The for this episode was recorded on March 22, so keep that in mind when listening to our discussion about the weather and daylight hours. ***ABOUT*** Maine is the easternmost and northernmost state in the contiguous United States, and it’s known for its expansive forests, breathtaking coastlines, and its unique New England culture. Today, we're going to talk to Brent (Speak English with This Guy), who is a middle school English teacher from Maine. You'll hear from a local all about the...

At the beginning of May every year, horse racing season begins. In the U.S., it starts off with The Kentucky Derby, a horse race that is often referred to as “the most exciting two minutes of sports.” 🐎  Since 1875, eager spectators have been pouring into Churchill Downs in Louisville, Kentucky to watch the ca. 20 racers make their way to the finish line.  Just given how long the event has been around, you can probably imagine how many traditions there are at the event. In today’s episode,...

In this episode, you'll learn how to use the common English expression "To Jump the Gun." Be sure to stay tuned until part 2 to learn all about the Kentucky Derby, "the most exciting two minutes of sports." ***** Premium Content: This episode is part of Season 3. By purchasing Season 3 transcripts, you'll be able to access the full episodes, the full PDF transcripts for episodes 101 - 150, an Mp3 download  and the premium podcast player to work on your pronunciation.   Get ALL PREMIUM...

Today you’ll hear about a trip to the grocery store. Imagine yourself as the main character of this story; visualize the interior of the store and that you are walking down the aisles. Picture everything from the moment you grab your cart or basket at the entrance, to the moment you check out at the register and head home. As usual with 5-Minute English episodes, I try to keep the audio part of this lesson to 5 minutes. This lesson went a little over but for good reason! :) ***** THIS IS AN...

In today's episode, we're talking to Natalie Sawicki, a songwriter from Los Angeles, who spent most of her life in Connecticut! She shares so much about this charming small state; you’ll hear about the fall foliage, New England fashion, local delicacies and much more! Let's Discover “The Nutmeg State" with a local! Follow Natalie's work on Instagram @natsawicki. ***** Connecticut is a small state. In fact, it's the third smallest state in the United States after Rhode Island and Delaware....

In this 3-part episode, you'll hear a casual discussion about one of life's most mundane topics: peeing and pooping. It's taboo to talk about, which is strange given how it's one of the most common things in the world.  In part 1, you’ll hear about potty training,  you’ll hear a joke and learn some fun things. If you're interested, here's the Potty Training book I was talking about! (The E-book is FREE.)In part 2, you’ll learn peeing and pooping vocabulary, which is very taboo to talk about,...

If you don't know who Dr. Seuss is, you should! He was a cartoonist and author that brought us The Cat in the Hat, The Grinch, Green Eggs and Ham and over 40 other incredible books for children and adults around the world. He's been called "the father of contemporary children's literature." One out of four children in the US receive a Dr. Seuss book as their first book in life, and there's a good reason for it: they're playful and clever, with quirky images and rhymes, and there's a lot of...

It's a ridiculous visual, is it not?! If the cat's got your tongue, you can't talk, you're speechless! And that's pretty much how we use it in English conversation. We often ask someone "Cat got your tongue?" in situations when they can't respond, or they don't respond. Listen to this episode to hear a joke, learn this expression and practice your pronunciation. This is Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll talk about Dr. Seuss, one of the most beloved cartoonists and authors in...

Every year in New Orleans, Louisiana, a million visitors come to experience the biggest Mardi Gras party in the United States. Learn about the history of this event and the traditions and culture surrounding it. If you plan on visiting, be sure to stay tuned until the very end; you'll learn how to make the most of it as a tourist! This is Part 2. In Part 1 of this episode, Episode 139, you'll learn how to use the very common expression up one's alley, you'll heard a joke and practice your...

Isn't it nice when you learn an English expression that you can use a million times a day, every single day that you speak English? Well, listen to this episode. In today's episode, you'll learn how to use the very common expression up one's alley, you'll hear a joke and you'll practice your pronunciation! This is Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll talk about the massive Mardi Gras celebration in New Orleans, Louisiana, and how you can take part in it! ***** Premium Content: This...

You walk into a restaurant and head towards the bar. Behind it, a lighted mosaic of colorful liquors spread from the ceiling to the floor. It's fancy on another level. Some people may describe it as resplendent; it feels like you're looking into a Queen's jewelry box. A long counter separates you from the skilled bartender behind it, who shakes, stirs and strains with ease. As you approach, you consider how you'll place your order in English and suddenly you feel out of your element. In other...

It's story time! Welcome to a French coffee shop and fancy restaurant where you'll be introduced to a number of common French loanwords in English. A loanword is a words borrowed from a foreign language. American English is packed with French words; how do we pronounce them?  Well, I know a lot of you are saying we butcher them, that's okay (I don't disagree with you!) In general, the pronunciation of a words depends on how popular / common a word is. If a French word is common in American...

