Espresso English Podcast
612 episodes - English - Latest episode: 13 days ago - ★★★★★ - 355 ratingsOn the Espresso English podcast, you'll learn English grammar, vocabulary, phrases, idioms, and more. Espresso English lessons are clear and practical, making it easy to learn the language quickly and effectively.
Visit http://www.espressoenglish.net to get English courses and e-books that will help you learn faster!
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Episodes
161 - "Have had" and "had had"
March 12, 2018 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.45 MBAre you confused about how to use HAVE HAD and HAD HAD in English? Today’s lesson will help you! First, we need to understand the present perfect tense and past perfect tense. Both of these tenses are formed by using an auxiliary verb + main verb. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/have-had-and-had-had Advanced English Grammar Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/advanced-english-grammar-course/
160 - How to speak faster in English
March 05, 2018 13:00 - 6 minutes - 6.71 MBIn today’s lesson I’m going to give you four important tips for speaking English faster. A lot of English learners notice that native English speakers tend to speak fast, so they think that speaking faster will help their English sound more fluent. But you have to be careful – it can be dangerous to try to speak very fast in English if you don’t follow these tips. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/how-to-speak-english-faster/ Pronunciation + Shadowing Courses: https://www.es...
159 - What to say if you're not 100% certain
February 26, 2018 19:00 - 6 minutes - 7.03 MBIn today’s lesson, I want to teach you some phrases that you can use in a specific situation – that is when you want to say something but you’re not completely certain that it’s correct. There are a few different phrases that we can actually use to show that we are saying something that we believe to be true, but we recognize that we might be wrong and we are open to correction. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-what-to-say-if-youre-not-completely-certain ...
158 - Can you say "according to me" in English?
February 22, 2018 19:00 - 3 minutes - 3.91 MBToday I want to talk to you about a phrase that’s I’ve seen some students use – and that phrase is “According to me” – to express their opinion. Can we use this in English? Hmm. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-can-we-say-according-to-me Everyday English Speaking Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-course
157 - Common error: I LIKE vs. I'D LIKE
February 19, 2018 13:00 - 6 minutes - 6.34 MBI want to teach you about a mistake that I often hear students making when speaking. It has to do with the difference between “I like …” and “I’d like …” It’s a very small difference, but it actually changes the meaning of the sentence and the way we use these phrases. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-i-like-vs-id-like Everyday English Speaking Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-course
156 - English phrases for mistakes
February 15, 2018 19:00 - 5 minutes - 5.97 MBIn today’s lesson, I want to teach you some phrases that native English speakers use when talking about making mistakes. Because you don’t just want to say, “I made a mistake. I made a mistake. I made a mistake” over and over, it gets boring and repetitive, so here are some different phrases you can use. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-for-acknowledging-mistakes Everyday English Speaking Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-...
155 - How to use "it can't hurt" and other phrases
February 12, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 5.78 MBI want to teach you about a phrase that one of my students asked me about. That phrase is, “It can’t hurt.” This is an interesting expression. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-it-cant-hurt Everyday English Speaking Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-course
154 - I'm afraid vs. I'm scared
February 08, 2018 19:00 - 7 minutes - 7.68 MBToday I want to answer a student question about the phrases I’m afraid and I’m scared. Is there any difference between them? How do we use these in spoken English? Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases-im-afraid-im-scared Everyday English Speaking Course: https://www.espressoenglish.net/everyday-english-speaking-course
153 - English phrases with KIDDING
February 05, 2018 13:00 - 7 minutes - 7.56 MBThis month, I want to focus our lessons on phrases, some kind of informal phrases that you might hear in every day spoken English. You might not be sure how to use them or what they mean. Today’s lesson is going to focus on a few different phrases all using the word ‘kidding,’ like ‘I’m just kidding,’ or, ‘no kidding,’ or, ‘are you kidding me?’ You’re going to learn how to use each of these in conversational English today. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-phrases...
