Shadowing Practice: Third Speaker - Debating Role - Learn English Speaking with Video
Choose a practice mode
Each mode opens a full-screen practice room.
89 sentences
If sentences are too short or too long, click Edit to adjust them.
1
Hello and welcome to Deliberate Debating.
2
Today we're going to be having a look at the third speaker for both the affirmative and the negative team.
3
We're going to be having a look at the order in
4
which they say things and some examples of what to say if you are the third speaker.
5
General information.
6
You're going to be the last speaker for your team.
7
Your aim is really to overview the main themes and ideas of the debate so far, really focusing in on your team,
8
how your team's arguments and debate have been superior.
9
You will be using the team split to summarise what's been said thus far.
10
That will take up about one to two minutes of your speech.
11
Know the team line.
12
Use the team line as often as you can in your speech by rephrasing it
13
and slipping it in either as linking sentences or sometimes even as topic sentences.
14
As the third speaker you will be thinking on your toes a lot.
15
Most of your speech you will not know until the night.
16
This means that you need to come prepared with lots of blank cue cards,
17
fill them in on the night and really be confident in how you speak and what you say.
18
Outline of the speech.
19
So as the third speaker there are three things that you will be doing.
20
The first thing is doing a rebuttal.
21
Now this rebuttal includes the outline of the key issues during the whole debate
22
and it also means a general rebuttal and rebutting the rebuttals if it's required.
23
We'll get into that in a moment.
24
The second thing you will do is summarize the key arguments.
25
This should be 20 % or one to two minutes of your speech.
26
It's really important in your speech that you end on a strong statement,
27
something powerful that will leave the audience thinking that there is no way the other team are correct.
28
Okay, step one is a rebuttal.
29
The first thing that you will be doing is to outline the key points, arguments and issues within the debate.
30
This means going over what the opposition team have said and rebutting what it is that they've argued.
31
This does include the opposing teams rebutting something that your team has said.
32
So the rebuttals can go back and forth between the teams
33
and this is your last chance to prove why your team is correct in that particular issue.
34
Attack the arguments made by the opposition.
35
Use evidence, logic and reason to prove the opposition that they are wrong.
36
Remain professional in your rebuttals.
37
Remember that this isn't personal, it is a debate.
38
Where possible, plan for the rebuttals.
39
Put yourself in the opposition's shoes and really stop and think about what they might be arguing, what evidence they might find,
40
and find some counter -arguments and counter -evidence to help you before the debate.
41
Go to the debate with lots of blank cue cards
42
because you do have the opportunity while speakers are talking to write out the rebuttals that you will say.
43
So here's an example of a rebuttal.
44
It's by no means complete, but it's a nice start.
45
The affirmative team have continuously and erroneously stated that screen time is harmful to children.
46
As we have substantiated repeatedly, screen time is a powerful tool which can be harnessed to improve child development,
47
as seen through the use of learning apps, and it can be used to teach communication amongst other vital life skills.
48
We cannot remove these modern and significant devices from children's hands due to a few neglectful parents.
49
Society has embraced technology and so should children.
50
The advantages that our children can gain from technology can benefit the child,
51
the parents, and in the long run, society and our world.
52
Step number two, summarise the key arguments.
53
Here, your task is to summarise and emphasise the team split and line.
54
These have already been stated by the first and second speaker,
55
and what you're really doing is giving a nice overview and summary of what they've said.
56
You should outline your team's case and spend around two to three minutes summarising what they've said.
57
So, here's an example.
58
You can have no doubt left that technology is helpful and has added to the development of our relationships, our culture and our society.
59
As the first speaker stated, social media has assisted in enhancing and improving relationships.
60
Research and data is supporting this argument, finding that social media users place more trust in their friends.
61
Who can distrust technology for encouraging more love and more care in our world?
62
Technology assists in creating friends, making friends, providing opportunities for those who are disabled,
63
or even those who suffer from anxiety to reach out and communicate.
64
Our first speaker also presented the argument that
65
The third and final thing that you will do as the third speaker is to end on a strong statement.
66
This is going to be the final comment for your team
67
so we want it to really hit the audience in the adjudicator hard.
68
Begin with the team line.
69
and then move to a logical and emotive statement to really resonate with the audience and adjudicator.
70
Let's have a look at an example.
71
Technology has helped our society and should not be accused of hurting our lives and our relationships.
72
In fact, technology has added to our understanding of the world, each other, and enhanced our relationships with beloved friends and family.
73
I ask you, where would we be today without technology?
74
Why would we move backwards in development, knowledge and social life?
75
Technology is the single most greatest development that the world has ever seen.
76
And it can only get better from here.
77
Better for you, better for your family, better for your friends and everyone else that you hold dear.
78
Thank you for listening.
79
The third and final thing that you will do as the third speaker is to end on a strong statement.
80
This is going to be the final comment for your team, so we want it to really hit the audience and the adjudicator hard.
