Best Learning English Podcasts (February, 2015)

Your subscriptions are ready

To help you get started, we subscribed you to some shows we think you'll enjoy. Install Player FM for Android to sync up your subscriptions and play them offline.

Advanced users: You can import RSS feeds or OPML here and you can also clear these initial suggestions from your subscription settings.

Best Learning English Podcasts Topics Society and Culture Language Learning settings info&credits [subscription 860]

Latest Learning English episodes (updated February 27, 2015). ESL skill improvement and instruction.

Series

View Episodes

Showing selected series

Click to remove filter

Fortnightly

Published about 3 hours ago

A Cup Of English

English practice for beginners and advanced, that will inspire and refresh the anxious language student. Download the text and grammar notes for a complete language experience. You really can learn English well with this clearly spoken and delightful course.

Every few days

Published about 8 hours ago

English as a Second Language (ESL) Podcast - Learn English Online

English as a Second Language Podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their English speaking and listening skills.

Weekly

Published about 13 hours ago

6 Minute English

Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. Your weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Friday. Each programme is six minutes long and contains examples and explanations to help you improve your knowledge of the English language across a wide range of topics.

Every few months

Published about 15 hours ago

Learn English | EnglishClass101.com

EnglishClass101.com is an innovative and fun way of learning the English language and culture at your own convenience and pace. Our language training system consists of free daily podcast audio lessons, video lessons, English Word of the Day, a premium learning center, and a vibrant user community. Stop by EnglishClass101.com today for a Premium 7-Day Free Trial and Lifetime Account!

Daily

Published about 18 hours ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day

Build your vocabulary with Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day! Each day a Merriam-Webster editor offers insight into a fascinating new word -- explaining its meaning, current use, and little-known details about its origin.

Daily

Published about 18 hours ago

All Ears English Podcast | Real English Vocabulary | Conversation | American Culture

Are you looking for a new and fun way to learn American English? Come hang out with Lindsay and Michelle from Boston and New York City and have fun while you improve your English listening skills! All Ears English is an English as a Second Language (ESL) podcast for intermediate to advanced English learners around the world. Teachers Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan will show you how to use everyday English vocabulary and natural idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs and how to make small talk in American English. We will also give you special tips on American culture, customs, etiquette, and how to speak with Americans as well as conversation and commentary on study tips, business English, life in America and Boston and New York, how to apply to university in the US, dating, travel, food and more. You'll get TOEFL, IELTS, and TOEIC help also from The Examiner of Excellence, Jessica Beck. This podcast is for adult students who are professionals and university students as well as ESL teachers. Join Lindsay and Michelle and the All Ears English community to learn to speak American English like a native! Connection NOT Perfection!

Every few days

Published 2 days ago

ALC English by ILE

Free Business English, Life English and Communication Skills lessons. Start learning today!

Weekly

Published 3 days ago

6 Minute Grammar

Learn English grammar in six minutes. Every Tuesday join two of our presenters and learn a new key area of grammar. Our presenters include Finn, Emma, Rob, Neil, Sophie and Alice. They are there to make learning grammar a little bit easier. They'll teach you the grammar, give you some examples and then they'll test you. And they'll do it all in just six minutes.

Every few days

Published 3 days ago

ESL News New Zealand

eslnews.org.nz

Monthly

Published 3 days ago

ESL Aloud

Guided instruction in speaking English for those learning English as a second language (ESL)

Weekly

Published 4 days ago

6 Minute Vocabulary

Build your English vocabulary in six minutes. Every Monday join two of our presenters and hear about different ways to develop your vocabulary knowledge and skills. Our presenters include Finn, Emma, Rob, Neil, Sophie and Alice. They are there to teach you new vocabulary and to test your language knowledge and they'll do it all in just six minutes.

Monthly

Published 5 days ago

Effortless English Podcast

I will teach you to speak English powerfully using my Effortless English system. Learn tips and strategies to improve your spoken English. Also learn about American language and culture. Be a successful English speaker and international leader!

Monthly

Published 9 days ago

English 2.0 Podcast: How to Improve English | ESL | Learn English

What is the best way to learn English? Why is English so difficult for students, especially in Japan? How can I improve my English more quickly? If you are asking these questions, this Podcast is for you! ALsensei is an English Teaching Professional who has been helping people with how to improve English and Communication skills in Japan for over 13 years! He has worked with people from all backgrounds and levels including consulting at major corporations and organizations. He strongly advises students and clients to use other helpful resources such as VOA Special English and the ESL Podcast as well as helps them with English tests like TOEIC, TOEFL, and IELTS. Whether you are interested in grammar, vocabulary, or conversation, If you want to know what English 2.0 is all about, subscribe now! Level up today!

