Espresso English Podcast

Sometimes people ask me to explain in detail the difference between a collocation, a phrasal verb, an idiom, a slang word, a proverb, etc. To be honest, that's the wrong question. All of these types of expressions are part of the English language, but most native English speakers could NOT tell you the technical differences between them. The most important thing for an English learner is to know what they mean and how to use them. So today's lesson is a mix of idioms, phrasal verbs, and collocations with the word ""set"" - all with examples so you can see them in use! Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/collocations-idioms-and-phrasal-verbs-with-set

14 Sep 201610min

Here's a fun way to study prepositions - let's learn some casual conversational expressions using IN and ON. You might hear a native speaker say things like, - ""I'm in the same boat."" - ""You're on a roll!"" - ""Do you ever feel like you're in a rut?"" - ""That car looks like it's on its last legs."" Today you'll learn what all these expressions mean... so that you won't be confused when you hear them in conversation! Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/15-conversational-english-phrases-with-in-and-on/

7 Sep 20167min

Do you want to understand English conversations better, learn the expressions that native speakers use, and speak English more fluently? The Everyday English Speaking Course – Level 2 will help you! This course has more advanced conversations that are full of common informal expressions used by native English speakers. It teaches you the phrases in context so that you’ll be able to remember and use them – and become more fluent in English as a result. Click here to learn more and sign up: http://www.espressoenglish.net/learn-to-talk-more-like-a-native-english-speaker

31 Aug 20165min

Do you know what the phrasal verbs harp on, rattle off, and butt out mean? If not, you'll learn all of these and more in today's lesson. This is actually a free sample from the Phrasal Verbs in Conversation Course - if you haven't taken this course yet, I think you'll really enjoy it. According to one student, ""I definitely lost my fear of making mistakes with phrasal verbs, because the dialogues of every lesson are incredibly interesting and clear. I highly recommend this course to all students – especially to those who feel scared to death of phrasal verbs and want to become friends forever with phrasal verbs."" Click here for lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/20-english-phrasal-verbs-for-communication/

24 Aug 20169min

Learn English phrases for talking about travel nightmares. For example, “My Flight Was Overbooked, And I Got Bumped To A Later One.” A “flight” is a trip by airplane. If the flight is “overbooked,” it means that the airline sold too many tickets, and there is not enough space on the plane for all the people who have purchased tickets. This means that some people will get “bumped” to a later flight – they can’t go on the flight at the original time, and have to wait for a different flight later. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/english-phrases-for-bad-travel-experiences/

17 Aug 20165min

“Ask” is one of the most common verbs in English, but there are a number of details to remember when you use it in a sentence. Here are 4 ways to use the English verb “ask” correctly - and one very common error to avoid. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/how-to-use-the-english-verb-ask-correctly/

10 Aug 20165min

You probably already know some basic English expressions with the verb “make,” such as “make breakfast,” “make money,” and “make a promise” – but here are 15 idiomatic expressions in English that might be new for you. Click here for the lesson text: https://www.espressoenglish.net/15-idiomatic-expressions-with-the-verb-make/

3 Aug 20167min

You want to express yourself better in English, right? Well, you can add more ""color"" and detail to your sentences by learning to use these 20 interesting adverbs of manner. Adverbs of manner tell us how or in what way an action was done. Here's where to use them: 1. Immediately before the main verb He quickly drank the water. 2. Immediately after the main verb I laughed nervously. 3. If the main verb has an object, then put the adverb of manner either after the object or before the main verb She read the letter carefully. - CORRECT She carefully read the letter. - CORRECT She read carefully the letter. - INCORRECT In today's lesson, you'll learn 20 adverbs of manner such as eagerly, promptly, recklessly, smoothly, and wildly - with example sentences. Click here for the lesson text: http://www.espressoenglish.net/20-english-adverbs-of-manner-to-make-your-sentences-more-interesting/

27 Jul 201611min