To Fluency Podcast: English with Jack: Recent Episodes
JDA Industries Inc.
Looking for effective English lessons? Join Jack from To Fluency as he gives you English learning advice and detailed lessons to help you improve. Learn key vocabulary, the most powerful ways to learn English, and get the best listening practice so you can start understanding native speakers. If you're looking for an English podcast that will take you to an advanced level, this is for you.
Learn everyday English through the topic of small talk.
In this episode, we talk about how to open a conversation, how to keep small talk going with the "tennis match" rhythm, the safe topics English speakers use again and again, how to wrap up politely, and the cultural notes that save you from awkward moments.
You'll get natural listening practice plus lots of useful phrases that you can use to start, continue, and end conversations in English.
We keep things conversational and practical so you can build real-world fluency while learning the small phrases that make a big difference.
In this episode, you'll learn how to:
- Open a casual conversation with natural English greetings
- Keep a conversation going using the "tennis match" rhythm
- Talk about the weather the way native speakers do
- Ask about the weekend in several different ways
- Discuss work and local things naturally
- End a conversation politely without sounding rude
- Handle "How are you?" the way native speakers actually do
- Use British-style "friendly complaining" to bond with people
Useful phrases from the episode:
Opening small talk
- How's it going?
- Yeah, not bad. You?
- Pretty good. How about you?
- How's your week been?
- Got anything fun planned?
- Long time no see.
- It's been ages.
Keeping the conversation going — the tennis match
- How about you?
- What about you?
- Oh, really? How's that going?
- Oh, wow. What's that like?
- That sounds amazing.
- That sounds lovely.
- That's nice.
Talking about the weather
- Bit chilly today, isn't it?
- It's a bit warm.
- It's a bit windy.
- It's a bit grey at the moment.
- Yeah, things are good, although it's been really rainy.
Talking about the weekend
- What are you going to do this weekend?
- What are you doing this weekend?
- What are you getting up to this weekend?
- What did you get up to this weekend?
- Did you have a good weekend?
Work and local things
- How's work going?
- Yeah, it's good. I'm really busy, but it's fun at the moment.
- Yeah, it's good. I'm busy. It's going okay.
- Have you been to that new cafe just around the corner?
- Have you heard they're opening up a new cafe around the corner?
Wrapping up the conversation
- Anyway, I'd better let you go.
- I'd better let you go.
- It was lovely catching up.
- I've gotta get going.
- We should grab a coffee sometime.
- We should grab a beer sometime.
Cultural notes — friendly complaining and "How are you?"
- Yeah, not bad. You?
- Yeah, pretty good. You?
- This weather is awful, isn't it?
- Ah, it's getting so dark so early.
- Anyway, did you see the game last night?
Reflect and practice
The next time someone says "How are you?" or "How was your weekend?" — what will you say? Use the phrases from this episode to start, keep going, and wrap up a small talk conversation in English.
Chapters:
(00:00) Small Talk in English — why people freeze(03:22) The big idea — it's a tennis match(05:02) Opening phrases — How's it going?(07:50) "How about you?" — keeping it going(09:58) Safe topics — weather, weekend, work, local(14:57) Wrapping up gracefully(17:22) Cultural notes(20:26) A full small talk conversation
Learn everyday English through the topic of cooking and food.
Get bonus English lessons here: https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/jda-industries-inc/subscribe
In this episode, we talk about breakfast routines, snacks, quick meals, go-to dinners, grocery shopping, and even washing up. You’ll get natural listening practice plus lots of useful phrases that you can use to describe your own daily life in English.
We keep things conversational and practical so you can build real-world fluency while enjoying a relaxed chat about food.
In this episode, you’ll learn how to:
- Talk about your typical breakfast and morning routine
- Describe snacks, cravings, and “guilty pleasures”
- Explain quick meals and leftovers in natural English
- Use phrases for ordering takeout and frozen meals
- Describe your go-to meals and cooking style
- Use common expressions for grocery shopping
- Talk about washing up and taking turns with chores
- Express food preferences, likes, and dislikes
Useful phrases from the episode:
Breakfast and habits
- I tend to have breakfast around nine or ten.
- I usually start the day with a cup of coffee.
- I used to eat a lot of cereal as a kid.
- I used to live in Spain.
- I’ve grown to love this.
- I’ve gotten used to being hungry.
- I don’t mind being hungry.
Snacks and cravings
- I’m not big on snacks.
- I just need a little something before lunch.
- I need a little snack to get me through until dinner.
- Let’s grab a few snacks before we go.
- I fancy something to eat.
- I fancy something sweet.
- Chips are my guilty pleasure.
- Chocolate is my guilty pleasure.
- I’m trying to cut back on chocolate.
- I’m trying to cut back on snacks.
Quick meals, leftovers, and takeout
- I’m just going to throw something together.
- Let’s just have pizza.
- Let’s finish that leftover pasta.
- We have some leftovers in the fridge.
- I love leftovers.
- Can I get a box for this?
- In American English, we say “takeout.”
- Frozen pizza is really popular here.
- It’s convenient and fast.
Go-to meals and cooking style
- What’s your go-to meal?
- My go-to meal is beef stew.
- My go-to meal is beef pasta.
- I like to cook from scratch.
- I don’t really like ready meals.
- Instant meals are very popular in the U.S.
- We try to rotate meals each week.
Grocery shopping
- Do we have any garlic?
- Do we have any pasta left?
- Do we have any herbs for this dish?
- I’m just going to nip to the store.
- Let’s stock up before the weekend.
- I’m not a big fan of grocery shopping.
- I forgot the one ingredient I needed.
Cooking and washing up
- I like to clean as I cook.
- I like having music or a podcast on while I cook.
- I don’t mind washing up.
- We take turns doing the washing up.
- It’s my turn to wash up tonight.
- Whose turn is it to wash up tonight?
- The sink is full again.
- The dishwasher hasn’t been unloaded.
- This pan needs soaking.
- I like to get in the zone when I’m cooking.
Talking about likes and dislikes
- I fancy a quick drink before dinner.
- I fancy going out to eat.
- I’m craving steak tonight.
- It’s not my cup of tea.
- I’m not a big fan of full English breakfasts.
- I’m not keen on full English breakfasts.
Reflect and practice
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would you choose? Use the phrases from this episode to describe your own breakfast, snacks, and dinner routines in English.
Chapters:
(00:00) Learn English Podcast Intro
(00:48) Breakfast
(04:11) Snacks and Snacking Habits
(08:26) Quick and Easy Meals
(09:16) Leftovers and Takeout Culture
(11:44) Cooking from Scratch vs. Instant Meals
(15:15) Grocery Shopping Tips
(20:30) Cleaning Up and Final Thoughts
In this lesson, you’ll learn natural adjective + preposition combinations such as afraid of, interested in, angry about, excited about, addicted to, and more. These structures are essential for fluent and natural English, but most learners struggle with them because you simply have to learn them through examples and patterns, not rules.
Below, you’ll find all the key phrases and example sentences from the lesson so you can review them, repeat them, and add them to your sentence-learning routine.
Want to be able to think in English freely? Listen to this next: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2ghgRn40AS2BeHJNN5BJvS?si=JtONR5i3ROqij-eNyTaG2g
Learn 30 phrases about emotions: https://open.spotify.com/episode/27ASOVrQexjGZfPeI1huJr?si=flGLmYsTRrqeAosaBMU3pQ
Phrases and examples from the lesson:
Afraid of
• I’m afraid of the dark.• I’m afraid of going outside when it’s dark.
Interested in
• I’m really interested in photography at the moment.• I’m not really interested in watching any more of that show.• He didn’t seem very interested in what we proposed.
Angry about
• I’m angry about what you did.• He’s angry about not being able to see his friends.
Ashamed of
• I’m ashamed of what I did.• I’m ashamed of what the company is doing at the moment.
Aware of
• Not that I’m aware of.• Be aware of your surroundings when you go downtown at night.
Good at / bad at / fantastic at / terrible at / amazing at
• Try and get good at speaking to strangers to help you improve your English.• I’m bad at keeping in touch with people at the moment.• He’s really good at listening to people when they speak.• She’s amazing at explaining things in a simple way.
Certain about
• I’ve never been so certain about something in my entire life.• Are you certain about that?• I’m not completely certain about it, but let’s just do it anyway.
Content with
• I’m not content with the state of our house at the moment.• I’m content with staying in tonight.
Busy with
• I’m so busy with work right now.• They seem really busy with their new restaurant at the moment.
Smart of / stupid of
• That’s not very smart of you.• It was stupid of him to say that.• How stupid of you. What were you thinking?
Addicted to
• I think I’m addicted to coffee.• Kids are addicted to screens these days.
Excited about
• She’s so excited about going to the party later.• He doesn’t seem that excited about it.• I was really excited about going to the pool.
Sad about / happy about
• We’re so sad about what happened.• Are you happy about your new job?
Disappointed with / pleased with
• I’m really disappointed with how you are acting at the moment.• I’m so pleased with you.• Are you pleased with your progress this year?
Overwhelmed with / overwhelmed by
• I’m overwhelmed with all the work I have to do right now.• I was overwhelmed by all the cleaning I had to do.
Use the phrases in the description to review, repeat, and build your own personalized sentence list.
If you enjoyed this lesson, watch the next video on your screen and keep practicing English in a natural, sentence-based way.
In this English lesson, you’ll learn 30 natural phrases to express your emotions — happiness, sadness, anger, fear, surprise, and relief. These are expressions native speakers use every day in both the UK and the USA. By the end, you’ll know how to describe exactly how you feel — in real conversations.
How to learn English on your own: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Resources for you: https://tofluency.com/5sp-book...
💬 Phrases from the Lesson
😊 Happiness & Excitement
• That’s awesome – “This restaurant is awesome.”
• That’s brilliant – “That’s brilliant news.”
• That made my day – “That news really made my day.”
• I can’t stop smiling – “I couldn’t stop smiling after hearing the news.”
• I’m over the moon – “I’m over the moon about my new job.”
😲 Surprise & Shock
• No way – “No way! I can’t believe that.”
• You’re kidding – “You’re kidding! Really?”
• I wasn’t expecting that – “I wasn’t expecting to pass the test.”
• It took me by surprise – “The ending of that movie took me by surprise.”
• I was blown away – “I was blown away by that restaurant.”
😔 Sadness & Disappointment
• That’s such a shame – “It’s such a shame they can’t make the party.”
That’s too bad – “That’s too bad you can’t make it.”
• I’m feeling a bit down – “I’m feeling a bit down today.”
• It broke my heart – “It broke my heart to see him leave.”
• I was a bit disappointed with… – “I was a bit disappointed with the food.”
• I’m disappointed in you – “I’m disappointed in you recently.”
• I’m gutted – “I’m gutted we lost today.”
😤 Frustration & Anger • I’ve had enough – “I’ve had enough of this noise.”
• It really annoys me when… – “It really annoys me when people are late.”
• I’m fed up of… – “I’m fed up of waiting.”
• I’m sick of… – “I’m sick of waiting all this time.”
• He completely lost it – “He completely lost it when he found out.”
• I can’t deal with this right now – “I can’t deal with this right now.”
• I just can’t – “I just can’t.”
😰 Fear & Nervousness
• I’m a bit nervous about it – “I’m a bit nervous about the presentation.”
• My heart was racing – “My heart was racing before the speech.”
• She got cold feet – “She got cold feet before the wedding.”
😳 Embarrassment & Awkwardness
• That was so awkward – “He forgot her name—it was so awkward.”
• It was so embarrassing – “It was so embarrassing when I spilled my drink.”
• I wanted the ground to swallow me up – “I wanted the ground to swallow me up after that mistake.”
😌 Relief & Acceptance
• What a relief – “I passed the exam—what a relief.”
• That’s a weight off my shoulders – “I finally did my taxes—that’s a weight off my shoulders.”
• I’m not sure how I feel about it – “I’m not sure how I feel about moving abroad.”
• It is what it is – “We lost—it is what it is.”
Chapters:
00:00 Introduction to Emotions in English 00:59 Expressing Happiness and Excitement 04:27 Phrases for Surprise and Shock 07:16 Talking About Sadness and Disappointment 10:42 Dealing with Frustration and Anger 14:10 Expressing Fear and Nervousness 15:54 Handling Embarrassment and Awkwardness 18:09 Relief and Mixed Feelings
🎧 How to Think in English Naturally (Step-by-Step Method)
In this episode, you’re going to learn how to think in English naturally — without translating from your native language and without worrying about grammar rules. You’ll learn the exact method I use to think in other languages too. When you reach this stage, English starts to flow. Sentences come out automatically, your speech becomes smoother, and conversations feel effortless. Most learners never reach this point — but you can if you follow this simple process.
💡 What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✅ What it really means to think in English
✅ Why grammar and vocabulary must be internalized — not memorized
✅ The method I use to make English automatic
✅ How to build this into your daily routine
📺 Watch the technical tutorial on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pysIoC1bb3I
The Method (Step-by-Step)
1: Create or Find Sentences
Start with sentences that are personal to you — things you actually want to say in English. These should reflect your life, your hobbies, your work, and topics you care about.
Use tools like ChatGPT or work with a teacher to create natural, real-world examples.
:. Add Audio
Listen to how these sentences sound naturally. You can use AI text-to-speech or native recordings. Hearing real pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation is essential for internalizing how English feels.
3: Use Spaced Repetition
Import your sentences (with audio) into an app like Anki or Memrise.
Listen, read, and repeat each sentence aloud — matching the sound as closely as possible.
The system will show you sentences right before you forget them, which is the most efficient way to review.
