Master English With Tim

Should I continue?

Mon, 12 Jan 2026 04:44:47 +0000

Tim isn't just a podcaster- he's also an English teacher, a writing teacher, a writer and even a bike mechanic. Tim works 55 hours a week- and he's tired. Plus, making this podcast costs 160 dollars a year (but earns nothing!). Tim isn't sure if there are any strong reasons for continuing.
If you want to write to Tim, you can do so at tim at englishwithtim dot com. If you want this podcast to continue, write to Tim and tell him why. If you want to tell Tim how this podcast has helped you.... write to him and tell him how!
Thank you so much everyone for listening!
You can find old episodes in the future on YouTube at (Master English With Tim Podcast - YouTube).

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Episode #145: Big News!

Mon, 05 Jan 2026 03:47:48 +0000

In Episode 145, learn about Tim's new resource for strengthening your English vocabulary:
Bridge to B1 English. If you'd like a free sample of the book, just write to Tim- tim at english with tim dot com.

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Episode #144: THAN or THEN?

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 03:00:17 +0000

"Than" and "then". These are two English words that many students of English- and also native speakers- confuse. Listen to Episode 144 to learn the real world functions and pronunciations of these words so you never confuse them again.

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Episode #143: Verbs of Color and Light

Mon, 22 Dec 2025 02:04:31 +0000

Did you know that the suffix -EN changes some adjectives into verbs? Red -> Redden. White -> Whiten. Black -> Blacken. Dark -> Darken. In Episode #143, Tim explains the basics of the -EN suffix and illustrates its meaning and use with five verbs connected with color and light. Use these verbs to easily brighten how you express yourself in spoken English!

Note: cover image generate by AI.

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Episode #142: NGSL Vocabulary 1876-1880

Mon, 15 Dec 2025 02:32:19 +0000

The New General Service List, or NGSL is just 2800 words- but covers 92% of written and spoken English. NGSL vocabulary is also IELTS vocabulary, and TOEFL vocabulary, and vocabulary for doing business and understanding the news. If you want to master English vocabulary, a great first step is to master NGSL vocabulary.
Listen to this week's episode to learn 5 words, 15 meanings and 45 examples from the NGSL- words 1876 to 1880.

Photo is taken from Wikipedia. It has been cropped to fit a square frame.
Link: PIked Tsukahara L9 Reginals - Gymnastics - Wikipedia
License: Deed - Attribution 3.0 Unported - Creative Commons

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Episode #141: Sickness and Health

Mon, 08 Dec 2025 02:29:44 +0000

Talk with Tim, and meet students from around the world- join the Master English With Tim podcast chat groups:
https://chat.whatsapp.com/EUTTJKmHcb7A9frLCRAMSa?mode=hqrc
https://t.me/+BBSno0b7GWcxZDFk

--
We all try not to get sick in the winter- and almost all of us get sick anyways! In this episode, learn the most important English vocabulary for talking about common sicknesses like the cold, the flu and COVID.

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Episode #140: This, That, These and Those

Mon, 01 Dec 2025 02:46:52 +0000

Sometimes it's the small words that give us problems- words like BE, AT, and GET. In Episode 140, Tim explains 4 small words: THIS, THAT, THESE and THOSE. Listen to Episode 140 now to learn how to pronounce and use these essential English words.

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NOTE: Cover image generated using AI.

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Episode #139: NGSL 1871-1875

Mon, 24 Nov 2025 04:53:15 +0000

If you want to master English vocabulary, you have to master NGSL vocabulary. The NGSL, or New General Service List, is an list of the 2800 most used words in English. Learn these words in depth and detail to get a higher score on IELTS or TOEFL, and to communicate with more confidence at work. Listen to Episode #139 now to learn 17 meanings of 5 NGSL words.

NOTE: Cover image created using AI.

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Episode #138: Plus, Plenty, Plural and More

Mon, 17 Nov 2025 03:10:40 +0000

There's an easier way to master English vocabulary at the advanced level. This easier method starts with seeing the hidden connections between words. Listen to Episode #138 to learn 18 words and word parts that come from a single root and share a similar meaning. These words will help you on tests like IELTS, TOEFL, SAT, GRE and GMAT.

Note: Cover image created by AI.

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Episode #137: Can of Chewing Gum

Mon, 10 Nov 2025 03:12:17 +0000

CAN and CAN'T often sound a lot alike. This can cause real problems in your life! Listen to Episode 137 to learn four functions of CAN, and how to easily understand if you heard CAN or CAN'T.
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If you want to learn more about real world, "chewing gum" English pronunciations used by native speakers, listen to Episode 102: A Fresh Look at Chewing Gum.
Note: cover image created by AI.

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Episode 136: Words for WHITE

Mon, 03 Nov 2025 03:10:04 +0000

👆Learn root words to make surprising connections between words and remember advanced vocabulary better!
Did you know that English contains traces of a prehistoric language first spoken 6000 years ago?
Linguists call this language Indo-European because its daughter languages are spoken in Europe (for example, Spanish, German and Ukrainian) as well as in South Aisa (for instance Hindi and Bengali).
Listen to Episode 136 to explore nine words that all share a piece of ancient Indo-European history: the root BL, found in English words like BLOND and ALBINO, and also in foreign words like Spanish "blanco" and German "bleich".
NOTE: Cover image created using AI.

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Halloween Special: Ghost Dog

Fri, 31 Oct 2025 03:39:40 +0000

One person's ghost story can seem unreal... But when two people see the same thing, we have little choice but to believe both of them.
In this bonus Halloween episode, listen to a true story about two friends and a ghostly white dog from another world.

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Episode #135: Touched by Twins

Mon, 27 Oct 2025 02:40:34 +0000

This week is a special and scary week- it's Halloween! Tim loves Halloween, so this week he brings you a real-life ghost story told by a close friend. This episode has a lot of advanced vocabulary, much of it connected with ghosts. To get the maximum effect from this episode, learn the advanced vocabulary from the list below- and then listen with the lights turned off!
1 recollect = remember
2 spooky = scary (usually because of ghosts)

3, 4 tumultuous, fraught (/frawt/) = chaotic, complicated (relationships)

5 peninsula = piece of land with water on three sides (e.g., Florida or Korea)

6 desolate = empty and depressing (land, places)

7, 8 marsh, swamp = land with lots of water on it

9 windswept = affected by heavy wind (land, territory- a windswept beach)

10 flanked by = if a road is flanked by trees, there are trees on both sides of the road

11 performer = actor or singer

12 creep someone out = to make someone afraid

13 orchard = land where fruit trees grow, e.g. apple orchard, cherry orchard

14 burial grounds = cemetery, graveyard (for Native Americans)

15 suffice it to say = it's enough to say

16 fraught = complicated, difficult (relationships)

17 tangle = chaotic mix of different objects

18 garb = clothing

19 eyepatch = piece of cloth worn to protect an eye- pirates wear eye patches

20 dilapidated = in bad condition, not taken care of (buildings)

21 hazy = difficult to see through (for example, some beers are hazy)

22 cobwebs = spiderwebs

23 barn = building on a farm where animals live or food is kept

24 bee = a black and yellow flying insect

25 hive of bees = structure built by bees that they live in; hives contain honey

26 general store = old-fashioned store that sells food, tools and clothing- common in the US until the 1950s- General store - Wikipedia

27 skittering = moving quickly and noisily across a hard surface

28 crescendo = climax, most dramatic moment

29 vaporize = to disappear

30 apparition = a ghost

31 taxing = requiring a large effort
Note: Episode cover created by AI.

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Episode #134: NGSL 1866-1870

Mon, 20 Oct 2025 01:34:13 +0000

What if you could speak with greater sophistication and detail WITHOUT learning new words? Well, that really is possible! How? You just need to learn more meanings of words you already know.

This technique is even more impactful when you choose words from the NGSL, a list of the 2809 most used words of English. Knowing NGSL vocabulary well can also help you score higher on IELTS and TOEFL.
Listen to Episode 134 today to learn 5 NGSL words and 9 meanings.

Note: cover image created using AI.

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Episode #133: Send It!

Mon, 13 Oct 2025 03:48:36 +0000

In Episode 133, learn how just one small Latin root can help you learn 12 English words with 17 different meanings. Tim does the hard work for you by explaining what this single root means and how it changes form, and by finding the most interesting and useful words that contain it.
What is this mystery root? Listen to Episode 133 to find out, and to help *send* your English vocabulary to the next level!

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Episode 132: NGSL 1856-1865

Mon, 06 Oct 2025 02:50:10 +0000

Want to break the B2 barrier? Want to move up to C1 level English vocabulary? Then learn the words of the NGSL, or New General Service List. Knowing NGSL vocabulary. NGSL vocabulary will help you understand advanced, academic, formal and business vocabulary in depth and detail so you can express yourself with accuracy and sophistication.
In this week's episode, you'll learn 18 meanings of 10 NGSL words, 1856-1865:
BORROW, FUNDAMENTAL, DISH, ABROAD, SOUL, CAPABLE, DEFEAT, PRESIDENTIAL, PERFECTLY, and ENHANCE.

More episodes with words from the NGSL:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.

Cover photo from Wikipedia, Climbing at Hanging Gardens, Bullock Creek - Rock climbing in New Zealand - Wikipedia.
Deed - Attribution-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic - Creative Commons

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Episode #131: NGSL 1856-1865

Mon, 29 Sep 2025 02:08:30 +0000

If you want to master English vocabulary, then you've got to master the most used words in English. That means learning the NGSL, or New General Service List, a list of the 2800 most used words of English. NGSL vocabulary is the vocabulary you need for higher scores on IELTS and TOEFL. Mastering NGSL vocabulary is also an important part of mastering English listening!
Listen to Episode #131 to learn 24 meanings of 10 words of NGSL vocabulary.