Fortnightly

Published 17 days ago

IELTS podcast

Learn From IELTS Tutors & Examiners Who Are Masters Of IELTS Preparation, Listen To Me Pick Their Brains For Secret Strategies And Tips...For FREE.

Fortnightly

Published 20 days ago

Culips ESL Podcast

Listen to fun English podcasts with natural expressions and everyday vocabulary for language learners. Every Culips episode has interesting elements of culture as well as language.

Every few months

Published about 1 month ago

Flow English Podcast

English slang for English learners. Get my email course "5 Keys to Fantastic Speaking" at http://www.FlowEnglish.com/free.html

Fortnightly

Published 2 months ago

Let's Master English! An English podcast for English learners

The Let's Master English podcast is for ESL (English as a Second Language) learners! This podcast has many features--news, Q&A, English learning advice and other fun sections. You can join the Let's Master English community on Google+ and see the full transcripts. Transcripts are made by you, the listeners! I hope you enjoy my podcasts and please visit my website--www.letsmasterenglish.com!

Monthly

Published 2 months ago

Zapp! English Colloquial (English version)

Learn *Real Colloquial English* with Zapp! English Colloquial classes! This free audio podcast by Zappenglish.com contains real unscripted English conversations with native speakers, and interactive audio classes including English pronunciation practice. Each podcast comes with its own eBook which you can download at Zappenglish.com. We charge a small amount for the eBooks as this allows us to continue publishing the audio for free. The eBooks contain: A full transcript of the English conversations and audio class; A glossary containing Spanish definitions of the English colloquial expressions; Additional practice exercises. We hope you enjoy the podcasts! Tom & Katie

Fortnightly

Published 8 months ago

New English Academy podcasts

Do you want to have fun learning and improving your English grammar, vocabulary and listening and reading comprehension? Check these weekly 10 - 15 minute English language podcasts, aimed at ESL/EFL beginners, intermediate and advanced learners. Each podcast talks about the meaning and usage of a part of English grammar and then re-uses it in a short, topical, natural English comprehension text. Download the New English Academy podcast and the transcript each week and learn English anytime, anywhere.

Episodes

View Series

Addicted to Pinterest.

08:16 about 3 hours ago

I remember when the internet became available in the 1990's. It was a revolution! It was, as they say, 'the next big thing'(1). Since then, different applications and social media have given us access(2) to huge amounts of information, ideas, and connections with people. One that I discovered recently was Pinterest. My mother had told me about it a year ago, but I didn't pay any attention until a couple of weeks ago. It is a collection of information, projects, photographs, and videos that you can select and collect. Selecting something that you like is called 'pinning' it. You pin what you have found onto what is called a board. It is just like in an office, when you pin a poster onto a notice board(3). You name your board, and you pin more items. My boards are: 'gardening', 'recipes', and 'fun projects'. Every day I add more pins to my boards. Two days ago I used one of the recipes: tender, juicy, barbecued chicken. I followed the instructions, and it turned out wonderfully tender. Later...

1,081 - Personal Grooming

18:32 about 8 hours ago

You’ll want to comb your hair and take a shower after listening to this episode about personal grooming. Slow dialog: 1:30 Explanation: 3:40 Fast dialog: 16:27 Giorgio: I’ll pick you up tonight at 7:00, okay? Anna: You’d better make it 8:00. I need time to get ready. Giorgio: You just need to go home, take a shower, and throw on some clothes. How much time do you need? Anna: You have no idea what a woman has to do to look her best, do you? Not only do I have to bathe, I need to exfoliate and depilate. Giorgio: “Depilate”?! What’s that? Anna: That’s shaving and waxing to you. I have to shave and wax my legs, my armpits, and bikini area. Giorgio: Whoa! That’s way too much information. I didn’t need to know that. Anna: After that, I’ll need my nail clippers, nail file, and tweezers to do my nails and my plucking. Giorgio: I don’t even want to know what you pluck. Anna: Just my eyebrows and my... Giorgio: Stop! I don’t need to know the ins and outs of your personal grooming. Is all that really...

6min: The cost of life-saving vaccines: 26 Feb 15

06:17 about 14 hours ago

The price of vaccines has escalated and some poor countries are struggling prevent children from catching certain life-threatening diseases, says Medecines Sans Frontieres. Listen to Rob and Neil's discussion, and learn some related vocabulary.