4: Make It a Daily Habit
Do this every day — even if only for five minutes.
On days when you’re busy or tired, just review a few sentences. The goal is consistency.
Over time, English grammar and phrases will become automatic — you’ll start thinking in English instead of translating.
5: Keep Adding Sentences
As your life changes, add new sentences that match your experiences, goals, and topics you want to talk about.
Each new sentence strengthens your fluency and builds flexibility when speaking.
🧩 Why This Works Because you’re not just learning words — you’re training your brain to recognize and reproduce patterns.
You’re absorbing English through repetition, sound, and context — the same way native speakers learn.
If you found this lesson helpful, share it with a friend who’s learning English — and remember: English fluency comes from consistent, focused practice.
Learn conversational English phrases that you'll actually use and hear for bars and restaurants.
Even if you don’t drink, these phrases will boost your small talk, invitations, ordering, paying, and polite conversation skills. Stick around to the end for UK–US differences and useful idioms.
How to learn these words and phrases:
ALL PHRASES FROM THE LESSON
• Fancy going for a drink? – friendly UK invite
• Do you wanna grab a drink? – casual US invite
• Do you want to grab a drink? – neutral variant
• Fancy going to the bar? – UK invite variant
• Fancy going to the pub? – UK invite variant
• Let’s go for a pint. – suggest getting a beer
• Do you know anywhere good? – ask for recommendations
• Do you know anywhere good around here? – local variant
• There’s a great place just around the corner. – close by
• There’s a great place just round the corner. – UK spelling
• It’s got a good vibe. – nice atmosphere
• Happy hour. – time with cheaper drinks
• I could use a drink. – need to relax
• I could really use a drink. – stronger emphasis
• We haven’t been out in ages. – it’s been a long time
• Let’s invite a few friends. – suggest a small group
• I’ll meet you there around eight. – plan the time
• I’ll meet you there round eight. – UK variant
• I’m running a little bit late. – polite late notice
• It’s packed tonight. – very crowded
• Shall we grab a table? – polite suggestion
• Let’s grab a table. – direct suggestion
• Do you wanna sit inside or outside? – seating choice
• Let’s sit at the bar. – sit at the counter
• Do we order at the bar or at the table? – clarify ordering
• What you having? – very casual offer to buy
• What are you having? – neutral version
• It’s my round. – I’ll pay for this round
• What do you want? – follow-up to buying
• Can I help you? – what you’ll hear at a busy bar
• What can I get you? – what you’ll hear from staff
• Can I have a pint of lager, please? – ordering
• Can I get a pint of lager, please? – US-style ordering
• Can I get a Diet Coke? – soft drink
• Can I get a lemonade? – soft drink (note UK/US lemonade differs)
• I’ll have a gin and tonic, please. – ordering with “I’ll have…”
• Could I get a soft drink? – polite request
• Could I get another beer? – another of the same type
• What’s on tap? – ask about draft beer
• What’s on tap tonight? – “tonight” variant
• Do you have any non-alcoholic options? – alcohol-free choices
• Can I see the drinks menu, please? – ask for menu
• Do you have a menu? – shorter variant
• Do you serve food? – ask about food service
• Are you serving food at the moment? – kitchen open?
• Can I get another one of these? – repeat same drink
• Could I get another one of these? – more polite variant
• Same again? – staff offer to repeat your drink
• Cheers! – toast before drinking
• So, how’s work been? – easy conversation starter
• How’s your trip been? – traveler version
• So, how have you been? – general check-in
• I’ve been good. – common reply
• I’ve been busy, but I’ve been good. – nuanced reply
• It’s been amazing. – present perfect trip reply
• I can’t believe how expensive drinks are now. – friendly complaint
• $10 for a pint—that’s ridiculous. – stronger complaint
• It’s a bit loud in here. – noise comment
• It’s a bit bright in here. – lighting comment
• Do you wanna go somewhere quieter? – suggest moving
• Do you wanna sit somewhere quieter? – seating variant
• I’ll finish my drink and then we’ll head out. – plan to leave
• Let’s head back soon. It’s getting a bit late. – suggest leaving
• Can I close my tab, please? – pay and finish (US)
• Is this on one check or separate? – split payment question (US)
• Can we pay separately, please? – ask to split the bill
• That was such a good night. – positive wrap-up
• It’s on me. – I’ll pay
• Let’s call it a night. – finish the evening
• Hair of the dog. – a drink the next day for a hangover
• A bit tipsy. – slightly drunk
• I’m feeling a little bit tipsy. – variant
CHAPTERS
00:00 Introduction to Pub and Bar Phrases
00:53 Inviting Someone for a Drink
02:01 Finding and Describing a Good Place
05:09 Ordering Drinks and Snacks
11:01 Common Conversations at the Bar
13:00 Paying and Leaving the Bar
14:12 Idioms and Fun Phrases
15:21 Cultural Differences: UK vs USA
Improving your listening skills is vital if you want to be competent in the English language. In this lesson, you're going to learn how to improve this area in the most efficient and rapid way possible so that you can understand native speakers and fast English.
HOW TO IMPROVE YOUR LISTENING SKILLS:
Native speakers don't understand everything they hear. It's true. I sometimes find it difficult to understand:
* when on the phone
* when talking to people with accents I'm not used to
* when watching movies
* and when listening to music
This is going to happen to you. You'll never reach a stage where you understand everything. But it's important to improve so that you can understand more.
Here is how:
1. Improve your vocabulary and grammar: the more you know, the more you'll understand. Search for "input To Fluency" to learn how to do this.
2. Listen as much as possible: get used to the way people speak. You can listen while doing other things.
3. What you listen to is important: find audio that is enjoyable, specific to you, and comprehensible. I recommend audiobooks that have been adapted for English learners (graded readers)
4. Work on your pronunciation: if you can make the sounds in English, you'll better understand them when you hear them.
5. Have natural conversations: this is the best type of listening practice but it's more expensive and harder to find.
I encourage you to try these methods. Start today. Commit to doing more in English. Enjoy the journey. Hope you enjoyed this! Please subscribe if you're new!
Learn key words and phrases all about tariffs in this English lesson. Practice your listening and improve your English. Useful Vocabulary and Phrases
Tariffs are added to imported goods. 👉 Passive voice for focus. Example: Taxes are collected by the government.
Tariffs can protect local jobs. 👉 Use modal verbs (can/might/could) for possibility. Example: Tariffs might protect local industries.
Consumers will end up paying more. 👉 “End up” = final result of a situation. Example: If prices rise, shoppers end up spending less overall.
Supply chain 👉 Where parts of a product are made and assembled. Example: The global supply chain was disrupted last year.
Free trade 👉 Trade with no tariffs or restrictions. Example: The EU is an example of a free trade area.
Retaliate 👉 Respond with an action. Example: One country raised tariffs, the other retaliated.
Trade deficit 👉 When imports are greater than exports. Example: The US has a trade deficit with
China.
Conditional Sentences with Tariffs
If tariffs go up, prices will go up. 👉 First conditional (real future).
If countries keep raising tariffs, it might start a trade war. 👉 First conditional with might (possibility).
If tariffs were lower, consumers would save money. 👉 Second conditional (hypothetical). 💬
Idioms About Money and Tariffs
Pick up the tab – to pay for something, often expensive. Example: Shoppers pick up the tab when tariffs rise.
Hit the wallet – to negatively affect finances. Example: Tariffs have hit consumers’ wallets hard this year.
Jack up the prices – to raise prices suddenly and sharply. Example: Companies had to jack up prices after tariffs were introduced.
Tighten your belt – to spend less money. Example: Families are tightening their belts due to higher grocery costs.
In this English lesson, you’ll learn how to talk about AI naturally in English. You’ll get useful phrases, idioms, and real examples so you can confidently join the conversation.
How to use AI to learn English: https://youtu.be/pysIoC1bb3I
Useful Phrases and Idioms from the Lesson
Hear of / Hear about “Barely anyone had heard of ChatGPT a year ago.” “Have you heard about that new movie?” 👉 Use when asking if someone knows about something. Example: I’ve never heard of that restaurant before.
It saves me hours of work 👉 AI helps us save time. Example: Using templates saves me hours of work every week.
It helps me come up with new ideas 👉 “Come up with” = invent or create. Example: Brainstorming with others helps me come up with new solutions.
It depends on… “It depends on how we use it.” 👉 Use this phrase when giving a balanced opinion. Example: It depends on the weather — we might go hiking.
It’s hard to say for sure 👉 Use when you’re uncertain about the future. Example: It’s hard to say for sure if prices will go down next year.
It feels creative, but it’s copying patterns 👉 Great for talking about AI art, writing, or music. Example: The story felt creative, but it was copying patterns.
I’m excited about AI 👉 Show enthusiasm. Example: I’m excited about how AI will help education.
I’m a bit concerned about… 👉 Express worry. Example: I’m a bit concerned about privacy online.
I don’t know how I feel about it yet / I’m on the fence 👉 Neutral expressions when unsure. Example: I’m on the fence about moving abroad.
The future is here / The future is now 👉 Used when something futuristic is happening today. Example: Self-driving cars make it feel like the future is here.
It’s a game changer 👉 Something that completely changes the situation. Example: The smartphone was a game changer for communication.
Get with the times 👉 Adapt to modern trends. Example: You need to get with the times and start using online banking.
Thank you for watching.
Get English learning resources here: https://tofluency.com/5sp-book-temp/
In this English listening‑practice lesson we’re focusing on how to invite someone, make plans, and set dates — from a quick coffee to a full night out. You’ll master natural phrases for casual and formal invitations, learn how to suggest activities without sounding pushy, and discover polite ways to check someone’s availability. By the end, you’ll have new vocabulary, better listening skills, and the confidence to set up plans like a native speaker!
🔗 Get all lessons here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
📌 Key Phrases from This Lesson
✅ “Would you like to grab a coffee this weekend?” – friendly, informal way to suggest meeting up for coffee
✅ “Would you like to grab lunch this weekend?” – same structure, but for a meal
✅ “Do you fancy going for a drink on Friday?” – British‑English invite, often with a romantic vibe
✅ “Would you like to do this?” – polite, flexible invitation when plans aren’t fixed yet
✅ “I was thinking we could go to that show this weekend?” – sharing an idea while gauging interest
✅ “Want to do something this weekend?” – very casual American way to propose hanging out
✅ “Let’s get together soon.” – open‑ended suggestion without committing to a date
✅ “How about we try that new restaurant on Saturday?” – ‘How about…’ to put forward a concrete plan
✅ “What if we tried that new Italian restaurant?” – ‘What if…’ to float a suggestion and invite feedback
✅ “Why don’t we try it?” – concise ‘Why don’t we…’ proposal for any activity already mentioned
✅ “Why don’t we try that new Italian restaurant?” – specific version of the above, naming the plan
✅ “Should we go for a walk tonight?” – ‘Should we…’ to ask if the other person thinks it’s a good idea ✅ “Should we go for a walk if it’s not raining?” – adding a condition to the suggestion
✅ “Why don’t we check out that new gallery everyone’s talking about?” – inviting someone to a popular event
✅ “Let’s do something fun like bowling.” – enthusiastic ‘Let’s…’ plus an example activity
✅ “Let’s have a catch up next week.” – arranging a future meeting to talk and reconnect
✅ “Should we do this next week?” – checking the other person’s schedule for a postponed plan
✅ “Maybe next time.” – polite way to decline or postpone an invitation without closing the door
In this English listening practice lesson, we’re talking about food, meal times, grocery shopping, and dining out in the UK and the USA. You’ll learn natural phrases, cultural differences, and interesting facts about how people eat in both countries. By the end of this episode, you’ll have new vocabulary, better listening skills, and a deeper understanding of English-speaking food culture!
🔗 Listen to more podcast episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
🍽️ What You’ll Learn in This Episode
✅ The difference between British & American breakfasts 🥞☕
✅ What time people eat in the UK vs. the USA ⏰
✅ Why snacking is so popular in the US 🍪
✅ Grocery shopping & why American supermarkets are so big 🛒
✅ Eating out in restaurants & tipping culture differences 💰
✅ Fast food & takeaway – why they’re different in each country 🍔
✅ Fun food idioms & famous quotes about food 🍎
📌 Key Phrases from This Lesson
✅ “What’s for tea tonight?” – In northern England, “tea” can mean dinner.
✅ “I’m in the mood for Italian food.” – A natural way to say what you feel like eating.
✅ “We need to get some snacks.” – Snacking is a huge part of American food culture!
✅ “Peanut butter and jelly sandwiches” – A classic American lunch that’s not common elsewhere.
✅ “Fish and chips” – A traditional British meal, still very popular today.
✅ “Let’s eat out tonight.” – A way to say you’re going to a restaurant.
✅ “Would you like a refill?” – In the USA, many drinks have free refills!
✅ “Tipping is expected.” – Unlike the UK, tipping in the US is not optional.
🥗 Famous Food Quotes
🍎 "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." – Eating healthy keeps you from getting sick.
🍋 "When life gives you lemons, make lemonade." – Turn challenges into opportunities!
🥚 "Don’t put all your eggs in one basket." – Don’t take unnecessary risks.
🍰 "It’s a piece of cake!" – Something is really easy.
🍮 "The proof is in the pudding." – You’ll only know something is good by experiencing it.
In this English listening practice, you'll learn real phrases and natural English expressions while discovering the key differences between houses in the UK and the USA! 🏠🇬🇧🇺🇸
From house sizes and layouts to renting, buying, and home design, this lesson is packed with essential vocabulary, cultural insights, and idioms to help you speak and understand English fluently.