Note: cover image generated by AI.

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Episode #130: 2 Past Tense Constructions

Mon, 22 Sep 2025 03:46:07 +0000

USED TO and WOULD are essential constructions for talking about repeated actions in the past- and you need to know them if you want to master English grammar at level B1 and higher. Be careful, though- there are important differences between these constructions!

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Episode #129: Verbs -> Nouns

Mon, 15 Sep 2025 03:40:39 +0000

Want to master English grammar? Then master the details!
🤔How do you change a verb into a noun? 😕Or a noun into a verb? One unusual way is to change a word's pronunciation ☑️:
Verb: perFECT Noun: PERfect
Verb: perMIT Noun: PERmit
Verb: obJECT Noun: OBject
Verb: reFUSE Noun: REfuse
Verb: deSERT Noun: DEsert
⚠️Be careful though! ❗Sometimes words' meanings completely change with the pronunciation!
Listen to Episode 129 to learn over a dozen verb-noun pairs with changes in meaning.

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Episode #128: NGSL 1846-1855

Mon, 08 Sep 2025 02:37:32 +0000

Have you been stuck at B2 level English for a long time? Do you want to move up to C1? Then you need to master English vocabulary, specifically the words of the NGSL, or New General Service List. The NGSL includes the top 2800 most used words of English.
I'm not going to lie- REALLY learning these words is not fast and easy. That's because you MUST know more than one meaning or function for these words. For instance, words 1846 to 1855 have 27 meanings.
Listen to Episode 129 to learn these words and the meanings you need for C1 English vocabulary to score higher on IELTS and TOEFL- and for life in general!

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Episode #127: 16X Word Power

Mon, 01 Sep 2025 03:27:23 +0000

Want to master English vocabulary, especially B2 and higher English vocabulary?
Well, we have good news: learning just one Latin root, -JECT, could help you learn 16 new words of intermediate English vocabulary or advanced English vocabulary. -JECT means "throw" and is found in 16 words that you can find in academic English- for example eject, projectile, conjecture and more.
Listen to Episode 127 now and learn more about the root JECT, and for deep explanations of over a dozen words with this root.

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Episode 126: Just NEED.

Mon, 25 Aug 2025 02:47:19 +0000

Want to master English listening? Then you need to learn how English native speakers say words and phrases in real life. Sounds in the most used words change, get mixed up and even disappear. These real-world pronunciations are called CHEWING GUM pronunciations- and native speakers use them all the time.
Chewing gum pronunciation is not the only difficulty, though! You also must know the grammar of the most used words, for example if you use a verb with a gerund or an infinitive.
Listen to Episode 126 now to learn 6 surprising ways to pronounce the verb NEED. You'll also learn useful rules about sound changes that can help you to understand many chewing gum and strengthen your English listening today.

More episodes on chewing gum pronunciation:
Episode #125: How to Say "I": Eye, ɑː, ʌ, ə, ∅
Episode 7: The Chewing Gum Accent
Episode 18: More Chewing Gum, Please!

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Episode #125: How to Say "I": Eye, ɑː, ʌ, ə, ∅

Mon, 18 Aug 2025 02:39:32 +0000

Wanna master English listening? Then start by learning how native and expert speakers REALLY pronounce the most common words like the pronoun "I". Did you know that "I" in fact has several alternative, or "chewing gum" pronunciations? Even more interesting, these alternative pronunciations blend and mix with common verbs like AM and WILL. Listen to Episode #125 to master these chewing gum pronunciations and grow your intermediate English listening or advanced English listening skills.

Note: the cover image was created with the help of AI.

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Episode 123: NGSL Vocabulary 1836-1845

Mon, 11 Aug 2025 02:28:49 +0000

NGSL vocabulary is the intermediate and advanced English vocabulary you need to score higher on IELTS or TOEFL, and to speak and understand formal English, business English and academic English. If you want to master English, you need to master English vocabulary- and if you already have intermediate English vocabulary, then the NGSL is a great place to start.
So how do you master NGSL vocabulary? By exploring the many different meanings or functions of words from the NGSL. Learn many meanings for each word, and you will understand advanced English texts better, and express yourself with greater interest and accuracy.
In Episode 123, Tim helps you learn ten words with 29 meanings to help you can take one step forward in your IELTS or TOEFL journey.

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Episode #122: NGSL Vocabulary 1831-1835

Mon, 04 Aug 2025 02:43:43 +0000

Learn NGSL vocabulary to score higher on IELTS and TOEFL, and use business English and academic English with more confidence and greater fluency. There's good news: learning NGSL vocabulary and the different meanings of each NGSL word is a lot of fun! You really can master the New General Service List!
In Episode 122, Tim explains 20 meanings of 5 important words from the NGSL: BOTHER, INITIATIVE, DIET, MOTION and GRAY.

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Episode #121: Every Use for the Past Participle

Mon, 28 Jul 2025 03:03:48 +0000

Students need to focus more on past participles!
Past participles are found in six different grammatical constructions: perfect verb tenses, the passive voice, reduced relative clauses, past participial phrases, the modal perfect, and as adjectives. Understand these six uses and you will more easily decode long and complex sentences, especially in advanced texts.
Episode 121 reviews and consolidates our work in four of these six constructions, and gives an introductory explanation of two new ones- past participles in the modal perfect and as adjectives.
Listen to Episode 121 to finally get a complete picture of how to use this important and underestimated verb form.

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Episode #120: 6 Advanced Passive Constructions

Mon, 21 Jul 2025 02:48:12 +0000

This week, Tim continues and completes his deep analysis of the passive voice, identifying and clarifying six unusual and advanced passive constructions.
Three of these constructions (for example, replacing BE with GET) are typical of conversational English, so learning them can help you understand and use everyday language with better accuracy and confidence. The other three constructions are common in written and formal English, and will help you understand the news and intelligent conversation in greater detail.

Note: Cover image created with AI.

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Episode #119: Active Voice vs. Passive Voice

Mon, 14 Jul 2025 04:12:22 +0000

In English, we have two ways of constructing sentences- the active voice and the passive voice. The active voice is the standard, common way to build sentences, while we use the passive voice most commonly in written and academic English. In other words- if you want to understand and use English at an advanced level- then you need the passive voice!
Every passive voice sentence includes a past participle. So now is a great time to listen to Episode #115 on irregular past participles, and also Episode #116 on common pronunciation difficulties with regular past participles.

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Episode #118: Connecting Past and Present

Mon, 07 Jul 2025 04:08:56 +0000

The internet and textbooks typically use the EXTENSIVE method to explain grammar. This means they use lots of situations and examples to explain each construction. But we also have the rarely used INTENSIVE method, where you learn one construction with deep, intense focus on one example. If you're learning a new construction, the intensive method gives you a single deeply understood sentence to use as a model for understanding other sentences. If you're reviewing or checking, the intensive way makes sure you understand everything in detail, and fixes mistakes in your understanding.
Listen to Episode 118, where Tim uses the intensive method with slightly different versions of the same sentence to learn or review an important meaning of the present perfect verb tense in depth and detail.
If you have not listened to episodes 115, 116, and 117 on past participles and the present perfect already- now is the perfect time to do that!

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Episode #117: The Present Perfect for Experiences

Mon, 30 Jun 2025 03:37:25 +0000

Ever jumped out of an airplane? How about the Eiffel Tower- have you been there? Or maybe you've done something simple but important, like change the oil in your car? The present perfect, the verb tense of experiences, will help you to talk about important and exciting things you've done in your life.
If you've learned both regular past participles and irregular past participles, then constructing sentences in the present perfect is easy. There is one difficulty, though: students often confuse it with other verb tenses, like the past simple or the present simple.
Listen to Episode 117 to learn when to use the present perfect by listening to memorable, situations and deeply explained examples.

Photo courtesy of PROskydiving.com via Wikipedia, Ilovechicago.jpg (640×480).

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Episode #116: A First Look at Consonant Clusters

Mon, 23 Jun 2025 04:03:03 +0000

How are English listening, English grammar and English pronunciation connected?
One way is consonant clusters. Consonant clusters, for example /bd/, /vd/, and /rdʒd/, are series of consonants pronounced together, without any vowels in them. Consonant clusters are often pronounced so quickly that they seem to be a single sound. You can find consonant clusters in the beginning, middle and end of English words. Consonant clusters at the end of words are critical for understanding and pronouncing the past tense forms of verbs so that everyone can clearly understand if the past or present is being spoken of.
Listen to Episode 116 to understand if you already master consonant clusters or need to study them more.

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Episode #115: Irregular Past Participles A to Z

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 04:04:32 +0000

If you want to learn the present perfect, or the passive voice, then you need to learn the past participle, also known as the third form of the verb. And you especially need to learn the irregular past participles! And the reality is that many students don't know the third forms of irregular verbs well.
What can you do to solve these problems? Well, Episode 115 is a great place to start! it will give you the forms you need for a solid base to learn the present perfect and the passive voice.

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Episode #114: NGSL Vocabulary 1831-1840

Mon, 09 Jun 2025 02:36:47 +0000

Let's be direct: if you want a high score on IELTS or TOEFL, then you need to learn the 2809 words of the NGSL, or New General Service List, and their different meanings. Knowing NGSL vocabulary will help you to understand the details of what people say in English (instead of just the basics),

More episodes with words from the NGSL:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.