Video Culture Class: British Holidays #10 - Valentine’s Day

02:40 about 15 hours ago

Learn more about English culture with EnglishClass101.com! Ever wondered what the most important English holidays are, and how they are celebrated? Then this 25-lesson video series is for you! With this series, you’ll learn the what, why, when and how of 25 well-known holidays in The United Kingdom. In this video, you’ll learn all about Valentine’s [...]

captious

02:40 about 18 hours ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 26, 2015 is: captious \KAP-shuss\ adjective 1 : marked by an often ill-natured inclination to stress faults and raise objections 2 : calculated to confuse, entrap, or entangle in argument Examples: Befuddled by the captious question, the suspect broke down and confessed to the crime. "During the past 15 years Mr. Maxwell has established himself as one of the few sui generis voices in experimental theater, and like all truly original talents, he has been subject to varied and captious interpretations." Ben Brantley, New York Times, October 24, 2012 Did you know? If you suspect that captious is a relative of capture and captivate, you're right. All of those words are related to the Latin verb capere, which means "to take." The direct ancestor of captious is captio, a Latin offspring of capere, which literally means "a taking" but which was also used to mean "a deception" or "a sophistic argument." Arguments labeled "captious" are likely...

AEE 277: 3 Strategies to Remember Someone's Name in English with Alan Headbloom

17:07 about 18 hours ago

How can you remember other people’s names? Today, learn three tactics to remember names in English, and why it’s important to do so! A name is a person’s most basic possession and part of their identity. It’s the sweetest sound to their ears. For this reason, Alan believes it’s important to get a person’s name right, and to show an interest in it. But it’s not always easy to do that, especially with names you are unfamiliar with. Are you looking for a professional, native English teacher online? Get a native English teacher online in seconds at italki. Lindsay and Gabby recommend italki as our #1 English-learning solution online. Choose from more than 400 teachers to work on your business English or to pass your next big exam. Get our special offer before it runs out! Go to italki and claim 10USD to go toward a FREE English lesson! Here are Alan’s tips for remembering new names: If a name is unfamiliar, ask them to repeat it. This helps you learn their name and also shows a respectful commitment...

AEE Bonus! Want More IELTS Episodes?

04:36 1 day ago

gourmand

02:40 2 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 25, 2015 is: gourmand \GOOR-mahnd\ noun 1 : one who is excessively fond of eating and drinking 2 : one who is heartily interested in good food and drink Examples: Uncle Gerald was a bit of a gourmand; he traveled far and wide to the finest restaurants and always remembered to bring his appetite. "The dish that caused the grizzled old gourmands at my table to put down their forks in wonder, however, was a helping of dark, softly gnarled sunchokes, which Kornack cooks to a kind of sweetbread tenderness, then plates over a freshly whipped chestnut purée with disks of shaved truffles and the faintest exotic hint of eucalyptus." Adam Platt, New York Magazine, December 29, 2014 Did you know? "What God has plagu'd us with this gourmaund guest?" As this exasperated question from Alexander Pope's 18th-century translation of Homer's Odyssey suggests, being a gourmand is not always a good thing. When gourmand began appearing in English texts in...

AEE 276: 3 Tips to Read Your Way to Advanced English

15:38 2 days ago

Do you use reading to advance your English? Today, learn 3 ways to do it with italki teacher Arianne! Arianne believes that reading is critical to learning English. It’s a great way to expand your vocabulary and learn the grammar. It’s also visual learning, and something you can do by yourself. Here are Arianne’s 3 tips for improving your English with reading: Choose something that interests you. Follow your interests and passions. There are endless possibilities on the internet, whether blogs or news websites. Make sure you’re connecting with the material you’re reading. Read with a dictionary. Reading is a great activity for building your vocabulary. You may not want to look up every new word, but be active about learning words you see over and over. Make reading a routine in your daily life. Reading doesn’t have to be work. In fact, it is one of the least stressful activities you can do. Try to give it 15 or 30 minutes a day if possible. Do you make reading a part of your English learning...

Meet Your Teacher - Jay

01:28 2 days ago

Hey everyone! I made this short video to introduce myself so that you can know a little more about me. Hope you like it!

English Cafe #491

32:02 2 days ago

Topics: American Presidents – Rutherford B. Hayes; emission versus propagation; he/she don’t; to do (someone’s) bidding Words: slavery to oppose to secede to abolish to run for office to nominate rumor corrupt to uphold to interfere intention to be qualified emission propagation to do (someone’s) bidding

6Min_Gram: Indirect questions: 24 Feb 15

06:14 3 days ago

In this programme, we'll tell you all about indirect questions - what they are, how to make them and when to use them.

New Zealand to send soldiers to Iraq

02:27 3 days ago

The Prime Minister, John Key, announced today that New Zealand would send 143 soldiers to Iraq. They will not fight against Islamic State (IS) fighters but will train Iraqi soldiers. Some New Zealand soldiers will provide protection for the soldiers who are training. They will work alongside Australian soldiers. Mr Key said the soldiers will leave in May and stay for 2 years. There will be a review after 9 months to check that their work is useful. New Zealand will also provide $14.5m in aid to help the people of Iraq and Syria who have lost their homes. About half of all New Zealanders believe we should send soldiers to Iraq and half think we should not. Here are some reasons for sending soldiers: we need to support our friends (UK, US, Australia) to defeat IS, the Foreign Minister of Iraq visited New Zealand to invite us to send soldiers, we won a seat on the Security Council which aims for international peace, IS is evil, and lastly, we should help people who are victims of this war...

