Shadowing Practice: Nathan Evans - Wellerman (Sea Shanty) (Lyrics) - Learn English Speaking with Video
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27 sentences
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There once was a ship
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that put to sea The name of the ship was a
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billy of tea The winds blew up her bow Dipped down her below my bully boys blow
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Soon may the willow man come To bring us sugar
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and tea and rum One day when the tongue in his band We'll take our leave and go
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She'd not been two weeks from shore
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When down on her a right whale bore The captain called all hands
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and swore he'd take the whale in tow Soon may the well-o'-man come to bring us sugar
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and tea and rum One day when the tonguing is done we'll take our leave and go Da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da-da
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Before the boat had hit the water The whale sail came up and caught her Hands to the side, harp and then fought her
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When she dived down low Soon may the well-o-man come To bring us sugar
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and tea and rum One day when the tonguing is done We'll take our leave and go No line was cut,
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no whale was freed The captain's mind was not of greed
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And he belonged to the whaleman's creed She took that ship in tow
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Soon may the wellerman come To bring us sugar and tea
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and rum One day when the tonguing is done We'll take our leave and go
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Da da da da
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For forty days
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or even more The lane went slack then tight once more Our boats were lost there were only four
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But still let the whale did go Soon may the willowman come To bring us sugar and tea and rum
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One day when the tonguing is done We'll take a leave
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and go As far as a fair the fight's still on The line's not cut
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and the whale's not gone The willowman makes his regular call Regular call to encourage the captain crew
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and go Soon may the willow man come To bring us sugar
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and tea and rum One day when the tonguing is done We'll take our leave and go
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Soon may the willow man come To bring us sugar
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and tea and rum One day when the tonguing is done We'll take our leave and go
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This video has 27 sentences and 397 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:29. The speaker talks at a natural 159 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 86% 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
14 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| whale noun | /ˈweɪl/ | Any large cetacean, usually with the exclusion of dolphins and porpoises. |
| willow noun | /ˈwɪloʊ/ | Any of various deciduous trees or shrubs in the genus Salix, in the willow family Salicaceae, found primarily on moist soils in cooler zones in the northern… |
| encourage verb | /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ | To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit. |
| belong verb | /bɪˈlɒŋ/ | To have its proper place. |
| billy noun | /ˈbɪli/ | A highwayman's club, billy club. |
| shore noun | /ʃɔɹ/ | Land adjoining a non-flowing body of water, such as an ocean, lake or pond. |
| forty adjective | /ˈfoɹti/ | Resembling or characteristic of a fort. |
| dive verb | /daɪv/ | To swim under water. |
| sail noun | /seɪl/ | A piece of fabric attached to a boat and arranged such that it causes the wind to drive the boat along. The sail may be attached to the boat via a combination… |
| bully noun | /ˈbʊli/ | A person who is intentionally physically or emotionally cruel to others, especially to those whom they perceive as being vulnerable or of less power or… |
| bind verb | /ˈbaɪ̯nd/ | To tie; to confine by any ligature. |
| greed noun | /ɡɹiːd/ | A selfish or excessive desire for more than is needed or deserved, especially of money, wealth, food, or other possessions. |
| slack adjective | /slæk/ | Lax; not tense; not firmly extended. |
| creed noun | /kɹid/ | That which is believed; accepted doctrine, especially religious doctrine; a particular set of beliefs; any summary of principles or opinions professed or… |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| blow up verb | To explode or be destroyed by explosion. |
| come up verb | To emerge or become known, especially unexpectedly. |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as we'll, he'd, she'd. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
How to practise with this video
- Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
- Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
- Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like whale, willow, encourage.
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 | was freed · were lost |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | We'll take |
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.