👉 Stay until the end to learn common phrases, idioms, and housing vocabulary differences between British and American English!
📌 Watch more English podcast episodes:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
📚 Key Differences Between UK & US Houses
✔️ House Sizes
• UK: 76 m² (~800 sq ft) 🏡
• USA: 201 m² (~2,000+ sq ft) 🏠
✔️ Layouts & Design
• UK: Smaller, separate rooms
• USA: Open-plan living spaces
✔️ Storage & Closets
• UK: Wardrobes 🚪
• USA: Walk-in closets 👕
✔️ Heating & Cooling
• UK: Radiators, no air conditioning ❄️🔥
• USA: Forced air systems (AC & heating) 🌬️
✔️ Renting & Buying
• UK: Homes are often furnished 🛋️
• USA: Homes are usually unfurnished 📦
✔️ Neighborhoods & Suburbs
• UK: More people live close to city centers 🏙️
• USA: Suburban living is more common 🚗
✔️ Outdoor Spaces
• UK: Gardens 🌿
• USA: Yards 🌳
📌 Useful Housing & Home Phrases
✅ "Cramped" – Small and lacking space
"UK homes feel a bit cramped compared to the US."
✅ "Furnished vs. Unfurnished" – Whether a house comes with furniture
"In the UK, many rental homes come furnished."
✅ "To hire movers" – Paying professionals to move your furniture
"We hired movers to make the process easier."
✅ "Open-plan layout" – A design where rooms are not separated by walls
"Many US homes have an open-plan kitchen and living room."
✅ "Terraced house" – A row of houses attached together
"She lives in a terraced house in London."
✅ "Suburbs" – Residential areas outside city centers
"Most American families live in the suburbs."
✅ "A roof over your head" – A home or shelter
"Even though the apartment is small, at least I have a roof over my head."
✅ "To feel at home" – To feel comfortable in a new place
"After a few weeks in Spain, I started to feel at home."
✅ "Make yourself at home" – A phrase to welcome guests
"Come in and make yourself at home!"
✅ "The walls have ears" – Be careful what you say, someone might be listening
"We shouldn’t gossip too much at work—the walls have ears."
📌 British vs. American Housing Vocabulary
🇬🇧 UK → 🇺🇸 USA
🏢 Flat → Apartment
🚪 Lift → Elevator
🏡 Garden → Yard
🔑 Estate agent → Realtor
🏠 Semi-detached house → Duplex
📦 Letting agency → Rental agency
📏 Ground floor → First floor
📩 Want to improve your English?
1️⃣ Subscribe for more English lessons!
2️⃣ Like & Share to help others learn English.
3️⃣ Comment below—What do you think about houses in the UK vs. USA?
🎙️ Listen to more English podcast episodes here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
Thanks for watching & see you in the next lesson! 👋😊
Learning English through TV is possible. But a lot of learners don't do it the right way. Have you ever watched a TV show in English but struggled to understand what was happening? Do fast conversations, slang, and accents make it difficult to follow along? This lesson will give you the tools, strategies, and methods you need to learn English through TV shows and movies effectively.
By the end of this episode, you'll know:
✅ How to choose the right TV shows for your level
✅ The best subtitle strategy for learning English
✅ The pause and repeat method to improve pronunciation
✅ How to use TV dialogue for spaced repetition learning
✅ Why binge-watching can actually help you learn faster
🎬 Watch more episodes → https://www.youtube.com/playli...
⏳ Timestamps
00:00 Best tv shows for English learners 05:00 Should you use subtitles? 06:39 Improve your English through tv 09:08 Learn new vocabulary through tv 12:00 The power of binge watching
📚 Resources & Links 🔗 TV Shows for Learning English – https://storylearning.com/lear...
🔗 How to Read for Fluency (Related Video) – https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
🔗 The Full Pause & Repeat Method – https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
🔗 Listen and Repeat videos: https://www.youtube.com/playli...
📢 Question for You What TV show are you going to watch next? Or what TV show have you watched that helped you improve your English? Let me know in the comments – your answer might help other learners too! 💬 Like & Share if this lesson helped you! Subscribe for more English lessons.
Want to improve your English naturally while enjoying a great short story? 📚 This lesson is perfect for practicing listening, reading, and vocabulary! You’ll learn real-life expressions used in everyday conversations, so you can speak more fluently and understand native speakers better.
✅ Listen & Read at the same time
✅ Learn useful phrasal verbs & expressions
✅ Master natural English conversation
Stay until the end, where we break down key phrases from the story!
📖 Key Words & Phrases from the Story
• Cut it close – To almost run out of time.
"Ella was cutting it close to finding a seat on the train."
"I woke up late and cut it close to missing my flight."
• Pull out – To remove something from somewhere.
"The guy pulled out one earbud and turned to look at her."
"She pulled out her phone to check the time."
• Sit up straighter – To adjust your posture and become more alert.
"Jake sat up straighter when Ella spoke to him."
"He sat up straighter when the teacher asked a question."
• Catch up – To talk about things that have happened after time apart.
"It was easy, like they were two old friends catching up."
"Let’s meet for coffee and catch up!"
• Drift into – To slowly move into a topic or activity.
"The conversation drifted from books to travel to childhood memories."
"The meeting drifted into small talk after a while."
• End up – To arrive somewhere or in a situation unexpectedly.
"Jake once got lost on a hike and ended up in the wrong town."
"We took the wrong bus and ended up at the beach."
• Slow down – To reduce speed.
"As the train slowed down, people stood up."
"She slowed down as she reached the traffic lights."
• Pull down – To bring something from a higher place.
"People stood up, pulling down bags and stretching their legs."
"He pulled down a book from the top shelf."
• Hold up – To lift or show something.
"Jake pulled out his phone, holding it up."
"She held up the map so everyone could see."
• Step off – To move off a train, bus, or platform.
"Ella stepped off the train and turned back."
"He stepped off the stage after finishing his speech."🎯
What To Do Next:
✅ Listen to the story again and repeat the phrases.
✅ Practice using these expressions in your own conversations.
✅ Leave a comment: Have you ever met someone interesting while traveling? Which phrase was your favorite? Share it in the comments!
Get English fluency training here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32mYgIHS-e3C3Eyd2tRw6g/join
Want to describe your free time naturally and confidently? Whether it’s hobbies, weekends, or relaxing, this lesson will help you understand native speakers better and talk about your free time fluently! 🇬🇧 🇺🇸
Watch all podcast episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
📖 Key Phrases from the Lesson
🗓️ Talking About Free Time During the Work Week • I try to wind down in the evening by reading a book. (To wind down = To relax after a busy day) • Some people like to hit the gym straight after work. (To hit the gym = To go to the gym) • I like to put on a podcast and cook dinner. (To put on = To start playing music, a video, or a podcast) • I wish I had more time in the evening. (To wish = To express regret or desire) • Do you wanna head to the pub after work? (To head to = To go to a place)
📆 Weekend Plans – Asking & Answering • What are you doing this weekend? (Using present continuous for future plans) • Do you have any plans for the weekend? (Common way to ask about weekend plans) • I’m looking forward to the weekend. (To look forward to = To be excited about something) • I often take it easy on Sunday mornings. (To take it easy = To relax and do little activity) • Let’s hang out this weekend! (To hang out = To spend time casually with friends)
💤 Catching Up on Rest • I like to catch up on sleep at the weekend. (To catch up on sleep = To sleep more to recover lost sleep) • I like to have a lie-in on Sundays. (To have a lie-in [UK] / To sleep in [US] = To wake up late) 🍽️ Weekend Food Traditions – UK vs. US • In the UK, Sunday roast dinners are a tradition. (Sunday roast = Traditional British Sunday meal with roast meat and vegetables) • In the US, people love going out for brunch on Sundays. (Brunch = A meal between breakfast and lunch)
🌞 Talking About Holidays & Vacations • I’m taking a few days off next month. (To take time off = To not work for a period of time) • I’ve been working non-stop—I need a break! (To work non-stop = To work without breaks) • Have you ever been to Japan? (Have you ever been to… = Asking about past travel experiences)
🎨 Talking About Hobbies & Interests • I love playing the guitar. (Simple way to express hobbies) • I’m getting into yoga at the moment. (To get into = To start enjoying a new activity) • I’m thinking about signing up for a pottery class. (To sign up for = To register for an activity or course) • I’ve always wanted to learn how to paint. (I’ve always wanted to… = Expressing a long-term desire) • Okay, I’ll give it a go! (To give it a go = To try something new)
🧠 Inspirational Quotes About Free Time • 💡 “Time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.” – Bertrand Russell • 💡 “A man should never neglect his leisure.” – Confucius • 💡 “Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.” – Anne Lamott
🎯 What To Do Next: ✅ Listen to the episode again and repeat the phrases. ✅ Practice using these expressions in your own conversations. ✅ Leave a comment with your answers: What do you do in your free time? 💬 Which phrase was your favorite? Share it in the comments!
🚀 RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
Eating out in an English-speaking country? Want to sound more natural when talking about restaurants? This lesson is for you! Learn useful restaurant phrases, understand cultural differences between the UK and the US, and get real listening practice to boost your fluency.🗣️
What You'll Learn in This Lesson• How to ask where to eat
• Ordering food at a restaurant
• Talking to servers and making requests
• Paying the bill/check and tipping
• Describing your dining experience
• Common restaurant idioms
📖 Essential Restaurant Phrases
Should we eat out tonight?
• Where should we go for dinner?
• I'm in the mood for Italian food.
• What about that place we went to last time?
• Do we need to book a table or can we just show up?
• Do you have a reservation?
• For how many?
• We have a 30-minute wait. Would you like me to put your name on the list?
• Is there room at the bar?
• Can I get a water as well? (British vs. American pronunciation: water vs. wah-der)
• Are you ready to order or do you need a few more minutes?
• I think we’re ready.
• I'll have the pasta with chicken, please.
• Can I get the burger but without onions?
• How is everything?
• Excuse me, I ordered fries, not broccoli.
• Can I get these out of your way? (When they take your empty plates.)
• Can we get the check, please? (US) / Can we get the bill, please? (UK)
Tipping in the US
• Standard tip = 20%
• If the meal is $50, you leave a $10 tip.
• It’s not obligatory, but it’s expected.Talking About the Restaurant Experience• I should have ordered the burger.
• I should have left a bigger tip.
• The food was okay, but it wasn’t worth the price.
• Those portions were way too small.
• That was one of the best meals I’ve had in a long time!
• The server was really rude. / The server was great!
🍕 Takeout, Delivery & Fast Food• In the UK, it’s called takeaway. In the US, it’s takeout.
• I rarely get takeout, but sometimes I do on a Friday night.
• Drive-throughs are common in the US, especially for coffee.
🏆 Restaurant Idioms
• Bite off more than you can chew – Taking on too much responsibility.
• Have a lot on your plate – Being very busy with many responsibilities.
• Leave a bad taste in your mouth – Having a negative experience that stays with you.
🎯 What to Do Next:
✅ Rewatch the lesson and repeat the phrases.
✅ Check the description for learning resources.
✅ Share this lesson with a friend!
Welcome to this English lesson, where you'll improve your vocabulary, listening skills, and conversational English by exploring everything related to weddings. From wedding preparations to the ceremony and reception, this lesson covers key phrases, expressions, and differences between weddings in the UK and the US. Whether you're attending a wedding or just want to enhance your fluency, this lesson will provide you with practical language skills.
atch all podcast episodes here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYqc6KY_Db4-fV7F06af1FkW
Key Wedding Vocabulary and Expressions
🎉 Wedding Invitations "Have you got a wedding invitation yet?" "Don’t forget to RSVP before it’s too late." "Does the invitation say I can bring a guest?" "I haven’t been to a wedding for such a long time."
🎉 Preparations "What should I wear to the wedding?" "Is it formal or casual?" "I’m going to wear this suit. I think it’s the best option." "Should we buy something from the registry or give cash instead?"
🎉 Wedding Ceremony "How long do you think the ceremony will last?" "The bride looked stunning as she walked down the aisle." "You may now kiss the bride."
🎉 Wedding Reception "Where is the seating chart?" "Let’s grab a drink from the open bar." "What song are they playing for their first dance?" "The best man’s speech was hilarious." "The father of the bride’s toast made everyone tear up." "Everyone was on the dance floor all night—it was so much fun."
🎉 Post-Wedding Reflections "That was one of the most beautiful weddings I’ve ever been to." "The bride looked stunning, didn’t she?" "Did you see the groom’s uncle dancing? That was so funny." "They had to change the venue at the last minute. Can you believe it?" "The DJ was late, so the bride’s brother had to play music from his phone."
Practice and Reflect Weddings are filled with special moments and unique challenges, offering plenty of opportunities to use descriptive language and expressions. Practice these phrases and vocabulary by imagining conversations about weddings or reflecting on a wedding you’ve attended. Repetition and real-life practice will help you remember these expressions and use them naturally.
😊 RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
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Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
This English lesson helps you improve your listening skills through a heartwarming short story, “The Cafe Reunion.” Alongside enjoying the story, you’ll learn 10 phrasal verbs and three idioms used in everyday English. To make the most of this lesson, listen to the story with subtitles, then revisit it after reviewing the language analysis. Repetition is key—each time, you’ll absorb the language more deeply.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
Chapters: 00:00 learn English through story 00:37 the story 05:36
Language analysis 🔑 Push open: To open something, like a door, by pushing it. “Rachel pushed open the café door to step inside.” “He pushed open the door to the classroom and walked in quietly.” “I pushed open the window to let some fresh air in.”