Hospitality English for Hotels #8 - Procedures for Taking Room Service Orders

11:19 3 days ago

Learn English for the hospitality industry with EnglishClass101.com’s Hospitality English for Hotels series! No matter which part of the hotel you work in, it’s important to be able to communicate with your guests professionally and efficiently. With this series, you’ll learn how to do just that! In [...]

British English Listening Comprehension for Advanced Learners #10 - Talking to a Supplier in British English

02:38 3 days ago

Learn British English with Englishclass101.com! Do you find yourself missing the nuances in British English conversations? Would you like to understand more of what’s happening around you in daily life in The U.K? Then this British English Listening Comprehension for Advanced Learners series is for you! In each lesson of this five-part series, you’ll see [...]

thrasonical

02:40 3 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 24, 2015 is: thrasonical \thray-SAH-nih-kul\ adjective : of, relating to, resembling, or characteristic of Thraso : bragging, boastful Examples: "There was never any thing so sudden but the fight of two rams and Caesar's thrasonical brag of 'I came, saw, and overcame'." William Shakespeare, As You Like It, 1623 "After pages of thrasonical twaddle sprinkled with fawning photos, charts and esoteric columns of numbers I learned only of the flawless perfection of the university...." Peter B. Fletcher, Ann Arbor (Michigan) News, December 16, 2003 Did you know? Thraso was a blustering old soldier in the comedy Eunuchus, a play written by the great Roman dramatist Terence more than 2,000 years ago. Terence is generally remembered for his realistic characterizations, and in Thraso he created a swaggerer whose vainglorious boastfulness was not soon to be forgotten. Thraso's reputation as a braggart lives on in thrasonical, a word that boasts...

AEE 275: How to Naturally Interrupt Someone in English

18:38 3 days ago

Do you know how to interrupt others in English? Today, learn how interruption is a part of American speaking culture, and how you can participate! Americans often interrupt each other. It can appear rude, and can cause frustration, but it happens. Don’t take it personally. Instead, learn how it works so you can take part in this aspect of spoken American English culture. Can’t find native speakers to practice English with you? Can’t get your English corrected by your native-speaking friends? Get a professional, native English teacher in seconds at italki. For a limited time, italki is offering 10 USD in free English lessons. Click here to get your 10USD in italki credits before this offer runs out! There are many phrases you can use when being interrupted, or when interrupting others. Some of them include: Sorry or Oops: These might be said not only by the person doing the interrupting, but also by the person who is interrupted. Go ‘head (ahead) and No, you go: These phrases permit the...

Podcast #141 Driving under the Influence

17:17 3 days ago

The text of the practice sentences is available at www.esl-aloud.com and is also included as part of the mobile app for Apple and Android devices. On the ESL Aloud website, click "Like" to follow ESL Aloud on Facebook.
By admin@esl-aloud.com

6Min Vocab: Multi-word verbs: 23 Feb 15

06:02 4 days ago

Multi-word verbs can make your English sound much more natural. Meet up with Rob and Catherine as they help you make sense of it all.

acumen

02:40 4 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 23, 2015 is: acumen \uh-KYOO-mun\ noun : keenness and depth of perception, discernment, or discrimination especially in practical matters Examples: Detective Morton possesses a superior acumen that enables him to solve the most bizarre and puzzling of mysteries. "[Suzanne] Isken says the pieces on display fall in the category of fine art based on their technical acumen and their ability to push aesthetic boundaries and upend accepted themes of the traditional medium." Jessica Gelt, Los Angeles Times, January 24, 2015 Did you know? A keen mind and a sharp wit can pierce the soul as easily as a needle passes through cloth. Remember the analogy between a jabbing needle and piercing perception, and you will readily recall the history of acumen. Our English word retains the spelling and figurative meaning of its direct Latin ancestor, a term that literally meant "point." Latin acumen traces to the verb acuere, which means "to sharpen" and...

AEE 274: Why It's Hard to Date in a Big American City and What to Do About It

16:43 4 days ago

Why is dating in a big American city so difficult? Today, returning guest Jessica Coyle talks about some of the obstacles, and shares 3 tips to improve your odds of success! Jessica doesn’t consider herself a relationship expert. However, she goes on many dates, and blogs about her experiences. She has found that there is no perfect solution to dating in a big city. But you can increase your chances of finding someone you like by doing three things. Here are Jessica’s suggestions: Make Time! Nobody has time in a big city. Or, maybe nobody makes time. It might be a matter of priorities. If a relationship is a goal of yours, you need to treat it with the respect and effort that you would with any goal. Approach it like a new job, or like learning English! Join Groups and Be an Organizer! It’s not easy to make friends in a new city when you don’t know anybody. But there are many social activities available to you. Make it your job to try something new every week, especially activities in which...

