English Across The Pond

Do you prefer spending time by yourself or in the company of others? Maybe both? During this week’s natural native speaker conversation you’ll discover what your podcast hosts, Dan from the UK and Jennifer from the US, like doing when they’re alone and you’ll hear them play the ‘together or alone’ game - wow! Stay tuned as the language focus is all about grammar and more specifically gerunds and infinitives. Whether you’re listening to this alone or with family and friends, we hope you enjoy the episode :)

Decisions, decisions! Are you good at deciding or do you prefer to let someone else take the lead? Join your hosts Jennifer(the USA and Dan (the UK for real native speaker conversation about … decisions! We chat about being indecisive, getting frustrated when other people can’t make their minds up and … eating out, moving house and gardening. And sharks! We hope you have fun listening because we certainly did when we were chatting :) Stay tuned because after the conversation we’re looking at grammar and more specifically the third conditional. Enjoy!

Are you optimistic? Do you think that your glass is always half full? Or are you more of a pessimist and see the same glass as half empty?Join your hosts Jennifer (the USA) & Dan (the UK) as they chat about their attitudes & approaches to life. During their native speaker conversation they discuss whether they see themselves as optimistic or pessimistic people, times when it’s possible to be both and how you, dear listener, could be more optimistic about your life. After the conversation, Jennifer teaches you some idioms based on this week’s topic. We hope you enjoy the episode and that it makes you feel more optimistic :-D

Are you honest? Always? Like … really always?!?! :) This week your hosts Dan (the UK) & Jennifer (the USA) are chatting about truth and lies. During their native speaker conversation you’ll hear them talk about times they have fibbed (told small lies) involving lipstick & a bracelet, whether or not honesty is always the best choice as well as a movie based on this week’s topic. Keep listening as after the chat the language focus looks at pronunciation and words with silent letters. We really hope you enjoy the episode (honestly)!

Are you superstitious? Do you believe that things can be lucky or unlucky for you? This week your 2 English language teaching hosts, Jennifer (the US) & Dan (the UK) are chatting all about this most intriguing topic. You will find out if your hosts are superstitious and discover things that are thought of as being good and bad luck in America and England. At the same time, of course, you’ll be listening to modern, natural English from both side of the pond - just what you need to boost your English level!! After the chat, Jennifer will be teaching you some super spooky & useful vocabulary related to Halloween. Enjoy the episode!

Body language is how we ‘talk’ to people by the way we move our body. You may or may not know that you are doing it but smiling, shaking or nodding your head, folding your arms and crossing your legs all send signals to the person or people you are talking to. Are you aware of body language? Is it something you have studied or are interested in? Whether or not you’re a body language expert or have never heard of it before, we are sure this podcast episode will make fascinating listening! It is, of course, full of natural conversation from your hosts Dan (the UK) & Jennifer (the US) - just what you need to take your English to the next level. After the chat, this week’s language focus is all about body idioms. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Are you the kind of person who likes to try new things? Are you at the front of the queue when it comes to experiencing things for the first time? If so, you will love love love this episode. Your hosts, Jennifer (the US) & Dan (the UK) chat about their recent new experiences, things they’d like to try in the future as well as discussing positive affirmations (if you’re not sure what they are ... you’ll find out!) After the chat, Jennifer is talking about grammar and more specifically verbs & infinitives. We hope you enjoy the episode!

How do you decide where to go on holiday? Where do you stay? And what do you do?! Find out the answers to these questions right here as this week Dan (the UK) & Jennifer (the USA) are chatting about planning vacations or holidays. So take the opportunity to listen to natural English conversation between two native speakers - perfect for improving your fluency. Stay tuned, after the chat the language focus this week is all about the use of will and going to. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Kind? Ambitious? Friendly? What adjectives would you use to describe yourself? And would your friends choose the same ones?! This week we are chatting about personalities and your hosts Dan (the UK) & Jennifer (the US) discuss these questions as well as looking at personalities in the workplace. Stay tuned because after the chat the language focus is all about some important pronunciation differences between American & British English. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Have you ever had your heart broken? Ever been dumped? It happens to just about all of us at one point or another and so this week we are talking all about breakups. Your hosts Dan (from the UK) & Jennifer (from the US) are chatting about breakups that they have been through, the reasons why so many people seem to split up and advice you can give to someone who is going through what is always a very tough time. Keep listening because after the chat Dan is going over some common expressions you can use when discussing this evergreen topic. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Love or hate them we are sure you read & write them - yes, this week we are chatting all about emails. Is there a right or a wrong way to start an email? Can an email be too short? Too long? And what do you do if you don’t know the name of the person you’re writing to? Your hosts Dan (from the UK) & Jennifer (from the United States) will be discussing these questions and lots more. After the chat, the language focus this week is extra special as it gives you the chance to practise your email writing skills - time to get typing friends! We hope you enjoy the episode! https://www.englishacrossthepond.com/episodes