152 - How to pronounce ALLOW, LOW, and other words ending in -OW
January 31, 2018 13:00 - 4 minutes - 4.6 MBToday we’re going to practice pronunciation of words ending in -ow. Make sure to check out my Pronunciation and Shadowing Courses for a lot more pronunciation training, including an evaluation of your English pronunciation. I noticed a mistake that some of my students are making with this word: ALLOW. They are saying it like “alloe,” but it’s actually pronounced “allow.” It’s funny, the words low (the opposite of high) and below (which means “under”) have the same “o” sound in “no” – l...
151 - Difference between criticize, criticism, critique, critic, and critical
January 24, 2018 13:00 - 5 minutes - 6.01 MBToday I want to teach you about the confusing words criticize, criticism, critique, critic, and critical. These are all similar and they come from the same roots, but they have different functions and some slightly different meanings. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-criticize-criticism-critique-critic-and-critical 600+ Confusing English Words E-Book: https://www.espressoenglish.net/600-confusing-english-words-explained/
150 - Vocabulary words for joking and humor
October 04, 2017 12:00 - 7 minutes - 7.09 MBA "joke" is a funny comment or short story that is supposed to make people laugh. Do you know any good jokes? Today's lesson will teach you some useful English vocabulary for talking about jokes and humor! You'll learn: how to describe a funny joke vs. a bad joke what it means to be a "laughingstock" when to say "just kidding" Now you know some new vocabulary words! Improving your vocabulary is a great way to become more fluent in English. When you have a vocabulary, you can e...
148 - Don't make this pronunciation mistake with U
September 20, 2017 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.15 MBEnglish pronunciation and spelling are very tricky - the same letter can be pronounced in different ways, and the same sound can be spelled with different letters. Today you're going to learn about a common pronunciation mistake that students make with the letter "U," and practice words with the long and short U sounds. I first noticed this mistake when I was doing evaluations for students in my Pronunciation and Shadowing Courses. Everyone who takes one of those courses gets feedbac...
147 - It's my birthday! Here are 30 collocations with PARTY
September 13, 2017 12:00 - 8 minutes - 7.62 MBToday is my birthday! I'm now 33 years old :-) That's why today's new English lesson will teach you 30 expressions with "party." This word actually has a few different meanings in English - take the lesson to find out what they are! Do you want to get me a birthday present? The best thing you can do for me is to SHARE my lessons on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube! Knowing that thousands of students like you all over the world are learning English from me is the best birthday gi...
146: Learn 21 words and expressions for the bar
September 06, 2017 12:00 - 8 minutes - 7.5 MBIn American culture, people go to bars to socialize, flirt, and even to get to know business colleagues. In today's lesson, you'll learn 21 expressions about bars and drinking alcohol. Many of them are slang or informal expressions. This is a guest post by my teacher friend Ryan from EnglishForMyDream.com.
145 - Regular verbs vs phrasal verbs
August 30, 2017 12:00 - 9 minutes - 8.88 MBA phrasal verb is a combination of a verb + preposition that has a specific meaning. Sometimes the meaning of the phrasal verb is quite different from the meaning of the regular verb by itself! I often see students make mistakes by mixing up regular verbs and phrasal verbs. Here are some common verbs and phrasal verbs in English, and the situations in which each one should be used. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/regular-verbs-vs-phrasal-verbs/ One of the best ways to ...
144 - Students asked me about these confusing English words
August 23, 2017 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.55 MBThere are a lot of words in English that seem to be the same – and in fact they are very similar – but we use them in different ways. In today's lesson, you'll learn the differences between 5 pairs of confusing words: deem / regard elder / older loyal / faithful crush / squeeze joke / prank Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/students-asked-me-about-these-confusing-english-words/ You might be wondering about the differences between other confusing words such as specia...
143 - 10 English expressions with "business"
August 16, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.36 MBThe English language has some interesting expressions with the word "business" - and not all of them have to do with companies or work. Let's learn 10 of these phrases and how to use them. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/10-english-expressions-with-business/ If you're learning English for work, my Business English Course will teach you the phrases and vocabulary you need.
