Shadowing Practice: Phrasal verb prepositions: DOWN part 04: DOWN means DEFEAT - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
26 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hi everybody, and welcome back.
2
Today, we're going to take another look at the preposition down and what it can mean when it is used with phrasal verbs.
3
So, in a previous video we saw that down can mean topple.
4
Now, we can extend the meaning of topple to get the idea of defeat.
5
And the reason for this is that when somebody is defeated in a physical confrontation, they typically tend to topple over.
6
So with that said, how do you think we could describe this animation?
7
Here, a boxer strikes his opponent and defeats him So we can say the boxer knocks down his opponent.
8
Knocks means strike and down means defeat.
9
So the sentence just means The boxer strikes and defeats his opponent.
10
Or the boxer defeats his opponent by striking him.
11
Okay, so let's try a similar example.
12
How do you think we could describe this using a phrasal verb with down in which down means defeat?
13
Here, a samurai cuts his opponent and defeats him.
14
So we can say the samurai cuts down his opponent.
15
Cuts means cut and down means defeat so the sentence just means the samurai cuts and defeats his opponent.
16
Or the samurai defeats his opponent by cutting him.
17
Now, down can also mean defeat in a metaphorical way.
18
So with that in mind, how do you think we could describe this using a phrasal verb with down where down means to metaphorically defeat something?
19
Here, a committee votes against a proposal and defeats it.
20
So we can say the committee votes down the proposal.
21
Votes means vote, and down means defeat.
22
So the sentence simply means the committee votes and defeats the proposal.
23
Or the committee defeats the proposal by voting.
24
So, I hoped this helped you understand the preposition down a little bit better and why it can sometimes mean defeat.
25
And, we'll see you next time.
26
Cheers.
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
B21
Phrasal verb prepositions: DOWN part 06: DOWN & UP mean ALONG
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B12
Phrasal verb prepositions: "ON" part 01 - The basic meaning of "on"
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B12
Phrasal verb prepositions: DOWN part 07: DOWN means SECURE / NOT MOVE
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B13
Phrasal verb prepositions: DOWN part 05: DOWN means NOT FUNCTIONING
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B11
Phrasal verb prepositions: ON part 02: ON means ABOUT
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
B11
15 sentences
English in a Minute: Dropping Like Flies
American AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B15
93 sentences
American English Shadowing – 100 Natural Conversational Sentences
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B15
22 sentences
Learn English: “Throw Someone Under The Bus”
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B114
8 sentences
Show Up #phrasalverbs #learnenglishdaily
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
296 sentences
Let's Learn English! Topic: English Phrases with "in the..." 🏃😉❌ (Lesson Only)
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B14
38 sentences
22 Phrases to Talk About Everyday Problems in English - Visual Vocabulary Lesson
British AccentTeensDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B11
226 sentences
16 Phrasal Verbs for Relationships: Every Stage in English
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
15 sentences
English in a Minute: Buckle Down
American AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B12
299 sentences
Phrasal Verbs with "GET"
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B12
371 sentences
Friends 41: Học Tiếng Anh giao tiếp chủ đề Đăng Ký Khám Bệnh
Business EnglishInterview EnglishDaily Conversation
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “Phrasal verb prepositions: DOWN part 04: DOWN means DEFEAT”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: defeat, opponent, vote, cut, samurai. This video has 26 sentences and 319 words to shadow. The speech runs for 3:45. The speaker talks slowly, about 85 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 78% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 12 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| opponent noun | /əˈpəʊ.nənt/ | One who opposes another; one who works or takes a position against someone or something; one who attempts to stop the progress of someone or something. |
| samurai noun | /ˈsæməˌɹaɪ/ | In feudal Japan, a soldier who served a daimyo. |
| boxer noun | /ˈbɑksɚ/ | A participant in a boxing match; a fighter who boxes. |
| phrasal adjective | /ˈfɹeɪzəl/ | Relating to, or used in the manner of, a phrase. |
| topple verb | /ˈtɑpl̩/ | To push or throw over. |
| verb noun | /vɝb/ | A word that indicates an action, event, or state of being. |
| preposition noun | /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/ | Any of a class of non-inflecting words and multiword terms typically employed to connect a following noun or a pronoun, in an adjectival or adverbial sense… |
| metaphorical adjective | /ˌmɛtəˈfɒɹɪkəl/ | Pertaining to or characterized by a metaphor; figurative; symbolic. |
| metaphorically adverb | In a metaphorical manner; not literally; by means of metaphor. | |
| confrontation noun | /ˌkɑn.fɹənˈteɪ.ʃən/ | The act of confronting or challenging another, especially face to face. |
| cheers | /t͡ʃɪəz/ | A common toast used when drinking in company. |
| animation noun | /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/ | The act of animating, or giving life or spirit. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| cut down verb | To cut downward. |
| knock down verb | To hit or knock (something or someone), intentionally or accidentally, so that it falls. |
Pronunciation to watch
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/, confrontation /ˌkɑn.fɹənˈteɪ.ʃən/, animation /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
- Long words — get the stress right: preposition /ˌpɹɛpəˈzɪʃən/, metaphorical /ˌmɛtəˈfɒɹɪkəl/, confrontation /ˌkɑn.fɹənˈteɪ.ʃən/, animation /ˌæn.ɪˈmeɪ.ʃən/
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 opponent, samurai, boxer.
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.