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 wri...
Sep 21, 2017•34 min
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 difference...
Sep 14, 2017•32 min
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!
Sep 07, 2017•34 min
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!
Aug 31, 2017•38 min
***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 t...
Aug 24, 2017•34 min
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 h...
Aug 17, 2017•37 min
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!
Aug 10, 2017•31 min
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!
Aug 03, 2017•31 min
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!
Jul 27, 2017•31 min
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 l...
Jul 20, 2017•25 min
Hello again and welcome to Episode 56. This week we’re talking about something close to both of our hearts - animals. We discuss our pets, the common animals that we see in the US and the UK as well as animals that we are not so keen on. Stay tuned until after the conversation as today’s language focus introduces 5 fabulous animal idioms. Enjoy!
Jul 13, 2017•28 min
Hellooo and welcome to episode … 55! A few weeks ago we asked you to write to us with any questions you may have and lots of you did just that. In this week’s podcast we answer a lot of them and cover topics including how we first met, the different languages we (try to!) speak, British & American accents and travel plans. That’s a lot, right?! We hope you enjoy the episode :)
Jul 06, 2017•28 min
Hey! Are you good at keeping a secret? This episode is a big secret so don’t tell anyone about it, okay?! :) Just kidding, the episode itself is not a secret, of course, but it is our topic for the this week. Find out about some of Jennifer and Dan’s secrets and whether or not they are good at keeping them. The language focus features lots of useful idioms and phrases connected to this week’s topic, so make sure you keep listening after the chat. Enjoy!
Jun 29, 2017•28 min
Welcome to episode 53! This week we are talking all about manners - saying please and thank you, for example. You’ll find out what are some important do’s and don’ts in the UK and the USA - perfect if you’re planning to visit either of our 2 English speaking countries :) After the chat, the language focus is a series of comprehension questions so make sure you pay attention throughout. Enjoy!
Jun 22, 2017•30 min
Happy Birthday to us! This is our 52nd episode and so we are celebrating our first birthday this week - yay! We’re chatting about memories; some of our own personal ones as well as looking back at English Across The Pond over the past 12 months. The language focus is all about gerunds and infinitives so make sure you keep listening right until the end. Enjoy!
Jun 15, 2017•24 min
Our first ever special bonus mid-week episode! Wow! In this brief podcast you will find out about how you, our dear Ponders, can become a part of our show by asking us (your hosts Dan & Jennifer) any questions you may have. Listen to find out more. Enjoy!
Jun 14, 2017•4 min
This week we are chatting about the wonderful world of … sleep. Find out whether your hosts Jennifer & Dan are getting enough sleep, whether or not they like to have a lie in and even what they dream about! This episode is packed full of useful idioms and expressions related to sleep and they are explained by Dan after the chat. So make sure you stay tuned until the end of the show. Enjoy!
Jun 08, 2017•28 min
Say hello to episode 50! This week’s topic is something that we all do, just about every day - small talk! You’ll be finding out exactly what small talk is all about as well as learning a couple of techniques you can use to improve your informal chatting skills. In the language focus your hosts run through some examples to help you master the art of this super important area of social interaction. We hope you enjoy the episode!
Jun 01, 2017•26 min
Hello & welcome to episode 49 which is all about … humour! We are delighted to have a guest with us this week, Luke from Luke’s English podcast, and the 3 of us chat away happily about what makes us laugh. Find out all about stand up comedy and discover our comedy heroes. The language focus this week consists of comprehension questions based on the chat so make sure you pay attention! Happy Listening!
May 25, 2017•33 min
Hello dear English Across The Pond People (Ponders!) and welcome to Episode 48 which is all about … how to study! Not only is this episode extremely useful for your language learning but we also have a guest on our show today; Jaime Miller from English Success Academy. So there are 3 native speakers chatting about their own experiences of studying as well as providing you with their very own language learning tips. We thought it was a really great podcast and we hope you like it toooo!
May 18, 2017•30 min
This week we are chatting all about … art! Find out about the kinds of art we like (not just paintings and pictures) and whether or not we consider ourselves good at it. We’re also asking you to send in your artistic masterpieces so get creative dear listeners! The language focus this week is all about one of the more challenging tenses in English - the present perfect. We’re going to discuss different ways you can think about this tense to help you understand it more clearly so make sure you ke...
May 11, 2017•26 min
This week we’re talking about everybody’s favourite 2 days - the weekend! Find out what Dan & Jennifer get up to on their days off and learn some useful phrases that you can use when you’re chatting about the weekend. The language focus is all about the future - grammar time! We hope you enjoy listening :)
May 04, 2017•22 min
The focus of this week's podcast is … money! Find out what your 2 native speaker hosts, Jennifer & Dan, would do if they were rich and listen to 2 stories; Jen talks about when she had some cash stolen and Dan remembers a time when he won over £300. The language focus spotlight this week is on idioms that are related to our topic - cold, hard cash. Enjoy!
Apr 27, 2017•26 min
This week is all about food glorious food from around the world - delicious! You’ll discover the strangest things your hosts Jennifer & Dan have ever eaten as well as some of the different dishes they have tasted from around the world. The language focus this week is a listening comprehension so you might want to take a few notes as you listen :) Enjoy!
Apr 21, 2017•23 min
Are you working too much? Not enough free time? This week we are discussing one of the 21st century’s hot topics - your work-life balance. Find out about how well Dan & Jennifer manage their own day to day routines and a learn a tip for improving your own work-life balance. The language focus this week is a classic - the present simple. Enjoy!
Apr 14, 2017•30 min
This week is all about stereotypes! First of all, you’ll find out exactly what a stereotype is, why they can be both useful and potentially a little dangerous as well as hearing about some of the main American and English ones. In addition the language focus this week is all about some of the language differences between British and American English. Enjoy!
Apr 07, 2017•28 min
Are you a shopaholic (someone who loves shopping)?! If so, you’re in for a treat because this week we are talking about our shopping habits, things we both love and hate to shop for and shopping online. Our chat is packed full of the everyday expressions and collocations you need to take your language to the next level. It’s followed by our language focus which focuses on a very natural way to agree with both positive and negative statements. Enjoy!
Mar 31, 2017•24 min
This week Jennifer and Dan are chatting about TV. They discuss what kinds of TV shows they watch and make some British and American television recommendations, just for you dear listener! As well as the usual abundance of up to date phrases and everyday expressions the language focus this week is all about modal verbs. A blockbuster episode!!
Mar 24, 2017•32 min
This week we’re talking about a subject close to our hearts - technology! We’re discussing what we love about tech being a big part of our lives as well as some of the disadvantages. Our language focus this week is all about ‘conversation fillers’ - useful phrases you can use when you’re not sure what to say in English. As always, the podcast is packed full of the English you need to take you language skills to the next level. We’re sure you’re going to love it!
Mar 17, 2017•27 min
Have you ever been stuck on ways to practice speaking? If you need to improve your speaking skills in English, then this is the episode for you! This week Dan and Jennifer answer one of the most common questions they receive from English students, “How can I improve my speaking?” We’ll also give some question examples you can use with a conversation partner, sample answers, and give you the opportunity to connect with other English Across the Pond….Ponders!
Mar 09, 2017•30 min
