Are you looking for a new and fun way to learn American English? Come hang out with Lindsay and Michelle from Boston and New York City and have fun while you improve your English listening skills! All Ears English is an English as a Second Language (ESL) podcast for intermediate to advanced learners around the world. We will show you how to use everyday vocabulary and natural idioms, expressions, and phrasal verbs and how to make small talk in American English. We will also give you special tips on American culture, customs, etiquette, and how to speak with Americans as well as conversation and commentary on study tips, life in America and Boston, how to apply to university in the US, dating, travel, food and more. You'll get TOEFL, IELTS, and TOEIC help also from our IELTS and test expert Jessica Beck. This podcast is for adult students who are professionals and university students as well as ESL teachers. Join our community to learn to speak American English like a native! Connection NOT Perfection!
Similar Podcasts
Radio Ambulante
Radio Ambulante es un podcast pionero en español que cuenta crónicas latinoamericanas en audio, celebrando la diversidad y complejidad de la región. / Radio Ambulante is an award-winning Spanish language podcast that uses long-form audio journalism to tell neglected and under-reported Latin American and Latino stories.
Easy Russian: Learn Russian with native speakers | Учим русский с носителями языка
Maybe you’re already learning Russian with us on YouTube? On this podcast, we talk about the Russian language and the culture of the Russian-speaking countries from the perspective of our two hosts who left Russia in 2022. We also explain words and expressions and answer your questions. Members also get interactive transcripts, early access and bonus content for each episode. Learn more at www.easyrussian.fm.
Chillchat (Learn Chinese and Chill)
Are you struggling to find good listening material for learning Chinese? Are you tired of robotic and boring textbook audio? Chillchat is the answer for you! Our podcasts not only cover vocabulary and grammar, but we also talk about culture, trends, and other useful topics. With our fun and relaxing conversations, Chinese learning is a breeze! You can DOWNLOAD the transcript/study material at: https://www.buymeacoffee.com/chillchat or buy us a coffee and get a name shoutout in our show :)
AEE 296: Never Get to Speak English? How to Solve Your Problem Now
Get $10 USD off your second lesson with Jason at http://www.allearsenglish.com/italki Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/296 and tell us if/when you plan to try Jason's class called "Student Speaks, Teacher Listens" Do you feel like you never get a chance to speak English? Even when you attend an English class or work with an English tutor do you leave the class feeling like you haven’t spoken at all? If so, then you are not alone. A lot of students feels this way. Today we have a guest, Jason Newnum, who is an American English teacher. He teaches on the italki platform and he is available for lessons now! Jason has a special class called “Student Speaks, Teacher Listens.” Why did Jason create this class? Jason created this class because when he took Spanish classes he noticed that he was not getting much speaking practice at all. He felt discouraged and didn’t get much better. He realized that the same problem was happening with English students. Jason wants to solve this problem. Why is Jason’s class different? He makes sure that students talk more, about 80% of the time He feels comfortable being quiet, he doesn’t get nervous like other teachers do sometimes when they are nervous so he doesn’t fill that space with meaningless chatter A typical class with Jason: He asks you what’s new with you He gives you a short article or video clip and asks for your opinion He asks great follow-up questions- directly related to YOU and YOUR experiences He writes out your mistakes in the Skype chat box so that you have a record of your mistakes Get $10 off your second lesson with Jason Jason’s Bio: Jason Newnum teaches English as a second language, in Bariloche, Argentina, and lives there with his family. Although he received his university degree in Spanish and now lives in a Spanish speaking country, his Argentine wife speaks English and Spanish equally. So it’s difficult to force himself to practice Spanish, when it’s easier to speak English with his wife. So he understands the frustrations of having to force ourselves to practice a foreign language everyday. Do you have this problem with your English class? Are you planning to try Jason’s class? If so, let us know when you are going to get started with Jason.
