English Across The Pond

In this week’s episode we’re talking about favorites! Dan’s excited about his topic because we love talking about the things we love! We talk about some of our favorite foods, emojis, memories, photos, artists, and more! We also give you a tip about spelling in the UK vs the US- did you know they were different? Finally, stay tuned to the end because we talk about adjectives and improving your vocabulary.

And….. we’re LIVE! This week is our first ever live episode on YouTube. You, a dedicated listener, now have the opportunity to watch and listen to our conversations in real-time. Connect with us, and practice listening like you were with us, native speakers, in a cafe! In this episode, we talk about stuff, whether things can make us happy, and our most important possessions. Additionally, you’ll learn some important information about answering TOEFL and IELTS questions. We’ll give you some sample responses, and tell you how to be better prepared for the exam!

We are excited to welcome our first guest to English Across the Pond, Lindsay McMahon from All Ears English. We’ve recommended listening to podcasts in past episodes, and this week Lindsay will tell you how to improve your English with connection not perfection! Get her 3 tips, listen to 3 native speakers chat together, and learn how you can start applying her advice to your English learning journey today!

Can you feel the love in the air this week? We can, because it’s Valentine’s Day week! This is not your typical Valentine’s Day themed English resource, as we’re not sharing the history of the day or why we celebrate. Instead, you’ll hear some of Jennifer and Dan’s fondest memories and a lot of related idioms, phrasal verbs, and expressions. Stay tuned to our language focus, where we’ll share ways to learn, review, and memorize idioms and English expressions!

Are you ready to be motivated and inspired? In this episode Dan and Jen share their favorite motivation quotes for life and learning. You’ll be able to review new language and learn how to use quotes to improve your language skills. We’ll talk about situations these quotes may be applied to, and we invite you to share your favorites, too! Don’t forget to join the forum and share your biggest motivation with us!

How can you improve your English listening skills? How can you improve your understanding of native speakers, coworkers, TV shows or movies? This week we are helping you improve your listening by giving you ways to practice! In this episode, we’ll give 5 ways to improve your listening, with actions you can take TODAY! You’ll get a sample learning plan for the week and of course vocabulary, idioms, and a lot of useful language to improve your English fluency.

In this episode you’ll hear all about health, sickness and everyday vocabulary that will help you talk about these things. Learn how Jen and Dan stay healthy, their tips for optimal (*best*) health, and review common symptoms you may need to use in your English conversations. The language focus reviews helpful words for this topic, and this week is full of new English expressions and idioms. Enjoy!

Do you want to travel to The United States or England? Do you have a trip planned and need some ideas of what to see or where to go? Then this episode has you covered! Listen as we talk about our top 3 places to visit in each of our countries, giving you the top 6 places to visit in the US and UK. This episode guide gives you more information and direct links for each of the places, so be sure to check them out. As always, you’ll get related idioms, phrasal verbs, and vocabulary too!

Welcome to a new year! In this episode, we talk all about “ch ch ch changes…” (David Bowie anyone?) Changes can be scary but they can be a great thing too and we share our opinions about it all. We also share with you exciting new information about our website, new learning opportunities, and ways to learn even more with English Across the Pond. This episode is FULL of new idioms, expressions, and phrases too - so don’t miss the extra special language focus.

Jennifer and Dan are wrapping up 2016 talking all about resolutions, New Year’s traditions, and getting motivated for the new year. In this episode you’ll hear some typical activities that happen on New Year’s Eve, including some interesting stories from our childhood. The episode is also full of vocabulary, phrasal verbs, and idioms for you to review. Get the information you need to start conversations about the new year and be motivated to take your skills to the next level!

Ho Ho Ho! It’s Christmas time and Dan and Jennifer are sharing some of their favorite Christmas traditions, past experiences and memories, and Dan’s sharing some interesting information about Boxing Day! If you don’t celebrate Christmas, that’s OK! This episode will still be culturally educational for you, and help you with some conversation points this season.

In today’s episode Dan and Jen look back in time and talk about their childhood as well as raising their own kids in the present time. We talk a lot about technology and how that influences a kid’s life, compared to a life full out adventures outdoors. Included in this episode is also some vocabulary differences between American and British English, several phrasal verbs, and helpful English expressions and idioms. Everything you need to take your language skills to the next level!

In today’s episode we give you the secrets to success for self-study! We know that not everyone can study with or be with a teacher all the time, so we give you our top 5 tips for effective self-study. This is great to supplement your current study routine, or for teachers to provide additional learning opportunities! The language focus will go into more detail, giving you sample roadmaps for success, and other ideas. Of course, you’ll get loads of vocabulary and idioms, too!

As Ben Sweetland said, “Happiness is a journey, not a destination,” and we’re talking all about happiness on today’s episode. This week, listen to Jen and Dan talk about happiness, what it is to them, and about some things that make them happy. Like every week, we have helpful vocabulary, idioms, expressions, and specific language focus! How can quotes help you improve your language skills? Find out today!

In today’s episode Jen and Dan discuss something that most of you listeners probably use multiple times every day. That’s right, social media! We all use it and love it, so let’s talk about it! As you listen to our conversation, pay attention to how we ask questions and talk about social media. How can you ask a similar question without repetition? This episode will tell you how! Additionally, you’ll learn helpful vocabulary and related expressions, as well as how to use social media to improve your English skills!

In today’s episode we’ll be reviewing some cultural differences between the U.S. and U.K. This episode was a request from a listener, and they wanted to hear about school systems in each of our countries. Listen along as Jen and Dan describe the similarities and differences while you practice with a real conversation. Additionally, you’ll hear some idioms and expressions used commonly in English to add to your vocabulary bank! *Do you have an episode topic request? Send us an e-mail and let us know!*

In today’s episode, you’ll get some helpful recommendations about websites to learn, practice, and review English. Dan and Jen share some of their favorite websites, 5 of them to be exact, and tell you HOW you can use them to improve your skills. The sites are perfect for students, teachers, and anyone with a love of English! And of course, don’t forget to listen to the language focus, helping you learn and use common English idioms and expressions to add to your daily conversational use.

In today’s episode Dan and Jennifer talk about a special British celebration, Bonfire Night, also known as Guy Fawkes Night. Listen to Dan explain this night, popular in British culture, where it started and how it’s celebrated today! You’ll also get even more listening practice with a comprehension check and dictation/transcription practice. This episode will help you understand some key differences in American and British English pronunciation, and check your ability to understand the two!

Halloween is just around the corner, so it’s the perfect time to talk about this holiday and its traditions and customs in the US and the UK! Today, hear Dan and Jennifer talk about how Halloween is celebrated, learn a little bit about the history, and ways that you can connect with the celebration, too! You’ll get extra listening practice today with comprehension questions to check your understanding of the episode. Additionally, you’ll learn some phrasal verbs, idioms, and Halloween related vocabulary!

In today’s episode Dan and Jennifer talk about a common problem we all face: procrastination. What is procrastination, how do we avoid it, and what are the tips for more success? Dan and Jen share their advice, especially for you, English learners! With each of these tips, the episode guide will give you resources to help you out and become more productive. Are you ready to bite the bullet? Don’t forget about all the idioms we review today as well!