How Financial Statements Work

02:06 4 days ago

Financial statements are like the dashboard of a company’s financial health. They show us where money is coming from, where it’s going, and how well the company is performing. They’re absolutely vital in making strategic business decisions. 财务报表就像公司财政健康状况的晴雨表。财务报表可以清晰的反映公司的“前世今生”，以及公司的运营状况。总之，它们是公司决策至关重要的一环。

1,080 - Automating Production

20:18 4 days ago

This podcast was produced entirely by robots. Listen to see if you can tell the difference between it and our human episodes. Slow dialog: 1:31 Explanations: 3:49 Fast dialog: 18:10 Lauren: Wow, that was an impressive demonstration of how robots can be used in production. I think that we need robots like those to automate some of the functions in our factories. Yves: I admit the demonstration was eye-opening, but I don’t think the technology is there yet to allow us to replace people with robots. Lauren: No, not for many of the functions, but we could have them do some of the more routine and hazardous tasks. Yves: You mean have them work alongside our current workers? I’m not sure how our workers would take it. Wouldn’t the robots get in the way? Lauren: Not with their sophisticated sensors, which allow them to avoid other people or machines. Yves: I don’t know. Introducing automation would be tricky. Lauren: What’s important is that they’ll increase production and reduce accidents. The...

lampoon

02:40 5 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 22, 2015 is: lampoon \lam-POON\ verb : to make the subject of a satire : ridicule Examples: Trevor writes for a humor Web site that lampoons celebrities from film, music, and television. "One has to be just a hair off center to fully appreciate Portlandia. The Peabody Award-winning sketch comedy series lampoons the hipster lifestyle and stars Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen." Michael Storey, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, January 8, 2015 Did you know? Lampoon can be a noun or a verb. The noun lampoon (meaning "satire" or, specifically, "a harsh satire usually directed against an individual") was first used in English in 1645. The verb followed about a decade later. The words come from the French lampon, which probably originated from lampons, the first person plural imperative of lamper ("to guzzle"). Lampons! (meaning "Let us guzzle!") is a frequent refrain in 17th-century French satirical poems.

Unexpected Challenges

34:47 5 days ago

In English learning, you are going to encounter unexpected challenges. This is the case even when you use the Effortless English system. When these problems arise, how do you solve them? How can you continue moving forward? AJ Hoge tells you how.

Earthquake Remembrance

02:55 6 days ago

Tomorrow is the 4th anniversary of the terrible earthquake in Christchurch on 22nd February 2011. It killed 185 people. A service will be held in Hagley Park at noon tomorrow, Sunday, with 1 minute silence at 12.51pm, the time of the earthquake. People are invited to float flowers down the Avon River after that. Six designs for a permanent memorial are now available for people to consider. One of these will be chosen and will be on an island in the Avon River. Meanwhile, re-building the city is slow but perhaps that is not surprising because there was so much damage and so many dangerous buildings. There have been 1240 demolitions in the city centre and there are still a few more buildings waiting to be demolished, like the 8-storey police building. Only 110 new buildings have been completed but the central city now is full of cranes, steel framework and other signs of new building. High fences surround most building sites. They are not attractive. Tourists say they are amazed at the amount...

jeunesse dorée

02:40 6 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 21, 2015 is: jeunesse dorée \zheuh-ness-dor-RAY\ noun : young people of wealth and fashion Examples: It was clear that the magazine was targeting the jeunesse dorée based on its ads for expensive trendy clothes and profiles of the hottest nightspots. "On a walk in Montreal's Little Burgundy neighborhood, the streets were quiet but inside restaurants were buzzing and the city's jeunesse dorée were shoulder-to-stylish-shoulder at gallery openings." Christopher Muther, Boston Globe, October 18, 2014 Did you know? French revolutionary leader Maximilien Robespierre and his allies, the Jacobins, gained many enemies for their role in the Reign of Terror. One of their fiercest opponents was Louis Freron, a former Jacobin who played a key role in overthrowing their government. On July 27, 1794, counter-revolutionaries toppled the Jacobin regime and had Robespierre arrested and executed. In the midst of the chaos that followed, Louis Freron organized...

histrionic

02:40 7 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 20, 2015 is: histrionic \his-tree-AH-nik\ adjective 1 : deliberately affected : theatrical 2 : of or relating to actors, acting, or the theater Examples: The candidate declared that he would not stoop to address his opponent's histrionic and patently untrue accusations. "When we listen in on one-sided telephone conversations in the movies, often the behavior is not quite human. Rather, it becomes an actor's showcase for histrionic tears or smiling through tearsa good old-fashioned wallow in capital-O Overacting." Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune, January 16, 2015 Did you know? The term histrionic developed from histrio, Latin for "actor." Something that is histrionic tends to remind one of the high drama of stage and screen and is often stagy and over-the-top. It especially calls to mind the theatrical form known as melodrama, where plot and physical action, not characterization, are emphasized. But something that is histrionic isn...

1,079 - Receiving Letters and Packages in the Mail

17:10 7 days ago

Please, Mr. Postman, look and see if there’s a letter in your bag for me. Find out if there is or there isn’t in this episode. Slow dialog: 1:19 Explanations: 3:13 Fast dialog: 15:22 Celeste: Did the mail come? Anwar: Yes, you got some letters and a package. Celeste: Oh, I hope that one of those envelopes has the photos Naomi promised us. Did you notice the postmark? Anwar: No, but they’re sitting in the hall. Celeste: Those photos are overdue and should have been delivered days ago. Naomi thought she might not have put enough postage on the envelope, but I thought it must have been misdelivered. Anwar: You can look at it yourself. The package you received was sent using overnight delivery. Celeste: I wonder who sent it and why they sent it using expedited service. Anwar: I don’t know. Why don’t you go look? Celeste: I wonder if there’s anything perishable in it or that’s time-sensitive in some way. Anwar: I have no idea. There’s also a letter that’s been forwarded from our old address...

6min: Do you fear Artificial Intelligence?: 19 Feb 15

06:16 8 days ago

Will thinking computers be the end of humans? Listen to Rob and Neil's chat and learn some related vocabulary.

Upper Beginner #14 - Are You Constantly Hearing about the Weather in English?

13:25 8 days ago

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! You’re looking forward to visiting the American city of Seattle because you’ve heard it’s really beautiful…but you’ve also heard the weather isn’t great most of the time. You’ve got your fingers crossed for nice weather while you’re there, but if it doesn’t work out, at least you have a lot of [...]

whammy

02:40 8 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 19, 2015 is: whammy \WAM-ee\ noun 1 a : a supernatural power bringing bad luck b : a magic curse or spell : jinx, hex 2 : a potent force or attack; specifically : a paralyzing or lethal blow Examples: After making three errors in one inning, Mitch became convinced that someone had put the whammy on his glove. "Finally, Finland is dealing with the double whammy of a loss of trade with Russiaafter the European Union imposed Ukraine-related sanctionsand the decline of its golden goose, Nokia." Michael Booth, Washington Post, January 18, 2015 Did you know? The origin of whammy is not entirely certain, but it is assumed to have been created by combining wham ("a solid blow") with the whimsical -y ending. The first example of whammy in print occurred in 1940, but the word was popularized in the 1950s by the cartoonist Al Capp in the comic strip Li'l Abner. The character Evil-Eye Fleegle could paralyze someone with the sheer power of his gaze...

AEE IELTS: Is the IELTS for Me? Find Out Today!

13:27 8 days ago

What is the IELTS English exam? Who takes it, and why? Today, Lindsay and Jessica discuss all the basics of the IELTS exam! The IELTS is an exam that’s usually taken by non-native English speakers. The academic version of the exam is for students who want to study in a English-language university. A more general IELTS exam is taken by job candidates who want to work in English-speaking countries. The two versions are very similar – the only difference is that the academic test has more difficult reading and writing sections. IELTS is completed with pencil and paper, and by speaking with a real person. This is very different from something like TOEFL, which is computerized. However, the IELTS does have very specific rules. This means that knowing what to expect can help you get a better score. If you’re at intermediate level and you’re planning to take the exam, you should begin preparing for it least 3-6 months ahead. Also, be aware that the IELTS is very popular, so seats fill up fast...

E2P30 ｜ 3 Steps to English Success!

14:11 9 days ago

On the 30th episode of the English 2.0 Podcast, we talk about the following topic: 3 Steps to English Success: Although I have talked about this quite frequently in my private lessons, I have not mentioned it on the podcast. The 3 steps are to help students organize their activities so that they are maximizing the limited time they have for English learning. 3 Steps to English Success: 1. Study 2. Practice 3. Perform Action Steps: 1. Choose one activity from the “Study” step (Listening or Reading) 2. Choose one activity from the “Practice” step (Writing or Speaking) 3. Schedule these activities everyday, perhaps alternating them English 2.0 Quick Tip: This is a FREE service to help answer ALL of your GRAMMAR questions – Grammarly Answers Mentioned in this episode: English 2.0 Podcast Year in Review [BLOG POST] – click here 5 Ways to Practice Speaking on Your Own [VIDEO] – click here Your Question 9: Is there any benefit to practice speaking by yourself? [PODCAST] – click here Download Video...