🔑 Shake off: To remove something by shaking or moving. “She shook off the rain from her umbrella.” “She shook off the sand from her shoes after the beach trip.” “It took her a while to shake off her nervousness before the speech.”
🔑 Look around: To observe your surroundings or explore a place. “She looked around the café to take it all in.” “We looked around the park to find a good spot for a picnic.” “She looked around the shop but didn’t find anything she liked.”
🔑 Pull out: To take something out of a bag, pocket, or container. “Rachel pulled out her notebook and phone to prepare for the interview.” “He pulled out his wallet to pay for the meal.” “She pulled out her phone to check the time.”
🔑 Catch up: To reconnect and talk about what’s happened in someone’s life. “Oliver invited her to catch up on their lives.” “Let’s catch up over coffee this weekend.” “I need to catch up on the work I missed while I was sick.”
🔑 Bring back: To make someone remember something or feel a certain way again. “The conversation brought back memories of university.” “That song always brings back memories of my childhood.” “Seeing her old house brought back a lot of emotions.”
🔑 Speak up: To say something, especially when it’s important or difficult. “Rachel finally spoke up to ask why Oliver had disappeared.” “If you don’t agree, you should speak up during the meeting.” “She was too shy to speak up about her concerns.”
🔑 Keep it together: To stay calm and composed in a stressful situation. “Oliver explained he was trying to keep it together during a tough time.” “She kept it together during the presentation even though she was nervous.” “It’s hard to keep it together when everything feels overwhelming.”
🔑 Come back: To return to a place or situation. “He thought he’d come back to university, but things didn’t work out.” “I can’t wait to come back to this restaurant—it’s amazing.” “After taking a break, she decided to come back to her art classes.”
🔑 Leave behind: To move on from something or let go of it. “Rachel felt like she’d left behind years of unanswered questions.” “When he moved to the city, he left behind his old life.” “Don’t leave behind your phone—it’s still on the table.”
Idioms from the Story:
🌟 Life’s funny like that: Used to describe unexpected or surprising events in life. “Oliver said, ‘Life’s funny like that,’ referring to their reunion.” “I bumped into my old teacher today—life’s funny like that.”
🌟 For old times’ sake: Doing something to remember or celebrate the past. “Oliver brought tea and cookies for old times’ sake.” “Let’s watch that movie again for old times’ sake.”
🌟 A lump in her throat: Describes feeling emotional or close to tears. “Rachel felt a lump in her throat as Oliver explained why he disappeared.” “The speech was so moving that everyone had a lump in their throat.”
In this lesson, we’re going to explore 15 phrasal verbs commonly used in everyday English. These phrasal verbs will help you improve your conversational skills and understand native speakers better.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
HERE ARE THE PHRASAL VERBS FROM THE LESSON:
🗨️ Catch on means to understand something, especially after some time. “She didn’t catch on at first, but now she understands perfectly.” “It took me a few lessons to catch on to the new software.”
🗨️ Run out of means to use up all of something so that there’s none left. “We’ve run out of milk.” “I ran out of time to finish the report before the deadline.”
🗨️ Look after means to take care of someone or something. “She looks after her younger siblings every afternoon.” “Who’s going to look after the plants while we’re on vacation?”
🗨️ Turn on means to activate a device or machine. “Turn on the oven and preheat it before cooking.” “Let’s turn on the projector to start the presentation.”
🗨️ Turn off is the opposite of turn on. “Please turn off the lights before you leave.” “Turn off your phone in the library.”
🗨️ Pick up means to collect someone or something. “I’ll pick you up at 7:00.” “Can you pick up the kids after school?”
🗨️ Drop off means to leave someone or something at a specific location. “She dropped off her son at school before going to work.” “I’ll drop you off at the bus station.”
🗨️ Put on means to wear or apply something. “Put on your jacket; it’s cold outside.” “He put on some music to create a relaxing atmosphere.”
🗨️ Take off means to remove something or for a plane to depart. “Take off your shoes before entering the house.” “The plane took off on time.”
🗨️ Give up means to stop trying or to quit. “She gave up smoking after 10 years.” “Don’t give up just because it’s difficult.”
🗨️ Make up has two meanings: to reconcile after a disagreement or to invent something. “They made up after their argument.” “He made up a funny excuse for being late.”
🗨️ Call off means to cancel something. “They called off the meeting because of bad weather.” “The concert was called off due to rain.”
🗨️ Carry on means to continue doing something. “She carried on working despite the noise.” “After the interruption, we carried on as usual.”
🗨️ Cut down on means to reduce the amount of something. “I’m trying to cut down on sugar.” “We’re cutting down on expenses this month.”
🗨️ Run into means to meet someone by chance or encounter something unexpectedly. “I ran into an old friend at the mall.” “I ran into technical issues during the meeting.”
Take these phrasal verbs and practice using them in sentences. Check the description for more resources and examples. If you enjoyed this lesson, share it with a friend, and I’ll see you in the next one!
Listen to the short story The Wrong Suitcase to practice your English listening skills. This story is about Lena, who mistakenly takes the wrong suitcase after a flight to Florence. Inside, she finds a series of mysterious clues that lead her on an adventure through the city, where she ultimately reconnects with her boyfriend, Alex, in a heartwarming and unforgettable way.
00:00 lesson introduction
00:29 English short story
05:17 Language analysis
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
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Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
In this lesson, we’ll explore 10 commonly used phrases and phrasal verbs from the story to help you sound more natural in English and improve your understanding. Let’s break them down:
🗨️ “Step off” means to exit a vehicle or mode of transport by stepping down or out of it. "He stepped off the train and looked for a taxi." "As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were greeted by the tour guide."
🗨️ “Grab” means to take hold of something quickly or firmly. "Can you grab me a bottle of water from the fridge?" "I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the door."
🗨️ “Kick off” has two meanings. It can mean to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way. "At the hotel, she kicked off her shoes to relax." "After a long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying on the couch." It can also mean to start an event or activity. "Let’s kick off the meeting with a quick update."
🗨️ “Set out” means to begin a journey or task with a specific goal in mind. "We set out early to explore the city before it got too crowded." "She set out to finish her report before the deadline."
🗨️ “Rummage through” means to search for something in a hurried or untidy way. "I rummaged through my bag but couldn’t find my keys." "He rummaged through the drawers looking for a pen."
🗨️ “Scan the room” means to look around quickly, usually to find someone or something. "She scanned the room for a familiar face." "The teacher scanned the room to see who wasn’t paying attention."
🗨️ “Head toward” means to move in the direction of a specific place. "We’re heading toward the park for a picnic." "He headed toward the exit after the meeting ended."
🗨️ “Hand over” means to give something to someone, often formally or with a specific purpose. "The cashier handed over my receipt and change." "He handed over the documents to his lawyer."
🗨️ “Look around” means to observe your surroundings, often when exploring or searching for something. "We looked around the museum for hours." "She looked around the shop for a gift but didn’t find anything."
🗨️ “Slip on” means to put something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. "I slipped on my jacket before heading out." "She slipped on her shoes and ran to catch the bus."
Welcome to this special English lesson where we dive into the four essential skills you need to master: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Pronunciation. This comprehensive lesson is packed with strategies, tips, and examples to help you improve step by step. Each skill is crucial for fluency, and by mastering them, you’ll boost your confidence in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing in English.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espr...
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluenc...
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/flue...
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?...
Here’s what we’ll cover:
- Listening Skills Learn how to improve your listening comprehension and why comprehensible input is essential for language acquisition. ✅ Find resources slightly above your level for steady improvement. ✅ Listen to podcasts, news, and interviews you can mostly understand. ✅ Challenge yourself gradually with more advanced materials. ✅ Acquiring grammar comes from hearing it repeatedly in context.
- Reading Skills Discover the difference between intensive and extensive reading and how to combine them for maximum benefit. ✅ Intensive reading: Focus on new words, phrases, and grammar structures. ✅ Extensive reading: Read for pleasure and overall understanding without stopping. ✅ Find books that interest you, are comprehensible, and relevant to your goals. ✅ Use graded readers and audiobooks to enhance your learning. ✅ Highlight unfamiliar vocabulary, then review and internalize it using digital tools.
- Writing Skills Practical tips to improve your writing and integrate it into your learning routine. ✅ Keep a daily diary to practice conversational English. ✅ Copy text from articles or books to internalize sentence structures. ✅ Read widely to absorb natural writing styles. ✅ Get feedback on your writing through apps or teachers. ✅ Use tools like grammar apps to refine your grammar and sentence construction. ✅ Search for phrases online to ensure your writing is accurate and idiomatic.
- Pronunciation Skills Master English sounds, stress, intonation, and linking for fluency and confidence. ✅ Learn how to produce specific sounds, such as the V and F sounds. ✅ Practice, record yourself, and get feedback to refine your pronunciation. ✅ Focus on stress and intonation to sound natural in conversations. ✅ Work on retractions and linking, such as “I could’ve done it.” ✅ Repeat sounds and phrases regularly to build muscle memory.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll have practical tools to improve your English fluency. Take notes, check the description for a summary and resources, and most importantly, take action. Which skill do you want to work on first? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to share this lesson with a friend who’s learning English. Let’s continue your journey to fluency together.
Welcome to this English lesson, where you'll improve your listening skills with the story "The Community Garage Sale." This touching tale follows Anna and her son Max as they participate in their neighborhood garage sale. What starts as a mundane task turns into a heartfelt moment when an elderly man finds an old record player that brings back precious memories of his late wife. Through this interaction, Max learns the value of memories and human connection, realizing that the things we discard can mean the world to someone else.
00:00 intro to the story
01:08 the story
07:31 language analysis In this lesson
You'll also learn key English phrases used in the story to convey emotion and vivid imagery. Here’s the language analysis:
“One person's junk is another person's treasure” Meaning: Something you no longer value might be meaningful or useful to someone else. Example: I was about to throw out my old chair, but the neighbor took it. One person's junk is another person's treasure.
“Gathering dust” Meaning: Something has been sitting unused for a long time. Example: My guitar has been gathering dust in the corner for years.
“Brought him back to a time” Meaning: Something makes someone remember a specific moment from the past. Example: Hearing that song brought me back to a time when I was a child.
“Long lost” Meaning: Something not seen for a very long time but once greatly valued. Example: She found a long-lost letter from her childhood tucked into that book.
“Lump in her throat” Meaning: A physical feeling of being emotional, often when trying to hold back tears. Example: When I watched that video, I felt a lump in my throat.
“Clearing space in her heart” Meaning: Letting go of physical or emotional clutter to feel lighter and happier. Example: Sometimes clearing space in your home helps clear your mind as well.
“Unspoken understanding” Meaning: When people understand each other without needing to say anything. Example: When she smiled at him across the room, there was an unspoken understanding between them.
Listen to the story again to reinforce your learning, and check the description for the full text of the phrases, additional learning resources, and more episodes to help you improve your English. Don’t forget to share this lesson with a friend and subscribe if you’re new here. Thank you for being here, and I’ll see you next time!
In this English lesson, you'll learn how to confidently talk about your devices, apps, tech problems, social media habits, and even the future of technology. We'll explore useful phrases, common idioms, and fun conversational topics to help you sound natural when discussing technology in English.
Whether you're excited about a new phone or trying to explain a tech issue, this lesson has you covered.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure: Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
Your Devices: 💬 I just got it, and it’s amazing. 💬 The camera is incredible. It takes such clear photos. 💬 The screen is huge, and the battery lasts all day. 💬 My laptop is outdated. I need to upgrade. 💬 My phone keeps freezing. It’s so annoying. 💬 The battery on my tablet doesn’t last anymore.
Phrases to Fix Tech Problems: 💬 Do you know how to fix this? 💬 Have you tried restarting it? 💬 Can you take a look at my phone?
Talking About Apps and Websites: 💬 I downloaded a new app to help me learn English. 💬 I have a new fitness app, and it’s great for tracking my exercise. 💬 Is it free, or do you need to pay for it? 💬 Could you send me the link? 💬 What’s the name of that app again? 💬 I looked it up on Google and found everything I needed. 💬 I spend way too much time online shopping. 💬 My phone updated automatically last night.
Social Media Phrases: 💬 I spend way too much time scrolling through Instagram. 💬 I posted a photo yesterday, and it got lots of likes. 💬 Have you seen that viral video of the cat dancing? 💬 I deleted my Facebook app because I needed a break. 💬 I’m trying to limit my time on social media.
Technology Habits: 💬 I’m trying to cut down on my screen time. 💬 I check my phone first thing in the morning. 💬 I’m addicted to my phone. I can’t put it down. 💬 I check social media every five minutes. I’m totally addicted.
The Future of Technology: 💬 I think AI is going to change everything. 💬 Virtual reality is going to change how we work and play. 💬 Have you heard about self-driving cars? 💬 I think self-driving cars will be everywhere in 10 years.
Useful Tech Idioms: 💬 AI tools like ChatGPT have been a game-changer. 💬 I went camping and was completely off the grid.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll be ready to talk about all things tech with confidence. What are your top three apps right now? Leave a comment below! And don’t forget to share this video or podcast with a friend who’s learning English.
In this English lesson, you're going to practice your listening skills with the story The Uninvited Guest. After the story, we'll explore seven key phrases that will help you understand how to convey suspense, tension, and emotional depth in English. Whether you're here to improve your vocabulary, comprehension, or overall fluency, this lesson will give you practical tools to use in everyday conversations.