Note: cover image created by AI.

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Episode #113: Chewing Gum Pronunciation of YOU

Mon, 02 Jun 2025 03:25:29 +0000

Why is English listening so difficult?
English listening is difficult because real English pronunciation is very different from what students hear in the classroom- DID YOU becomes DIDJA, WHAT'S YOUR becomes WUTCHER, and so on. This style of American English pronunciation is called chewing gum pronunciation, and it has the biggest effect on the most commonly used words, for example YOU and YOUR. The pronunciation of these two key words completely changes after specific sounds- after /t/, after /d/, and after /z/.
Listen to Episode #113 to learn the natural, real-world ways to say these key words so you understand them more easily in your day to day life.

For a general view of chewing gum pronunciation, listen to Episode 102.

Note: the horrific cover image was created by AI.

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Episode #112: NGSL Vocabulary 1821-1830

Mon, 26 May 2025 02:47:19 +0000

The New General Service List, or NGSL, is a list of the most used words in English. If you know the words from the NGSL well, you can score higher on IELTS or TOEFL.
What's the biggest mistake English students make? Well, one of them is that they think that each English word has just one or two meanings. In reality, you need to know three, four, or even more functions for each word if you want to speak and understand English at an advanced level, with depth, detail and confidence.
Listen to Episode 112 to learn 27 functions of 10 words using 79 example sentences.

More episodes with words from the NGSL:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.

*The cover image was created using AI.

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Episode #111: Your Guide to Pronouns

Mon, 19 May 2025 04:20:19 +0000

I'm not gonna lie- pronouns aren't "sexy" like verbs (and especially irregular verbs!) are. But we use pronouns really ALL THE TIME, and students often overestimate how well they know pronouns. So- listen to Episode #111 to consolidate and deepen your knowledge of this essential and misunderstood part of speech, or category of words.

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Episode #110: Two Kinds of Phrasal Verb

Mon, 12 May 2025 04:08:56 +0000

Everyone knows that phrasal verbs are difficult- "there is little or no connection between the words in a phrasal verb and its meaning", people say. This kind of phrasal verb does exist, but is not super common. In reality, you can usually get an idea of what a phrasal verb means by understanding the words that are in it- especially the base verb.
Listen to Episode #110 to understand the difference between these two types of phrasal verbs, and learn ten phrasal to understand native speakers better and speak in a more natural way.

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Episode #109: A Deep Look at Stative Verbs

Mon, 05 May 2025 04:05:24 +0000

How well do you know the difference between action verbs and stative verbs?
While action verbs talk about classic actions like "walk", "try" or "jump", stative verbs talk about other categories of action, like things you do with your mind ("agree", "remember") or senses ("see", "smell"), or characteristics of things ("weigh", "cost"). Listen to Episode #109 to sharpen your vocabulary and make fewer grammar mistakes!

The cover image was generated using AI.

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Episode #108: NGSL Vocabulary 1016-1020

Mon, 28 Apr 2025 02:33:57 +0000

Five words for IELTS and TOEFL:
BLOOD. APPROPRIATE. BLOCK. WARM. COUNT.
It's just five words, but these five words have 22 functions or meanings. That's around four meanings for each word!
And in fact, most English words have two or more meanings or functions. If you know these meanings or functions, you will understand advanced spoken and written English with greater depth, detail and confidence, and you'll also have a chance to express your ideas in English with more depth, detail and confidence yourself.
Listen to Episode #108 to learn 5 important words from the famous New General Service List, or NGSL, with 22 functions and 64 example sentences.

More episodes with words from the NGSL:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.

The cover image was *not* generated using AI.

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Episode #107: Words for Noses (C1+)

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 02:27:38 +0000

People don't often think about their noses- but Tim does, and he's made a whole episode with over a dozen words for talking about noses- animals' noses (including pig SNouts), people's noses (including SNoots), and things people do with their noses (for example, SNore). Listen to Episode 107 for all the funny and interesting vocabulary you'll ever need for talking about noses.

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Episode #106: Irregular Verbs K-Z

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 01:21:24 +0000

What's the best way to learn something? Make it interesting.
Learn the most used irregular verbs from K to Z with 51 fun and amusing micro-stories.

P.S.- Don't forget to listen to irregular verbs A-J in Episode #79!

Cover photo credit: By Jesus Solana from Madrid, Spain - Black sheep . Do u also feel different? // la Oveja negra. Tambien te sientes diferente?, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5050231

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Episode #105: How I Learned German

Mon, 07 Apr 2025 02:56:14 +0000

Tim is a polyglot- in addition to English, he speaks French, Russian, Spanish and German (plus a bit of Polish). Of these four, Tim's strongest language is German- he holds a C1 certificate in German, the "Deutschprüfung für den Hochschulzugang", or DFH for short. So how did Tim learn German, and what lessons from his experience can you use to learn English? Listen to Episode #105 to find out!

Cover photo is of the Brandenburg Gate in Berlin.
Photo credit- Thomas Wolf: www.foto-tw.de / Wikimedia Commons / CC BY-SA 3.0
The photo has been cropped to fit a square frame.

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Episode #104: Sticks and Stones

Mon, 31 Mar 2025 02:16:14 +0000

"Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words can never hurt me". Maybe- but what about a word that has ten different meanings, like stick?
In Episode #104, Tim focuses first on the different parts of trees (because why not?), and then on the many meanings of the word stick, as a noun, verb and adjective. Listen to learn all ten meanings so you can express yourself and understand others in more detail.

The image is a photo from Wikipedia made by Hp. Baumeler. The image has been cropped to fit a square frame. The original image can be found here:
File:Kameldornbaum Sossusvlei.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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Episode #103: Every Type of Verb

Sun, 23 Mar 2025 23:20:20 +0000

Stative verbs. Irregular verbs. Modal verbs. Semi-modal verbs. Auxiliary verbs... and so on. In Episode 103, Tim explains these verb types (and many more) and how to use them. If you want to understand just one verb type or all of them, Episode 103 is the best place to start.

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Episode #102: A Fresh Look at English Listening

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 02:35:31 +0000

You want to master English listening, but native speakers talk REALLY quickly. What if you could learn to understand them AND also speak more like a native at the same time?
If you want to improve your English listening, then you need to learn the rules of how native speakers really pronounce words. Native speakers do speak quickly, but they also change sounds, mix sounds, and even make sounds (and whole words!) disappear! The good news is that it's not magic- it's rules, and as an English student, you've learned rules before. And you can do it again to improve your English listening. It really is possible to master English listening.
In Episode 102, Tim returns to the topic of these real world pronunciations, called CHEWING GUM pronunciation, and gives you the basics needed to understand them, and future episodes on the same topic.
More episodes on chewing gum pronunciation:
Episode 7: The Chewing Gum Accent
Episode 18: More Chewing Gum, Please!

Cover image taken from Wikipedia. The original image has been cropped to fit a square frame.

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Episode #101: NGSL Vocabulary 1811-1820

Sun, 09 Mar 2025 19:56:57 +0000

In Episode 101, Tim does the hard work for you, diving into 10 words with 24 meanings from the NGSL, a list of the 2800 most used words in formal and written English- words that help you score higher on IELTS and TOEFL- and make you sound smarter at the same time.
And for the first time, Tim combines two favorite topics: the NGSL and English etymologies (word histories), sharing the histories of 3 NGSL words. Learning English word histories helps you make connections between words and remember them better. Plus- it's a lot of fun!
Earlier episodes in the series:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.
Episode 99: NGSL 1801-1810

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Episode #100: Words With the Root SKR

Mon, 03 Mar 2025 20:01:07 +0000

English word histories are one of the best ways to learn English vocabulary!
In Episode #100, Tim takes a deep look into a favorite topic- prehistoric roots or word parts that can be found in modern English words. In this week's episode, Tim focuses on the Indo-European root SKR, which can be found in over a dozen English words- and also in words from other languages, from Spanish to Russian and even Farsi and Hindi.
Listen to Episode 100 to learn the meaning of the root SKR, and the fascinating connections between the words with this root.

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Episode #99: NGSL Vocabulary 1801-1810

Mon, 24 Feb 2025 03:37:31 +0000

Learn words and functions from the New General Service List, or NGSL, for a better score on IELTS and TOEFL.
Most words have more than one meaning or function, and exploring them is really fun! That's what Tim does in this episode- explore ALL the important meanings of 10 words from the NGSL, 1801-1810. Learning the more advanced meanings of these words will help you to understand and communicate in depth and detail- which is the goal, right?
Earlier episodes in the series:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520.
Episode 84: NGSL 1011-105.

Photo credit: Rope Climb

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Episode #98: Verbs With OUT

Mon, 17 Feb 2025 03:42:08 +0000

Let's keep learning small things that bring big results! The star of this week's episode is a small, powerful and easy to understand prefix that you can add to many different action verbs. Just attach the prefix OUT-, and most of the time you get a new verb with an expressive meaning, like OUTFOX or OUTRUN. Add color and interest to your speech by listening to this week's episode for intermediate to advanced students of English!

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Episode #97: Small Words, Big Power

Mon, 10 Feb 2025 03:26:58 +0000

Did you know that the 100 most used words in English- words like GET, BE, and LIKE (and also articles) are 50 percent of all words in text and speech? This means that you need to know these 100 words- and know them WELL, with several meanings of each word.
In Episode 97, Tim focuses on the meanings of one very common word from the top 100. Listen to find out which word, and learn this word so you understand it in depth and detail!

