be known publicly. |
| lesson noun | /ˈlɛs.ən/ | A section of learning or teaching into which a wider learning content is divided. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| carry out verb | /ˈkæ.ɹi aʊt/ | To hold while moving it out. |
| find out verb | To discover, as by asking or investigating. | |
| set up verb | /ˌsɛt ˈʌp/ | To make ready for use. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | should not be shared · was found · is agreed |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | Liability, which means · Compliance which means · protocol, which means |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 15 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, we're, don't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “th” sounds: threaten /ˈθɹɛt.n̩/, ethical /ˈɛθɪkəl/, thumb /ˈθʌm/
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: disclosure /dɪsˈkləʊʒə(ɹ)/, confidential /ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/, crucial /ˈkɹuː.ʃəl/, obligation /ˌɑ.blɪˈɡeɪ.ʃn̩/, partnership /ˈpɑɹtnɚʃɪp/
- Long words — get the stress right: liability /laɪəˈbɪlɪti/, confidential /ˌkɔn.fɪˈdɛn.ʃəl/, regulation /ˌɹɛɡjʊˈleɪʃən/, compensation /ˌkɑm.pənˈseɪ.ʃən/, manufacturer /ˌmænjʊˈfæktʃəɹə/
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 dispute, compliance, breach.
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.