Chapters: 00:00 intro to the story
01:00 the story
07:24 learn phrases from the story
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
The first phrase: A knot form in her stomach 💬 Laura felt a knot form in her stomach when she saw David at the door. 💬 I felt a knot in my stomach before the exam. 💬 She had a knot in her stomach when she realized she'd made a mistake.
The second phrase: Good to see you again 💬 David said, "Good to see you again," to James in a neutral way. 💬 It's good to see you again after all these years. 💬 Good to see you again! How have you been?
The third phrase: Never one to miss an opportunity 💬 David was described as never one to miss an opportunity, meaning he always took advantage of chances. 💬 She's never one to miss an opportunity to help others. 💬 He's never one to miss an opportunity to show off his knowledge.
The fourth phrase: Stick with you 💬 David said some memories stick with you, meaning they remain in your mind for a long time. 💬 The kindness of strangers during my trip really stuck with me. 💬 That lesson stuck with him and shaped how he handled challenges.
The fifth phrase: Walking on a tightrope 💬 Laura felt like she was walking on a tightrope during the evening, navigating a delicate situation. 💬 Managing the team while avoiding conflicts felt like walking on a tightrope. 💬 She was walking on a tightrope trying not to upset anyone.
The sixth phrase: Lingering gaze 💬 David's lingering gaze added to the tension, suggesting deeper feelings or intentions. 💬 His lingering gaze told her everything he didn’t say. 💬 The lingering gaze between them hinted at something unspoken.
The seventh phrase: Let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding 💬 Laura let out a breath she didn’t realize she’d been holding after David left, feeling relieved. 💬 When the test was over, I let out a breath I didn’t realize I’d been holding. 💬 She finally let out a breath as the situation resolved.
By the end of this lesson, you’ll have a deeper understanding of these phrases and how to use them effectively in your own conversations. Listen to the story again and focus on how these expressions are used in context. Don’t forget to share this video with friends who are learning English—it helps the podcast grow and reach more learners. Thank you for watching, and I’ll see you in the next lesson!
Money makes the world go round, but how well do you understand the phrases we use to talk about it? In this lesson, we explore key English phrases about money, from saving and spending to investing and everyday idioms. Whether you're discussing finances, planning a budget, or chatting about inflation, these phrases will help you sound more natural in English.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXw
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
Here’s what we’ll cover in this lesson:
The evolution of money: Learn about barter systems, intrinsic value, fiat money, and the debt-based system.
💬 Barter systems were one of the earliest forms of trade.
💬 These metals had intrinsic value, meaning their worth came from the material itself.
💬 Fiat money has value because the government says it does.
💬 Modern money is largely created through lending, a debt-based system.
Spending money: Improve your vocabulary for talking about how you manage your finances.
💬 My friend blew all of his money on a new car. (blow money)
💬 I need to tighten up after our vacation. (tighten up)
💬 I feel like splurging on a new sound system. (splurge on something)
Saving money: Learn how to talk about saving for the future and emergencies.
💬 I'm putting money aside for a new car. (put money aside)
💬 They've built a nice nest egg over the years. (nest egg)
💬 It's always wise to save for a rainy day. (save for a rainy day)
Investing money: Understand the key terms for discussing investments.
💬 I invested in tech stocks last year. (stocks)
💬 It's important to have a balanced portfolio. (portfolio)
💬 Don't put all your eggs in one basket. (spread your investments)
💬 I'm going to play it safe and choose low-risk investments. (play it safe)
💬 I'm going to take a gamble on this investment. (take a gamble)
Debt and loans: Talk about borrowing money and managing repayments.
💬 I'm going to pay off my car loan today. (pay off)
💬 We're drowning in debt since Paul lost his job. (drowning in debt)
Inflation and rising costs: Understand the impact of inflation and how to discuss it in English.
💬 Inflation has caused prices to go up significantly this year. (inflation)
💬 The cost of living is rising in many cities. (cost of living)
💬 Gas prices are going through the roof. (prices are going through the roof)
💬 I can't afford to eat out anymore. (can't afford)
Everyday money idioms: Add some fun expressions to your conversations.
💬 Money doesn't grow on trees. (money is limited)
💬 He made a killing in real estate last year. (make a killing)
💬 Buying that car was like throwing money down the drain. (waste money)
By the end of this video, you’ll not only understand these phrases but also feel confident using them in real conversations. Don’t forget to practice creating your own sentences with these expressions and share this video with friends who want to learn too!
In this episode, you’re going to learn one of the most effective ways to build confidence in English conversations. This simple and practical method is often overlooked by English learners but can transform how you approach speaking English. By the end of this lesson, you’ll know how to create personalized sentences that will prepare you for most conversations and make you feel more fluent and confident.
Listen to episode 52 to learn how to use AI.
Listen to episode 19 for the fluency method.
💡 WHY PERSONAL SENTENCES ARE SO POWERFUL
-
MOST CONVERSATIONS ARE ABOUT YOU
Conversations often begin with questions about your life, such as your job, hobbies, or recent experiences. If you prepare answers in advance, you’ll save time, reduce stress, and speak more naturally. -
TALKING ABOUT YOURSELF DOESN’T CHANGE
Since you often discuss the same topics—like your job, family, or interests—you can prepare answers that are nearly perfect and use them repeatedly. -
SPECIFIC SENTENCES ARE MORE INTERESTING
Generic sentences are fine, but specific details make your answers more engaging and easier to remember. For example, instead of saying "I like tennis," you can say, "I love playing tennis, but I only play in the summer."
💡 HOW TO CREATE YOUR PERSONAL SENTENCES
-
LIST COMMON TOPICS
Start with basic topics like your name, age, and where you’re from, then move to more detailed ones like your job, hobbies, family, and recent experiences. -
WRITE SIMPLE, NATURAL SENTENCES
Create sentences that are clear and easy to say. Focus on natural phrasing instead of trying to sound complex. For example, "I’m a graphic designer. I create logos for small businesses." -
PRACTICE REGULARLY
Repetition is key. Use methods like flashcards or the listen-record-repeat-compare technique to internalize your sentences and ensure they sound natural.
ADDITIONAL TIPS
✨ PRACTICE WITH AI OR TEACHERSUse tools like ChatGPT or practice with a language teacher to refine your sentences further. AI can help you generate examples or correct your sentences.
✨ PREPARE COMMON QUESTIONS
Don’t forget to practice asking questions too. For example, “What do you do?” or “Are you into sports?” These will make your conversations more dynamic and engaging.
🌟 THE BENEFITS OF THIS METHOD
This approach builds confidence, improves fluency, and helps you internalize vocabulary and grammar naturally. As your life changes, you can update your sentences while maintaining the same method.Start today by writing 10 sentences about yourself. Practice them regularly, build on them over time, and use them in real conversations. This simple method will help you feel more prepared and confident when speaking English. Try it, and see the difference it makes!
In this episode, you’re going to learn how AI tools like ChatGPT can revolutionize the way you learn English.
With four key methods, two bonus tips, and exciting predictions for the future of AI in language learning, this podcast provides a roadmap to faster, more effective English fluency. RESOURCES
FOR LEARNING ENGLISH
Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!
Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/
Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency
Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
💡 FOUR POWERFUL WAYS TO USE AI FOR ENGLISH LEARNING
-
ASKING LANGUAGE QUESTIONS AI provides instant, accurate explanations for grammar, word usage, and more. You can also ask follow-up questions to clarify concepts, making learning faster and clearer.
-
GENERATING EXAMPLES Get tailored examples of grammar, vocabulary, or phrases to understand their usage in different contexts. This builds confidence and deepens your understanding of English.
-
GETTING WRITING FEEDBACK Use AI to correct your writing, identify errors, and explain how to improve. Practice creating sentences and receive immediate, personalized feedback.
-
PRACTICING CONVERSATIONS Engage in role-playing scenarios with AI, like ordering at a restaurant or preparing for a job interview. Use voice mode for even more realistic practice in a comfortable environment.
🎁 BONUS TIPS
✨ PERSONALIZE YOUR AI EXPERIENCE Share your goals, level, and interests with ChatGPT for responses tailored to your needs.
✨ PRACTICE FROM AI-GENERATED NOTES Ask AI to summarize or organize example sentences into tables or text files for focused practice and better retention.
🌟 THE FUTURE OF AI AND LANGUAGE LEARNING Advanced AI language teachers and immersive VR experiences will transform learning. Imagine practicing English in realistic scenarios like a train station or pub with AI-guided support.
While exciting advancements are ahead, AI today can already help you immerse yourself and learn effectively. Try these methods and discover how AI can transform your English learning journey!
We're back!
Learn English by taking this fun and useful English lesson that explores 10 idioms all related to time.
Use these idioms to sound more natural in English when speaking.
RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH (Note: more coming soon!)
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
In this episode, learn all about the concept of microlearning and why you might want to try this to learn English (hint: repetition is key!).
Be sure to read the articles that I talk about in this lesson:
- https://explodingtopics.com/blog/education-trends
- https://elearningindustry.com/what-is-microlearning-benefits-best-practices
- https://www.orlandosentinel.com/opinion/guest-commentary/os-op-attention-span-dwindling-20210706-rwv2owqhezbp5hkmyqqtpmiq4u-story.html
In this English lesson, I go through my story of being a YouTube (great listening practice), discuss current content trends, and give tips on how to become a creator.
Get my book for free: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Join the program: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
(BTW, here is a guide on email marketing from my other channel - you'll find this useful if you're in the creator space - https://www.teachingeslonline.com/emcdf )
Here is the episode on social media: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQXY6ABsyj8
Here is the episode on the Metaverse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AK95x6i1jLc
Here is the article for this lesson: https://explodingtopics.com/blog/cultural-trends
Thank you for listening!
Let me take you through the zero, first, second, and third English conditionals - along with a bonus one - in this English lesson. Watch this until the end and finally master conditional sentences.
Get my book for free here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Join the program here: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
Get the writing tool here (affiliate link): https://www.tofluency.com/grammarly/
Learn more about mixed conditionals here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mgzLPUccHqQ
Take the conditionals test here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XfpUyjcLhtw
Be sure to subscribe to the channel and share the lesson if you found it useful. Thank you for being here!
In this English lesson, learn how to enter a flow state - also known as the zone - in order to progress to fluency. You should find this episode relaxing and by the end of it, have a plan of action to move forward with your English learning.
Get my fluency book for free here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Join the program here: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
LEARN ENGLISH PODCAST: YOU MUST DO THIS TO IMPROVE FAST (+ BEST METHOD)
https://youtu.be/d9NZS2P_Va4
The flow state: https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20190204-how-to-find-your-flow-state-to-be-peak-creative
Short stories (affiliate link): https://amzn.to/3JY58A7
In this English lesson, learn all about secret memory tricks that people have used throughout history to memorize anything, how this is linked to the shadowing technique in language learning, and a three-step process for acquiring English fluency.
Get my book for free here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Here is the original shadowing video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHmfinXxu5c&ab_channel=ToFluency
Here is the book that I recommend (affiliate link):
https://amzn.to/3eoVwzs
Learn more about 52! here:
https://czep.net/weblog/52cards.html
Here's the Wikipedia article on speech shadowing:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Speech_shadowing
Here's information on the Google Effect:
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Google_effect
In this lesson, find out how Christmas is celebrated in the U.K. and the U.S. and learn some key phrases that will be useful for all situations.
Get the free book here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Join the program here:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
Watch another Christmas lesson here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=81UnVx2fOmE
Thank you for listening!
Okay, so you're not happy with your level of English. We can fix that! In this lesson, learn the 7 reasons why you're not fluent in English yet and how to overcome these issues. If you want to make fast progress, watch this lesson!
Get your free fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Get the program here: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
RESOURCES FROM THE LESSON:
Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgw
AJATT quote: http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/mediocre-excellence/
Thank you for watching!
English lesson: want to finally learn how to use should, could, and would have? Take this lesson today and read on for the examples that we use. These models, to talk about the past, are useful to learn.
Get the book for free here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
00:00 introduction
01:21 could vs should vs would
03:52 should have
08:23 could have
12:26 would have
15:01 pronunciation practice
RESOURCES FROM THE LESSON:
The blog post for this lesson:
https://tofluency.com/shouldhave-couldhave-wouldhave/
An overview of the modal verbs:
https://www.espressoenglish.net/past-modals-should-have-could-have-would-have/
More examples:
https://www.perfect-english-grammar.com/could-have-should-have-would-have.html
In this video, learn what you should be listening to so that you improve your comprehension. By the end of this lesson, you'll have a clear understanding of how to create a plan so you can fully understand English speakers.
Get my fluency book for free here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Get my program here:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
RESOURCES FROM THIS LESSON:
The input hypothesis:
https://www.leonardoenglish.com/blog/comprehensible-input
Sam Harris podcast example:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tfkjhHqf1qM&ab_channel=SamHarris
How to improve your pronunciation (listen to episode 40.
17 tips for English fluency:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL3GsB-2_ek
Listen to our conversations here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYo8s2UKr--aqOi9UssrOh96
Do you need to learn all English tenses? How often are some of them used? In this video, I go through verb tense frequency, give a summary of all the tenses, and then explain how best to learn tenses so that you can use them naturally.
Get my fluency book for free here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Get my program here:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
RESOURCES FROM THIS LESSON:
Present Perfect vs Past Simple:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rU4VAoRg9bg
Future Tenses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UISiuiPd_FY
Using Present Tenses for the Past:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KwWHDpcUJxc
Test your knowledge of English tenses:
https://youtu.be/6Yqzm3mjAQ8
Verb tense study summary:
https://ginsengenglish.com/blog/english-verb-tense-frequency
A summary of the different verb tenses:
https://www.englishclub.com/grammar/verb-tenses.htm
Improve your English pronunciation by watching this lesson. I'll take you through, step-by-step, exactly what you need to do to ensure that you speak English accurately and fluently.