142 - How to pronounce English words starting with CON-
August 09, 2017 12:00 - 8 minutes - 7.65 MBA student recently asked me how to pronounce English words starting with CON- such as content, contest, and conduct. My answer was - "It depends!" These three words are interesting because they each have two forms, with different pronunciation. Take today's lesson to learn how to pronounce these and 38 other English words with CON-.
141: How many of these vocabulary words do you know?
August 02, 2017 12:00 - 8 minutes - 7.88 MBDo you think you have a good understanding of English vocabulary? Today I'm sending you a challenging quiz to test your knowledge! Click here to take the vocabulary quiz. Choose the best word to complete each sentence, then click on "Get Results" at the end to see your score and the correct answers. If you can improve your vocabulary, you'll have a lot more ways to express yourself in English. You'll be able to say exactly what you want, instead of trying desperately to think of t...
140: What to say in embarrassing situations
July 26, 2017 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.45 MBIf you're embarrassed, it can be almost impossible to think of the right thing to say... especially in English! In today's lesson, you'll learn useful phrases for responding to embarrassing situations. Learn these, and you'll never have to worry about saying the wrong thing during an awkward moment. You might also enjoy my Everyday English Speaking Courses, which teach you phrases and expressions for lots of situations in daily life. These conversation-based lessons are a simple, ...
139: Do you have a "question" or a "doubt"?
July 19, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.2 MBStudents often say "I have a doubt" and then ask me something about the English language. However, native English speakers don’t usually say it this way. If you want to know the answer about something, you should say "I have a question." So when can we use the word "doubt"? Click here to find out in today's lesson! English has a lot of words that seem to be the same... but native speakers actually use them in different situations. This is where a lot of English learners make mista...
138: 8 grammar mistakes that even advanced students make
July 12, 2017 12:00 - 10 minutes - 9.42 MBI see this problem in a lot of more experienced English learners: Their written English might be 90% fine, but there are still some small errors. These mistakes don't affect communication... but of course we still want to correct them! In today's lesson, I'll teach you 8 common English grammar mistakes with examples from real students of mine. Are you an upper-intermediate or advanced student, and do you want to make sure your written English is completely correct? If so, then you...
136: Learn 10 vocabulary words starting with "J"
June 21, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.27 MBWe're in the middle of the month of June, and next month is July... so today let's learn 10 vocabulary words that begin with the letter "J." Don't just read the lesson... also, make sure to listen to the words and repeat them out loud to practice your pronunciation. One of the most effective things you can do to improve your English is to improve your pronunciation. If you have BAD pronunciation, then nobody will understand you (even if your grammar is perfect and you have a great vo...
135 - 10 interesting expressions for progress and speed
June 14, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 5.84 MBToday’s lesson is inspired by a student question – he asked what the expression “we're spinning our wheels” means. Take the lesson to find out! You'll learn 10 interesting expressions for progress, including: run into a brick wall shift into high gear at breakneck pace ...and more. You can learn a lot more of these casual and colorful expressions in spoken English in my courses. I especially recommend: Everyday English Speaking Course Level 2 (helps you learn expressions from ...
134 - Eight more formal business English phrases
June 07, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.31 MBWhen writing a business letter or when e-mailing a business contact who we don’t know well, we use slightly more formal words and expressions. Today you’ll learn how to transform casual, conversational English into more appropriate business English phrases. If you’re learning English for your career, make sure to check out my Business English Course, with 40 practical lessons for work. In this course, you can improve your ability to handle interviews, phone calls, meetings, and negot...
133: Learn 30 collocations with "country"
May 31, 2017 12:00 - 6 minutes - 6.32 MBLet's learn some collocations - words that often go together! In today's lesson, you'll learn 30 different collocations with the word "country." At the end of the lesson, I also clarify the difference between "country" and "countryside." If you want to learn more collocations, you'll love my e-book 1000 English Collocations in 10 Minutes a Day. It has short lessons and quizzes to help you learn new expressions every day. Here are some comments from English learners who have enjoye...
132: How to use "at all" in English
May 17, 2017 12:00 - 4 minutes - 4.06 MBWhat does it mean when someone asks, "Do you drive at all?" In today's lesson, you'll learn how to use the expression "at all" in negative statements and questions. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/how-to-use-at-all-in-english
131: Do we use "the" with "police"?
