Shadowing Practice: The Princess and the Pea | Classic Tales Level 1 - Learn English Speaking with YouTube

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Here is the king.
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115 sentences
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Here is the king.
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Here is the queen.
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Here is Prince Harold.
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And lots and lots of princesses.
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Are they real princesses? asks Prince Harold herald.
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Real?
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says the queen.
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Yes, they're real, says the king.
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Look at them.
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The queen has a book.
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The Book of Princesses.
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Look, here's Princess Flora.
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says the queen.
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Is she a real princess?
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asks Prince Harold.
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Yes, she is, says the king.
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She's in the book.
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They visit Princess Flora.
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They have tea with her. But she doesn't talk.
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She only eats.
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Thank you for the tea, says Prince Harold.
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We have to go now.
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Goodbye.
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They visit Princess Val.
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They ride with her. But she doesn't talk.
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She only rides.
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Thank you for the ride, says Prince Harold.
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We have to go now.
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Goodbye.
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They visit Princess Hilda.
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They listen to music with her. But she doesn't listen.
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She only sleeps.
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Thank you for the music, says Prince Harold.
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We have to go now.
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Goodbye.
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They visit Princess Wendy.
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They go to her dance.
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But she doesn't talk or dance.
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She only sits.
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Thank you for the dance, says Prince Harold.
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We have to go now.
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Goodbye.
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They visit lots of princesses.
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But Prince Harold isn't happy.
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I only want a real princess, he says.
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I only want a real princess, says Prince Harold.
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A real, real, real princess.
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Let's go home, says the king.
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So they go home.
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Ah, it's good to be home, says the king.
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Home sweet home, says the queen.
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That night there's a storm.
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The rain falls.
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The wind blows.
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Then bang, bang, bang.
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There's somebody at the door. Who is it?
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It's late.
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There's a storm.
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Harold, says the queen.
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Go and open the door, please.
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It's a girl.
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A beautiful girl.
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It's late, says Prince Harold.
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What do you want?
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Her hair is wet.
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Her clothes are wet.
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Her shoes are wet.
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But she smiles at Prince Harold.
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Her smile is beautiful.
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I want to come in, she says.
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I am a real princess.
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They give the girl new clothes.
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They give her new shoes.
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Thank you, she says.
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What a night!
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What a storm!
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Are you really a real princess?
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asks Prince Harold.
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Yes, she says.
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I am.
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A real princess?
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Let's see, says the queen.
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She takes a pea, a little green pea.
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She puts it on the bed.
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Bring twenty mattresses, she says, and twenty quilts.
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Put them on the bed.
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What a lot of mattresses, says the real princess.
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What a lot of quilts.
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What a strange high bed.
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It's a high, high bed for a real princess, says the queen.
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Sleep well.
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But the real princess does not sleep well.
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There's something in this bed, she says.
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A stone.
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A big stone.
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She sits up.
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She lies down.
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She sits up again.
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She cannot sleep at all.
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In the morning, the real princess says,
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There's something in this bed.
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A stone, I think.
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A big stone.
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Take off the mattresses, says the queen.
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Take off the quilts.
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And there is the pea, the little green pea.
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You can feel a pea under twenty mattresses and twenty quilts, says Prince Harold.
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Then it's true.
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You really are a real princess.
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A real, real, real princess.
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Now at last, says Prince Harold,
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at last I have my real princess.
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The king and queen are very happy.
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Everybody is happy.
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And there is the pea For everybody to see

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Why practice speaking with this video?

Engaging with the classic tale "The Princess and the Pea" offers a delightful opportunity to learn English with YouTube in a rich storytelling context. This video features a narrative filled with dialogue that provides an excellent basis for practicing your speaking skills. By mimicking the speech of characters like Prince Harold, the king, and the queen, learners can improve their pronunciation, intonation, and fluency. Furthermore, the charm of classic fairy tales draws learners in, making the experience enjoyable and memorable.

As you follow Prince Harold's quest for a "real princess," you'll encounter various interactions that encourage you to express gratitude and ask questions. Such repetitive structures reinforce language patterns, making them easier to remember and use in conversation. Emulating these dialogues can significantly enhance your English-speaking abilities, especially when focusing on the IELTS speaking practice, where articulation and clarity are crucial.

Grammar & Expressions in Context

This enchanting story employs several useful grammatical structures that can benefit English learners:

  • Direct Questions: "Is she a real princess?" This structure helps learners practice asking questions in English, a key skill for everyday conversations.
  • Expressing Gratitude: "Thank you for the tea." Learning how to express thanks can make interactions more polite and engaging.
  • Repetition for Emphasis: "I only want a real princess." The repetition here emphasizes the character's feelings, a useful technique in both speaking and writing.
  • Simple Past Tense: "They visited Princess Flora." Practicing this tense is crucial for narrating past events in conversations.

Common Pronunciation Traps

When shadowing the characters in "The Princess and the Pea," be attentive to certain pronunciation challenges:

  • Princess: The 'pr' consonant cluster can be tricky; practice saying “princess” slowly to get comfortable with the ‘pr’ sound.
  • Thank you: Native speakers often blend sounds, making it sound like “thankya.” Practicing this can help you sound more fluid in conversation.
  • Repetition: The phrase "real, real, real princess" not only emphasizes the importance of clarity in pronunciation but also helps practice vocal stress patterns.

Utilizing resources like this video on a shadowing site can amplify your practice as you strive for authentic pronunciation and comprehension. By shadowing the characters, you can significantly improve your speaking skills and overall confidence in English.

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.

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