Learn English with 12 Angry Men

The defense and the prosecution have rested and the jury is filing into the jury room to decide if a young Spanish-American is guilty or innocent of murdering his father. What begins as an open and shut case soon becomes a mini-drama of each of the jurors' prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused, and each other.

Why learn English with 12 Angry Men?

"12 Angry Men" tells the story of a jury deciding the fate of a young man accused of murder. The jury starts with 11 members voting "guilty" and only one voting "not guilty." As they discuss the evidence, you'll learn legal words like "testimony," "prosecution," "defendant," and "reasonable doubt." You'll also hear everyday language used in discussions and arguments, which helps you understand how people express opinions, disagreements, and emotions like anger, doubt, and empathy. The movie shows how important it is to listen carefully and ask questions. The movie explores important themes like justice, prejudice, and the power of persuasion. You'll see how people use language to influence others and how important clear communication is. The emotional intensity of the discussions helps you understand how tone of voice and word choice can express strong feelings. You'll hear a variety of accents and speaking styles, giving you exposure to different ways English is spoken. The language is mostly dialogue-driven, making it excellent for practicing listening comprehension and learning how people use English in real-life conversations. This movie is great for English learners because it uses realistic language in a compelling story. The closed-captioning option can help you follow along with the dialogue. By listening to the discussions and observing how people interact, you can improve your vocabulary, listening skills, and understanding of American culture and legal systems. The movie's focus on communication and persuasion can also help you develop your own English speaking and argumentation skills.

Words from 12 Angry Men

Here are the first 15 of the more difficult words in 12 Angry Men:

pete: a nickname for boys, short for Peter
premeditated: planned in advance
testimony: a formal statement or piece of evidence that proves something is true
stake: money risked on an uncertain outcome
verdict: a decision made after considering the facts, especially at the end of a trial
conscience: the feeling or understanding within yourself that guides you towards doing what is right and creates negative feelings when you make mistakes
unanimous: agreed upon by everyone in a group
bench: a long seat for more than one person, usually made of wood
recommendation: a suggestion or piece of advice about the best thing to do, often given formally
mercy: being kind and forgiving to someone you could punish
mandatory: required by law
gentleman: a polite and educated man with good manners who always behaves well
alternate: happening or following one after the other in a repeated pattern
juror: a member of a jury (a group of people who decide the result of a trial)
retire: to stop working, usually because of old age or health problems