Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Saturday with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently. And by the way, if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.

Today, let’s look at a really casual, really conversational pattern you’ll hear in everyday American English - all + adjective. We use all before an adjective to mean very or totally, and it adds emotion to what we’re saying.  You’ll hear this especially when people are talking about feelings, reactions, or moods

• Like, Maybe last night, you came home after a long day. You can say: “I was all hungry and tired when I got home last night.” all hungry and tired means very hungry, and  very tired.
• Or maybe your boss saw last month’s sales numbers and wasn’t happy. You could say: “The boss was all grumpy when he saw last month’s sales data.” 
• Here's another example. “Jen was all excited about her vacation.” 

It’s casual, it’s expressive, and it sounds very natural in everyday American English.  Just remember - this is spoken English, not something you’d use in formal writing.

Try using this pattern the next time you want to describe a strong feeling - like “I was all surprised!”  It really brings your English to life. Lemme know in the comments how it goes, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Saturday’s English Tips in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening - and until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak.

By the way, if you want to see the video version of this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.

Today’s phrasal verb is weigh in on. When you weigh in on something, it means you offer your opinion in a discussion — especially when people want your thoughts or input.

• Like in the office, the boss weighed in on Jack’s new marketing idea.
• And yesterday, my friend Justin weighed in on which laptop I should buy.
• And whenever I post a lesson like this online, you guys weigh in with awesome comments!

And here’s a pronunciation tip: The A sound of weigh links with in, and the N of in links with on. Altogether, it  sounds like way-yih-non. