Shadowing Practice: Tommy takes Grace to the Races | Peaky Blinders - Learn English Speaking with Video
Creating lesson...
1
I thought you only allowed singing on a Saturday.
2
Whisky is good proofing, Walter.
3
Tells you who's real and who isn't.
4
And what did my countrymen want?
5
Oh, they're nobodies.
6
They drink of the Black Swan in Spockbrook.
7
They're only rebels because they like the Sonos.
8
You have sympathies with them?
9
I have no sympathies of any description.
10
Their accents were so thick, I wonder if you could understand them.
11
Next time I could translate.
12
You'd work for me? That I already was.
13
So you are coming to the races?
14
Two pounds, ten shillings.
15
Ten shillings.
16
Buy something red.
17
To match his handkerchief.
18
Who's handkerchief?
19
Mr Shelby, sir.
20
Mr Zayn.
21
That suit is sold, sir.
22
It's being collected this morning.
23
I know.
24
Please, gentlemen, no fighting in here.
25
It's all right.
26
So come as a friend.
27
You're collecting your suit for Cheltenham.
28
It was very nice.
29
How the bloody hell do you know?
30
I know a lot of things, Mr Kimber.
31
And as I told you before, I know the Lee brothers.
32
And I know they're gonna be at the Cheltenham races as well.
33
Yes, well they're gonna lose a lot of money on fast women and slow nabs.
34
No. They're planning on showing up in numbers and robbing your bookies, running chalk and rafflers.
35
You think I can't handle the Lees?
36
Just a word of warning from my friend, that's all.
37
I see you at Cheltenham.
38
I'll wave at you from my box.
39
If you are coming to the races, bring that pretty barmaid of yours.
40
Already invited.
41
What stable is it?
42
Are you selling that?
43
Are you sure we're allowed in here?
44
Well, I prefer to come to the races the back way.
45
Keeps me out of trouble.
46
Lawless places.
47
Can't stand pretty criminals.
48
This way.
49
Will we get to lay a bet?
50
Nah.
51
Gambling for months.
52
This way.
53
You're lucky you're with me.
54
You'd be wasting your money on fixed rates.
55
I always wondered, how do you fix a rate?
56
How should I know?
57
Okay, you do the talking.
58
What?
59
Tell security you are Lady Sarah Duggan.
60
Excuse us, excuse us.
61
Lady Sarah Duggan, come on tomorrow.
62
You got lost when you went to look for the boy riding her horse.
63
Uh, dandy flower.
64
If they ask about me, say that I'm Prussian.
65
Don't speak a word of English.
66
Come on, Bosch girl.
67
Earn your three quid.
68
I still prefer the garrison.
69
You dance.
70
If I'm asked for our blutes.
71
Lady Sarah of Connemara, will you dance with me? so I'm
72
sorry.
73
I'm sorry.
74
Roberts, the Peaky Blinders are here.
75
Told you, Mr. Kimber.
76
She's got some balls, that one.
77
She's got some body, that one.
78
So I'm not going to sleep.
79
No. No. I will.
80
I will.
81
I will.
82
I will.
83
No. No. No. No. No. No.
84
Either your left leg is stronger than your right or we're making a getaway.
85
Hey!
86
Neither.
87
I hope this doesn't involve razor blades.
88
I'm sorry to move up in the world.
89
I can't believe she's not a business man.
90
My God, you're serious.
91
I'm always serious.
92
We chased the ladies across the track right the way down to Devon Road.
93
We got every penny back.
94
Nice dress.
95
And we're at that at my pub.
96
Buy the boys a drink.
97
Anyone hurt?
98
A few cuts and blozies.
99
Off we go, lady sir.
100
Please.
101
What?
102
Steady on.
103
Excuse me.
104
Jeff?
105
Your money, Mr Kimber.
106
rescued from the Lee brothers, and returned to you with a request for a fair hearing.
107
Your own protection is failing, Mr. Kimber.
108
Your boys are taking cuts.
109
I want to suggest that from now on, you contract out your racetrack security with the Peaky Blinders.
110
We'll be saving you a lot of money, Mr. Kimber.
111
A lot of money.
112
In return, you give us...
113
5% of the take, and 3 legal betting pitches at every race meeting north of the River Seven,
114
rising to 6 after one year if we are all satisfied with the service.
115
What do you say, Mr Kimber?
116
I say you took business to my accountant.
117
I want to dance.
118
Your man said it was all right for me to have this dance.
119
MUSIC PLAYS
120
How many men can you put in the field at one time?
121
There's a lot of men out of work at the moment.
122
Two guards for every bookie.
123
At every meter.
124
We have contacts with good people among the gypsies.
125
We'll always know when the Lees plan to attack.
126
With all the strikes and troubles, can't really depend on the police.
127
Anyway, we're more honest.
128
Looks like you two are making a deal.
129
We are making progress.
130
Then let me throw a small condition into the mix.
131
So listen, we're gonna go for dinner at Kimber's house.
132
He is a place a couple of miles away.
133
I have some business to settle for us with this accountant, so you go on ahead with Kimber.
134
Just me and him?
135
Yeah.
