🇬🇧 I'm Michael Lavers and this podcast will help you improve your English. I'm an online English teacher for students learning as a second language. In this podcast, I look at a variety of different fun topics and teach you British English at the same time.
Each week, I cover topics related to language motivation, vocabulary and grammar, or something totally random! Once a month, we have a guest episode where I talk to a teacher or expert on topics related to language.
Don't just listen to podcasts. Learn from them with transcripts, summaries, and chapters for every episode. Skim, search, and bookmark insights. Learn more
In a more adventurous episode, I challenge myself to cycle alone from Seoul, South Korea all the way to the coastal city of Busan, and eventually end up in Fukuoka, Japan. Can I do it? Can I make it to the end without destroying my body? Join me to find out. In this episode, I'll be sharing my experience of the cycle trip, including planning, advice for those who want to take on similar challenges, and sharing useful vocabulary for English learners along the way. I highly recommend watching the ...
Meg ( Mega Language Coach ) joins me for a second episode and this time we talk about inclusive language. Inclusive language is a way of speaking that includes other people and doesn't leave people out based on their ability, gender, personality, or anything else. It's a small shift you can make in your language to sound nicer. We talk about whether you can say "guys" when talking to girls, the difference between he, she and 'they', and also why people don't often say "police man" anymore. In th...
Being able to talk about the past naturally in English is really important to sounding natural, and in this episode, we explore the use of "Used to" and "Would", which can both be used to talk about past habits that are no longer true. There is a small difference between them, and understanding this can make your English sound much more natural. I explain the difference, and give several examples from my own life to illustrate it. Of course, I invite you to do the same. In the shownotes comments...
I go through a varied list of different opinions that I think the vast majority of people will disagree with - perhaps even think I'm insane for having them! For each opinion, I share some words and expressions, and I'd love to hear your thoughts too. Are there any that you actually agree with me on? Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast378 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mi...
Andrew from Culips English Podcast and Michael talk about things with wish we knew earlier in life and share some big regrets. A relaxed, honest conversation with personal stories and some moments of self-reflection that includes topics of finances, life choices, skills, language learning and health/exercise. It's also a great opportunity to practice some grammar structures such as "I wish I had", so be suer to answer these questions yourself too for practice. Show notes page - https://levelupen...
I often get requests to show more of my life in Thailand, so in this episode, I'll take you through a somewhat typical weekend day for me in Bangkok, while sharing lots of useful new vocabulary along the way. If you have any suggestions for future outside episodes, let me know! Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast376 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini ⭐️ Join Level Up Eng...
In Episode 370 , we covered a lot of common mistakes that native speakers make in their English, and today is the much requested part 2. We'll be looking at a few areas or regional dialects, grammar, pronunciation, and vocabulary, that seem to be mistakes in native speaker speech. Some of these are known mistakes and done out of laziness, some of these might be considered a natural part of how language changes and evolves over time. But the real question is - are any of these okay for learners t...
Michael delves into several slightly negative emotions, beginning with a reflection on how patience wanes with age. He defines and illustrates "smug," "petty," "patronizing," "resentful," and "cynical" through engaging personal stories, from skipping queues to navigating social media cynicism during travel. The episode helps listeners expand their vocabulary for nuanced feelings while offering a humorous look at everyday frustrations.
We chat with Andrew from the Culips English Podcast and get to know him a bit. We talk about moving from Canada and life in South Korea for 12 years, while comparing the good and bad of each country. We also explore topics of learning Korean, how to get the most out of a trip to South Korea, and more casual chat around various topics. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast373 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - h...
Book a Lesson with Me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ If you could remove one thing from your life to make it better, what would it be? You might be thinking of something big, but what if it just takes a few bad habits and mindsets to go for your life to start drastically improving? Today I’ll be talking about some habits and mindsets I’ve (mostly) stopped doing and the positive impact it’s had on my life. Have you tried any of these? Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podca...
Book a Lesson with Me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ Do you use AI to make your life easier in any way? Perhaps you use it for work, or perhaps maybe you ask it for life advice. Well, whether you are an avid user, avid means regular daily user, or you don't know how to use AI and you've never used it or you don't know much about it. In this episode, we will be learning how you can use AI to help your English grow and improve. I'll be sharing my advice and ideas to use AI to learn a lang...
Book a Lesson with Me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ Have you ever heard a native English speaker make a mistake in their English? Of course no one is perfect and this includes native speakers. There really is no such thing as perfect language and the fact that native speakers will make mistakes can be quite confusing for someone perhaps like you who is trying to learn English, and it's very difficult when you want to fix your own mistakes as a learner, but the native speakers you are t...
If you’d like more personalised support with your English, I offer private lessons focused on real conversation, fluency, and targeted feedback. 🇬🇧 You can book a lesson here: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ If you can’t find a suitable time, feel free to email me: michael@levelupenglish.school 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini ⭐️ Join Level Up English - https://www.levelupenglish...
Do you struggle with phone use? Maybe you'd like to cut back a little and enjoy your life more. In this episode, we cover lots of tips and advice for reducing phone use. Some practical ideas, and some mindset changes. I also explore the idea of using your phone to learn English and whether this is a good idea. You'll also be learning new phrases, expressions, and words related to this topic, so you'll be ready to discuss this yourself in English. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/p...
Rayhan from Learn English with Ray makes his 3rd appearance on the Level Up English podcast, and this time we talk about the power of stories. We cover the importance of story telling, tips on becoming a great story teller, and also give many examples from our own lives to try top practice what we're learning. I learnt so much from Ray this episode since telling a good story is far more than speaking good English - it's an art than can help improve your relationships and social interactions, and...