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Episode #96: Mistakes and Detours (C1+ English)

Mon, 03 Feb 2025 03:00:00 +0000

How to learn advanced English vocabulary more easily? Well, by learning word roots- learn one root's meaning, and you will understand and learn words with that root faster.
This week's episode is all about the Latin root ERR, which means two things: "leave a path" and "make a mistake". You can find the root ERR in words like ERROR and ERRATIC. Listen to Episode #96 to learn this root's meaning- it will help you to remember several advanced words and expressions.

Photo credit: From Wikipedia. The original image has been cropped to fit a square frame.
CR106WestboundDetour1 - Detour - Wikipedia

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Episode #95: Do you have a Swiss Army knife?

Mon, 27 Jan 2025 03:08:42 +0000

With a Swiss Army knife, you can open a bottle, cut your food (or your nails!), take the skin off the fish you just caught, and lots of other things, besides.
What if you had one simple verb that was like a Swiss Army knife, one that could express seven very different meanings? In Episode #95, Tim tells you about a verb with seven different meanings or functions. Listen to Episode #95 to find out which verb! (No, it is not GET, which Tim talked about in Episode #6.)

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Episode #94: Direct vs. Indirect Objects

Mon, 20 Jan 2025 04:24:11 +0000

Direct and indirect objects are a key part of English grammar, and one that many learners get wrong. In Episode #94, Tim explains how to identify direct objects and indirect objects so you understand English with less effort and make fewer mistakes yourself. Direct objects specifically also help you to make correct yes/ no questions and wh- questions.

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Episode #93: The NAWL- 964 Words for Smarter English

Mon, 13 Jan 2025 04:38:05 +0000

The New Academic Word List is a list of the 964 most used words in academic English. Learn these words and you will:
-Understand academic English texts and lectures much better
-Sound smarter when you speak and write
-Get a higher score on IELTS or TOEFL
In Episode #93, Tim shows you the first eleven words of the NAWL: repertoire, denote, domain, authority and more, with 24 meanings and 72 example sentences.

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Episode #92: What I Forgot in 2024

Mon, 06 Jan 2025 03:00:00 +0000

Okay- I forgot several things.
"¡Hi! ¡Happy 2025! I'm Tim, and I don't know how to stop podcasting. I love it! But I've been podcasting for 91 years (oops- I mean 91 episodes!), and I have forgotten to include certain things in some of my episodes. This week, I want to improve those past episodes with information that can help make your English better. Okay, forgetting these things isn't as serious as forgetting your passport like in the picture- but still! I want to improve those old episodes. Happy listening!"

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Episode #91: Christmas in Paris

Mon, 30 Dec 2024 03:00:00 +0000

Tim traveled to France with family and friends for the 2024 Christmas season, visiting two regions: Alsace (where French and German culture, cuisine and even language are mixed together- listen here) and Ile de Paris, where Paris and all that famous stuff like the Eiffel Tower can be found.
Listen to Tim's experiences and impressions of Alsace and of Paris- their architecture, cuisine, sights and people.
And don't forget to check out the best photos of Tim's trip- right here!

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Episode #90: You know what a TAG is... don't you?

Mon, 23 Dec 2024 19:38:17 +0000

"You are listening, aren't you?"
"She does speak English, doesn't she?"
Tag questions, also simply called tags, are a great way to sound more natural and more native. They also can make you sound more friendly- and who doesn't want that? In this week's episode, Tim explains to you everything you need to know about tags, and finishes your lesson with a short, fun quiz to test your new knowledge of tags.

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Episode #89: 10 Words with IMPACT

Mon, 16 Dec 2024 03:45:00 +0000

Episode 89 will help you speak with impact! For example:
Millionaires live in wealth... but billionaires live in opulence, or extreme wealth. And the richest people of all, like Elon Musk (love him or hate him) live not just in opulence, but in utter opulence.
Advanced vocabulary like opulence, words that express more extreme ideas,really help you to "spruce up" your speech (make it more interesting) and make people listen.
Listen to Episode 89 to learn ten words and expressions with meanings that are truly STRIKING.

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Episode #88: Nightmare Job Interview

Mon, 09 Dec 2024 03:38:59 +0000

Few people like job interviews- it's often a question of bad, worse and worst, even if you do get the job you want. Okay, there are exceptions, but not many.
In Episode 88, Tim tells about a tragicomic (sad and funny) interview he attended earlier this year. Let Tim's pain and disgust become your entertainment and jollification, just by listening to Episode 88.
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Cover image: By Edvard Munch - National Gallery of Norway 8 January 2019 (upload date) by Coldcreation, Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=69541493

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Episode #87: Thanksgiving Dinner

Mon, 02 Dec 2024 04:13:03 +0000

People associate the US with hard work- but don't forget that here in the US (but also Canada!), we spend around 15 percent of the year in the holiday season that starts with Halloween and ends with New Year's. The second holiday in this long holiday season is of course Thanksgiving. In this week's episode, Tim tells about his Thanksgiving travels before telling how he shared this special holiday with family and a couple of new friends.

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Episode #86: Phrasal Verb Focus: TAKE DOWN

Mon, 25 Nov 2024 04:06:18 +0000

In this week's episode, Tim focuses on just one phrasal verb, take down, with three different meanings and ten examples.

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Episode #85: Words With The Root DR

Mon, 18 Nov 2024 04:13:54 +0000

English root words and English word histories are an awesome (and sadly underused) tool for learning vocabulary. A word root is a group of letters at the beginning of a word that has a certain meaning. For example, several English words include the Germanic root DR- which is connected with drinking or liquid. This shared meaning across several words makes words more interesting and easier to learn.
If you're curious about word roots, then don't forget to listen to episodes 15, 19, 34, and 45.

Photo credit: Dan Lundberg.
Mangrove roots at low tide - Mangrove - Wikipedia

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Episode #84: NGSL Vocabulary 1011-1015

Mon, 11 Nov 2024 04:07:15 +0000

Words are like stairs- they take you to beautiful places, but only if you do the work!
This week, Tim continues progressing through the 2800 words of the New General Service List, or NGSL- these are the words you need first for a high score on IELTS and TOEFL, and to reach C1 English. This week's five target words are: wind, none, exchange, budget and famous. Five words, twelve meanings. If you think you know these five words but only know one meaning for each one... then you don't really know these words.
Tim has said it before, and now he's saying it again: if you want to really master English, you need to know the different meanings of words!

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Episode #83: Knowing vocabulary DEEPLY

Mon, 04 Nov 2024 04:56:56 +0000

Learning vocabulary is the biggest task you have when studying English, so it's natural to try to learn more words and expressions... But you also need to know words well, and not stop just at pronunciation, spelling, and one meaning. In Episode 83, Tim explains what it means when you REALLY know your vocabulary, or if your knowledge is too basic and you need to go back and learn more.

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Episode #82: Hellish Halloween

Mon, 28 Oct 2024 04:15:47 +0000

Everyone knows about Halloween costumes and trick or treating... but some Halloween traditions are more personal and secret. In Episode 82, Tim shares some unique personal and family Halloween traditions involving skeletons, pudding and haunted garages.

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Episode #81: NGSL Vocabulary 1006-1010

Mon, 21 Oct 2024 03:37:12 +0000

How can you master NGSL vocabulary? Word by word, and with many meanings for each NGSL vocabulary word.
In this week's episode, Tim explains 13 meanings of five NGSL vocabulary words: survey, majority, stick, request, rich. These are common words, but they have additional meanings that you need to reach a C1 (or higher!) level of English.

Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520
Episode 80: NGSL 1001-1005

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Episode #80: Word by Word- NGSL 1001-1005

Mon, 14 Oct 2024 02:36:43 +0000

"Rome wasn't built in a day."

The NGSL, or New General Service List, is a list of the 2800 most used words in English. If you know NGSL words well, you will speak and understand better, and also perform better on tests like TOEFL and IELTS.
Don't forget this important detail: if you know NGSL words well. When you know words well, that
means knowing several definitions for each target word. This is a must!
This week's episode, episode 80, will help you to learn 15 meanings of words 1001 to 1006 on the NGSL.
Earlier episodes in the series:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.
Episode 62: NGSL 1341-1350.
Episode 73: NGSL 1511-1520

Image is from Wikipedia, Von Jamain - Eigenes Werk, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=28952335
The image has been cropped to fit the frame.

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Episode #79: Irregular Verbs A-H

Mon, 07 Oct 2024 02:44:33 +0000

What's the best way to learn something? Make it interesting.
Learn the most used irregular verbs from A to H with 51 fun and amusing micro-stories.

Cover photo credit: By Jesus Solana from Madrid, Spain - Black sheep . Do u also feel different? // la Oveja negra. Tambien te sientes diferente?, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5050231

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Episode #78: Present Simple 3/3- Questions and More

Mon, 30 Sep 2024 02:19:20 +0000

In Episode 78, Tim explains with over a hundred examples how to build the most important types of sentences- yes/ no questions, wh- questions, subject questions and negative statements- in the present simple.

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Episode #77: Present Simple 2/3- The -S Ending

Mon, 23 Sep 2024 02:42:44 +0000

What's a common mistake in English grammar? Forgetting to put -S or -ES on the end of verbs in the present simple. In this week's episode, Tim explains every situation where you need to use this common and often misunderstood verb ending.