May 10, 2017 12:00 - 4 minutes - 3.79 MBOne student said she sometimes sees "police" and sometimes "the police" - which is correct? What's the difference? Today you'll learn the answer to this question, as well as find out why saying "a police" is wrong. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/do-we-use-the-with-police
130: Difference between embarrassed and ashamed
May 03, 2017 12:00 - 4 minutes - 3.69 MBWhat situations would make you feel embarrassed? What situations would make you feel ashamed? Learn the difference between these confusing English words in today's lesson! Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/difference-between-embarrassed-and-ashamed
129: Meet, meet with, or meet up with?
April 26, 2017 12:00 - 4 minutes - 4.2 MBWhat's the difference between meet, meet with, and meet up with? You'll learn (with examples) in today's podcast! Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/meet-meet-with-or-meet-up-with
Free Sample - Business English Idioms
April 19, 2017 12:00 - 12 minutes - 11.5 MBToday's episode is another free sample from the Business English Course. You'll learn 12 common business idioms by figuring them out from the context. One question you might be asking is, "Can we use idioms in business English?" The answer is "sometimes." In more official situations (such as writing a business report or formal letter), we avoid idioms. However, it is OK to use idioms in e-mails among co-workers as well as in conversations at work. Take today's lesson to learn ...
Free Sample - Business English - Phrases for Meetings
April 12, 2017 12:00 - 14 minutes - 13 MBHave you ever been shy about participating in a meeting in English? It can be really hard to think of the right phrases in a professional situation, when everyone is watching you. Some English learners prefer to stay quiet. But I want to help you speak up confidently - so in today's lesson, you'll learn 82 practical English phrases to use in meetings. This is a free sample lesson from the Business English Course, which will teach you useful vocabulary and phrases for working in an E...
128 - When NOT to use the word "to"
March 29, 2017 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.83 MBIt can be hard for English learners to know when to use the word “to.” In today's lesson, you'll see 6 common mistakes with "to" - and learn the correct way to say these sentences. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/common-english-mistakes-with-the-word-to
127: Common English Pronunciation Mistakes
March 22, 2017 18:34 - 9 minutes - 9.06 MBSometimes students ask me about the "rules" of English pronunciation - but it's impossible to teach "rules," because there are so many exceptions. A lot of English words are pronounced differently from the way they appear to be written. In today's lesson, you'll learn about common pronunciation mistakes - and the right way to pronounce these words. I encourage you to LISTEN AND REPEAT, because the best way to remember the right pronunciation is to practice! Watch the video: http://ww...
126: 10 Common Mistakes with Prepositions
March 15, 2017 12:00 - 7 minutes - 6.69 MBPrepositions can be very challenging, even for advanced English learners! Today I’ll teach you 10 of the most common mistakes students make with prepositions. Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-common-english-mistakes-with-prepositions
125: Common English Mistakes with Direct and Indirect Objects
March 08, 2017 13:00 - 6 minutes - 5.58 MBCan you find the mistakes in these sentences? They are all incorrect. They don’t sound natural. “I bought yesterday a new t-shirt.” “Please finish quickly the report.” “I’ll put on the table the dishes.” What’s wrong with these sentences? Listen to today's lesson to find out! Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/common-english-mistakes-with-direct-and-indirect-objects/
124: 20 Powerful Adjectives in English
February 01, 2017 13:00 - 8 minutes - 7.73 MBIf you're tired of using the same basic and boring English words all the time, today's lesson will teach you some new vocabulary. You'll learn 20 very powerful adjectives, such as excruciating, destitute, miraculous, absurd, and jittery. You can practice your pronunciation by repeating these words after me, and study the example sentences to see how they are used.
123: Learn 10 Useful Phrasal Verbs With "With"
January 25, 2017 13:00 - 7 minutes - 7.21 MBDo you know the difference between get away with and get along with ? Do you know what sleep with really means? Can you use deal with, stick with, and mess with in a sentence? Today's lesson will teach you 10 useful phrasal verbs with "with"!