81
Begin with the team line and then move to a logical and emotive statement to really resonate with the audience and adjudicator.
82
Let's have a look at an example.
83
Technology has helped our society and should not be accused of hurting our lives and our relationships.
84
In fact, technology has added to our understanding of the world, each other, and enhanced our relationships with beloved friends and family.
85
I ask you, where would we be today without technology?
86
Why would we move backwards in development, knowledge, and social life?
87
Technology is the single most greatest development that the world has ever seen.
88
And it can only get better from here better for you, better for your family, better for your friends and everyone else that you hold dear.
89
Thank you for listening.
Download App
Everything you need to speak fluently
AI PronunciationScore every sentence
IPA PracticeMaster every sound
VocabularyBuild your word bank
Vocab GameLearn while playing
FOR YOU
Recommend Video
C13
35 sentences
GENERAL INTRODUCTION 1
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
C11
97 sentences
Silvan Bennett-Schar explains the threat posed by AI to jobs, democracy & social cohesion (5/8)
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
84 sentences
Listening Test 1. Part 3: Jess and Tom art project.
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
65 sentences
How to Debate (Ep 04)
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
C11
148 sentences
How to Speak Articulately
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C12
138 sentences
Sammy McDonald | This House Believes Modern LGBTQ+ Activism Fails Its Community | Cambridge Union
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B23
350 sentences
Model United Nations Flow of Debate Training Video
Daily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
C120
53 sentences
Harvard negotiator explains how to argue | Dan Shapiro
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
C14
255 sentences
Advanced (C1) Phrases That Will Transform Your Speaking Skills
Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B23
180 sentences
Kemi Badenoch: “Everybody is an opponent” | Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B21
40 sentences
The Art of Debate Note-Taking (Ep 07)
Daily ConversationUniversity Students
B27
113 sentences
Effective Team Meetings - Getting it Right
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This speaking lesson is built on the video “Third Speaker - Debating Role”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: technology, speaker, rebuttal, argument, debate. This video has 89 sentences and 1160 words to shadow. The speech runs for 6:53. The speaker talks at a natural 168 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 89% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is easy to follow.
Key vocabulary in this video
15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| outline noun | /ˈaʊtlaɪn/ | A line marking the boundary of an object figure. |
| enhance verb | /ɪnˈhæns/ | To augment or make something greater. |
| argue verb | /ˈɑɹ.ɡju/ | To show grounds for concluding (that); to indicate, imply. |
| assist verb | /əˈsɪst/ | To help. |
| beloved adjective | /bɪˈlʌvd/ | Much loved, dearly loved. |
| blank noun | /ˈblæŋk/ | The white spot in the centre of a target; hence (figuratively) the object to which anything is directed or aimed, the range of such aim. |
| logical adjective | /ˈlɑd͡ʒɪkəl/ | In agreement with the principles of logic. |
| overview noun | /ˈoʊ.vɚˌvjuː/ | A brief summary, as of a book or a presentation. |
| accuse verb | /əˈkjuz/ | To find fault with, blame, censure. |
| backward adjective | /ˈbækwɚd/ | Situated toward or at the rear of something. |
| affirmative adjective | /əˈfɝməɾɪv/ | pertaining to truth; asserting that something is; affirming |
| topic noun | /ˈtɑpɪk/ | A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest. |
| superior adjective | /sʊˈpɪɹ.i.ɚ/ | Higher in rank, status, or quality. |
| anxiety noun | /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/ | An unpleasant state of mental uneasiness, nervousness, apprehension and obsession or concern about some uncertain event. |
| encourage verb | /ɪnˈkʌɹ.ɪd͡ʒ/ | To mentally support; to motivate, give courage, hope or spirit. |
Phrasal verbs you will hear
| Word | Meaning |
|---|---|
| go back verb | To return to a place or state after having been there at a previous time. |
| going over noun | An inspection, examination, review, or investigation. |
| reach out verb | To extend one's hand(s) forward; to reach for something. |
| see through verb | To perceive visually through something transparent. |
| write out verb | To write at full length or in expanded form. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- We'll get into that in a moment.
- Let's have a look at an example.
- I ask you, where would we be today without technology?
- Why would we move backwards in development, knowledge and social life?
- Why would we move backwards in development, knowledge, and social life?
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 been · what's been said · have said |
| Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it | been said · can be harnessed · been stated |
| Relative clauses who / which + clause — extra information about a person or thing | tool which can · those who are · those who suffer |
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 9 contractions and reduced forms, such as they've, we're, you're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shoe /ˈʃu/, substantiate /səbˈstænʃieɪt/
- Long words — get the stress right: affirmative /əˈfɝməɾɪv/, superior /sʊˈpɪɹ.i.ɚ/, anxiety /æŋˈzaɪ.əti/, repeatedly /ɹɪˈpiːtɪdli/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/
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 outline, enhance, argue.
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.