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Episode #76: Present Simple 1/3- The Basics

Tue, 17 Sep 2024 03:17:17 +0000

The English verb tenses are like a pyramid. You started at the bottom in Episodes 52 through 59, where you learned verbs like be, do, can and should. Then you climbed through the middle in Episodes 66 through 70, when you learned verbs like be, do and can to make questions and other sentence types.
You've worked hard, and now you're ready- in Episode 76, Tim talks about the most commonly used verb tense of all, looking at it from a fresh perspective.

Photo credit:
File:Pyramids of the Giza Necropolis.jpg - Wikimedia Commons

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Episode #75: How to Talk About Competition

Mon, 09 Sep 2024 02:13:19 +0000

Competition is a big part of our lives, and business is competition. In Episode #75, Tim teaches you eleven words and expressions to talk about competition- in business, in love, and in the Olympic games.

Cover photo credit: Horse-racing-4 - Sport hippique — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org ) The photo has been cropped to fit into a thumbnail.

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Episode #74: The IELTS Speaking Test

Mon, 02 Sep 2024 15:35:58 +0000

IELTS is a very popular English exam that is used by universities, employers and even immigration authorities to judge a person's level of English. IELTS includes a speaking test with three parts; the complete speaking test lasts around fifteen minutes. In this week's episode, Tim takes the IELTS to show you what a real test sounds like and how it is structured. Returning in the role of examiner is Tim's friend and colleague from Great Britain, Christian, whom you met in Episode 53: A Spot of British English.
IELTS and the IELTS logo see in this episode's thumbnail are trademarks of IELTS Partners: The British Council, IELTS Australia Pty. Ltd. and Cambridge English (part of Cambridge University Press & Assessment).

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Episode #73: NGSL Vocabulary 1511-1520

Mon, 26 Aug 2024 03:03:11 +0000

You want a high score on IELTS or TOEFL, right? Then learn the words of the NGSL (which Tim first discussed in Episode 2). The NGSL, or New General Service List, is a list of the 2809 most used words in English. If you know the words of the NGSL well, then you have a very solid start on learning English vocabulary. In Episode 73, Tim explains 26 meanings of 10 words from the NGSL, starting with word 1511 (BOND) and 1520 (DIVISION).

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Episode #72: A Week in Singapore

Mon, 19 Aug 2024 03:18:32 +0000

In April of 2024, Tim spent one week in Singapore, where he walked through jungles, visited museums, and of course tried all kinds of local food- especially Hainan-style chicken rice. It was a fun and exciting trip, and one you can share in by listening!
Tim will update this post later in the week with photos and videos.

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Episode #71: Verbs with OVER and UNDER

Mon, 12 Aug 2024 03:23:46 +0000

There's an easy way to learn lots of verbs at the same time: by using the prefixes OVER and UNDER. Just add OVER to a verb to say that the action is done too much, or UNDER to say that the action is done too little. OVEREAT? Eat too much. UNDEREAT? Eat too little.
In Episode #71, Tim explains over a dozen more easy to use and remember verbs and adjectives using these simple prefixes.
Cover photo: Leichtathletik Gala Linz 2018 men´s 110m hurdles Okafor-6401 - Hurdling - Wikipedia. The photo is of Leon Okafor of Austria.

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Episode #70: Am Not, Cannot + Do Not

Mon, 05 Aug 2024 03:10:44 +0000

Questions get all the attention, but you have to learn how to make sentences with NOT + VERB if you want to speak correctly and master the verb tenses. Doing this is harder than it sounds because there are two classes of verbs: auxiliary and action. In Episode #70, Tim explains how to negate sentences that have both auxiliary and action verbs, and supplies 100+ real-world examples so you remember better how to do it yourself.

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Episode #69: 200+ Questions with Where, Why, and When

Mon, 29 Jul 2024 03:02:00 +0000

In Episode 69, Tim explains wh- questions using two complementary methods.
The first method is the old-fashioned one, using the rules of grammar. A wh- question is one that starts with a question word such as who, what, where or why. Wh- questions all use the same construction QU + A + S- question word, then auxiliary verb, then subject.
The other method is what Tim calls brute force empiricism, in other words, learning from lots of examples. In Episode 69, Tim reads over 200 examples of wh-questions, starting with shorter questions and moving on to longer ones so you are never challenged.

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Episode #68: Short Answers to 100+ Questions

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 02:57:59 +0000

Do you want to improve your fluency and speak more naturally? Then master short answers- these are short, polite responses to subject questions or yes/no questions. In Episode 68, listen to Tim explain how to construct and use short answers with the help of over 100 examples.

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Episode #67: 100+ Yes/ No Questions

Mon, 15 Jul 2024 04:21:39 +0000

What are the rules for constructing questions in English? Well, first we need to remember that there are different types of questions, for example subject questions. Another common type of question is yes/ no questions, questions that we can answer with "yes" or "no", for example, "Do you like pizza? or "Are you at home?".
In this week's episode, Tim explains the rules for making yes/ no questions, and then supplies you with 150+ examples of yes/ no sentences in crystal clear audio. The sentences are in the five most used verb tenses- present simple, past simple, present continuous, past continuous and present perfect.
If you want even more examples of yes/ no questions, listen to Episode #5.

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Episode #66: 100+ Questions with WHO

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 04:28:48 +0000

Episodes 52 through 59 were Part 1 of Tim's mini-course on the English verb tenses and dealt with auxiliary verbs. In this week's episode, Tim opens Part 2 of his course, which teaches the sentence constructions you need to know to master each verb tense. The first sentence type we will deal with is subject questions, which ask who did an action.
(For even more examples of subject questions, listen to Episode 25.)

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Bonus audio! Voiced Final Consonants

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 03:37:12 +0000

Pronouncing the voiced consonants /b/, /d/, /v/, /g/, /z/and /dʒ/ at the ends of words can be quite challenging, especially for speakers of Russian, German and Spanish. The problem only becomes more difficult when there are two or more voiced consonants at the end of a single word, for example rubbed or shelves. Improve your pronunciation of these difficult combinations by listening to and repeating the 64 words and 64 example sentences in the audio.
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The cover image for this episode comes from Dubai gold coins - Gold coin - Wikipedia.
The original image has been cropped to fit a square frame.

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Episode #65: Say it Right: Final Voiced Sounds

Mon, 01 Jul 2024 03:31:02 +0000

In last week's episode, Tim explained in detail what voiced sounds are and ended the episode saying that certain voiced sounds are especially hard to pronounce at the ends of words. Those sounds are /b/, /d/, /v/, /g/, /z/and /dʒ/. In this week's episode, Tim gives examples of words ending in these hard sounds and explains step by step how to pronounce the words correctly so others can more easily understand you.
Don't forget this week's bonus audio, which contains additional practice:
Final /b/, /d/, /v/, /g/, /z/and /dʒ/ - English with Tim
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The cover image is from Places of articulation - Articulatory phonetics - Wikipedia.
The original image has been cropped to fit a square frame.

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Episode #64: The Bell In Your Throat

Tue, 25 Jun 2024 02:40:41 +0000

Your vocal cords are like a bell in your throat- they make vibrations which are used in many of the different phonemes, or sounds, in English pronunciation. Sounds which are made with vibrations from the vocal cords are called voiced phonemes.

In episode 64, Tim explains everything you need to know about voiced phonemes, starting from anatomy and finishing with practice on how to properly pronounce them at the ends of words.

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Episode #63: Fake It Till You Make It!

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 04:38:11 +0000

What is mastery anyways, and can you fake it? In Episode 63, Tim explains what it means to master English, and then five techniques to help you sound more like you've mastered the language even if that's not (yet) the case.
Make sure to download and use this free bonus PDF to check your understanding of the most used words in English- with all of their important meanings, not just one. The PDF will be available for only a few days after the publishing of this episode, so act now.

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Episode #62: NGSL Vocabulary 1341-1350

Mon, 10 Jun 2024 04:21:48 +0000

The NGSL, or New General Service List, contains the 2800 most used words of written English. You can also find lots of NGSL words on the TOEFL and IELTS.
If you want to get the maximum impact from knowing the words of the NGSL, then knowing several definitions for each target word is a must. Listen to Episode 62 to learn 21 meanings of words 1341 to 1350 on the NGSL.
Earlier episodes in the series:
Episode 2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English.
Episode 11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 Words, 27 Meanings.

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Episode #61: How To Talk About Cities

Mon, 03 Jun 2024 01:40:43 +0000

You need the right words if you want to talk about cities. In Episode 61, Tim explains the meanings of twelve words and expressions for talking about urban areas.

Cover photo credit: By EEJCC - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=128920348. The original photo has been cropped to fit a square frame.
Cincinnati, Ohio skyline at night.

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Episode #60: IN and OUT Phrasal Verbs

Mon, 27 May 2024 02:44:46 +0000

A baker's dozen is a group of thirteen things, for example thirteen donuts. In Episode 60, Tim teaches you thirteen phrasal verbs totaling eighteen meanings. All thirteen verbs contain the particles IN or OUT.
The cover image comes from the Lexikon der Gesamten Technik (Comprehensive Dictionary of Technology) from 1904 by Otto Lueger.

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Episode #59: The Last Auxiliary- DO.

Mon, 20 May 2024 02:04:57 +0000

Starting with Episode 52, Tim has been talking non-stop about auxiliary verbs. In this week's episode, Tim finishes his discussion of auxiliaries with the auxiliary DO.