AEE 295: How to Be Pushy Without Being Pushy in English
Come have a conversation with Lindsay and Michelle in the comments section of our blog! Come back to: http://www.allearsenglish.com/295 Get your free IELTS Cheat Sheet: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation Today you’ll get six ways to check on someone’s progress in a non-pushy way in English! Do you ever want to get the status of someone’s progress on a project or an assignment but do you get confused about how to ask without making the person feel pressured? Today you’ll find out how to do it successfully in English. Ways to check on progress: “How’s it going? I look forward to receiving the files.” “Any updates? ” How are things progressing?” “How are things moving forward?” “How are things going?” “Do you need any feedback on anything?” “Do you want me to check your work?” Slightly more direct ways to check on progress: “What’s your timeline?” “How’s your timeline looking?” “I just wanted to check in. When do you think you’ll be able to get that done?” What other phrases do you use when you want to check on someone’s progress? Let us know in the comments below.
AEE 294: Don't Be a Fool! Learn About April Fool's Day with All Ears English
Come back to our blog and have a conversation with us! Go to http://www.allearsenglish.com/294 Get your FREE IELTS Cheat Sheet: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation April Fool’s Day is coming up later this week. Are you ready for it? How do you celebrate April Fool’s Day in your culture? Today you’ll learn what many Americans do on April Fool’s Day and you’ll get a few new vocabulary words for this day. It’s common to play jokes on friends and colleagues at work or at college in the United States. It’s especially common in colleges because students live together with their friends in dormitories. Vocabulary for April Fool’s Day: Gullible: To trust people and believe things that people say, even if those things are not true. Practical Joke: A joke that you play on someone (not a spoken joke). You act out this kind of joke. A prank: A practical joke, a joke that is acted out Gag gift: A silly gift that is not meant to be serious but is meant to be a joke What should you do if someone plays a joke on you? Don’t take it too seriously. Laugh at it. Have a good time. Leave a message in the comments. How do you celebrate April Fool’s Day? Let us know.
AEE 293: How to Learn English the Way a Child Learns to Walk
Come back to our site and let's have a conversation about this episode in the comments section: http://allearsenglish.com/aee-293-how-to-learn-english-the-way-a-child-learns-to-walk/ Today is a Deep Thoughts Thursday and we have an inspiring quote for you! Let’s talk about success. Here is the quote: “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.” -Winston Churchill We can apply this quote to a lot of different aspects of our lives like learning English, dating, and our career paths. We have to keep going and take on new challenges with a positive attitude even if we have failed many times in the past. Try to avoid feeling bitter when you take on a challenge and try again. What do you think about this quote? Do you keep your heart open and stay enthusiastic when you try again with something? Leave us a comment below and let’s discuss it!
AEE 292: How to Talk About Fashion in English
Come back to our site and talk about fashion with us! http://allearsenglish.com/how-to-talk-about-fashion-in-english What is your fashion style? Would you like to be able to talk about fashion in English in a more sophisticated way? Today you’ll get to expand your English fashion vocabulary in this episode with Lindsay and Michelle. Fashion Vocabulary: 1) Umbrella term= Bag Purse Backpack Satchel Handbag Pocketbook Evening bag Clutch Wristlet 2) Umbrella term= Shoes Sneakers Tennis shoes Walking shoes Boots Hiking boots Heels Flats Sandals Birkenstocks 3) Umbrella term= Shirt T-shirt Blouse Tank Top (Spaghetti straps, sleeveless) Sweater Sweatshirt Hoodie (hooded sweatshirt) 4) Umbrella term= Jacket Coat (heavier than a jacket) Ski jacket Leather jacket Peacoat What do you think? How do you know when someone is fashionable? What is your fashion style? Share it with us in the comments.