136
Till I'm done here.
137
Is that alright?
138
Look, I'll throw in an extra th-t-t-ed, your extra time.
139
I think I'm a whore.
140
Everyone's a whore.
141
Christ.
142
We should sell different parts of ourselves.
143
You said you wanted to work for me.
144
Just do that, you have to sharpen up.
145
The deal is, I'll give him two hours with you.
146
He thinks he's a ladies man.
147
He thinks he can seduce you.
148
Whenever you want, just kick him in the balls.
149
I'm a class in a contract.
150
If you want to be part of my organization, you'll have to make sacrifices.
151
Do we have a deal?
152
As a sweetener, you can try your luck with mine.
153
Yeah, we have a deal.
154
Two hours?
155
Yeah.
156
Side bet, ten pounds is allowed the fuck in one.
157
Let's go.
📺 Same Channel
C11
The Shelby Brothers are Called in for a Meeting | Peaky Blinders
Daily ConversationWorking Adults
B13
Tommy gives a warning on his wedding day | Peaky Blinders
British AccentDaily ConversationHigh School StudentsUniversity Students
B14
No Fighting | Peaky Blinders
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B25
Tommy's Suspicion of Alfie Solomons | Peaky Blinders
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B22
Tommy Finds Who Blew Up The Garrison | Peaky Blinders
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
Luca Changretta’s First and Final Moments | Peaky Blinders
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B2Alfie Solomons apologises to Arthur Shelby | Peaky Blinders
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
✨ Recommend Video
C11
197 sentences
Lady Rose Wants To Get Married | Downton Abbey
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
88 sentences
Any Australians In? | Jimmy Carr
British AccentDaily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults
B21
826 sentences
Why Women Kill | Becoming Friends with Your Husband's Mistress | Paramount+
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
129 sentences
Chapter 3
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B22
62 sentences
Mike Faces Louis' threats | Suits
American AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B11
926 sentences
The Heart Guy Season 2 Episode 2
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B12
369 sentences
2026 09 24 The Archers Soap Opera: Driving Disasters & Village Dilemmas
British AccentBusiness EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
![Learn English with Peaky Blinders [Advanced Lesson]](https://img.youtube.com/vi/Fa4jyM-p8zI/mqdefault.jpg)
B23
30 sentences
Learn English with Peaky Blinders [Advanced Lesson]
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
B218
582 sentences
The Waiter Turns Out To Be A Tycoon
Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students
B2406 sentences
Best Of Harry (Tom Hardy) vs. Everyone 🫡 MobLand
Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students
Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson
This B2 speaking lesson is built on the video “Tommy takes Grace to the Races”. The speaker keeps coming back to these words: Kimber, race, Lee, dance, lady. This video has 157 sentences and 967 words to shadow. The speech runs for 9:53. The speaker talks slowly, about 98 words per minute, so there is time to copy every sound. Only 81% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English, so the vocabulary is demanding. 24 of its 157 sentences are questions, so it is good practice for question intonation and short answers.
Key vocabulary in this video
The 15 most advanced words in the video, with pronunciation and meaning:
| Word | Pronunciation | Meaning |
|---|---|---|
| handkerchief noun | /ˈhæŋkəːt͡ʃɪf/ | A piece of cloth, usually square and often fine and elegant, carried for wiping the face, eyes, nose or hands. |
| shilling noun | /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/ | The currency of Kenya, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. |
| accountant noun | /əˈkaʊn.tənt/ | One who renders account; one accountable. |
| sympathy noun | /ˈsɪm.pəθ.i/ | A feeling of pity or sorrow for the suffering or distress of another. |
| barmaid noun | /ˈbɑː(ɹ).meɪd/ | A woman who serves in a bar. |
| bookie noun | /ˈbʊki/ | A bookmaker, being a person who, or business which, takes bets from the general public on sporting events and similar. |
| countryman noun | /ˈkʌntɹimən/ | Somebody from a certain country. |
| lawless adjective | /ˈlɔːləs/ | Not governed by any law. |
| racetrack noun | /ˈɹeɪsˌtɹæk/ | A course over which any type of races are run. |
| raffler noun | Someone who raffles. | |
| seduce verb | /sɪˈd(j)uːs/ | To beguile or lure (someone) away from duty, accepted principles, or proper conduct; to lead astray. |
| sharpen verb | /ˈʃɑɹpən/ | To make sharp. |
| sweetener noun | Something added to food to sweeten its taste, especially an artificial substitute for sugar. | |
| getaway noun | A means of escape. | |
| garrison noun | /ˈɡæɹ.ɪ.sən/ | A permanent military post. |
Sentences worth repeating
Short, complete lines from the video that you can reuse in everyday conversation:
- You have sympathies with them?
- You'd work for me?
- Are you sure we're allowed in here?
- Will we get to lay a bet?
- I always wondered, how do you fix a rate?
Pronunciation to watch
The speaker uses 42 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, they're, we're. Say them the short way, as you hear them.
- The “sh” and “zh” sounds: shilling /ˈʃɪlɪŋ/, sharpen /ˈʃɑɹpən/
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 handkerchief, shilling, accountant.
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.