122 - Ten "right" and "wrong" expressions in English
January 11, 2017 13:00 - 8 minutes - 7.58 MBYou probably already know that “right” and “wrong” are the same as “correct” and “incorrect” respectively. These words are also used in a lot of informal expressions and idioms in English. Today I’ll teach you ten of them! on the right track if you play your cards right it serves you right his/her heart is in the right place right on! wrong number get off on the wrong foot wake up on the wrong side of the bed don't get me wrong rub someone the wrong way Lesson text: http:...
121 - Best Espresso English moments in 2016
December 28, 2016 13:00 - 6 minutes - 5.65 MBIn December, I like to reflect on all the wonderful things we did during the year. How about you? How has your English improved this year? Here are some of the highlights for Espresso English in 2016. Lesson text: http://us4.campaign-archive2.com/?u=280ab49b7536a997b0d741c18&id=569a581180
120 - New Free E-Book: 50 Illustrated English Expressions
December 21, 2016 13:00 - 3 minutes - 3.31 MBI have a very special holiday gift for you: A FREE little e-book with 50 expressions... illustrated with short comics! You can download it, learn from it, and share it with your friends who are also learning English :-) Visit http://www.espressoenglish.net/gift to get the e-book
119 - Ten English expressions with GIVE
December 14, 2016 13:00 - 6 minutes - 6.28 MB""Give"" is a common English verb - and we use it in a lot of expressions. You can give advice, give someone a hug, give priority to a project, etc. In today's lesson, I'll teach you 10 ""give"" expressions you might not know: - give way - give credence - give (someone) grief - ...and more Lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/10-english-expressions-with-give
118 - Learn 12 English slang words for talking about people
December 07, 2016 13:00 - 6 minutes - 5.97 MBBE CAREFUL! Most of these words are not very complimentary. A lot of them have negative connotations, so it’s not a good idea to call a person these names. But you might hear them in movies or in casual conversations between native English speakers. Lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/12-slang-words-about-people/
117 - 7 courses from 7 teachers with an 80% discount - All about the English Power Pack
December 01, 2016 13:00 - 9 minutes - 9 MBA NEW English Power Pack is now available! What's the English Power Pack? It's SEVEN courses from seven different English teachers... with a huge discount. The special price is only available for one week - so don't delay! These are the courses included in this year's Power Pack: 75 Confusing English Words by Michael Travel English Expert by Gabby Advanced English Grammar Course by Shayna (me!) Feel Good English Super Pack by Kevin The Weekly English Workout by Jason - Flu...
116 - Vocabulary for unwanted gifts
November 23, 2016 13:00 - 14 minutes - 12.9 MBEnglish vocabulary in this lesson: retire downsize get rid of clutter antique heirloom knick-knack take a pass outdated junk Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-from-the-news-unwanted-gifts/
115 - Words and phrases from the U.S. election results
November 16, 2016 13:00 - 14 minutes - 13.5 MBVocabulary in this lesson: stunned polls cherish setback shatter the glass ceiling reaching out second to none seek common ground Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-vocabulary-from-the-u-s-election-results/
114 - Learn English from the News: Vocabulary about Immigration
November 09, 2016 13:00 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBVOCABULARY IN THIS LESSON: a divisive issue burst / surge / influx a tight presidential race struck a chord with voters uneasy about the changes sizeable counties struggling in school embraced the newcomers dismissed out of hand goes by the wayside Watch the video: https://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-english-from-the-news-immigration/
113 - English learning tips from Olly at "I Will Teach You a Language"
November 02, 2016 12:06 - 26 minutes - 24.6 MBI have a special treat for you today! This is an interview with Olly from iwillteachyoualanguage.com - he has learned many languages, and he has some great advice on how to learn English, how to speak English confidently when you might be afraid to talk to a native speaker, and more. Make sure to check out Olly's website and podcast at www.iwillteachyoualanguage.com
112 - Learn English slang for talking about money
October 26, 2016 12:00 - 5 minutes - 5.1 MBNative English speakers use a lot of slang words in casual conversations! Today you'll learn some English slang words related to the topic of money. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/slang-words-about-money/