American English Podcast

Hi everyone. Welcome back! I am curious, have you ever heard a story about a magician making a rabbit disappear? Have you ever seen it? Maybe you've read a novel, perhaps a mystery, where a character disappears and nobody knows what happened to them. These scenarios perfectly illustrate our expression of the day, which is to vanish into thin air.

To vanish into thin air conjures images of something or someone disappearing suddenly and completely, almost like magic. But where did this phrase come from, and why do we use it to describe such mysterious disappearances? Join me today as we explore the origins, usage, and intriguing examples of how to use this idiom in real life contexts.

Anyway, be sure to stay tuned for next week's episode, which is about the world-famous magician Harry Houdini. I've been wanting to tell his story and talk about his magic for a long time now. I promise you, it'll be an exciting episode full of descriptions and explanations of challenging words. And of course, it'll have you on the edge of your seat. Be sure to stay tuned for part two, it'll be posted shortly.

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Imagine you are on a ferry slowly approaching Liberty Island in New York Harbor. The sky is a brilliant blue with just a few clouds drifting overhead. There's a cool breeze; it's hitting your face, and the smell of salt from the ocean water is around you. To your right is the New York City skyline. Lower Manhattan is magical with all of its high rises, but nothing compares to the Statue of Liberty ahead of you. She's massive! In fact, if she were a building, she'd be about 20 stories high.

Being in front of her, Lady Liberty is surreal because she's so well-known and such a powerful symbol of hope, freedom, and democracy. She's also a symbol of the United States, but what's her story?

In today's lesson, you're going to hear a short story about the Statue of Liberty. In it, you'll hear ten irregular past tense verbs. Here they are:

1. to be

2. to take

3. to break

4. to bring

5. to build

6. to stand

7. to make

8. to flee

9. to see

10. to lead

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Welcome back to this week's episode! It'll begin with a joke. Then, we move into the expression of the day, "to spread one's wings," breaking down its meaning and providing vivid examples to help you understand how to use it in everyday life. Finally, we'll practice pronouncing this phrase and its various conjugations, ensuring you're ready to use it confidently.

Stay tuned for the upcoming cultural episode (part 2) about the Statue of Liberty—it's also packed with American English insights and language tips!

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The whole world has bad drivers. No country or city in the world is immune. What’s funny is that most of us don’t consider ourselves bad drivers! We tend to judge others.

In this 5-Minute English lesson, I’m going to tell a fictional story about the worst driver in the world. You’ll hear:

This lesson will be intense in terms of vocabulary, it’s a more advanced listening exercise.  If you regularly learn with this podcast, I highly recommend signing up to Premium Content, so you can get the full lesson that goes along with this audio. You’ll have the chance to master this vocabulary with my help, work on your pronunciation and more.

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Welcome back to the second part of episode 166. In today’s episode, we’re going to talk about Irregular Verbs and McDonald’s. You guys know McDonald’s, right.? Big Macs, Filet-o-Fish, Happy Meals?

In this lesson, you'll hear a short story about the founding and expansion of the world-famous fast food restaurant. In it, you'll hear 10 Irregular Verbs in the Simple Past Tense. Here they are:

1. To begin (began)

2. To make (made)

3. To speed (sped)

4. To eat (ate)

5. To leave (left)

6. To see (saw)

7. To buy (bought)

8. To take (took)

9. To rise (rose)

10. To grow (grew)

The story is shorter than my typical cultural lesson and that’s because the real focus here is mastering verbs. For those of you who have a high intermediate level or higher, you may already know most of these; this lesson will help reinforce the correct past tense forms (they'll be presented in many new contexts!).

Watch the corresponding video here.

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In today's episode, we'll begin by going through the commentary you guys made on Culture Shock in the United States. Afterwards, I'll tell you a joke, we'll go over the expression "to take it with a grain of salt," and we'll do a pronunciation exercise.

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In this Chats with Shana episode, I'm going to reflect on various aspects of US culture. Although I talk about culture all the time on here, it's not often we talk about some basic things, like everyday life things that can cause culture shock. The truth is, I don't often think about the topics I'm going to discuss today; they're pretty random! We'll cover eggs, air conditioning, driving, beauty, flags, portion sizes and the one thing nobody can stand: U.S. bathroom stalls.

We all form our own opinions based off of our own experiences in life. This episode is full of opinions and thoughts, but I'd love if it weren't a one-sided conversation. Did you experience culture shock in the U.S.? Please share your thoughts on what you find strange or different in the United States! I'd love to hear from you. :)

Disclaimer: My third point in the audio WILL make some of you angry, I can feel it already. Please don't hate me, though! I like you soo much. Just think of the points I made here as conversation starters for your next English class; sometimes more controversial ideas lead to more in-depth language practice! :)

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One of the most popular films of 1997 was by far “ Titanic.” It won 11 Academy Awards! If you saw the film, or even just previews of it, you know the plot. There’s a love story between Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) that develops while aboard a huge ship called Titanic. The Titanic was a real ship that set off on its first transatlantic trip from England to the United States in 1912. I know you know what happens; the ship hits an iceberg and sinks.

I thought about retelling this story and I know English speakers would tell me: Oh no, Shana, really? That ship has sailed, literally.

That ship has sailed is an expression that means that the opportunity has passed; this topic is no longer new or very exciting. It’s been talked about way too many times! That ship has sailed. So instead of doing my long, cultural lesson, I’ve decided to change it up! I’ll tell you a brief summary of the Titanic and in the story, you’ll hear 10 irregular verbs in the simple past tense.

This lesson also includes an explanation of the terms and a quiz.

*****

Transcript and Video

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Life can't possibly get worse! You've lost your job, you have no money, and then to top it off, your dog dies. You've hit rock bottom; you've reached the lowest possible point in your life.

To hit rock bottom is a common expression in American English, and in today's lesson you'll learn exactly how to use it. In addition to learning how to use this idiom, you'll hear a joke, we'll hear comments from the audience, and we'll go through a pronunciation exercise!

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My grandma permanently moved to the United States from Spain in the 1950s and the only way she could afford to keep in contact with friends and family was through writing letters; flying and international calls back then were not in her family’s budget. Email didn’t exist yet. She sent postcards and letters,  pictures of her kids and eventually her grandkids. In her lifetime, the United States Postal Service (USPS) was her lifeline to the people she’d left overseas.

Today, I'll tell you a bittersweet and very informative story about my grandma and her relationship with the post office and mail. Through it, you'll learn over 20+ words in context!

Can you relate to this story? Let me know what you think. You can write to me on Instagram @americanenglishpodcast, or on Spotify in the comments.

If you would like to help me decorate my office, please send me a real postcard! 

Shana Thompson

P.O. Box 9074

Asheville, NC 28815

I create this podcast because of YOU. You have no idea how excited I would be to see you're not just a figment of my imagination (haha). Plus, your card will end up on my wall! :)

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