Here is my book (free) to download:
http://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Here is my program if you want the resources and feedback that I mentioned:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
00:00 Why pronunciation is important
03:27 An important analogy
08:50 Improve step-by-step
09:22 Minimal pairs
11:45 The importance of feedback
14:45 How to improve pronunciation on your own
18:40 Practice a phrase
Thank you for watching! Be sure to like this video and subscribe for more!
Over the past 15 -20 years, the way people learn English - and other languages - has been transformed. The internet has become central and given opportunities to people all around the world to learn languages. But is something new coming that might be the future of learning. Find out what that is in today's lesson.
Get my book for free here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Listen to the podcast on how to learn English through social media here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aQXY6ABsyj8
Listen to conversations in English here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYo8s2UKr--aqOi9UssrOh96
Articles on the Metaverse:
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-58749529
https://www.latimes.com/business/story/2021-10-28/explainer-what-is-the-metaverse-and-how-will-it-work
https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-59154520
Films that predicted this:
https://www.zdnet.com/article/seven-tech-advances-that-will-make-minority-report-a-reality/
https://www.cgmagonline.com/articles/features/top-ten-movies-predicted-vr/
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32mYgIHS-e3C3Eyd2tRw6g/join
In this English podcast, learn two ways In which you can acquire English naturally so that you can speak with confidence. Not many learners are doing this and I believe that if you follow these methods, you’ll be motivated more.
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
Here’s the article on this: https://www.antimoon.com/how/input-intro.htm
In this English lesson, listen to a story that gives you the phrasal verbs you need to know to talk about daily routines.
Here is the tool that I recommend for your writing task (this is an affiliate link(:
https://www.tofluency.com/grammarly/
00:00 Introduction
02:09 Phrasal verbs story
16:45 Summary and challenge
RESOURCES FROM THIS LESSON:
How to use get:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E8JqV4D3Os
Get phrasal verbs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9TgnZqTloQk
Thank you for listening!
In this English lesson, expand your vocabulary by learning nine other ways to say "I don't know." See examples and practice your English by repeating after me.
Get all the phrases here:
https://www.tofluency.com/other-ways-dont-know/
Get my book for free here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
OTHER WAYS TO SAY I DON'T KNOW IN ENGLISH:
Dunno
Not sure
Great question
Not the best person
Have no idea
Haven't got a clue
Don't ask me
My best guess is
Thank you for listening!
Here are 17 tips to help you reach fluency in English.
00:00 Introduction
01:04 Set a goal
03:03 Learn English daily
04:04 Listen as much as possible
07:26 Be grateful for resources
08:39 Do everything in English
10:28 Don't worry about mistakes
12:07 Get out of your comfort zone
14:33 Write every day
16:50 Learn English sentences
18:44 Personalize your learning
20:54 Don't worry too much about grammar
22:41 Repetition is key
25:12 Repeat English phrases
27:32 Practice speaker
29:16 Commit long-term
30:59 Have fun while learning
32:32 Be proud of the progress you've made
RESOURCES FROM THIS LESSON:
Download my fluency book for free:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Listening hours:
http://www.alljapaneseallthetime.com/blog/10000-hours-building-listening-comprehension/
How to get more speaking practice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=55ybiSXxcNk
Learn English through sentences:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Zb9YmoErCs
My favorite method for English fluency:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Become a confident English speaker:
https://youtu.be/rGZH4Wu6zB0
In this English lesson, learn 11 essential idioms - idioms that native English speakers actually use. Yes, this video comes with subtitles too!
Get all the phrases here:
https://www.tofluency.com/english-idioms/
ENGLISH IDIOMS IN THIS LESSON:
00:00 Introduction
01:12 Jump on the bandwagon
02:15 Under the weather
03:10 Bucket list
04:21 Second wind
05:04 No pain, no gain
06:17 Blessing in disguise
07:39 Get something off your chest
08:56 So far, so good
09:49 Get on someone's nerves
10:37 Lighten up
11:29 Butterflies in your stomach
WATCH OTHER LESSONS:
Real English conversations:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccTCB6FStEQ&list=PLZOJurmtexYo8s2UKr--aqOi9UssrOh96
How to learn English:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4w8yAHWDEU&list=PLZOJurmtexYpQYEvWTJaieyehensaC_eU
Thanks for watching!
Learn 48 English vocabulary phrases based on the topic of jobs and work. Included will be essential phrases, expressions, phrasal verbs, idioms, and more.
Watch the conversation about jobs here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCjPjoolzMs
Get my fluency book for free: http://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
PHRASES FROM THIS LESSON:
All phrases from the lesson can be found here:
https://tofluency.com/english-vocabulary-jobs/
00:00 Introduction
01:05 What do you do?
04:01 Start and finish work
05:33 Job satisfaction
06:15 Paid leave
07:57 Looking for a job
09:09 Interview vocabulary
10:31 Present simple and continuous
11:17 Office gossip vocabulary
11:37 Job idioms
Thank you for listening!
Learn 22 advanced English phrases, idioms, and phrasal verbs for daily conversation.
Watch the original conversation here: https://youtu.be/EGItAJniRL4
Get my fluency book for free: http://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
The conversation we had was about fall/autumn.
OTHER VIDEOS TO WATCH:
Use this method to learn English fast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
How to understand native speakers: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4w8yAHWDEU
Listen to our popular podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/d9NZS2P_Va4
PHRASES FROM THIS LESSON:
All phrases from the lesson can be found here:
https://tofluency.com/advanced-english-vocabulary
Here is the map showing how English has changed over the years:
https://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/home-news/increasing-number-british-people-don-t-pronounce-word-three-properly-these-maps-explain-why-a7079976.html
Here is an article on TH fronting:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Th-fronting
Thank you for watching!
In this episode, learn these 10 English phrasal verbs with the word get. See below for the full list. If you want to listen to the episode where we talk about the verb GET, listen to episode 13.
Get your free fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
HERE ARE THE PHRASAL VERBS:
- Get away
- Go somewhere for a rest/vacation
- Let’s try and get away at the end of the month
- Escape
-
They tried to grab him but he got away
-
Get away with
- To avoid getting caught - something bad
- We got away with not paying for the train
-
I don’t know how he gets away with it
-
Get along with / on with
- Like each other - have a good chemistry
- I think we’re going to get along with each other
- He seems to get along with everyone
- They didn’t really get along - it’s a shame
4 Get around to
- To do something that you have intended to do for some time
- I haven’t got around to it yet
- Have you got around to sending that form?
5 Get back (trip)
- Arrive home after a trip
- I’m super tired today because I got back late last night
- When are the Smiths getting back?
6 Get back to (return to)
- Contact someone later to give information
- Could you find someone who can help me with this proposal?
- Sure. I’ll ask around and get back to you
- To continue doing something that you had started earlier
- Okay, gotta go. I need to get back to work
7 Get over (fear / recover from
- To recover from something
- I just can’t seem to get over this cold
- Have you got over the loss yet?
8 Get rid of (dispose of)
- I use this a lot - dispose of something
- Should I keep this jacket or just get rid of it?
- You didn’t get rid of that pen, did you?
- We need to get rid of a lot of stuff
9 Get used to (become accustomed to something)
- It didn’t take me long to get used to driving on the right side of the road
- I don’t think I’ll ever get used to this weather
- Keep practicing, you’ll get used to it
10 Get up to
- Do
- What did you get up to at the weekend?
- We didn’t get up to much
Learn conversational English by listening to this real conversation about fall/autumn.
This is for intermediate and advanced learners of English who want to practice their listening, learn new words and phrases, and get vital input.
Get your free fluency book here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
MORE CONVERSATIONS:
Thanksgiving: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xp--TdCU9GI
Summer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SBHD9UBiI0U
Winter: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJQTfMK_wvw
ENGLISH PHRASES USED IN THIS CONVERSATION (COMING SOON!)
To REALLY learn these phrases and to be able to speak without thinking about grammar rules, join the To Fluency Program: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
Thanks for listening!
In this episode, you're going to learn all about the three options available to you as an English learner and which option will help you reach fluency fast.
Be sure to get my book here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Here is the platform I recommend for one-to-one lessons (affiliate link):
https://go.italki.com/tofluency
The three options are to:
- Take lessons at a language school or one-to-one
- Go to an English-speaking country to take an immersion course
- Learn English on your own
I highly recommend making option three your focus. You need massive input in order to understand English speakers - this is something you can do by using your phone and headphones no matter where you live.
You can add English lessons and immersion courses to help you improve. But make your self-study the foundation on which you build.
Thank you for listening!
In this English lesson, you're going to learn 43 commonly used phrases related to romance. You're going to do this by watching a video of David and Sarah meeting in a hotel bar.
Get the definitions here: https://www.tofluency.com/53-english-phrases-romance
RESOURCES
English fluency book:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
To Fluency Program:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
Watch the lesson here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghDWj9VpvRU
The 43 Phrases
- Sitting on her own at a hotel bar
- Sarah has recently broken up with her long-term boyfriend
- David is, let’s say, a little bit of a player
- He likes to chat up women
- He likes to go out on lots of dates
- At the moment he is single too
- He’s checking the football results on his phone
- He starts to check out Sarah
- He likes what he sees
- He finds her very attractive
- He thinks she’s very beautiful
- She has this special aura about her
- To see if she’s noticing him as well
- He’s starting to get a little frustrated
- He’s trying to build up the courage to go over to her
- Finally, he gets up out of his chair
- Walks over to Sarah at the bar
- And makes his move
- This is the first time that she has seen him
- There is instant chemistry
- They flirt with each other straight away
- Although she’s a little hesitant
- She starts to open up about what she does
- This tattoo caused the breakup of her long-term relationship
- He’s happy she’s single
- They’re glancing at each other and flirting a little bit more
- David orders two shots
- They raise their glasses
- He downs it in one
- She needs to go back to her room soon to prepare for her presentation
- He hands over his phone
- He asks her to put her number in it
- He thinks about when he’s going to text her next
In this lesson, you're going to learn the secret behind why you're not confident when speaking in English as a second language.
(Hint: ego plays a strong role)
Be sure to watch the entire video and answer the questions I ask honestly.
Here's the link to learning English in a non-English speaking country:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E_iPrNwL7mA
Here's the playlist on how to learn English effectively:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o4w8yAHWDEU&list=PLZOJurmtexYpQYEvWTJaieyehensaC_eU
Thank you for being here!
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
In this lesson, we discuss if you need to go to an English-speaking country in order to become fluent. This is especially important right now due to the lack of opportunities to go abroad to learn.
Get the free fluency book here:
https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Listen to episode 19 on how to improve your speaking.
Use this tool to improve your writing (affiliate link):
https://tofluency.com/grammarly
Learn about shadowing here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KHmfinXxu5c
Learn about the sentence method here:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
Learn new words and phrases - and practice your listening - by watching this real English conversation about food! We discuss the differences between food in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Spain.
Get all the phrases below!
Listen to more conversations here:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLZOJurmtexYo8s2UKr--aqOi9UssrOh96
Differences between British and American English:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hVbc-Bg32Mo
How to pronounce English counties (Worcestershire sauce):
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qfz4ZNSdrhs
Want to improve your English? Join the To Fluency Program here:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
PHRASES FROM THIS LESSON:
Have friends over for dinner
People have different dietary restrictions
A lot of people are gluten-free
Some people have a condition called celiacs
Some people are dairy-free so they don’t eat dairy products
People can be vegan
I was trynna think of a chicken-based dish
A glaze is a rich, thick sauce
We’re cooking a meal tonight
What we’re going to do for sides?
We’re probably wanna do vegetables
They’re most delicious when they’re the least healthy
What immediately comes to mind
You would have beans, toast, bacon, roasted tomatoes, and eggs
I had beans on toast most mornings when I young
Sometimes I like it when different flavors come together
I don’t want my toast to be soggy
You want it to be crunchy and dry
Take your toast and put the right amount of beans on
You either love it or hate it
I feel that way about strong cheese too
Beans are not very popular as a breakfast food at all
We tend to have baked foods - pancakes, waffles, muffins
You have dessert for breakfast
We have pancaked one day a year
It amazes me, you’ll have donuts for breakfast!
Donuts are the ideal breakfast food
They’re the worst!
My perfect breakfast is bacon and eggs
I need a bit of fuel to get me going
When my mum comes to visit, she can’t understand menus here
I was confused at first as well
People come from different countries and cultures
They bring a little bit of their culture
You’ll be able to get Indian food
We haven’t had sandwiches in a while
At school, I used to always have a sandwich
You have to go out of your way to find it
We might have touched on this before
You gave me clues and I finally got it
The average American eats 1,500 PB&J sandwiches by the time they’re 18
That’s usually how averages work
I will fact check this
It’s astonishing if true
My parents packed me sandwiches
If you could only eat one meal for the rest of your life, what would it be?
Can I cheat?
I could eat chili all day every day
I grew up having a Sunday roast every Sunday
Dinner in the UK is usually around 6
You have a small version of Thanksgiving dinner every week
We make a big fuss about it
The pressure affects your cooking time
It kinda has a cult following
The coffee in Spain is unbelievable
Tell us the best way to make coffee
I know coffee’s big there
We bought the least expensive coffee
I never released it
We need to have a snack sampler
We used to share menu of the days
The thing I was excited about the most was the coffee
Did you put sugar in it?