Beep beep! Honk honk! This week we are talking all about driving. Vroom! Do you drive? Do you like or would you like to drive? Have you got a need for speed or do you prefer to take it slow and steady? Are you calm behind the wheel or do you get angry with other drivers and get road rage? And, is your car messy or clean and tidy?! Your hosts Jennifer and Dan discuss all of the above plus lots more. And the language focus this week is all about some of the British & American vocabulary differences concerning driving. The lights are green so GO! & get listening :)

Hello dear Ponders & welcome to Episode 64. This week we are talking all about success. What makes a person successful? And how do we measure it? Does having or making a lot of money make someone successful or is there more to it than that? Your hosts Dan & Jennifer discuss these questions and a whole lot more. After the chat, the language focus is all about mnemonics. What are mnemonics? You’ll just have to listen to find out! Enjoy the episode!

Ahhh... dating! Join us this week as we enter the world of meeting someone, getting butterflies, going on a date and starting a romantic relationship. Jennifer and Dan are sharing some of their dating stories as well as providing you with all the language you need to be able to talk about this fascinating topic. After the conversation, this week’s language focus explores the phrasal verbs and expressions you need to help you communicate about romantic relationships with confidence. Enjoy!

***Warning: This Podcast Contains Language That May Offend*** This week we are talking about swear words. We are not doing this because we think that swear words are good or because we think you should use them. Instead, we want you to learn about real English - and swear words are a big part of everyday English for many people. You will learn about some of the weaker and stronger swear words and our advice about whether non-native speakers should ever use them. The language focus is all about the f word. We hope you enjoy the episode!

Hello! HRU? This week we are talking all about internet slang or textese - the abbreviated language and slang commonly used with mobile phone text messaging, or other Internet-based communication such as email and instant messaging. Do you use internet slang? Do you have internet slang in your language? Find out about some of the most up to date English examples, what they mean & when you can use them. The language focus this week is about pronunciation and more specifically the -ing sound. We hope you enjoy the podcast. TY!

This week we are chatting about something we all have to deal with in one way or another - stress. Do you, dear listener, get stressed out a lot? What kind of things stress you out? How do you cope with stressful situations? These are the kind of questions that your podcast hosts, Dan & Jennifer, are talking about today. After the chat, the language focus is about another kind of stress - syllable stress, so stay tuned to learn more about that. We hope you enjoy this non stressful episode!

Hello and welcome to Episode 59. This week we’re talking about something that plays a big part in all of our lives - friendships. Do you have one best friend or lots of friends? Have you ever been close to someone but now you’re not friends? Why is it more difficult to make friends as we get older? Dan and Jennifer chat about all of these questions and stay tuned because after the conversation the language focus is all about useful idioms connected to the topic of friendship. Enjoy!

Are you a follower of fashion?! This week we’re talking about clothes so if you love getting dressed up then this episode is for you. We talk about what clothes we like to wear, things we wouldn’t be seen dead in and even explain what double denim is all about. After the chat the language focus looks at what is to most people the number one most difficult sound in English. Can you guess what it is? Keep listening to find out. Enjoy!

Do you live on an island? Have you ever visited one or would you like to? If you have answered yes to any of these questions then this episode is for you! As Dan lives on an island and Jennifer is staying on one at the moment, we thought we would take the opportunity to discuss all things islands. What’s it like living or staying on one? Which island would we most like to visit and much more is covered in our chat. Stay tuned until the end because you can learn all about a silent letter in the language focus. Enjoy!