In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to use the common English expression “between a rock and a hard place.” First, you’ll hear a joke to get things started. Then we’ll break down what this expression means and how to use it naturally in everyday English with a few real-life examples. At the end, we’ll slow things down with a short pronunciation exercise so you can practice saying the phrase confidently. By the end of the episode, you’ll know exactly how to use this expression when you’re stuck ...
Mar 22, 2022•15 min•Season 3Ep. 117
In this 5-Minute English episode, you'll hear a lot of vocabulary and phrases related to Cold, Flus, and Sickness. ⚠️ Like most 5-Minute Episodes, this episode type is extra challenging, but short. Listen to it multiple times and consider transcribing the audio as a listening exercise. You can also dive deeper into this lesson by joining the Academy. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bon...
Mar 06, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 116
In this 5-Minute English episode, you'll hear a lot of vocabulary and phrases related to winter and the cold. You'll also learn about the typical experience at a Colorado ski resort. ⚠️ Like most 5-Minute Episodes, the listening is short and more challenging. You might need to listen to an episode at least three times in order to fully comprehend it. There are 40+ vocabulary words and phrases in this lesson. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. Y...
Feb 11, 2022•19 min•Season 3Ep. 115
After my last conversation with Pete about his dream house in Australia (Ep. 109), I decided to ask friends and family members about their own dream homes. My mom was the first to respond, and this episode features her answer. Her dream home would be in Napa Valley, California —the heart of wine country. As you’ll hear, she absolutely loves this topic. She uses lots of specific vocabulary related to homes and design, and some of it might be challenging to understand—and that’s okay. She has a de...
Jan 21, 2022•16 min•Season 3Ep. 114
We’re moving to Los Angeles—L.A., the City of Angels. In this Chats with Shana episode, you’ll hear my thoughts as they come—completely off the cuff.Tune in to hear about the big adventure we’re about to embark on. I’m taking you along for the journey with us… wish us luck! 🎬✨ Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about y...
Jan 10, 2022•24 min•Season 3Ep. 113
In this episode, Charlie and I discuss all things embarrassing. This is your chance to hear some funny embarrassing stories, practice listening to British and American English and learn some amazing vocabulary (hear how we compare terms like " your fly is down," "to let one slide" and "to eat shit"!) Charlie also teaches us how to act appropriately if the Queen rips one (farts) at a fancy feast. Has there been a more amusing episode? I'm not sure. If you don't laugh out loud at least once, I'll ...
Dec 27, 2021•43 min•Season 3Ep. 112
The preposition in and on can be a nightmare, but in this short recording I hope to clarify some of the confusion when it comes to speaking about islands. Yes, there will be a few exceptions to the rules here, but honestly this topic can get so convoluted, simplifying it the way I have will enable you to speak correctly about islands 99% of the time. The one exception probably worth mentioning is Rhode Island - Rhode Island is a state and when I visit, I'm IN Rhode Island. Want to take your lear...
Dec 10, 2021•7 min•Season 3Ep. 111
Want to take a vacation to Hawaii? In this episode, I talk about our recent trip to Oahu —the most visited and most populous island in the Hawaiian archipelago. Hawaii became the 50th state to join the United States, and in this episode I give you a general overview of the islands and what you can do there as a tourist.Why do people from other states visit so often? Tune in to find out. 🌺🌴✈️ Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find...
Dec 07, 2021•30 min•Season 3Ep. 111
In this 5-Minute English episode, you'll hear a lot of vocabulary and phrases related to skincare and makeup. This episode type is extra challenging, but short. Listen to it multiple times and consider transcribing the audio as a listening exercise. You can also dive deeper into this lesson by joining the Academy. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly...
Nov 15, 2021•14 min•Season 3Ep. 110
I've always loved talking about Dream Houses. It's sort of a magical topic that everyone can relate to, and yet for every person, the response is going to be different. How we answer / describe our space largely depends on our life experience to date and perception of places we've been to. In this conversation I talk to Pete (my Australian friend and host of the Aussie English Podcast ) about his dream home and we compare our previous living environments to where we'd like to be. Would you like ...
Oct 31, 2021•58 min•Season 3Ep. 109
In today's episode, you'll learn about Sharks and Shark Attacks in U.S. waters and how to avoid a shark if you're visiting the U.S. coast! Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Oct 17, 2021•23 min•Season 3Ep. 108
In today’s episode, you’ll learn how to use the common expression “to rock the boat.” You’ll also get a chance to practice pronunciation and hear a joke along the way. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Oct 16, 2021•17 min•Season 3Ep. 108
In today's episode, you'll learn how to use the common expression: The Coast Is Clear. You'll get to practice pronunciation and hear a joke as well. The fun fact in this episode is all about Alcatraz, an island or prison, I should say - former prison - off the coast of San Francisco, which housed some of the United States's most infamous criminals from 1934 until 1963. One former resident you may know of is Al Capone, the American gangster / mobster, you can say, also known by the nicknames Publ...
Sep 27, 2021•33 min•Season 3Ep. 107
Charlie, our good friend from The British English Podcast , came up with an incredibly entertaining podcast format called “Off the Beaten Track.” In short, it’s all about asking someone detailed questions about their ideal itinerary for a dream vacation. And I emphasize dream because this episode is packed with hypotheticals—you’ve hit the hypothetical jackpot! In today’s episode, Charlie shares his wild dream trip: a journey to space followed by a visit to the Maldives. Along the way, he’d go s...