We'll be looking at the popular subreddit r/Confessions and for each story, I'll be sharing my own views on what this person should have done and giving them advice. While giving advice, I'll be using some useful structures that you can use in your English too. Of course, we also learn a lot of bonus vocabulary that comes up in each story as well. If you wait around to the end, you'll even hear a couple of my own confessions where I talk about some bad things I've done (and still do!) Podcast Sh...
Many of you may be wondering how you can best make use of all these podcast episodes to improve your English. Today, I'll be covering that topic and sharing some ideas and techniques to improve your English quickly while listening to podcasts - whether it's this one or any others! At the end, I also share my own personal favourite podcasts that I listen to each week. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast366 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/...
I've been keeping a secret for a while... About 6 months ago, I got a hair transplant! In this episode, I talk openly about why I did this and the process that went into it. And I also talk more deeply and generally on the topic of self-esteem and self image and how the way we look affects our confidence in the world. It's a great topic to dive into, and along the way, I cover lots of useful vocabulary and phrases too. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast365 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a l...
In this episode, we're joined by Molly - an English learner and Chinese teacher. We go through a few different words and ideas to describe them, and you can play along and guess at home. We'll be comparing a native speaker and a learn to see who can do a better job of describing each one. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast364 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesson with me: https://lessons.levelupenglish.school/ ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini ⭐️ Join L...
Michael delves into the fascinating ways human brains differ, beginning with aphantasia – the inability to visualize – and its surprising effects on reading and learning. He then explores the concept of an inner monologue, discussing how its presence or absence influences meditation, solitude, and even language practice. The episode also touches upon communication styles like 'thinking to talk' versus 'talking to think' and variations in sense of direction, offering insights into how these cognitive differences shape our daily experiences and language learning journeys.
The main focus of today's episode is the word 'cringe'. It's a useful word to describe a strong feeling of embarrassment or awkwardness, especially at someone else's behaviour, or memories of your own past behaviour. I'll be sharing a few cringey things from my life, some embarrassing stories, and some everyday things that I find a bit cringe. While chatting, I'll be sharing some useful phrases and expressions too, so you can learn something new with each story. Show notes page - https://levelup...
I react to a list of various unpopular opinions (taken from the popular subreddit ) looking at some strong views, unusual takes, and some deeper, more philosophical opinions. With each one, I share my views and experiences that are relevant, and also a new English phrase that you can learn and take away from this episode. If you'd like the share your opinions in response, I'd love to hear them! You can do so on the shownotes page below. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast361 ...
Ivan Doan is a multilingual actor, speaking 6+ languages, of Ukrainian Vietnamese descent working around the world. Ivan joins the Level Up English Podcast today to discuss acting, mistakes when acting, skills and tips to being a good actor and director, improving pronunciation and accent for language learning, favourite TV series and movies, and much more. To connect with Ivan online, click the shownotes page to view all his social links. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast3...
Michael Lavers addresses the most common question: "What's the best way to learn English?" He outlines essential self-reflection questions, including defining goals, identifying weaknesses, and committing non-negotiable study time. The episode then details practical steps for designing an enjoyable and consistent routine, choosing effective resources, and integrating English into daily life. Finally, it tackles common pitfalls like passive studying, avoiding challenges, and ego-driven learning, offering strategies for learners to achieve faster, more sustainable progress.
I'm talking to you from the beaches of Okinawa, Japan, and bringing you an outside episode today. Click the link below if you'd like to watch the video version on YouTube. It's a bit of a chatty episode, but my main topic is Travel Hot Takes. A hot take is a controversial opinion that many people will disagree with, and today I list some of my biggest ones. I'm sure I'm going to anger a few people with these today. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast358 🇬🇧 NEW! Book a lesso...
This is the episode I've been excited about for months! In the final episode of the year, I'll be going in detail about what you can do to set goals and become the best version of yourself in 2026. I'll start by going through my process this year of how you can best do this. It involves writing a review of the good and bad of the previous year, so you can appreciate your successes and think about what could have gone better. We then talk about planning for the year ahead, and break it apart into...
Michael shares his two-year journey of tracking language learning for Chinese and Japanese, breaking down time spent on various resources and skills. He reveals surprising data, such as a significant deficit in speaking practice compared to vocabulary acquisition, influenced by an upcoming Japanese exam. The episode emphasizes the importance of data-driven goal setting, moving from "wide and shallow" to "deep and narrow" learning, and outlines his plans for prioritizing speaking and introducing Thai in 2026, offering listeners a customizable tracker to apply these lessons.
In this episode, I go through a list of 2nd Conditional questions that encourage me to self reflect and think about how I could improve my life and habits in the new year. Using this grammar structure is really useful, and I encourage you to answer each question as well. This is a more casual, chatty episode, so if you actually want to learn about the grammar in more detail, Episode 65 might be more useful. Feel free to share your thoughts or answers in the comments below. Show notes page - http...
In this episode of the Level Up English Podcast, we dive into the world of sadness - an emotion we all experience, yet often struggle to express clearly in English. We'll be looking at a few different ways to say you're sad in English, and to keep things happy and optimistic, I also share some ideas on how to be happy in life. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast354 ➡️ Join the Free Mini Course - https://www.levelupenglish.school/mini ⭐️ Join Level Up English - https://www.lev...
If you're planning on taking the IELTS exam, this episode is a must listen for you. In it, I cover an overview of the exam, and some tips on how to prepare and ace the listening section. I also want to make sure all learners can learn from this episode, so in the second half, I cover some general listening tips and things you can do to level up your listening skills, sharing techniques and motivational tips to encourage you. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast353 ➡️ Join the ...
