Learn the English phrasal verb, "fill out" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/fill-out -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and phrases...
Apr 30, 2026•10 min•Ep. 860
Today's story: French authorities arrested suspects in the Louvre heist, but there was another high-profile museum robbery. The Air Canada CEO resigned over his limited French. Premium economy is booming, BTS is back, and King Tut's tomb is on full display in Egypt. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/859 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/859 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, n...
Apr 27, 2026•12 min•Ep. 859
Learn the English expression, "track down" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/track-down -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com
Apr 23, 2026•8 min•Ep. 858
Today's story: Hachette, a major book publisher, pulled a horror novel from bookstore shelves after online critics found the text was full of the telltale signs of artificial intelligence. The author, Mia Ballard, says that a freelance editor may have used ChatGPT, but that the story was her own work. The case raises questions in the literary community about how much artificial intelligence can be used in creating a work of fiction. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/857 Get th...
Apr 20, 2026•15 min•Ep. 857
Learn the English expression, "Add up" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/add-up -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest w...
Apr 16, 2026•13 min•Ep. 856
Today's story: Mahjong, a traditional Chinese tile game, is gaining popularity again around the world. Once a major trend in the U.S., it declined for decades but survived in small communities. Now, clubs, apps, and pop culture are introducing it to new players, drawn by its mix of strategy, luck, and social interaction. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/855 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/855 -- Plain English helps you improve your English:...
Apr 13, 2026•14 min•Ep. 855
Learn how to use the English phrasal verb, "figure out" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/figure-out -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest wo...
Apr 09, 2026•18 min•Ep. 854
Today's story: GLP-1 drugs, originally developed for diabetes and later used for weight loss, are now showing surprising benefits in other areas of health. Patients taking these medications have lower rates of heart attacks, strokes, and fatty liver disease, along with improvements in sleep apnea and addiction. Scientists believe these effects may be linked to reduced inflammation in the body, but more research is needed to understand their full potential. Transcript & Exercises: https://pla...
Apr 06, 2026•16 min•Ep. 853
Learn the English expression, "come up with" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/come-up-with -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and p...
Apr 02, 2026•13 min•Ep. 852
Today's story: Pennsylvania Station was once one of the most beautiful train stations in the United States, but the building was demolished in 1963. New York almost immediately regretted the loss of its grand old station. For decades, leaders have promised to rebuild it, but a series of political and architectural obstacles have stood in the way. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/851 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/851 -- Plain English helps...
Mar 30, 2026•16 min•Ep. 851
Learn how to use the English expression "up close" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/up-close -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest words and...
Mar 26, 2026•12 min•Ep. 850
Today's story: Alex Honnold, a 40-year-old American climber famous for his "free solo" climbs without ropes, thrilled millions of viewers by climbing a 101-story skyscraper without any safety gear. The climb was broadcast live on Netflix. His wife, watching the climb from inside the office building, said she was panicking the whole time. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/849 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/849 -- Plain English helps you impr...
Mar 23, 2026•15 min•Ep. 849
Learn the English expression, "show up" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/show-up -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardest...
Mar 19, 2026•12 min•Ep. 848
Today's story: For decades, the United States followed other wealthy democracies in becoming less religious. The share of Americans identifying as Christian fell sharply, while the number of people with no religious affiliation grew. But new data suggest that this long decline may have slowed. Younger generations are no less religious than Millennials, and adults today are not becoming less religious as they age. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/847 Get the full story and lea...
Mar 16, 2026•13 min•Ep. 847
Learn how to use the English expression, "come to grips" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/come-to-grips -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See tran...
Mar 12, 2026•8 min•Ep. 846
Today's story: The 2026 Winter Olympics were kind to some 40-something competitors, but devastating to the skier Lindsay Vonn. Mikhail Shaidorov brought Kazakhstan its first gold medal since 1994 after defeating the self-proclaimed "Quad God." Team GB won its first event on snow, and Brazil became the first South American country to claim a Winter Olympic gold medal. And an anonymous woman somewhere in Norway got quite a shock. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/845 Get the ful...