Fruit fly in Auckland

02:16 9 days ago

A male fruit fly was found in a trap in Grey Lynn, Auckland. As a result, people in a 1.5 km radius of that area cannot take any fruit, or vegetables like tomatoes and courgettes out of that area. They cannot sell their produce at a local market and cannot give it to friends in a different part of Auckland. There is no problem with root vegetables like carrots, or leafy vegetables like cabbage. The fruit fly comes from Australia or possibly New Caledonia. Previously, only Queensland had the fruit fly but now it has spread to New South Wales and Victoria. We buy 22 tonnes of fruit and vegetables from Australia every year, especially tropical fruit which we can’t grow here like mangoes and pineapples. It is usually treated some way to kill the fruit fly before we import it. Our horticulture industry is our 4th largest export industry. We export fruit such as cherries and kiwifruit, and some vegetables. We don’t want fruit fly because other countries might refuse to buy our produce. Listen...

vox populi

02:40 9 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 18, 2015 is: vox populi \VOKS-POP-yoo-lye\ noun : popular sentiment Examples: "Social media is supposed to be an arena that amplifies the vox populi, that makes it easier to know what we the people think. But sometimes it seems as though social media only makes it easier to see what we the people are thinking about." Kate Allen, Toronto Star, November 1, 2014 "Wheeler is moving forward with support from President Obama and from four million commenters to the FCCa vox populi partly stirred to action by Oliver's viral HBO piece last summer on 'network neutrality,' the underlying principle that bars network owners from favoring one company's bits over another's." Jeff Gelles, Philadelphia Inquirer, January 18, 2015 Did you know? Vox populi is a Latin phrase that literally translates as "the voice of the people." It can be found in the longer maxim, Vox populi, vox Dei, which means "The voice of the people is the voice of God." Many people...

AEE 273: 3 Ways to Become Fluent in English Even If You Never Leave Your Home Country

14:35 9 days ago

How can you achieve English fluency where you live? Today, find out why you don’t have to live in an English-speaking country to become fluent in English! Beth Donaghue taught herself Chinese without ever having visited China. Her experience has shown her that it’s possible to learn a foreign language without leaving home. But to do it, you need to get yourself “stuck”, or immersed, in the language. That can be difficult when you’re not surrounded by native speakers. But it’s not impossible. Here are 3 ways to get stuck in English wherever you are: Read English: Spend as much time as possible doing this, whether it’s books, magazines or online articles. It’s great for your vocabulary and your grammar, and allows you to explore not only the language, but the culture. Small vocabulary list: Try focusing more intensely on ten words instead of loosely on fifty words. Don’t just learn new words – learn to use them! You have to really know a word so you can use it. Use online tools: Consider...

English Cafe #490

35:03 9 days ago

Topics: Famous Americans – Muhammad Ali; The Golden Gate Bridge; valuable versus invaluable; north/south versus northern/southern; common ground and universal experience Words: to take up professionally agile to reign nationalist social activist to be drafted to indict bridge strait fog precaution dizziness valuable invaluable north / south northern / southern common ground universal

6Min_Gram: Tenses: 17 Feb 15

06:07 9 days ago

Neil and Catherine go on on a 'tense tour' of six very important English tenses.

Flexibility and Fun

40:28 9 days ago

In this Show, AJ Hoge tells you how to be more effective in your daily English studies.

American English Words of the Week with Alisha for Advanced Learners #22 - American Pizza

02:36 10 days ago

In this Advanced lesson, you’ll learn about American Pizza in English. Visit us at EnglishClass101.com, where you will find English lesson notes and many more fantastic lessons and learning resources. Leave us a message while you are here! Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! How would you react if someone put you on the spot with an [...]

Hospitality English for Hotels #7 - Suggestive Selling and Upselling

14:37 10 days ago

All About American English with Alisha & Michael #2 - English You Say without Thinking

10 days ago

Learn English with EnglishClass101.com! English is a versatile language, and every speaker has their own favorite words and phrases. This new video lesson will help you boost your English vocab while you listen to our hosts Alisha and Michael chat about some English topics. In this lesson, Alisha and Michael will introduce English [...]

superfluous

02:40 10 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 17, 2015 is: superfluous \soo-PER-floo-us\ adjective 1 : exceeding what is sufficient or necessary : extra 2 : not needed : unnecessary Examples: The textbook includes so much superfluous information that students often overlook key points. "Music director Anu Tali's clear direction, free of superfluous gestures, embodied the elegance that shone through, particularly in the increasingly polished blend of string sound that the orchestra has been producing." Gayle Williams, Sarasota (Florida) Herald Tribune, January 11, 2015 Did you know? If you think that superfluous must mean "extra 'fluous,'" along the pattern of such words as superabsorbent and superabundant, you're not far off. Superfluous comes from the Latin adjective superfluus, meaning literally "running over" or "overflowing." Superfluus, in turn, derives from the combination of the prefix super- (meaning "over" or "more") and fluere, "to flow." (Fluere also gave us fluid, fluent...