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Episode #58: Have/ Have Got

Mon, 13 May 2024 02:24:44 +0000

Two of the most common verbs in English are have got (more common in Great Britain) and have (which is more popular in the US). Tim explains everything you need to know about both verbs:
-how to make yes/ no and wh- questions using both verbs
-special uses of have that will help you to sound more fluid and native
Bonus: Listen to Tim's friend Christian from Great Britain (who you met in Episode 53, A Spot of British English) read examples with have got.
PS: Listen to Episode 10, Six Verbs of Influence if you want to compare have with five other verbs of influence.

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Episode #57: There Is/ There Are

Mon, 06 May 2024 03:27:46 +0000

In Episode #56, Tim explained the five meanings of the verb be: description, equality, location in space, location in time and other. The verb BE however also appears in the most common two-word expression in English: there is/ there are. The meaning of there is changes depending on if we use indefinite articles or definite ones after it. That's right- there is a has a rather different meaning than there is the- and Tim explains the difference between them.

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Episode #56: Just BE.

Sun, 28 Apr 2024 03:49:10 +0000

BE is the most used verb in English, but students frequently forget to use be or put be in the wrong place. And honestly- these mistakes sound bad! In particular, speakers of Russian, Arabic, Chinese, Korean and Japanese have a tendency to make these mistakes. In Episode #56, Tim shows five meanings of be, and shows how to make yes/ no questions and wh- questions using this essential verb.
Don't forget the free PDF that shows how to make questions with BE!
Cover photo:
By Masteraah - (Original text: own work)Original uploader was Masteraah at de.wikipedia, CC BY-SA 2.0 de, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=4569780

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Episode #55: The Last of the Modals

Sun, 21 Apr 2024 23:07:43 +0000

In the fourth part of Tim's mini-course on the English verb tenses, he explains how to talk about probability, frequency, and future and imaginary situations using the modal verbs CAN, COULD, MAY, MIGHT, WILL and WOULD. Tim also explains how to make questions and negative sentences using modal verbs.
Don't forget the free PDF to learn how to make yes/ no and wh- questions.
Sentence Formulas for Modals

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Episode #54: Can, Could and Would

Mon, 15 Apr 2024 02:21:47 +0000

This week's episode is a mix of stories from Tim's life: a bike ride on a sunny day, and Tim and his dad's experience watching the complete solar eclipse of April 8th.
In addition, Tim returns to the topic of modal verbs, this time covering the verbs can, could and would for talking about ability and permission and for making offers and suggestions.
This episode is the third part of Tim's mini-course on the English verb tenses.
To discuss this episode with Tim and other listeners, visit:
Episode #54: Can, could and would - English with Tim

Cover photo: By NASA Headquarters / NASA/Keegan Barber - This image or video was catalogued by NASA Headquarters of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) under Photo ID: NHQ202404080102., Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=147214047

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Episode #53: A Spot of British English (Shall, Needn't + Ought To)

Mon, 08 Apr 2024 02:22:17 +0000

Would you like to hear a spot of British English?
This episode, Tim’s old friend Christian, a native speaker of British English, is a guest on the show. Tim explains the exact meanings of three verbs typical of British English: ought to, needn’t and shall., while Christian reads example sentences that demonstrate these meanings and make them memorable.

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Episode #52: Should, Have to, and Must

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 02:56:39 +0000

What are the differences between these three popular but confusing verbs? Listen to Episode 52 for a deep dive into the concepts that make these verbs make sense: advice, physical necessity, legal obligation and social obligation.
To come closer to mastering these concepts and the verbs which express them, do the complete Should, Have to, Must Worksheet.

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Episode #51: Fun C1-C2 Collocations

Mon, 25 Mar 2024 03:16:57 +0000

Do you want to speak C1 or C2 level English? Collocations are words that are often used together, for example “spicy food” or “fast car”. Many collocations require no effort to learn because they’re both common and logical. If you aim to speak C1 or C2 English though, then you will need to use collocations which use less common meanings of words, for example “commit to memory” or “drive someone crazy”. Listen in Episode 51 to Tim explain twelve advanced verb + noun collocations to make you speak more fluently and naturally.
Don’t forget to download and use the free bonus PDF worksheet to help you commit these useful expressions to memory!

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Episode #50: Hey, what's up? (Small Talk)

Mon, 18 Mar 2024 03:35:04 +0000

Why do English speakers sometimes talk about nothing? Small talk is informal conversation about unimportant topics, and it’s a big part of how English native speakers talk with one another. In Episode 50, Tim explains small talk greetings and opening questions, what they really mean, and how to answer them like a native.

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Episode #49: Positive Phrasal Verbs

Mon, 11 Mar 2024 02:55:25 +0000

One of the best ways to make your English more fluent and natural, more like the English of a native speaker, is to speak using more phrasal verbs. In Episode 49, Tim puts the spotlight on 11 phrasal verbs that will help your fluency- and that are fun and positive, too! Don’t forget to check out the free bonus PDF to help you learn these useful verbs faster and for longer.

Photo credit:
By Fir0002 - Own work, GFDL 1.2, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=7613324

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Episode #48: 13 Fun Idioms About Money

Mon, 04 Mar 2024 03:11:22 +0000

Using idioms is one great way to sound more interesting in English. In Episode 48, Tim tells about 13 idioms used to talk about money.

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Episode #47: Five techniques, one word

Mon, 26 Feb 2024 04:14:58 +0000

How do you fix your pronunciation errors? There are five ways:
1. Mental replay
2. Back-chaining
3. Front-chaining
4. Similar words
5. Anatomical focus

Cover photo credit: From D-M Commons - Own work, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=20420643
The original image has been modified to fit a square frame.

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Episode #46: Understand + Use UNLESS

Mon, 19 Feb 2024 05:18:15 +0000

One of the most confusing and difficult words for people learning English is unless. In reality, less has two meanings: “if not” and “only if”, and you can learn both by listening to some practical examples.
In Episode 46, Tim also returns to the topic of learning several new words that all share a single root. This time,
explains the root HAP, which is found in words like happy and hapless.

Photo credit: English Walnuts - Noix — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org )
The original photo has been cropped.
License: CC BY 2.5 Deed | Attribution 2.5 Generic | Creative Commons

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Episode #45: English Word Museum

Mon, 12 Feb 2024 03:51:50 +0000

It's no coincidence that words that look alike often have similar meanings. In Episode #45, Tim reveals the hidden connection between nine words containing the letters GL.
Bonus PDF with exercises

Cover photo credit: By User:MatthiasKabel - cropped from File:Capitoline Brutus Musei Capitolini MC1183 01.jpg, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=8270967

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Episode #44: Words for Numbers

Mon, 05 Feb 2024 02:23:10 +0000

You need impactful words if you want to make killer business presentations with data.
Listen to Tim and download his PDF to learn dozens of practical examples.

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Episode #43: Hard words -> Easy words

Sat, 03 Feb 2024 02:38:46 +0000

Students often confuse the verbs raise and rise and grow. In Episode #43, Tim explains the differences in form and meaning between these important verbs. Tim also explains two other confusing words, meal and appeal.
To remember better what you learn, use this PDF with answer key.

Photo credit: English Walnuts - Noix — Wikipédia (wikipedia.org )
The original photo has been cropped.
License: CC BY 2.5 Deed | Attribution 2.5 Generic | Creative Commons

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Episode #42: Master Irregular Verbs

Tue, 23 Jan 2024 16:19:48 +0000

If you want to speak English well, then you need to know your irregular verbs. The most common way to learn irregular verbs is by using flashcards, but flashcards are not the best way to learn. In Episode 42, Tim discusses six methods and resources to help you learn and retain irregular verbs.
Free study files:
Most Used Irregular Verbs– these are the most common irregular verbs with US pronunciations and information on differences between US and British forms.
Example Sentences For Irregular Verbs– read these and paste them into Google Translate so you can listen to them.

Cover photo credit: By Jesus Solana from Madrid, Spain - Black sheep . Do u also feel different? // la Oveja negra. Tambien te sientes diferente?, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=5050231

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Episode #41: Sleeping on the Floor in Two Countries. (18+)

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:32:48 +0000

In Episode 41, Tim tells about two times, one in Russia and one in France, that he faced unwanted and memorable adventures while trying to find places to sleep.
Near Rennes, France and in Moscow Oblast.

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Episode #40: The Best of 2023

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:21:20 +0000

2023 was the first year of the English With Tim podcast, and he covered topics ranging from his travels to Tajikistan and Bangladesh to Proto-Indo-European roots found in English and Russian, to the chewing gum accent heard in informal, spontaneous North American English, to Christmas adventures with his family.
Listen to Episode 40 to hear these stories and more- the best of 2023 with English With Tim.

Cover photo credit:
Glass of champagne - Champagne - Wikipedia
No changes made.

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Episode #39: Atomic Habits for English

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:20:09 +0000

Atomic Habits by James Clear is one of the most successful books on psychology and motivation of the past decade. Atomic Habits shows how to build new and powerful habits starting from small and usually painless
changes. In Episode 39, Tim summarizes this incredibly useful book, and tells how to use its methods to speak better English.

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Episode #38: Three Christmas Adventures

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 22:18:52 +0000

Adventure 1: The Arctic Circle (11:12)
Tim interviews a close friend of his family, Faye, an eleven year old girl who traveled to the Arctic Circle for a private meeting with Santa Claus.

Adventure 2: Toys in the Woods (5:42)
Tim interviews his dad, who describes a Christmas tradition of his own invention.