It’s all about omega threes
Why don’t we make paella?
I didn’t quite get the hang of it
What is a dish we should try?
Now you’re just pulling my leg
Watch this English conversation (with subtitles!) about pets and animals. Jack and Kate talk about pets they had growing up, how to talk to dogs in English, animals in our neighborhood, and our bear encounters.
Join this channel to get access to perks:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC32mYgIHS-e3C3Eyd2tRw6g/join
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
WATCH MORE CONVERSATIONS:
Watch our conversation about jobs:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hCjPjoolzMs
Watch our conversation about food:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P1zzPXXVE4s
Watch our conversation about online shopping:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccTCB6FStEQ
FUN LINKS FROM THE LESSON:
Burmese pythons in Florida (not boa constrictors!):
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/snakes-ate-florida-180972534/
Tiger stat link:
https://www.cnn.com/2021/05/13/us/tigers-captive-us-wild-trnd/index.html
Man fights kangaroo:
https://youtu.be/OrIS4vTtpig
The Knoxville Tiger:
https://fox17.com/news/local/knoxville-tiger-sighting-was-a-case-of-mistaken-identity-twra-says-wildlife-tennessee
Koala prank:
https://youtu.be/6RzrUOCWjtw
CONTENTS:
01:04 Pets we had growing up
06:05 exotic pets
12:59 how to talk to dogs in English
16:49 animals where we live
19:49 bears getting into cars
28:19 Quick animal Q&A
29:49 Kate's question
KEY PHRASES FROM THIS LESSON:
- what pets did you have growing up?
- The cat was a little feral
- She had a habit of eating spiders
- hauling water
- I put on my boots and mucked out (new to me)
- A hoof pick cleaned out the hooves
- You can leave food for a cat
- People kept boa constrictors as pets
- The country with the most amount of tigers in the world is the U.S.
- It ended up being a false alarm (the tiger in Knoxville)
- Unless you have a significant number of tigers at the same time
- We were used to Lyle being so small
- He developed a lifelong hatred of cats
- He chased it out / chased it away
- Sit, lie down, roll over, speak, shake, leave it, wait
- He'll do anything to get food
- Kangaroo are as common as deer
- It's dangerous to drive at dusk and dawn
- We have some venenous animals
- we see bears all the time
- they'll topple over the trash cans
- I had gotten a text message that there was a bear in our minivan
- they get into the car and they destroy it
- You got me to check the car
- a neighbor sent me a picture
- touch wood
- we both had a bear stand up to us
- the cubs will go into the tree and wait
- we have a healthy respect for bears
In this English lesson, learn about the power of prepositional verbs. This is one of my favorite areas to learn in a foreign language and I'm sure you'll find it useful learning this in English too.
The song I mentioned is by Robbie Williams - Feel.
Use this to practice your writing (affiliate link):
https://www.tofluency.com/grammarly/
Here are the lesson notes and phrases from the lesson:
BELIEVE IN:
It means to have faith in the existence or truth of something. The best examples is:
- Do you believe in ghosts?
- Do you believe in aliens?
It can also mean to have an opinion that something is right or desirable:
- I don’t believe in the way things are being censored at the moment
DEPEND ON:
This is a very good one to know. I use it all the time. For example, if someone says:
- Will I become fluent in English this year? - It depends on what you do with your time and how much time you spend learning English
- How much TV time you get later will depend on how much you tidy today
- Whether we on vacation this year will depend on flight restrictions
LOOK AT:
- Look at this
This is used to bring someone’s attention or gaze to something
- Quick, get outside and look at the moon right now
- That guy’s looking at me in a weird way
It can also be used when thinking about something carefully
- I’ll take a look at what you sent me and make a decision later
- Could you take a quick look at my new lesson plan?
4: APOLOGIZE TO:
- Can you apologize to your sister?
- My boss finally apologized to me for shouting the other day
5: AGREE WITH:
- I don’t agree with a thing you said
- Can you just agree with me for once in your life!
- I agree with the Primer Minister - he’s right
6: DEAL WITH:
- I can’t deal with everything right now
- He’s dealing with his new school really well
- Yes, I’ll deal with it in the morning - don’t worry boss
7: THANK FOR:
- Did you thank grandma for the present?
- I just want to thank you for being here on this channel. Thank you.
8: SUFFER FROM:
- I’m suffering from a lack of sleep at the moment
- I’m suffering from a little lack of self-esteem right now
9: SMELL OF:
- This house smells of tuna - people are coming over in 10 minutes!
- This car smells of wet dog!
10: LAUGH AT:
- You’re laughing at me - do I amuse you?
- What are you laughing at?
- They started laughing at me when I started talking in Spanish
11: THINK ABOUT:
- I’m contemplating thinking about thinking
- Let us think about it for a couple of days and get back to you
- What are you thinking about right now?
12: FORGET ABOUT:
- Did you remember to call Mr Smith? - I forgot about that
- Oh, man. I completely forgot about that holiday!
- I think Susan’s forgotten about the meeting again
In this lesson, you're going to learn 10 ways to express your opinion in English. Learn these phrases (and some bonus ones below) as they're really useful.
Want them as digital flashcards? Join The To Fluency Program here:
https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
- I couldn’t agree
- I couldn’t disagree more
- It’s amazing
- It’s an amazing show
- It was terrible
- It was a terrible decision
- It’s been so good being here
- It’s been such a good vacation so far
- It’s going to be amazing
- It’s okay
- It’s an okay plan
- What do you think about him?
- What did you think about their presentation?
- He thinks it’s going to work
- Do you think you’re going to like their strategy?
- Do you think he’s going to do well here?
- I think it will be closed by the time we get there
- I’d say so - that sounds good
- I’m not a doctor but I’d say that sounds quite dangerous
- Studies show that random acts of kindness are healthy
- Studies show that wealthy people are more likely to lie
- Studies show that pets in the workplace are good business
- I reckon this will work
- Do you reckon he’ll come?
- I reckon Man Utd will get beat today
- I see what you’re saying but I prefer the other option
- It wasn’t the best movie
- We’re not the best team at the moment
- It wasn’t the best food I’ve ever had
- In my experience, people don’t stick with a goal for long enough
- In my experience, it’s really hard for people to give up smoking
ENGLISH PHRASES USED IN THIS CONVERSATION:
(To REALLY learn these phrases and to be able to speak without thinking about grammar rules, join the To Fluency Program: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/ )
- What was your first job?
- I had to work my way up to that
- growing up watching American movies
- one thing that I think of when the weather gets summery
- you just deliver them through the mailbox
- how long did it take you?
- I wonder if they still do it in the UK?
- he could duck under the van
- it was quite difficult to keep them in line
- what's your dream job?
- if you weren't doing this...?
- what about you?
- add something into the mix
- I've done some cold calling
- well worth the time
- someone would brew up
- take time off
- paid leave
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
00:00 Introduction
01:29 Explaining 4th July
02:05 The history of Independence Day
04:03 The Boston Tea Party
05:43 The French Influence
06:20 The most famous passage
08:49 Phrases related to the celebration
12:48 How to learn more
Here is the Thanksgiving podcast:
https://youtu.be/xp--TdCU9GI
Here is a great video by @CrashCourse that explains the American Revolution:
https://youtu.be/HlUiSBXQHCw
Here is a summary of the Boston Tea Party by @TED-Ed :
https://youtu.be/1cT_Z0KGhP8
Here are some visuals of how Americans celebrate the 4th by @Brazidicas :
https://youtu.be/kbGqFJF9Xv8?t=93
Here is a summary from Wikipedia with that quote:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Independence_Day_(United_States)
Here's a list of the 13 colonies:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thirteen_Colonies
Here are the lesson notes:
- 4th July is the national holiday of the United States
- It’s to commemorate (remember and celebrate) the declaration of Independence of the United States from the British monarchy - King George the Third - on July 4th, 1776
- There were 13 colonies of the United States under the rule of King George
- Leading up to this, Great Britain and France had fought a war in various territories, including, North America
- This had been costly - expensive - and new taxes were introduced in the colonies to help pay back these debts
- The Stamp Act was introduced in 1765 and another act in 1767. This led to unrest, especially, in Boston, so the British sent troops (soldiers) to help the situation
- But it only made it worse. People didn’t like British soldiers on the streets and this led to the Boston Massacre
- The Boston Tea Party in 1773 was a key event too. Now, this wasn’t a fun tea party where people had tea and biscuits. Instead, a group called Sons of Liberty protested a new tea tax by dumping tea from three ships into Boston Harbor.
-
Tensions kept growing and in 1775 the British planned to capture two colonial leaders. However, American spies got wind of this (which means, they learned about this), and 77 militiamen met British forces and it was here where the American Revolutionary War began.
-
Not everyone wanted independence but the Continental Congress decided to vote for this and Thomas Jefferson was the principal author of the Declaration of Independence
-
The second sentence is the most famous
"We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.:
Self-evident = obvious - doesn’t need to be explained
All men are created equal = heavily influenced by French Philosophers such as Voltaire - Thomas Paine from England had a big influence here too
Endowed by their creator = given by God
Unalienable rights = unable to be taken away
Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness
American won the war (with help from the French and the Spanish) and became an independent nation.
By a remarkable coincidence, Thomas Jefferson and John Adams, the only two signatories of the Declaration of Independence later to serve as presidents of the United States, both died on the same day: July 4, 1826, which was the 50th anniversary of the Declaration
———
Celebrations:
National Holiday in the U.S.
- Thanksgiving is the other big holiday. That is a formal family get-together with a sit-down meal of Turkey, Potatoes, Vegetables etc. (listen to the podcast on that)
- Fourth of July is more informal
- Barbecues
- Friends
- Summer - outside parties
- Bring something for the grill and a side or two
- hot dogs and burgers
- Apple pies
- Corn on the cob
- Beer
- Clothing
- Red, white, and blue
- American flags everywhere
- Water slides if weather permits
- Fireworks - downtown when dark
There are two reasons why you mightn find it difficult to speak English:
1: It's a difficult skill (compare it to reading, for example)
2: You don't practice speaking enough (think about typical language lessons)
Think about it. When speaking, you have to use the right words in the correct order, speak clearly and accurately, and also be able to understand what the other person is saying.
Most learners don't get the practice that they need.
Here is how to improve:
- Work on your pronunciation - do that through my program: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/
- Use the To Fluency Method: also inside my program
- Shadow native speakers (but be careful about how you do this)
- Get natural practice
Commit to doing this each day. Try the different methods above and find out which one(s) works best for you.
To learn more about these methods, watch this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQ
In this episode, you're going to learn phrases that you can use to express how you are feeling in English.
Here is the link to get bonus lessons and more:
https://www.tofluency.com/more
- Fear
- I’m scared of heights (phobia)
- Standing on the edge of that building was scary
- I was so scared when I was on that building
- I’m terrified of heights
- It freaks me out (American)
-
To be Scared to death
-
Anger
- I’m really angry about he did
- It makes me so mad when people…
- I can’t believe you did that
-
I’m so upset (similar to sadness)
-
Sadness
- I’m sad that we lost today
- I’m distraught that Preston lost today
- I’m gutted
-
I’m gutted that I didn’t get the job
-
Joy
- To be happy
- I’m happy that you came
- I’m so happy you came to the party
- Will you be happier if you quit your job?
- With enthusiasm
- To be pumped about something
- I’m pumped about this game!
- To be stoked
- I’m stoked
- I’m glad you came
-
Aren’t you glad you came now?
-
Surprise
- I’m surprised he bought that car
- It’s surprising
- I’m shocked she did that
-
I can’t believe it (intonation)
-
Trust
- I trust him
- I should never have trusted her
- Do you think I should trust them?
-
I don’t think he’s very trustworthy
-
Anticipation
-
I’m really looking forward to our vacation
- I can’t wait for our vacation
- I’m excited about our vacation
- Are you excited about it?
-
To be honest, I’m not looking forward to seeing them later
-
Shame
- I feel bad about what I did/I said
- Do you feel bad about it?
- I feel terrible for doing that
-
I just want to hide
-
Boredom
- I so bored
- I’m bored of this book now
- This book is boring
Get your fluency book here: https://www.tofluency.com/book (it's FREE to download!)
Here's the lesson on GET:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7E8JqV4D3Os
Here's the lesson on future tenses:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UISiuiPd_FY
Here are some of the key phrases from this lesson:
(to get the audio flashcards, go here: https://www.tofluency.com/tfp/ )
- Look up flights
- Direct or with stops
- Flight times
- Red-eye flights
- Price
- Checked bags, assigned seats, and cancelation policy
- Which airport you fly out of and to
- Buy tickets
- We’re traveling to California in August
- We’re planning on traveling to California in August
- We’re going to travel to California in August
- We bought tickets for California in August
- Pack your bags and remember your passport and other important documents
- I prefer to pack light - means not take more than you need to
- If I can get away with having just a carry-on bag, I’ll do it
- Get to the airport (get is a power word in English - see my lesson on that) - it means to go or arrive somewhere
- In the past, I have taken taxis, trains, and buses
- In the U.S., most people drive or get dropped off by someone
- Park at the airport - maybe you need to get a shuttle bus - then, enter the airport - bigger airports have different terminals
- This is where the fun starts!
