Shadowing Practice: The Crown: Wilson's Devaluation Speech - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
Recommend Video
B1IELTS Speaking Part 1: Food, Shopping and the Weather
B2Why the UK's Economy is Awful
C1ENGLISH SPEECH | EMMANUEL MACRON: A Message To Trump (English Subtitles)
![[Audio] Cambridge Vocabulary For Ielts With Answers - 33 14a](https://img.youtube.com/vi/LbnVwTLPGAY/mqdefault.jpg)
B1[Audio] Cambridge Vocabulary For Ielts With Answers - 33 14a
C1International Trade Explained
B2The Queen's Harsh Words for Prince Charles | The Crown (Olivia Colman, Josh O'Connor)
B2Why the UK is in the EU
B2Improve Your Spoken English in Just 15 Minutes
B2SEtalk: What Silence Says
B2Harding Speech
C1The Tribute System: The new World Order
B1Business English ESL Vocabulary - English Economics Terms
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B1 speaking lesson is built on the video “The Crown: Wilson's Devaluation Speech”. This video has 24 sentences and 194 words to shadow. The speech runs for 1:32. The speaker talks at a steady 127 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 87% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 13 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| pound noun | /ˈpaʊ̯nd/ | A unit of weight in various measurement systems. |
| devaluation noun | The removal or lessening of something's value. | |
| devalue verb | /diːˈvæljuː/ | To lower or remove the value of something. |
| straitjacket noun | /ˈstɹeɪtˌd͡ʒækɪt/ | A jacketlike garment with very long sleeves which can be secured in place, thus preventing the wearer from moving their arms; often used in psychiatric… |
| unanimous adjective | /juˈnænəməs/ | Based on unanimity, assent or agreement. |
| seize verb | /ˈsiːz/ | To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture. |
| purse noun | /pɚs/ | A small bag for carrying money. |
| deficit noun | /ˈdɛfəsɪt/ | Deficiency in amount or quality; a falling short; lack. |
| consequence noun | /ˈkɑn.sɪ.kwəns/ | An effect; something that follows a cause as a result. |
| importantly adverb | /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/ | Used to mark a statement as having importance. |
| meaningful adjective | /ˈmiː.nɪŋ.fl̩/ | Having meaning, significant. |
| burden noun | /ˈbɝdn̩/ | A heavy load. |
| tunnel noun | /ˈtʌn(ə)l/ | An underground or underwater passage. |
Grammar in this video
The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:
| Structure | In the video |
|---|---|
| Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now | have taken · has been |
| Future with “will” will + verb — a decision, promise or prediction | will mean · will be |
Pronunciation to watch
- Long words — get the stress right: unanimous /juˈnænəməs/, importantly /ɪmˈpɔɹ.tənt.li/
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 pound, devaluation, devalue.
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.