In today's episode, we're talking to Camille Hanson, an ESL teacher and social media influencer who grew up in the U.P. - the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. Buckle up! You're about to be immersed in an adventure; one that includes snow, lake life, deer flies, girls hunting with bows and arrows and so much more. Learn from a local how you can take advantage of "The Mitten State." ***** Michigan is the 10th largest state in the US by population, and there’s quite a bit you should know about...

In today’s lesson you’re going to hear the story of the creator of Jingle Bells, his questionable character and we’ll  go through the lyrics of the song so if you want to sing it in English, you can. This is Part 2. In Part 1, we spoke about  the common English expression Bells and Whistles. ***** In December of 1965, a spacecraft called Gemini 6 was flying in outer space, looking back down at earth. The crew members on board were on call with Mission Control when they announced the...

The holiday season is here and I bet some of you are skimming the internet for new gadgets. Do you like gadgets with a bunch of bells and whistles (fancy features) or do you prefer simplicity? In this episode, you'll learn how to use the common expression bells and whistles, you'll hear a joke and you'll practice your pronunciation! This is Part 1. Stay tuned for Part 2, where we'll talk about the popular Christmas song Jingle Bells. ***** Premium Content: This episode is part of Season...

You know Starbucks, right? The coffee company? Born in Seattle, Washington and brewed around the world? I bet you do; they have over 33 thousand stores in over 80 countries.  In today's episode, we're going to talk about those guys, the beans and more! Why is it called Starbucks? Who's that woman on their cups? There are a lot of Starbucks haters and a lot of lovers out there, but all of you will find this episode fascinating because 1. it’s an absurdly successful business, how did they do...

The expression To Blow Off Steam is a common one in the United States. In today's episode, you'll learn how to use it in everyday contexts, you'll hear a joke and also practice your pronunciation! :) Thanks again to my amazing supporters who have contributed to this podcast either by purchasing Premium Contentor buying me coffee!Thank you to Paulo, Picante, Stefan, Ortiz and the other anonymous contributors from this month. SO exciting! ***** Premium Content: This episode is part of...

This is PART 2 of episode 133. In today’s lesson, Liz and I will be going through 15 common similes that you’ll hear in everyday conversation. Some are literal, so they’ll sound normal, others are quite random so you may want to write these down in your notebook. If you would the full list of words, with examples and a quiz to make sure you’ve understood them, be sure to sign up to Premium Content at americanenglishpodcast.com. See link below.  A simile, according to Oxford Languages is “a...

In today’s lesson, Liz and I will be going through 15 common similes that you’ll hear in everyday conversation. Some are literal, so they’ll sound normal, others are quite random so you may want to write these down in your notebook. If you would the full list of words, with examples and a quiz to make sure you’ve understood them, be sure to sign up to Premium Content at americanenglishpodcast.com.  A simile, according to Oxford Languages is “a figure of speech involving the comparison of one...

In today's episode, Lindsay, host of the All Ears English Podcast, will take us on a journey to Colorado, one of the most stunning mountainous states in the western United States. On our 3-day trip to Colorado, via audio, we'll not only get a taste of what it's like to be a tourist there, but hear from a local's standpoint what culture, beauty and adventures awaits us. Be sure to check out the episode webpage for links to the places we talked about in this episode! :) ***** Buy Me a...

We live in a day and age that is driven by science and technology, yet people are still superstitious. According to a study I read by YouGov, 9% of Americans claim to be superstitious, while another 35% admit to not being very superstitious, but somewhat. That makes over 40% of individuals in the United States somewhat superstitious. So what does it mean to be superstitious? According to Cambridge Dictionary, it is to have beliefs that are not based on human reason or scientific knowledge,...

"Sunday Toasted" is a song that was recently released by a new artist named Zinn, and it's jam-packed with American slang and vocabulary which we'll go through in this episode. This song is also full of cultural references about working and partying :).  All in all, I can't think of a more fitting song to be the first "music" episode on this podcast. By the end, you'll have a beautiful picture in your mind of a typical summer's day in the South and understand why lake culture is so big...

The Monster Study (aka Tudor Study) is an unethical psychology experiment that was conducted in 1939 on 22 orphans in Davenport, Iowa.  The goal was to a test the theory that by deeply worrying about starting to stutter, one may develop the speech disorder. Mary Tudor, a graduate student, attempted to induce stuttering - to create the behavior - in fluent speakers with the assistance of her advisor Wendell Johnson. The study was dubbed "The Monster Study" for the cruelty and misconduct of...

In this episode, there are two parts. In Part 1, you'll hear a joke, practice your pronunciation and learn the expression "Off the Record".  In Part 2 of today's lesson (available on Thursday, September 15th), we’re going to talk about The Monster Study, a wildly unethical study (by today's standards) that is about orphans and language development, specifically stuttering. To amp up the learning experience in episode 129, I explain challenging words and phrases as I go along. The American...

In today's episode, you'll learn vocabulary, phrasal verbs and expressions related to Birthday Parties. This episode was created with a goal in mind: to help you think about the birthday parties in your life. I hope that by the end of this lesson you feel like you can describe your special days with more detail in English. This is an advanced listening exercise so it's ok if you don't understand everything! To access to material and worksheets that correspond to this episode, check out...