Mar 09, 2026•14 min•Ep. 845
Learn the expert-level English expression "turn the tables" Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/turn-the-tables -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the h...
Mar 05, 2026•12 min•Ep. 844
Today's story: When a Canadian producer pitched a TV adaptation of a gay hockey romance novel, major U.S. streamers hesitated. It was about a niche sport, featured explicit same-sex scenes, and was based on a romance novel. But a smaller Canadian platform took a chance on the story, and the series became a massive hit in Canada and around the world. Its success surprised everyone. But the clues to its success were there all along. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/843 Get the ...
Mar 02, 2026•16 min•Ep. 843
Learn the English expression "run out" (and listen until the end to hear what Jeff's first boss said he can *never* run out of...) Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/run-out -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem N...
Feb 26, 2026•13 min•Ep. 842
Today's story: Coffee is one of the world’s most popular drinks, but not everyone drinks it the same way. The two most popular styles, espresso and filter coffee, were invented in Europe. Turkish coffee is most similar to how people drank coffee centuries ago. And Cuba and Vietnam have their own unique styles. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/841 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/841 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn abou...
Feb 23, 2026•14 min•Ep. 841
There's no getting around it: you need to learn the English expression "get around" Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/get-around -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain...
Feb 19, 2026•13 min•Ep. 840
Today's story: A “millionaire” is someone with a net worth of one million dollars. But the reality of a million dollars today is very different from when the word entered English in the late 1700s. Today’s millionaires are more likely to drive ordinary cars, live in the suburbs, and manage their own daily chores than live the lavish lifestyles we often associate with the word “millionaire.” Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/839 Get the full story and learning resources: https:...
Feb 16, 2026•17 min•Ep. 839
Today's story: The 2026 World Cup will be jointly hosted by the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. FIFA says it has received over 500 million ticket requests. So what do fans need to know if they want to attend a game? It probably depends on the type of game they want to see—there might even be some last-minute bargains. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/837 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/837 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn ab...
Feb 09, 2026•17 min•Ep. 837
Learn the English expression, "turn in." Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/turn-in -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain English again! See translations of the hardes...
Feb 05, 2026•12 min•Ep. 836
Today's story: The Hudson’s Bay Company started as a fur trading monopoly in British North America, thanks to a royal charter signed by King Charles II. It later became a retail empire with department stores across Canada. But after years of falling sales and intense competition from big-box and online retailers, the company shut down for good in 2025. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/835 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/835 -- Plain English...
Feb 02, 2026•12 min•Ep. 835
Learn the English expression "fall for" (hint: it's not something you want to do!) Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/fall-for -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult words in Plain En...
Jan 29, 2026•11 min•Ep. 834
Today's story: Southeast Asia has become the global hub of online scams, where scammers in massive compounds target workers around the world. China and the United States have begun pressuring governments in the region to shut down the scam compounds. But it's still not clear if these efforts will make a difference. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/833 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/833 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn...
Jan 26, 2026•16 min•Ep. 833
Learn how to use the English expression, " get rid of ". What things do you need to get rid of? Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/get-rid-of -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by difficult wo...
Jan 22, 2026•12 min•Ep. 832
Today's story: LEDs have replaced older light sources in homes, offices, cars, and city streets. They are more efficient, longer-lasting, and more flexible. But unlike older lights, LEDs often give off cooler, bluer light. This shift in color temperature affects how our surroundings feel—and may even affect our sleep. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/831 Get the full story and learning resources: https://plainenglish.com/831 -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Le...
Jan 19, 2026•17 min•Ep. 831
Learn what it means to have your work cut out for you (hint: it's not about cutting). Explore the full lesson & practice using today's expression: https://plainenglish.com/expressions/have-your-work-cut-out-for-you -- Plain English helps you improve your English: Learn about the world and improve your English Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand New stories every week Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com Mentioned in this episode: Hard words? No problem Never be confused by di...
Jan 15, 2026•10 min•Ep. 830