AEE 272: How to Use "By" and "Until" in English

14:41 10 days ago

Do you know the difference between “by” and “until”? Today, learn how they’re not the same, and how to use them like a native speaker! The words “by” and “until” are often confused. Both deal with time, and both can send the same message. However, they do have some subtle differences. Can’t find native speakers to practice English with you? Can’t get your English corrected by your native-speaking friends? Get a professional, native English teacher in seconds at italki. For a limited time, italki is offering 10 USD in free English lessons. Click here to get your 10USD in italki credits before this offer runs out! Until is used to talk about how long a situation continues. If something happens “until” a particular time, then it stops when that time is up. Americans often pronounce the word as ’til. It snowed from Monday until Wednesday. I’m going to work ’til I’m old. By is used to say something must happen at or before a specific time. It often indicates a deadline. My report is due by 5PM...

50 words for snow.

12:29 10 days ago

Chelan is a town here in Washington State that is famous for its huge lake. Its a forty five minute drive from where we live, and about 500 ft higher. To get to Chelan, we travel right along the Columbia river, and then wind up through some steep hills, before dropping down towards the lake. Many of these hills are wild, and still covered in snow. Last weekend I went up with my husband to one of these places, called Bear Mountain. As my husband is a hunter, he wanted to put out some apples and salt blocks for the deer. So, we loaded up(1) our little four wheeler, and headed up a dirt track. I drove while my husband looked around for deer, but for a while, there was no sign of them. What we did see was lots and lots of snow. It was like a Christmas scene from a chocolate box. We found the group of trees where we needed to dump(2) the apples and salt, and headed back. Well, that was the plan. We tried to head back. What we hadn't realized was that we had parked in deep snow. We were stuck...

Chinese Spring Festival

01:48 11 days ago

Chinese Spring Festival starts this Thursday, February 19th. It is a celebration of the Lunar New Year. 2015 is the year of the sheep – also called the goat. Korea and many other Asian countries also celebrate the Lunar New Year at this time. Wellington celebrated the Lunar New Year last weekend while Auckland will wait until the weekend of February 27th. Christchurch will not hold the Lantern Festival this year as there are too many other celebrations in February. Last Thursday, Christchurch held the opening celebration for the Cricket World Cup and that included fireworks. Dunedin, however, is holding a dragon parade from the Octagon, and dragon dancing, food stalls and fireworks in the Chinese Garden on Thursday February 19th. Meanwhile Tourism New Zealand is expecting 40,000 Chinese people from Hong Kong, China and Taiwan this month. For some Chinese, they prefer to travel during their holiday period, instead of visiting family. There are more direct flights into New Zealand from China...

6Min Vocab: -ic and -ical: 16 Feb 15

06:12 11 days ago

Rob and Catherine talk about adjectives that end in 'ic' and 'ical', for example: 'classic' and 'classical'.

deflagrate

02:40 11 days ago

Merriam-Webster's Word of the Day for February 16, 2015 is: deflagrate \DEF-luh-grayt\ verb 1 : to burn rapidly with intense heat and sparks being given off 2 : to cause to burn in such a manner Examples: The city has banned fireworks and similar devices that deflagrate when lit. "'It wasn't a pipe bomb, it was a destructive device,' [Gage County Chief Deputy] Klaus said. 'It was poorly constructed and it actually just deflagrated, it didn't explode. It just burned at a rapid rate.'" Luke Nichols, Beatrice (Nebraska) Daily Sun, June 9, 2010 Did you know? Deflagrate combines the Latin verb flagrare, meaning "to burn," with the Latin prefix de-, meaning "down" or "away." Flagrare is also an ancestor of such words as conflagration and flagrant and is distantly related to fulgent and flame. In the field of explosives, deflagrate is used to describe the burning of fuel accelerated by the expansion of gasses under the pressure of containment, which causes the containing vessel to break...

AEE 271: How to NOT Talk in Circles in English

13:48 11 days ago

Are you getting to the point in English? Today, learn 3 reasons you might be talking in circles when it comes to business English, and how you can get your point across more precisely! Is it common in your culture to be indirect when you speak to others? Is it better to be direct and use the active voice in English? Are You Ready to Practice? Get a Private, Native English Teacher Now! Try italki to learn to speak like a native. You’ll get your English mistakes corrected immediately! For a limited time you’ll get 10UD to use towards private English lessons on italki. Visit italki now to claim your 10USD in free English lessons. When Americans speak to each other, they often get to the point quickly. This may feel uncomfortable or even rude to a person from another culture. But if you aren’t direct, there’s a danger of never getting to the point, and talking in circles. Another problem is, if you don’t have the necessary vocabulary, you may be trying to go around what you really mean. The...