Sep 18, 2021•49 min•Season 3Ep. 106
This episode is part of Season 3. In this episode of the podcast, you'll hear about our recent month-long stay in Brazil. Other than spending time with family and friends, the highlights of the trip were with animals and nature. Tune in and learn a lot of animal vocabulary! In this story, you'll also be exposed to the 10 most common collective nouns for animals. A collective noun is a word used to describe a group. For example, a group of fish is called a school of fish. A group of birds that ha...
Sep 03, 2021•29 min•Season 3Ep. 105
The decision to move overseas is a big one and it requires preparation. The first step for non-native English speakers who want to live, study or work in the U.S. is taking an English exam as proof of English ability. The IELTS exam is one of the most popular. Today, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Beck all about IELTS. She shared many reasons why you should consider taking this exam over the TOEFL or TOEIC, she gave some tricks on how to get a higher score, how to deal with anxiety ...
Aug 18, 2021•44 min•Season 3Ep. 104
This episode is part of Season 3. In this episode of the podcast, you'll learn how to use the common expression TO PUSH SOMEONE'S BUTTONS. For the fun fact about American History and Culture, you'll learn about THE MILGRAM EXPERIMENT. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Mentioned in Episode: Recommendation: The Psychology of Evil -...
Jul 24, 2021•29 min•Season 3Ep. 103
The term "toddler" is typically used to describe a child that is between the ages of one and three, although some people consider a three-year-old up until four, also a toddler. It's the stage in a human's life when they're no longer a newborn, they're no longer an infant, so a baby, but they're also not really a kid. The term toddler comes from the verb toddle, which means to walk with short and unsteady steps, according to Oxford Languages. For most of us, when we learn to walk well, we no lon...
Jul 07, 2021•17 min•Season 3Ep. 102
Welcome to Season 3! In this episode, I share some news from here in California and talk about what you can expect in the upcoming season. 🎙️ Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Mentioned in Episode: ⭐ Morena by Luan Santana (co-written and produced by Lucas!) - WARNING: The video is explicit :0 Learn more about your ad choices. ...
Jun 26, 2021•16 min•Season 3Ep. 101
After five years of teaching intermediate- to advanced-level English online, I started to notice patterns in the words my students often mispronounced. In today’s episode, I’ve gathered those commonly mispronounced words into one lesson, with example sentences to help you practice and improve your pronunciation. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “...
Jun 11, 2021•29 min•Season 2Ep. 100
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you'll gain maximum exposure to 10 common verbs. You'll hear a story, get the definitions and new example sentences to better your pronunciation and amp up your vocabulary!The 10 words are: To pick one's nose To growl To zip up To slam on the brakes To splash To wet oneself To flip someone off To swear To take a sip To wave Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, wh...
May 29, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 99
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you'll gain maximum exposure to 10 common verbs that produce sound. You'll hear a story, get the definitions and new example sentences to better your pronunciation and amp up your vocabulary! The 10 words are: to spit to snore to gargle to yawn to sniffle to cough to sneeze to snap your fingers to slurp to burp Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can a...
May 13, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 98
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you'll learn how to use the expression BOTTOMS UP! and all about CINCO DE MAYO. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Apr 30, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 97
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you'll learn how to use the expression BENT OUT OF SHAPE and all about TORNADOES IN THE U.S.. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Apr 12, 2021•26 min•Season 2Ep. 96
In this Chats with Shana episode, you'll hear about some of the language mistakes I've made in foreign languages. You'll learn how to get yourself out of awkward situations in English by using common expressions! Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Mar 25, 2021•19 min•Season 2Ep. 95
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you’ll learn how to use the expression “to ring a bell” and hear about the Liberty Bell , one of the most famous symbols of freedom in the United States. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Mar 13, 2021•21 min•Season 2Ep. 94
In Episode #93, you’ll hear about my adventure starting a business in New York City and traveling overseas as a digital nomad. You’ll also hear the lessons I learned from that experience while practicing the third conditional. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices...
Feb 23, 2021•34 min•Season 2Ep. 93
In this episode of the American English Podcast, you’ll learn how to use the expression “to pull some strings” and hear about The Great Iditarod , the largest annual sporting event in Alaska. Spoiler alert: it’s all about dogsledding (and has a fascinating back story)! 🐕🛷 Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materials. You’ll also find the Academy there, where you can access bonus content for this episode (formerly “The Classroom”). Learn more about your...
Feb 06, 2021•25 min•Season 2Ep. 92
How many vocabulary words, phrases, and collocations can you think of related to the topic of babies? I bet quite a few. But do you know how to say them in English? This episode introduces the vocabulary you’ll need to navigate a conversation about babies with a native speaker—aside from two obvious terms I’ve left out: crying and baby bottle . You probably already know those. This episode is long overdue, and I hope you enjoy it. ⚠️ Like most 5-Minute English episodes, the listening portion is ...
Jan 16, 2021•15 min•Season 2Ep. 91
This is the first of what will hopefully become many yearly reviews. There’s nothing better than reflecting on the highlights of the year. I created this partly for myself and partly for you, the listeners. I revisit some of the events I talked about on the podcast to “jog your memory” (Episode #1), and I also use several expressions from past expression episodes to describe my 2020. This episode is very personal. Want to take your learning further? ⭐ Visit the website for more learning materi...
Jan 02, 2021•22 min•Season 2Ep. 90