AEE 291: Crazy? Insane? How to Use English Slang but Stay Politically Correct
Do you use a lot of English slang in your everyday conversations with natives? In today’s episode you’ll find out how to use the words “crazy” and “insane” as slang words in conversations. How to use the word “crazy” in a slang form: “I know someone who’s totally crazy because he still hitchhikes.” It was crazy for us to hitchhike. Those were my crazy days.” “Are you crazy about your boyfriend?” “What is the craziest thing you have ever done?” The slang words “crazy” and “insane” mean wild and out of control. They could also mean unexpected or out of control. The words are also used a lot in song lyrics, especially love songs. If you use these words in a literal way to describe someone who is mentally ill it is rude. Instead you could say that they are “mentally disabled” or “mentally handicapped” or “mentally challenged.” Have you ever tried using these slang words in your English conversations? Share your questions with us in the comments below. Let’s talk! Come back to allearsenglish.com/291
AEE 290: Get Off the Hamster Wheel! The Epidemic of "Busy" in the United States
Are you busy? In your home culture, is it considered “cool” to be busy? In American culture everyone is busy and it’s almost in style to be busy. We think that’s crazy! Today we are going to give our opinion on this article from the Washington Post called Exhaustion Is Not a Status Symbol. In American culture, especially in large cities like New York and Boston, things move fast and we often define ourselves based on the things that we do. We also measure our worth based on what we achieve. We end up valuing perfectionism and accomplishing things over just living. Americans don’t take much time off for vacation while in other cultures people take much more vacation time. How do we know that this is a problem? People in the US always say: “I’ve been crazy busy.” “I have so much going on.” What can we do about this? Avoid checking emails every three minutes When you complete a task, sit back and reflect, get feedback (this was a suggestion from the article) Take more vacation time What do you think? Is being busy considered cool in your culture? Let us know in the comments. Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/290 to have a conversation with Lindsay and Michelle
AEE 289: How to Make a 90 Degree Turn with Your English Conversations
Come back to our blog to leave a comment and have a conversation with us! http://allearsenglish.com/289 Today let’s talk about how to sound more natural in English when you use the phrase “by the way.” Michelle and Lindsay will show you some great examples of how to use this phrase. This phrase is useful to do two things: Bring up a random, unexpected topic To continue with the same topic, to add an idea linked to a previous idea Listen to the episode for a few great examples of how to use “by the way” in English conversations with Lindsay and Michelle. How have you used “by the way” in the past? Let us know in the comments!
AEE 288: To Tip or Not to Tip at an American Restaurant? That is the Question!
Come back to http://allearsenglish.com/288 Do you ever get confused about whether or not you should tip in an American restaurant? Do you wonder how much to leave? When to leave it? Today you’ll get insider information from Michelle, who used to be a waitress at an American restaurant. In the United States you MUST tip in a restaurant. Servers only make a few dollars per hour. They rely on your tips. How much should you tip? You should tip 18-20%. However, you do have a choice when it comes to leaving a tip. If you have bad service then you can tip less. If the waitress is slow or has a bad attitude then you don’t have to leave a lot of money as a tip. It’s up to you. When should you leave the tip? If you pay with a credit card they take your card and come back with a receipt and the receipt has a place to write in the tip and the total and then you need to sign the receipt before you leave. If you are paying in cash it’s ok to leave the cash on the table but put it under a cup or a plate. What if you are with a large party? (A group of 6 or more people): In this case gratuity (tip) is usually included. It’s added into the bill before you get the bill. Make sure you ask if you don’t know if it has already been included. In other episodes we will talk about tipping in a bar, a cafe, the hair salon, a taxi, etc. What is your opinion when it comes to leaving tips in the US? Have you ever made a mistake with this? Do you have any additional questions? Please ask us in the comments below.
AEE 287: SOS! Are You in Distress? How to Rescue Your English Phone Conversations
Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/287 Do you ever get into trouble during English phone conversations? This is one of the biggest challenge for English students, especially at work. Today we will show you how to get out of trouble if you aren’t understanding someone on the phone. We’ll give you 8 things to do before or during the call to get the help you need. How to Rescue Your Phone Call: Practice to listening to natives as much as possible in your daily life (podcasts, sitcoms, the news on TV) Ask the person to help you: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble understanding you. Would you (be able to ) say that again?” “Could you repeat that (for me) please?” “Would you mind slowing down a bit? It’s hard to hear you.” Ask the person to follow up with a summary of the conversation by email See if it’s ok to record the conversation Breathe deeply before you get on the call with a native speaker It’s important not to be ashamed if you can’t understand someone in English on the phone. Don’t pretend to understand when you don’t. Use one of our strategies above to save your English conversations on the phone. What other tactics have you tried to rescue your English conversations? Share them with us in the comments!
