Shadowing Practice: The King's Speech Trailer - Learn English Speaking with Video
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Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “The King's Speech Trailer”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: husband, speak, king. This video has 56 sentences and 307 words to shadow. The speech runs for 2:14. The speaker talks at a steady 137 words per minute, a comfortable pace for shadowing. 82% 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 |
|---|---|---|
| shadow noun | /ˈʃædəʊ̯/ | A dark image projected onto a surface where light (or other radiation) is blocked by the shade of an object. |
| broadcast noun | /ˈbɹɔːd(ˌ)kɑːst/ | A transmission of a radio or television programme intended to be received by anyone with a receiver. |
| brave adjective | /bɹeɪv/ | Strong in the face of fear; courageous. |
| cure verb | /kjɔː/ | To restore to health. |
| publicly adverb | /ˈpʌb.lɪ.kli/ | In public, openly, in an open and public manner. |
| controversial adjective | /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈvɝ.ʃəl/ | Arousing or likely to arouse controversy. |
| sheep noun | /ˈʃiːp/ | A woolly ruminant of the genus Ovis. |
| intend verb | /ɪnˈtɛnd/ | To fix the mind upon (something, or something to be accomplished); be intent upon |
| insert verb | /ɪnˈsɝt/ | To put in between or into. |
| compliment noun | /ˈkɑmpləmənt/ | An expression of praise, congratulation, or respect. |
| govern verb | /ˈɡʌv.ən/ | To make and administer the public policy and affairs of; to exercise sovereign authority in. |
| peculiar adjective | /pɪˈkjul.jɚ/ | Out of the ordinary; odd; strange; unusual. |
| wartime noun | /ˈwɔː(ɹ)taɪm/ | A period during which a war is in progress in a particular place. |
| stammer verb | /ˈstæmɚ/ | To keep repeating a particular sound involuntarily during speech. |
| carve verb | /kɑɹv/ | To cut meat in order to serve it. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| get up verb | To move in an upward direction; to ascend or climb. |
| get out of verb | To leave, exit or escape from; to become free of. |
| stand behind verb | To support; express one's support for, especially despite opposition; to stick with a decision. |
| turn out verb | To end up; to result. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- What was your earliest memory?
- I'm not here to discuss personal matters.
- Why are you here then?
- Do you know any jokes?
- Why should I waste my time listening to you?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 12 contractions and reduced forms, such as can't, don't, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shadow /ˈʃædəʊ̯/, controversial /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈvɝ.ʃəl/, sheep /ˈʃiːp/
- Long words — get the stress right: controversial /ˌkɑn.tɹəˈvɝ.ʃəl/, enunciate /ɪˈnʌnsiˌeɪt/, unorthodox /ʌnˈɔɹθədɑks/
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 shadow, broadcast, brave.
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.