Charm English Pod

In this episode we talk about cats, your thoughts on cats, why we love or don't love them, etc.

Then we practiced using cat-related idioms, in particular ones used in the REAL WORLD (I'm an advocate of teaching students idioms that they might actually see and find useful, since there are so many of them out there, it's good to prioritize.)

And finally we had some hypothetical questions like what would you do if you were a cat. You all also taught me about cats in your cultures and how in some countries cats have seven lives instead of nine which was very surprising to find out!

At the end we have some random questions

Hello! Here are my top tips for job interviews and how to answer several common questions.

We go over how to answer "tell me about yourself" using the past, present, and future.

We practice the STAR method for sharing situations when asked behavioral questions (situation, task, action, result.)

We also talk about tough questions like what is your biggest weakness? and why should we hire you?

I hope you enjoy this episode, and please like and comment if you want more content like this :)

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In this episode, we talk about derivational forms —words that are created by adding prefixes or suffixes to a base word (also called a root). These added parts can change the meaning of the word or its grammatical category (like turning a verb into a noun or an adjective into an adverb).

For example:

• From the verb teach, we get the noun teacher.

• From the adjective happy, we get the noun happiness.

• From the noun success, we get the adjective successful.

These are all derivational forms — words that come from the same root but play different roles in a sentence. Knowing how they work can help you build your vocabulary and communicate more precisely.

In this episode, I:

• Explain what derivational forms are and we think of several examples

• Talk about word roots and the different types we have in English, especially coming from Latin

• Look at common negative prefixes like un-, in-, im-, ir-, and mis-

• Practice identifying word families and patterns that can help you guess the meaning of new words

This is a topic that will help you on a standardized test or in your everyday life!

In this episode we explore the topic of connected speech. Learning about this will help you so much with your listening, when people speak quickly!

We tend to connect words when a word ends in a consonant and the next word starts in a vowel (Put it - putit).

Also, when one word ends in a vowel and the next word starts in a vowel. In some cases we add a W or Y sound (I agree - iyagree, go out - gowout)

And when a sound is repeated like big game, nice smile. (Nismile)

We also have elision where consonants in clusters are sometimes omitted, for example with interested.

There are so many tips in this live I think this is one to listen to all the way through!

In this class we talk about the present perfect tense and when to use it, practically in conversations! We also compare the simple past to the present perfect and discuss when to use each one. The present perfect is used for unspecified events in the past as well as events that started in the past and continue now.

Here's a strategy that will help you learn phrasal verbs more effectively: learn phrasal verbs that have double meanings, both literal and figurative. It's usually easier for us to remember literal and concrete actions, so by connecting figuritive uses to literal ones, it can serve as a memory trick.

🎙️ Adjective Order in English: Why We Say "Big Beautiful Desk" (Not the Other Way Around!)

Okay, so here’s something kinda weird about English—when we use a bunch of adjectives before a noun, there’s actually a pretty specific order that sounds right… even if we don’t realize it! 😅

Linguists have noticed a pattern, and it goes like this:
Opinion – Size – Age – Shape – Color – Origin – Material – Purpose.
(Yeah, OSASCOMP... but don’t worry, we’ll break it down!)

🪑 So we say:

• a beautiful big wooden desk

• a cute little red purse

• an old round stone table

• a nice new French café
  

BUT—some words, like big, are kind of pushy and often go in front of opinions:

• a big exciting trip

• a big terrible mess

• a big fun party

It’s not about memorizing every detail—it’s more about getting used to what sounds natural over time. You’ll start to feel it the more you hear and use English. Promise! 💬

Try writing a few examples in the comments. I’d love to see your combos!

🎙️ Episode: Talking about Hypotheticals with the Second Conditional

In this lesson, I break down a powerful structure for expressing your opinions and desires: the second conditional. By the end of the episode, you’ll know exactly how and when to use “if + past tense… would + base verb” to talk about unreal, imagined, or unlikely situations.

Use it to…

📌Express wishes & dreams: “If I knew how to surf, I would move to California.”

📌Give polite advice or soften suggestions: “If I were you, I would ask for feedback.”

📌Speculate about unlikely events: “If aliens landed tomorrow, we would be amazed.”

Common errors:

“Will” vs. “Would”

❌ “If I win the lottery, I will buy a yacht.”

✅ “If I won the lottery, I would buy a yacht.”

Tense pairing

❌ “If she lives closer, we would meet more often.”

✅ “If she lived closer, we would meet more often.”

Everyday chat: “If I had more energy, I would go to the gym before work.”

Business emails: “If we reached our sales target, we would invest in new software.”

Social media & interviews: “If I were CEO, I would prioritize employee well‑being.”

Tip: Swap “were” for “was” in “If I were…” to sound more formal.

Ready to unlock the power of “what if”?🔔 Subscribe now so you never miss an episode📝 Reel to practice ➔ https://www.instagram.com/charmenglishcl/reel/C6bj_9ArmUi/?locale=pt_PT

Live class about reported speech plus a Q&A for the last 30 minutes where you asked me about conditionals, anxiety, pronunciation, and more!

Tips for reported speech:

📌you don’t have to include “that”, I do when I feel it’s needed for more clarity, maybe in writing when I have a long sentence, but in speaking it’s often omitted “she said ((that)) she enjoyed learning languages”

📌when reporting something that happened in the past, you can keep the verb that the person said in the present if it’s still true, but if it isn’t, or you aren’t sure, you have to change it to the past.

Some English tests and courses always ask that you convert the verb to the past but this isn’t always needed when it is still true (“he said he is here” vs “he said he was here”)

In this episode, we explore the power of gerunds in English—those versatile “-ing” forms that function like nouns. You’ll learn which trigger words demand a gerund, and you’ll practice high-utility chunks like I can’t stand and I’m responsible for in real-world contexts: starting and stopping actions, expressing feelings and emotions, making decisions, and tackling challenges.

📚 Further Reading & Resources

Purdue OWL – Gerunds, Participles, and Infinitiveshttps://owl.purdue.edu/owl/general_writing/mechanics/gerunds_participles_and_infinitives/index.html

Mango Languages – Gerunds in English: What Are They and How Are They Used?https://mangolanguages.com/resources/learn/grammar/english/gerunds-in-english-what-are-they-and-how-are-they-used

Preply Blog – Understanding English Gerunds: A Guidehttps://preply.com/en/blog/english-gerund/

EnglishAlex – 7 Ways to Use Gerunds (Including Passives!)https://www.englishalex.com/post/7-ways-to-use-gerunds-including-passives-audio-reading-included/

VOA Learning English – Verbs and Gerunds in Speech and Fiction Writinghttps://voa-story.com/2017-11-03-verbs-and-gerunds-in-speech-and-fiction-writing/