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

How do you clarify information in English? Have you ever met someone on the phone or the internet before you met them in person? Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss tag questions, and how they can help you confirm what you think you know, but aren’t sure about!   Come back our site for more tips   A tag question helps you to confirm a piece of information that you think is true, but that you want to clarify. Though they are used as a tool for clarity, they can also be a great way to create conversations. Tag questions tend to begin with the statement to be clarified, and then end with the question. There are many possible combinations.   Some common examples of tag questions include: “You’re from Washington, aren’t you?” “You used to live in New York, didn’t you?” “He can play the piano, can’t he?” “Her birthday is in July, right?”   Are You Ready to Practice? Get a Private, Native English Teacher Now! Try italki to learn to speak like a native. You’ll get your English mistakes corrected immediately! Fo

Do you want to start a conversation in English? Today, Lindsay introduces and talks about conversations with Michelle Kaplan, the new All Ears English co-host!     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can you improve your English conversations? Is conversation a science? Find out today as Lindsay talks with Travis Wolven about the poetics of conversation! Come back to our site for more info and tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What should be your focus when learning English? How can you make the most of the time you invest in studying? Today Lindsay talks with Nick Vance about the 80/20 principle, and how it can improve your English conversations!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Nick believes that 80% of the positive benefits of something come from 20% of the input. In business, some customers are more valuable than others. With friends, though you may have many, only a few are truly close. In learning English, most of the grammar mistakes a new learner makes are really the same mistake over and over. Correcting these most common 20% of mistakes would eliminate 80% of all grammar mistakes. The best way to identify these is by working with a teacher who can help point out your mistakes.   Another way to work with the 80/20 principle is to prepare answers to the most common questions you might get from native English speakers. This will help you comfortably get conversations started — which is probably

How do you get a job in the United States? What do employers want and expect? Today, Lindsay and Kristy talk about 3 things an employer in the U.S. might look for in a job candidate!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   If you’re applying for a job, it’s important to know what your potential employer is looking for. Like any other country, the U.S. has a professional culture which places more value on some individual qualities than others. These qualities may be very different from what employers look for in your home country!   Some qualities American employers seek in employees: Proactive attitude: Show that you are autonomous and energetic – the opposite of passive. It means to show up early, confirm the time you will meet, and say thank you. Positive attitude: Americans like smiles. But it’s also important that you get along with others and not be pessimistic. Communication: When you actively communicate it shows you are engaged. A big part of this is simply that you let the b

When should you use the word ‘the’ in English? Today, in #1 of the Top 15 Fixes series, we discuss the most common article in the English language, ‘the’! Come back to our site   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Use if the word ‘the’ can be a confusing. But there are some rules that can help you get it right most of the time.   The first requires that you consider whether the focus is on something specific, or something more general. When focused on specific items, use ‘the’. If you’re sitting at a table, talking about the food that is actually in front of you, you might say: “Do you like the turkey?” “Yes, the turkey is great!” “Could you please pass the salt?” When focused on more general terms, you don’t use ‘the’. If you’re discussing food in general, you might say: “Do you like turkey?” “Have you tried pumpkin pie?” “Cranberries are too tart for me.”   Geographical terms can also be tricky for ‘the’. In most cases, large, well-known geographic places will have ‘the': the cont

Are you free to follow your goals in life? Or are you afraid? Today, learn how freedom comes with fearlessness! Come back to allearsenglish.com/219 for more!   Go here to read the full episode summary   There are so many things to be afraid of: loneliness, lack of money, professional failure or meaninglessness. Fears can overwhelm you. But what if you have a vision that’s bigger than fear? To accomplish anything, you have to get out of your head and into your body. Action means letting go of your thoughts. But to do that, you need the freedom to be fearless.   Freedom to be fearless means: Questioning everything Avoiding “perfectionist paralysis” Having goals, but knowing that goals are not always the most important thing Being able to communicate effectively with others when the stakes are high   Are you free and fearless? How does it come out in your life? Tell us your story in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

You need to be able to write in English in a concise way. Today meet AEE blogger and writer Jay Bethke and get his top tips to write like a pro in American English. Go here to subscribe to transcripts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you an adult living at home with your parents? Did you know that American culture discourages this? Today, find out why Americans feel compelled to move out of their family home at age 18 – even if they don’t have enough money to do so!   Come back to our site for more info   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you surround yourself with doers? Is it important to spend time with others who appreciate your dreams? Today, we talk about why it’s a good idea to hang out with people who can do and dream, and one action you can take to build a supportive social circle!   Come back to our site for more tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video trainnig course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you dream without fear? Do you link your English studies to your big goals? Today, learn about one All Ears English listener who has an incredible goal and dream for his English – and why it’s making all the difference in his life! Come back to our site for more tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Sergin is an All Ears English listener in Turkey. He listens to English conversations 4-8 hours every day! His goal is to become an actor and move to Hollywood. That may sound like an ambitious dream, but it is possible. Dreaming big is the only way to achieve big things. And it’s important to have a goal that you care about. What you’re doing must inspire you and hold your attention. Find what you want to do in life, not just what you should do!   Do you have any big dreams or goals connected to learning English? Tell us all about them in the comments section below!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Go here to read the full episode summary What’s the difference between do and make in English? Do you make something, or do you do it? Today, in #3 of our Top 15 Fixes, we talk about the difficulty of distinguishing when to use these two verbs!   Many English learners have difficulty using do and make, often because they are directly translating from their own language. But native English speakers make it even more difficult. Even though there are some basic rules for using these verbs, native speakers tend to break them.   Make usually means to create something, from the ground up. Some examples include: Making food, a drink, or anything requiring ingredients Making friends (creating friendships) Making the bed or table (putting things together) Making a phone call, or making mistakes Do usually relates more to a responsibility, an action or a job. Some examples include: Doing dinner, coffee or drinks (something you do together, with others) Doing homework, or doing the dishes (doing a job or work) D

How do you make friends in New York? What do you need to know? Today, we discuss one little part of making it in the Big Apple!   Come back to our site for more!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you know how to celebrate Halloween like an American? Today, we discuss how Americans celebrate this strange holiday, and how learning English will allow you to celebrate Halloween all year! Come back to our site for more   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Halloween is a popular traditional American holiday. For many Americans, it is their favorite holiday. Among the many activities Americans engage in, the most important for celebrating Halloween is dressing up in a costume. Adults might dress up for parties, and kids might dress up for trick or treating. This is a chance to be somebody different and to reinvent yourself! Learning a new language can also allow you to take on a new personality. A new culture and language might mix with your unique personality to make you into someone 'different'. Speaking a new language is thus like Halloween all year!   Do you celebrate Halloween in your country? What do you do? Tell us all about it in the comments section below! Learn more about you

Is learning English up to you? Today, we talk with Steve Kaufmann, founder of English LingQ about how your English learning goals are closer than you think!   Come back to our site to learn more   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Is it correct to ask how much, or how many in English? Today, in #4 of the Top 15 Fixes series, we discuss using the words 'much' and 'many' when discussing quantities!   It’s important to think of the meaning of the words much and many, and how each is used differently in counting.   If you're counting something as a mass that can be spilled on the table so that it goes everywhere, you would use the word 'much'. Examples include: Grainy or powdery substances like sugar or flour Liquids, semi-liquids or semi-solids like milk, honey or butter Money (when considered abstractly, as in “too much money”)   If you are counting individual pieces, use the word 'many'. Examples include: Grains such as sugar counted individually Groups of items, like chocolate chips, marshmallows or berries Countable units, such as cups, teaspoons or bags   Other Entries in the 15 Fixes Series: Episode 165: Listen or Hear? Episode 169: Speak, Talk, Tell and Say? Episode 173: Wish vs. Hope Episode 177: Talking About Age

Do you speak English like an American? Do you wish you did? Today, learn 3 ways to sound a little more like an American when you speak English! Come back to our site for more tips from Amy   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you plan for your priorities? Do you run your day, or does your day run you? Today we discuss how planning your day can help you accomplish your priorities!   If you don’t decide how you’ll manage you time, someone else will. It’s simple to understand but easy to forget.   Come back to our site for more expert tips   Taking IELTS? Get our free video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Today we discuss a big mistake you’re making with "miss" and "lose" when you talk about missing the bus in English! Come back to our site for more tips If you take the bus or train, what do you say when you discover it has already come and gone without you? “I lost the bus,” is a common mistake. The problem with saying this is that it suggests you owned the bus, but no longer know where it is. A person can lose their keys or their wallet, but they can only lose their bus if they’re a bus driver!   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you talk about people in English? Is the word “people” plural or singular? Read the full notes for this episode Today, in #5 of the Top 15 Fixes, we discuss a mistake you might be making when you translate your native language into English – and how to fix it! In some languages, the word for “people” is singular. But it’s important to remember that, in English, this word is plural. People are interesting. NOT: People is interesting.   The singular term for “people” is “person.” This is similar to the situation with the words “children” and “child.” The children are good. The children are energetic. The child is good. The child is energetic.   Other Entries in the 15 Fixes Series: Episode 165: Listen or Hear? Episode 169: Speak, Talk, Tell and Say? Episode 173: Wish vs. Hope Episode 177: Talking About Age in English Episode 181: Future Tense in English Episode 185: Interested or Interesting? Episode 189: Talking About the Past Episode 193: How to Borrow Money Episode 197: Who