Everyday expressions and real English conversations to help make your English conversations easier. Every week, we teach you a new phrase or word you can use in conversation with The English We Speak. And we bring you special series to improve your English conversation. Try Beating Speaking Anxiety to learn how to fight your fears of speaking English. Find more at bbclearningenglish.com Follow us at bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus
Language anxiety often stems from a fear of not understanding others, a challenge exacerbated by the significant gap between classroom English and real-world natural speech. Learners frequently struggle with fast-paced dialogue, regional accents, and idiomatic expressions, such as the British greeting "you're right," w...
The phrasal verb "shoot off" serves as a common idiomatic expression in everyday English to describe leaving a location quickly due to urgency or a prior commitment. This term specifically implies a sense of haste, such as rushing to a dentist appointment, catching a train, or picking up children from school. While "da...
Forgetting vocabulary during a conversation often stems from "processing overload," where the brain exerts so much conscious effort on grammar and word order that it fails to retrieve specific terms. Professor Alissa Melinger from the University of Dundee explains that bilingual speakers face unique challenges because ...
The idiomatic expression "hot on the heels" describes events occurring in rapid succession or the act of following someone closely. This phrase often applies to unexpected sequential events, such as a string of cyberattacks hitting different industries or a world tour announcement immediately following an album release...
This podcast episode addresses the common anxiety experienced by English language learners related to making mistakes. The hosts, Georgie and Hanan, share their own experiences and insights, emphasizing that fear of negative evaluation often stems from irrational beliefs and internal pressures. Associate Professor Han ...
Aura farming describes the intentional and repetitive behavior of posting content online to boost one's reputation, social standing, or "aura." This trend often involves individuals sharing curated images—such as artistic photos of coffee, staged pictures at expensive restaurants, or shots of good deeds—specifically to...
The informal English phrasal verb "lock in" serves as a tool for describing periods of intense focus, productivity, and the elimination of distractions. This expression characterizes a state of deep concentration, often used when preparing for significant challenges such as academic exams, professional tasks, or athlet...
This podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features co-hosts Feifei and Phil discussing the English phrase "a fresh start." They explain that the phrase signifies an opportunity to begin anew, unaffected by past events, often associated with the new year, a new job, or moving to a new location. The hosts provide exa...
The podcast "The English We Speak" features Feifei and Phil explaining the English phrase "a little something." They clarify that it refers to small presents, often used for birthdays, farewells, or souvenirs. They also highlight that in British English, "a little something" can sometimes refer to a larger gift, used t...
This podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and Georgie explaining the English idiom "the moment of truth." Georgie uses her Spanish exam results as an example, revealing she passed, which serves as the "moment of truth." They define the phrase as the point where clarity is achieved and results are re...
This podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and another speaker explaining the English idiom "keep someone on their toes." They define the phrase as doing something to ensure a person stays alert and ready for unexpected events, using examples like a boxer or a changing work schedule. They also briefl...
The podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and Beth explaining the English phrase "duck out." They define "duck out" as leaving quickly and quietly, often to avoid something or without being noticed. Examples provided include ducking out of a boring party, a long meeting, or even washing up. Beth even...
This episode of "The English We Speak" features co-hosts Feifei and Beth explaining the English phrase "off base." They define "off base" as being mistaken or having an opinion far from reality, illustrating its meaning with personal anecdotes about a failed princess cake decoration and a poorly sized costume. They pro...
The podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features hosts Feifei and Phil discussing the English idiom "take someone under your wing." Phil explains the phrase means to help, guide, or protect someone, likening it to a bird protecting its young. They provide examples of its usage, such as an experienced person mentor...
This podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features co-hosts Feifei and Phil, who introduce and explain the English idiom "no two ways about it." Phil uses the idiom to express his strong belief that cycling is the best way to travel in London, while Feifei uses it to highlight the certainty of getting wet if cyclin...
The podcast, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and Georgie discussing the modern use of the word "coded." Georgie explains that "coded" is used to describe something that embodies the traits or aesthetic of a person or thing, often seen in internet videos or memes. They provide examples such as a character being ...
This podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and Georgie explaining the British English idiom "to make a pig's ear of something." Georgie introduces the idiom by describing her failed attempt at a new hairstyle, leading Feifei to ask about its meaning. They clarify that the idiom means to do something ...
The podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features Feifei and Beth discussing the modern slang term "core," which is added to the end of a word to describe the vibe, feel, or atmosphere of something. They provide examples like "fairycore" for a magical wedding theme, "cottagecore" for a cozy autumn feeling, "nostalg...
The podcast episode, "The English We Speak," features hosts Feifei and Beth explaining the modern slang phrase "let her cook." Beth introduces the phrase, which she learned from a friend, and Feifei clarifies its meaning: to let someone continue doing something they are excelling at without interruption. They provide e...
This episode of "The English We Speak" features co-hosts Feifei and Phil explaining the informal English expression "neck of the woods." They define it as referring to an area or part of an area, illustrating its usage through examples and short audio clips. The hosts emphasize that the phrase is typically used in spok...
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