¡¡¡ADVENTURE 3: DINOSAUR HUNTING ON CHRISTMAS!!!
Tim interviews Shalva, a paleontologist from Tbilisi, Georgia. Shalva, along with Tim, Tim’s dad, Faye and Faye’s mom, went on a Christmas dinosaur safari- and the adventure of a lifetime. Hear Shalva tell all about it.

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Episode #37: Moscow street stories

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:18:59 +0000

I go under the bed sheets and fall into a crouch in a wooden dinghy in the trough of a cold titanium swell awash with 1000-ruble bills and islands of blood clots. I don’t know how to stand. The sky is pre-tornado green. I peer over the edge of the boat, grasp at the bills and toss them onto the rotted deck. I don’t see any MVDs, but the thought of their arrival makes me tension my gut, girding my intestines upwards, lessening the pressure they exert on my pelvis. A minted thumb is massaging circles on my aorta, causing me to pull my shoulder blades back and together. The left one moves down farther to try and squeeze the thumb out.

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Episode #36: French words in English (18+)

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:13:04 +0000

French loanwords in English, for example déjà vu and bon vivant are quite popular and can help you sound more cool and sophisticated.
Use the free PDF below to help remember these words:
French words in English
(You may also want to review German loanwords from Episode #35!)

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Episode #35: German words in English

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:10:03 +0000

Loanwords are words taken from one language that become part of another language, for example zeitgeist and panzer from German. Learn these and many other German loanwords in Episode 35.
Use the free PDF below to help remember these words:
German Loanword Crossword

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Episode #34: Deep Dive Into PIE roots

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 19:07:09 +0000

English word histories and English root words help you to learn new and unusual words! English word histories also help you understand words you already know in a new, fresh way.
In Episode #34, Tim takes a deep look at a single Proto-Indo-European root, BL, which is found in words like BALL, BELLY, BALLOON and BELLOWS. Proto-Indo-European (PIE) was a language first spoken around 6500 years before present in what is now Ukraine. Learning many words with the same root helps you make connections between words so you remember them better.
You can remember the words in today’s episode even better with this handy PDF:
English Words With the PIE root BL
Tim also discussed ancient PIE roots in two episodes earlier in 2023:
Episode #15: Ancient word roots. Plus horror stories. – English with Tim
Episode #19: Learn D1 English with ancient word roots. – English with Tim

Cover photo credit: Koreni-00 - Корень — Википедия (wikipedia.org )

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Episode #33: SPORK and Other Blend Words

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 18:23:03 +0000

Portmanteaus, also known as blend words, are words that consist of the beginning of one word and the end of another. Some examples of portmanteaus are smog (smoke + fog) or cronut (croissant + donut). Some portmanteaus have a short life and disappear from the language, while others (like smog) are so commonly used that we forget their origin.
In Episode 33, Tim explains the meanings of ten portmanteaus.

Cover photo credit: By Jmb at en.wikipedia, CC BY 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=3051583

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Episode #32: Five Top YouTube channels to learn English

Sat, 20 Jan 2024 15:57:37 +0000

In this week’s episode, Tim suggests five popular YouTube channels to learn English:
1. Kurzgesagt In a Nutshell
2. Accurate English
3. Rachel’s English
4. English Class 101
5. Learn English With TV Series

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Episode #31: 10 Fun Phrasal Verbs

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 17:05:47 +0000

There are two keys to sounding more like a native speaker of English: chewing gum pronunciation, and phrasal verbs, 10 of which you can learn in this week’s episode.

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Episode #30: How to Make Negative Statements

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:55:24 +0000

Ask any student the hardest things about learning English, and most will tell you, “questions“. Don’t forget another sentence type, though: negative statements. Listen to Episode 30 to learn how to make this crucial sentence type!

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Episode #29: Learn A, An, Some and The

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:41:46 +0000

Do you want to learn to use a, an, some, and the?
If you speak a non-Western European language, chances are that it is hard for you to choose between a, an, some, the and no article. A lot of English learners think these are trash words that mean nothing and are impossible to learn. That’s not true!
In Episode 29, Tim tells a funny story about a girl and some cops to explain how to choose the best article in most situations. English uses two indefinite articles: A or AN, and the so-called zero article, which just means no article at all. English also uses SOME in the same place as indefinite articles. Finally, there is one definite article: THE.
Listen to the story and click on the link to download a free PDF with the complete story so you can understand and use articles better!
Just remember that the path to speaking with better grammar starts with understanding in detail!
Bonus PDF:
A GIRL AND SOME COPS

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Episode #28: Ten fun English idioms.

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:30:55 +0000

Idioms are multi-word expressions whose meaning is different from the individual words in the idiom. One example of a popular idiom is like clockwork, which means in a routine, completely predictable way. Listen to today’s episode for ten more idioms with examples.

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Episode #27: Is English hard for Russian speakers?

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:29:22 +0000

In Episode 9, Tim talked about how his experience learning Russian as an English native speaker- what aspects of Russian were easy for him and which were hard. In this episode, Tim tells which features of English are easy and which are difficult for Russian speakers. Everything is covered: vowels, consonants, consonant clusters, word stress, intonation, the chewing gum accent; spelling, word formation, vocabulary (including phrasal verbs) and grammar.

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Episode #26: Flashcards for learning vocabulary- effective or not?

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:25:18 +0000

Flashcards can be paper (or digital) word cards with an English word you’re trying to learn on one side, with either a translation into your language or a definition in English on the other. Flashcards seem to offer a quick and easy way to learn a large amount of vocabulary- some language learners claim that they can add 100 words in a day to their long-term memory by using flashcards! But is using flashcards for learning vocabulary effective? Listen to Episode 26 to hear five stories about students’ successes and failures learning vocabulary with flashcards.

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Episode #25: How to Make Subject Questions

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 16:24:02 +0000

“How do you make questions?” Before we answer this question, we need to understand that there are different types of questions: yes/ no questions, wh- questions, and subject questions.
In today’s episode, Tim talks about subject questions. Subject questions are questions in which we don’t know who does the action the sentence talks about. For example:
Who stole the cookies from the cookie jar?
In some subject questions, we don’t know how many people did an action:
How many people came to the party?
Subject questions are it’s true a bit less common than yes/ no and wh- questions, but they are an essential part of the language. It also happens that they are easy to learn, because they are constructed not like questions, but like statements.
To learn more about subject questions and to hear a large number of examples (74, to be exact), listen to today’s episode!

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Episode #24: Gerund or Infinitive? (Part 2)

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:55:06 +0000

Gerund or infinitive?
In last week’s episode, Tim talked about whether to use the gerund or the base form. This week, Tim shifts his focus to how to choose the gerund or the infinitive. There is a hack for choosing the gerund or the infinitive that works most of the time: infinitives are used in situations where an action is not yet completed.
You can see this in three situations:
1. In the expression “about to”:
-I’m about to fall asleep.
2. To talk about the goal or purpose of an action:
-She’s saving money to buy a car.
3. With verbs which give the verb that follows them a future or potential meaning:
-want to, need to, have to, plan to.
Of course, you need to practice if you want to correctly choose the gerund or the infinitive- so listen to this episode to hear plenty of examples!

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Episode #23: Gerund, Base Form or Infinitive? (Part 1)

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:46:28 +0000

Tim’s students often ask him about the rules for choosing the gerund or the infinitive. This is a great question and an important topic in English grammar- knowing the right form will help you understand clearly and speak correctly. In reality though, there is a third verb form we need to choose from- the base form. In this episode, Tim focuses on the base form and the gerund, leaving the infinitive for next week’s episode.

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Episode #22: Nightmare Bike Tour

Thu, 18 Jan 2024 15:41:30 +0000

Way back in July 2009, Tim decided it was a good idea to ride his mountain bike alone and without maps from Sergeev Posad to Yaroslavl. Just as his students warned him would happen, Tim soon found himself trapped between bandits and rogues, and was even invited into the attic (the part of a building that is just below the roof and that is used to store old and forgotten things) of a temporarily empty building.
In addition to these adventures, Tim got badly sunburnt, which cut his trip short but also prevented him from sleeping in a terrible thunderstorm the following day.

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Episode #21: Read Easy Books in English

Mon, 15 Jan 2024 00:25:53 +0000

Which do you prefer- reading fluently in your own language, or reading English while using a dictionary to look up unknown words? Obviously the first. But what if you could read English books with something like the ease that you do in your own language? Well, you can- and you can do it today.
Extensive reading is the reading of a large amount of easy books over a long period of time- for example, reading books where you understand 98% of the words, for 30 minutes per day every day for one year. Because you will see so many of the same words many times, you will greatly reinforce your knowledge of these words.
The key is to choose interesting books that are at a comfortable level for you. To do that, you can take a level test and then read books at or below that level. Oxford University publishes a collection of books corresponding to the levels in the test: the Oxford Bookworms Library, which consists of hundreds of fiction and non-fiction books. (Scroll down to find levels Starter to 6 on the bottom left).
Or just go to Amazon and find OBW leveled books for Kindle.
Listen to hear all the benefits of extensive reading!

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Episode #20: 6 Synonyms of BECOME

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:05:14 +0000

In Episode 20, Tim talks about the common verb BECOME and six synonyms you can use in its place to have more control over your language and sound more sophisticated. One of these verbs is GET, which Tim already spoke about in Episode 6. The other synonyms of BECOME are: TURN, GO, GROW, WAX and FALL. Listen in to learn exactly how to use each of these verbs, and of course hear plenty of examples!

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Episode #19: Learn D1 English with ancient word roots.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 17:02:50 +0000

English word histories and English root words can help you to learn advanced English vocabulary- even beyond C2 level.
Let's say it directly: language mastery does not stop at C2 level.
I’m not the first to propose this idea, but especially for written texts we really need to add some new difficulty levels: D1 and D2, to describe academic texts that use a lot of smart-sounding words.
A good way to get started learning these words is by learning Greek, Latin and even Proto-Indo-European roots that are shared by a large number of words, many of which are very advanced (and make you sound smart and cool):

Words with root VOR: devour, voracious, carnivore, herbivore, omnivore, locavore
Words with root NOC: noise, annoy, noisome, obnoxious, nocebo
Words with root PLAC: please, pleasure, pleasant, placid
Words with root BR/ PR/ FR: burden, born, pregnant, embarrassed, freight, freighter, porter

Cover photo credit: Koreni-00 - Корень — Википедия (wikipedia.org )

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Episode #18: More chewing gum, please!

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:59:36 +0000

Yes, you can master English pronunciation!
Way back in Episode #7, Tim introduced you to the chewing gum accent, where native and very advanced speakers of English pronounce common words and phrases in ways that barely resemble their written forms. Some of these pronunciations are ones that you already know, for example “gonna” instead of the more book-like, correct form “going to” or “prolly” instead of the full form “probably”.
Three surprising facts:
1. English speakers don’t speak fast- instead they smash spoken words and phrases together
2. Most words and phrases in English have chewing gum pronunciations
3. Each word and phrase has a spectrum of pronunciations rather than just one or two pronunciations
Listen to Episode #18 to hear real-life examples of chewing gum pronunciation so you can start to master English listening.

Photo credit: By Kaugummis.jpg: Pascua Theus aka Körnerbrötchenderivative work: Sir James (talk) - Kaugummis.jpg, CC BY-SA 2.5, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=12136753

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Episode #17: Bad squirrel! Animals of Ohio.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:57:49 +0000

In Episode #17, Tim talks about the surprising variety of unusual animals you can find in an Ohio suburb: white-tailed deer (like Bambi), eastern gray squirrels (bigger than their European cousins), chipmunks (a bit like squirrels, but much smaller and with their houses on the ground instead of in the trees), lightning bugs (also called fireflies- insects which make light at night) and cicadas (large, heavy, winged insects that sing very loudly and have large, brightly colored eyes).

All links are courtesy of Wikimedia Commons.
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons- NYCsquirrel - Tree squirrel - Wikipedia.

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Episode #16: Which dictionary is best?

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:55:51 +0000

In Episode #16, Tim compares six of the best online dictionaries: Google Translate, Longman’s, Cambridge, Britannica, Wiktionary, Chat GPT, and also Tim’s own dictionaries, one of which, Words For Numbers, is available online as a subscription. Which dictionary is best for students at each level of language learning? What are the strong and weak points of each dictionary? Find out in this episode so you can choose the best learning tools for yourself.

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Episode #15: Ancient word roots. Plus horror stories.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:54:07 +0000

In Episode #15, Tim shifts his attention from the details of English and English teaching to four true, sad and bizarre stories from his life and travels, as well as a bit of Indo-European etymology. After all, Tim does get around the world and so it is morally imperative that he turn base metal to gold by sharing his horrible experiences for the jollification of others.

Cover photo credit: Koreni-00 - Корень — Википедия (wikipedia.org )

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Episode #14: Four Techniques for Better Grammar.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:52:39 +0000

In Episode 1, Tim talked about the first step to speaking and writing with correct grammar: understanding the details of others’ output so we have correct models to imitate.
In today’s episode, Tim talks about four ways students can reduce the number of mistakes they make when speaking and writing themselves.

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Episode #13: More questions, fewer rules, part 2: wh- questions.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:50:02 +0000

Tim has been teaching English for eighteen years, and perhaps the most common difficulty his students have is with constructing questions. Popular textbooks like English File and Headway show how to construct questions, but students need more examples than these books contain. In Episode 5, Tim gave over two hundred examples of one type of question- yes/ no questions, and he later offered students a free PDF containing 201 yes/ no questions organized in tables and with grammatical explanations.
In Episode 13, you can hear hundreds of examples of another type of question, wh- questions, ones that start with question words like who, what, where, when, why, how and which.

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Episode #11: NGSL 1331-1340. 10 words, 27 meanings.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:17:28 +0000

Want a higher score on IELTS or TOEFL? Then learn the words of the NGSL, which Tim talked about in Episode 2.
The New General Service List includes the top 2800 words of English in order of frequency- with the most used words at the beginning so you learn the most important vocabulary first.
The NGSL is oriented mainly towards written, non-fiction English, which means that knowing the words in it well will help you better understand newspapers, magazines and books. It will also help you to sound smarter when you speak, and who doesn’t want that? In this episode, Tim tells 27 definitions of a selection of ten words from the NGSL- spirit (1331), lunch (1332), actual (1333), pool (1334), battle (1335), tradition (1336), cash (1337), hardly (1338), award (1339), and coach (1340)- so you understand them in depth and detail.

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Episode #10: Six Verbs of Influence

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:15:34 +0000

How do you make others do what you want them to do? In Episode #10, Tim the native speaker English teacher, polyglot and world traveler tells you the most practical words and constructions to talk about influencing others.

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Episode #9: How I Learned Russian

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:05:46 +0000

You’ve heard Tim the teacher and Tim the traveler. But what about Tim the student? In Episode 9, Tim shares his experience learning Russian from almost zero while living in Moscow 2006-2009.

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Episode #8: The many uses of LIKE.

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:01:49 +0000

LIKE is another one of those words that seems to mean everything, or nothing, or maybe even both at the same time. In Episode 8, Tim separates the different meanings of this very commonly used word and gives examples of each of them to help you understand LIKE every time you hear it.

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Episode #7: The Chewing Gum Accent?!

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 16:00:00 +0000

English listening is hard because real English pronunciation is VERY different from the English pronunciation you hear in the classroom.
Sometimes native English speakers talk like their mouths are full of chewing gum- common words and phrases come out in ways that are extremely hard to understand: “don’t you” becomes “doncha”, “didn’t you” is pronounced “dincha”, and “I am going to” is pronounced “ongana”, or even “omma”! For better or worse, these chewing gum pronunciations are extremely common, and affect all kinds of words and phrases, not just common ones. Listen to English teacher, polyglot, author and world traveler Tim Sexton explain a few of the rules about how ordinary phrases end up sounding like a foreign language, so you can begin to understand native English speech better.

Photo credit: Martial BACQUET Nachttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chewing_gum#/media/File:Bubble_gum_at_the_Haribo_factory.jpg

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Episode #6: Understand and Use GET

Fri, 12 Jan 2024 15:54:56 +0000

The verb GET is one of the hardest words in English. Or is it? In Episode 6, Tim shows that even if GET has a lot of meanings, all of those meanings are in just four categories: movement, change of condition, receiving or taking, and convincing others to do something for us. In this episode, you will listen to 131 examples sentences with GET so you learn and understand this verb better than ever before.

Cover photo credit:
By http://www.ac-reunion.fr/pedagogie1/sciencesecole/index.html, Copyrighted free use, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=32385

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Episode #5: More Questions, Fewer Rules

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 19:22:09 +0000

How do you construct questions? If you’ve learned English, you’ve probably asked yourself this question many times, even after learning rules about questions in the classroom. However, learning the rules for making questions is just one of two different ways to learn how to construct correct questions. The other way is just to learn a big number of correct questions without thinking about why they are correct. Is the old, rules-based approach bad? Not at all! Each way- the rules way and the lots of examples way- help each other out. Listen to episode 5 and hear 201 correct yes/ no questions. If you want maximum effect, stop the recording after each question and repeat it. It’s a lot of work, but believe me, it will help you!

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Episode #4: Finding the language gaps we don’t see.

Thu, 11 Jan 2024 19:10:41 +0000

In episode #1 some weeks ago (Episode #1: Understanding Speech and Text For Better Grammar. – English with Tim), I showed how gaps in our understanding of input- speech we hear and text we read- can cause us to make mistakes in grammar when it’s time to speak or write. But how do we find the gaps? One way is with dictations, exercises where you try to reproduce in speech or writing the exact words a teacher says to you.

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Episode #2: The NGSL- 2800 Words For Better English

Sat, 23 Dec 2023 01:41:51 +0000

The New General Service List, or NGSL, is a popular list of the 2800 most used words of English. Every student who wants to know English at an advanced level needs to know the words in this list well. Listen to find out how you can learn these important words!

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Episode #1: Understanding Speech and Text for Better Grammar

Wed, 20 Dec 2023 17:54:37 +0000

Why do you keep making the same mistakes in English grammar when you make OUTPUT, i.e., when you speak and write? Well, focusing on these mistakes is not always the best approach. Why? Because grammar mistakes often have their roots in problems understanding INPUT, i.e., you have problems with English reading or spelling- or especially problems with English listening. These problems can be very basic, for example you cannot hear the difference MAN and MEN or NOT and NUT. Or maybe you have problems with small words like AT, BY, and GET- this happens all the time!
In this first episode, learn how problems understanding input make it harder to master English grammar.
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Why do people make grammar mistakes? Many of the reasons for mistakes start long before students open their mouths to speak or put pen to paper. Listen to Tim, an experienced English teacher from the US, to find out why.

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