AEE Bonus! Looking for a 7 on the IELTS Writing Test Check Out IELTS ENERGY
Go here to subscribe to IELTS Energy Podcast now: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/ielts-energy-english-podcast/id969076668?mt=2
AEE 286: 3 Ways that Setting Intentions Can Make Your Life Abroad More Fulfilling
Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/286 Are you going abroad sometime soon? Have you set an intention for your time abroad? In today’s episode Lindsay talks with Norman Viss, an expat coach who helps his clients make the most of their time abroad by setting intentions. How can setting intentions make your life abroad more fulfilling? Think about what kind of expat you are and decide how that will shape your expat life: Are you a foreign assignee? Has your company moved you abroad to work? Are you an international student or former international student? Are you a “love-pat”? (someone who has gone abroad because they have met a partner, are you a traveling spouse? Are you a “greener pastures expat”? This is someone who has gone abroad to find a better place to live including retirees. Set goals and don’t just “go with the flow” Do you want to learn a language? Be realistic about what will be possible based on the amount of time that you will be abroad. Be intentional about what kinds of friendships you want while you are abroad. What are your areas of interest? Do you like desserts? Sports? Do you like history? What kind of focus will you have during your time abroad? Will you create a theme for your life abroad? What about your work? What professional goals do you want to accomplish while you are abroad? Consider how your life will look after your time abroad: What do you want your life to look like after you return from abroad? What about retirement? If you are going abroad in your 40’s or 50’s then it’s a good idea to think about the future after your time abroad. The key to a happy life abroad is being intentional! Let us know in the comments below if you have been intentional in your life abroad and how it has affected your experience abroad. Norman Viss put down roots in Nigeria (10 years) and the Netherlands (22 years). He has worked for mission organizations, churches and in the public sector for the City of Amsterdam. He holds B.A. and Master’s degrees, with majors in cross-cultural and urban studies and theology; he is also an ICF- credentialed coach. Currently he runs an online business coaching expats around the world (Expat Everyday Support Center) and serves part-time as a clergyman in the Philadelphia area in the USA. Norman is a thankful husband, father and grandfather. Visit Norman’s coaching website at expateverydaysupportcenter.com
AEE 285: Why You Should Count Your Blessings in English
Today get some strategies for how to cultivate more gratitude in your life in English! Today’s quote: “When I started counting my blessings, my whole life turned around.” - Willie Nelson Vocabulary from the quote: To count your blessings: To pay attention to the good things in your life My whole life turned around: My whole life got better, changed direction How can you cultivate more gratitude in your life? Keep a gratitude journal every day, write down your “blessings” and what you are grateful for Focus on the good things that you have in your life, not the bad things Set an alarm on your phone. When the alarm goes off you can think about what you are grateful in that moment.
AEE 284: How to Tell a Knock- Knock Joke in English
Come back to allearsenglish.com/284 to tell us your knock-knock joke in English. Knock-kock jokes are super common in American culture. Today you’ll find out how to tell a joke like this and make people laugh to build great connections with English speakers in your life. These kinds of jokes are often told by kids. They are fun, innocent and clever. They are a play on words. Joke #1: “knock knock” “Who’s there?” “Canoe” “Canoe who?” Can-oe (can you) help me me with my homework?” Joke #2: “Knock knock” “Who’s there?” “Orange” “Orange who?” “Orange-ya (aren’t you) gonna let me in?” Joke #3: “Knock knock” “Who’s there?” “Harry” “Harry who?” “Harry up (hurry up) it’s cold out here” What knock-knock jokes do you know in English? Tell us your joke in the comment section below!
AEE 283: How to Get Out of Trouble in an English Conversation
Leave a comment and have a conversation with us! Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/283 How can you quickly change the subject in English and get out of trouble when someone seems uncomfortable? It’s important to know how to do this if you want to be able to make great connections with people. How do we know when someone’s uncomfortable in American culture? Their shoulders tense up They don’t make eye contact Their tone of voice changes They hesitate They use “um,” “ya know” and other filler words Today let’s find out how to save the interaction when you have brought up a topic that makes someone uncomfortable? What questions can you ask to change the topic? “So how’s work going?” (ask about the person’s job or work projects) “How are your parents doing?” (ask about the person’s family) “It’s freezing today, isn’t it?” (or another weather comment) “Do you have any vacations coming up?’ “Have you seen any good movies lately?” What questions do you use in your culture to change the topic if someone is uncomfortable? Share your ideas in the comments below!