- Stressed
- Rushing
- Get there in good time
- Check- in - check your passport and your tickets
- Weigh your carry-on bag
- Give you your boarding passes
- The tough bit - going through security
- It used to be much easier (used to)
- Now, there are long queues/lines and it can be quite stressful
- You have to empty your pockets, take out your electronics, take off your shoes, and take off your belt
- Then, you go through a scanner
- Most people don’t like this part. However, waiting on the other side can be great
- You go airside
- This is where the shops, restaurants, bars, duty-free stores, and boarding gates are
- Mose people feel much more relaxed here
- We normally have a walk around, go to a few shops, go the restroom - bathroom - and then, find our gate
- On the ticket, there’s information with the gate number, flight time, seat number, boarding time, and zone
- The zone means when you are going to board the plane - business and first-class go first - economy goes last
- Although things seem great here, there can be a few things that happen
- First, a flight might be delayed or even canceled due to a number of reasons
- No one like this - especially, if you have a connecting flight - which is another flight from the airport you’re flying to
- Another issue could be overbooking. This is where the airline has issued more tickets than seats available. This is common practice as statistically, there are people who don’t show up for their booked flight. At first, people volunteer to take a flight the day after.
- If they don’t get enough volunteers, passengers are bumped - which means, they’re chosen to fly at a later date
- When it’s time to board, you show your passport and boarding ticket to go through. Here, you through the tunnel and in most cases, board the plane there. In other cases, you might have to take a shuttle bus to the plane.
- Boarding tends to close 15-20 minutes before departure - if anyone hasn’t boarded and the gates are closing soon, they will announce their name over the speaker system
- After going through the tunnel and arrive at the plane door, you show your boarding pass again, go to your seats, put any carry-on luggage in the compartment above your seat, and then get comfy
- Once on the plane, you’ll usually receive a blanket and a pillow for longer flights - you’ll also have a mini-tv
- In economy class, there isn’t much legroom - and your seat doesn’t recline that much
- On most flights, I read a book or watch something. Sometimes, I’ll have a nap
- When taking off, you put on your seatbelt and listen to the safety announcement
- Now… airplane food. To be honest, I don’t normally eat any of it. It’s never that appealing. I don’t tend to drink alcohol either.
- When landing, you’ll need to put on your seatbelt, and put up your food tray and your seat
- When the plane arrives at the gate, people are quick to take off their seatbelt and get their bags out of the overhead compartment
- From here, people get off the plan, walk through the airport to the baggage area and wait for any checked baggage to come on the luggage belts
- Then, if you have traveled internationally, you go through customs. Depending on the airport and country, this can be quick or can sometimes, take hours
- Once you have done that, you are free to leave the airport and get to wherever you’re going
In this episode, you're going to learn how you can improve your writing in English. This is one of the four skills of English and practicing in this area will help you master English in a general sense too.
Here is the app that I recommend (affiliate link): https://www.tofluency.com/grammarly/
Tip 1: Write in the style that you're going to use (IELTS, business, conversational)
Tip 2: Copy text. Get your favorite drink, read a sentence and copy a sentence
Tip 3: Read a lot to get used to how English is written
Tip 4: Practice and get feedback from a teacher
Tip 5: Use the app that I listed above
Tip 6: Take your time and look up words and phrases
Thank you for listening! Get your free book here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
In this episode, I talk about the reason for buying local. This is a follow-up to episode 14 where Kate and I talked about online shopping.
Get the book I mentioned here: https://www.tofluency.com/5-step-plan/
Watch the conversation with subtitles here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccTCB6FStEQ
In this episode, Kate joins Jack to have a conversation about online shopping. The key with this episode is to get listening practice and to try and understand as much as you can.
Want to listen along with subtitles? Watch here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccTCB6FStEQ
In this episode, you’re going to learn a power verb. To get the examples, be sure to search for “to fluency Jack get” in Google. Enjoy!
In today's episode, you're going to learn English phrases related to getting around cities in Europe and the U.S. This will give you great listening practice, give you vocabulary related to this topic, and give you insight into what it's like living in the United States.
Here are some key phrases from this lesson:
- I grew up in the U.K.
- To get around a city
- Pavement - Sidewalk
- Zebra crossings - crosswalks
- It used to cost…
- If I had time, I would walk
- The U.S. is set up for cars
- The train system in the U.S. isn’t as developed as in Europe
- Most people drive or take a flight
- They’ve been built with the car in mind
- There aren’t any sidewalks
- Strip malls are popular here
- They drop you off on the side of the road
Be sure to go to https://www.tofluency.com to get your free book. Thank you for listening!
https://www.tofluency.com/book - Click here to join my email list and get my book (for free!).
The European Framework for Languages can help you with this. There are six levels in total:
A1: Beginner - This is where you can use very simple expressions. You need the other person to speak slowly.
A2: Elementary - This where you can understand frequently used expressions and can talk about simple things.
B1: Intermediate - You can deal with most situations when traveling and give explanations for opinions and plans.
B2: Upper Intermediate - You feel confident in most situations and can speak with a certain level of fluency.
C1: Advanced - This is fluency. You can use the language in a flexible way in many situations.
C2: Proficient - Understand everything and you speak like a native.
So, what level do you currently have? And are you happy with this level?
Please share this video if you found it useful. Thanks.
Here is the article on this topic: https://www.tofluency.com/english-level-test
In this episode, I am going to give you an English reading method that will help you make fast progress to fluency.
You are going to learn:
- the difference between intensive and extensive reading
- how to find the books in English that are going to help YOU
- a reading method that ensures you enjoy reading and helps you learn new words and phrases
Read the article here: https://tofluency.com/english-reading-practice/
In this episode, Jack talks about phones and social media in society today and how you can leverage them to learn English. There are many phrases to learn here and I think you will find the topic interesting.
Want a free fluency book? Go here: https://www.tofluency.com
In episode 8 of the To Fluency Podcast (Learn English with Jack), I talk about the strange reason why I started learning Spanish and the mistakes that I made as a beginner.
I then go through what I would have done differently if I knew what I know now (what a great sentence to learn!).
Enjoy this episode and then, head over to https://www.tofluency.com to get your free book.
Thanks for listening.
Get your free book here: https://www.tofluency.com
You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn
Our friends, family, and workmates influence us more than we think. The famous quote from Jim Rohn states that we are the average of the five people that we spend most of our time with. Here are some examples:
- If everyone around you eats unhealthily, you will most likely eat bad food too.
- If everyone around you is always complaining and isn’t enjoying life, it will be difficult for you to be carefree and to have fun.
- But, if everyone around you is highly motivated, you are more likely to be motivated too.
As James Clear puts it: “Most of our behaviors are driven by two things: our environment and our beliefs. And environment is perhaps the most powerful of those two because in many cases your environment can shape your beliefs. This is especially true when you consider your environment to include the people who surround you”
How We Can Apply This to Learning English?
It’s hard to do anything on your own for a long time, especially when progress can’t always be seen. Learning English is a long-term journey; a journey full of different challenges. And it’s even more difficult to do what we need to do over the long-term if others aren’t supporting you.
We only have so much willpower [the ability to control our actions]; we need the support of others and to be in a positive environment to achieve our goals. Think about the people that you spend the most time with:
- Are they driven and motivated?
- Are they supportive of your English learning goals?
- Are they the type of people who can achieve a goal such as learning English?
If not, they could be slowing down your progress without you knowing it. They could be affecting you subconsciously and stopping you from doing the things you need to do to reach English fluency.
This might sound quite depressing, but there is good news..
Spend More Time With Those Who Inspire You:
What I don’t suggest is that you leave your family, ditch all your friends, and then only hang around [spend your time with] Richard Branson, Bill Gates, and Barack Obama!
But a great starting point is to hang around with others in person or online who have similar goals and ambitions that you have. For example, I meet up with four other entrepreneurs once a month in my local area, and we chat regularly online too. We all inspire, motivate, and help each other to do the things that we need to do in order to achieve our goals.
I’m also friends with teachers online who are as driven and committed as I am. We inspire each other to keep creating amazing resources for our students and to keep improving as teachers.
Being surrounded by these people has helped me and this website grow tremendously over the past year. And I don’t think that I would be where I am now if I hadn’t taken that step.
So, let’s now take a look at what you can do to improve your circle of influence so that you reach your English learning goals.
As learning English isn’t something that can be achieved in 3 months, you may hear a lot of negative things from other learners, such as:
- English is so hard.
- I’ll never reach fluency.
- My English is terrible and it’s getting worse. I should give up.
What I suggest you do is to ignore these comments, and don’t spend time with these people (when possible). Instead, connect with others who are going to have a positive influence on your English learning. The effect this will have will be huge, and will make a big difference to the progress you make.
You can do this by:
- Following inspiring people on social media (teachers and language learners) and communicating with them in meaningful ways.
- Joining groups with other English learners to discuss your goals and what you are doing to achieve them. Keep the discussion positive, and encourage each other to keep progressing.
- Changing the subject when someone talks about your goals in a negative way.
This is a great starting point, and you will soon notice how being around positive people, both teachers and fellow learners, will have a positive effect on your learning.
In this episode of the To Fluency Podcast, you're going to learn 37 phrases related to cooking pizza (see the phrases below).
Want a free fluency book? Go to my website here: https://www.tofluency.com
Here are those phrases:
- the woman is wearing an apron
- I don't think I've worn an apron for 10 years
- we also have all the different ingredients out for her
- the chef is taking some flour and pouring this into a bowl
- she's adding flour to a bowl
- she picks up the bowl of yeast and adds that to the mix
- yeast is very important when it comes to pizza bases
- now she mixes all of that together
- you can see here she is pouring milk to this flour base
- she's pouring the liquid into the bowl
- This is when things can get a bit messy
- you obviously want to wash your hands before doing this
- you can see now that she's kneading it together
- now unless you want the dough to stick to the table, it's a good idea to sprinkle some flour on the table
- she breaks off some of the dough
- She puts that dough on the table, pushes it down a couple of times
- she flips it over
- she takes the rolling pin to roll the dough into the shape of a pizza
- Before making the rest of the pizza, she goes out to the garden
- she cuts off some basil
- she brings the basil inside and washes it under the tap
- she then places it on a towel to dry
- the puts the pizza base on a plate
- she puts some sauce on the base and spreads it out
- she grates the cheese over the pizza
- this can be called grated or shredded cheese
- she brings over some vegetables
- the vegetables have already been sliced
- she puts the vegetables on the pizza
- this adds a little bit of spice to the pizza
- she then takes the basil that she picked before
- she adds this as a garnish
- the last thing it needs is a little bit of salt on top
- I would have added some meat
- she then takes the pizza over to the oven
- the oven is already preheated
- she puts the pizza in the oven
- I hope she puts a timer on
- you never want to burn your pizza
- the cheese is going to start burning in a second
- it's starting to look really good
- she opens the oven and takes the pizza out
- she uses oven gloves so she doesn't burn her hands
- I would have cooked that for another two or three minutes
- I like a crispier crust
- I would still eat it
- it's now time to cut the pizza into slices
- I normally burn my fingers doing this because I'm too eager
- everyone jumps in and takes a slice
- hopefully, they're going to wait until it cools down
Thank you for listening!
In this English lesson, I'm going to go through American vocabulary and Americanisms that seem natural to me now (I'm from the U.K. but live in the U.S.) - listed below.
I'll also go through words and phrases that still sound strange to me.
This is great for you if you want to learn some differences between British and American English.
Want a free English fluency book? Visit our website here: https://www.tofluency.com
Here is the list of the words and expressions used in this episode:
- Soccer
- Diaper / stroller
- Like
- Did you have breakfast yet?
- Can I get…?
- Chips and fries
- Takeout
- Gas and gas station
Words and phrases I still use that are considered British English:
- Couldn't care less (not could!)
- Yoghurt
- Tomato
- Water bottle
- Trolley
- Torch
To find our British and American English conversations, simply search for "English Conversations To Fluency" in your favorite search engine.
Informal contractions are common in everyday English. In this episode, you're going to learn the most common examples so that you can better understand English speakers.
Here are the examples from the episode:
- Didja do it?
- I shoulda done it
- I hafta go
- Wouldja do it?
- I dunno
- Gimme some time
- Whatcha doing?
- Doncha wish your…
- I kinda like it -
- Tellem to do it
- I kinda wanna go soon
Go to https://www.tofluency.com/relax to get the show notes. Thank you for listening!
In this English lesson, you're going to learn a way in which you can learn English over the next 12 months. Most learners fail because they don't stay consistent. This video will give you the 10+ Method for English learning success.
Learn more about our methods here: https://www.tofluency.com
In order to reach English fluency (a C1 level in most cases), you need to do the right things consistently. This includes:
- getting lots of input
- learning the sounds of English and pronunciation in general
- using repetition in a smart way
- getting natural speaking practice
But it's one thing knowing what to do. It's another thing actually doing it.
That's where the 10+ method can change everything!
It's this: commit to ten minutes of something that you need to do every day. Just ten minutes. You must do this every day. No excuses.
If you do more, great! If not, no worries.
There will be days when you want to do more. There will be days when you don't. But the minimum amount is 10 minutes (or 5 or 15 or 20 - whatever you choose. Don't get greedy though!).
In this episode, I talk about why it's important to embrace difficulty and to get excited when you can't do something. This is how you're going to improve.
Learn more about our methods here:
https://www.tofluency.com
We also go into the difference between deliberate practice and passive learning and I give you my favorite method for learning English fast.
I hope you enjoy it!
In this English audio lesson, you're going to learn about a typical day in the life of Dave. And in this short story, you're going to hear over 50 phrasal verbs. After listening to the story, you'll learn what these phrasal verbs mean and I'll give you lots of examples to help you better understand how to use them.
Phrasal verbs are important for being able to speak English fluently and with confidence. So, listen to this episode and take notes!
Want to learn more about this podcast? Go here: https://www.tofluency.com/podcast