English from all angles! This episode teaches common words and expressions that use the word “paper.” Others include “to be due,” the phrasal verb “to make up” and Drew gives pronunciation tips on the word “tear.” Have you ever papered a wall? Written a paper? Bought a paper? Broken paper? (No! You can’t break paper, but you can tear it). Listen carefully to this episode and incorporate these useful words into your English vocabulary right now.

English from all angles! In this episode, Drew explains the differences among three similar words: reward, prize and award. A reward is a payment offered for finding something or someone; a prize is something you get for winning a competition or a contest and an award is what you get for an admirable performance or for doing an excellent job. If you lose your cat, you offer a reward to the person who finds it. If you win the lottery, you receive a prize known as the jackpot. And many associations and academies, such as the Country Music Association and the Motion Picture Academy, give awards to actors, actresses and musicians as recognition for their commendable performances.

English from all angles! The word “cast” has many meanings. As a verb it’s irregular: cast/cast/cast. Casting a movie is the task of assigning actors and actresses to play a particular role. The group of actors is known as the cast. And if you’re an angler, you definitely know how to cast. Cast = actors in a film. Matt Damon and Christian Bale are two cast members in the new movie Ford v Ferrari. Cast = a rigid covering used for immobilizing a broken bone. The doctor put a cast on her broken wrist. Listen to this podCAST and learn more!

English from all angles! The phrasal verbs “burn out” and “ fade away” are often used in the world of rock and roll. If you’re a celebrity musician who’s reached the peak of fame and fortune, is it better to finish your career by suddenly disappearing (burning out) or gradually dying out (fading away)? It’s a controversial question, as you’ll discover in this podcast. Also, in this 32nd podcast, Drew stresses the importance of knowing the ordinal numbers in English. Once you’ve mastered them, you can show off by correctly using them. It’s something that few non-native English speakers can do well. And Van Morrison has released a new album, proving that he hasn’t faded away.

English from all angles. If you are “in the know,” you have information that other people typically don’t have or understand. As listeners of Crosby’s 9, you are in know; you know the secrets and tips required for improving your English. Also in this podcast, an easy to understand explication of the structures “used to,” “usually” and “to be used to.” “Being in the know,” means that you have a certain edge; a certain advantage over others because of what you know. It’s information you have that others don’t. If you understand how to correctly use forms of “used to,” “usually” and “to be used to” as Drew explains in this episode, you’ll be in the know.

English from all angles! Incorporate three or four new words this week into your English vocabulary. In this case, they’re words that -on the surface, look and sound similar- but are actually very different. And very useful. If you take the time to truly learn just a couple of new words every week, your ability to effectively communicate in English will skyrocket. How? By using them in every day scenarios. The more often you use the words and expressions that Drew presents in this podcast, the sooner you will learn and retain them…forever.

English from all angles! If the Fab Four named their rock group after the insect the beetle, then why did they call themselves The Beatles? Listen and find out how John Lennon came up with the name. Listeners learn how to use the expression “to come up with” as well as the words “dawn” and “dusk” while they discover how insects like crickets and beetles (and not necessarily grasshoppers and cockroaches) played a part in early rock and roll.

English from all angles! Are dealers trustworthy or do they always try to take you to the bank? This episode looks at several uses of the words “deal” and “dealer.” Casino dealers, car dealers; doing deals and making deals. Most listeners will be familiar with the word “dealer.” It’s a word that’s used throughout the world in the fields of business and casinos, among others, where deals are made and cards are dealt.

English from all angles! We all have commitments. They’re those (usually) unwritten personal and professional obligations that we intend to carry out in the short, mid or long- term. They’re promises that we aim to deliver on. In this episode, Drew talks about what it means to be committed over the long haul and the importance of endurance. If you’re a runner and you’re training for a marathon, you need endurance. Endurance is similar to perseverance – athletic perseverance, in this case. If you’re going to succeed, you’ll have to endure hardships and setbacks. Without endurance, it’s practically impossible to keep long-term commitments.

English from all angles! Keep a steady pace when learning English. Learning English can be frustrating and there will be times when you’ll feel like you’re not improving (or even going backwards). Not to worry; it tends to happen. As long as you’re studying and practicing, you’ll get better. The key: pace yourself. Keeping a steady pace will prevent you from getting dejected and burning yourself out. Pacing yourself while you learn English means setting goals that you can realistically attain. Think of yourself as a marathon runner. You need to set your own pace –not that of others- so that you can perform to your best ability. Like a pace car in an automobile race, it’s all about keeping the right rhythm and maintaining order - especially under difficult circumstances.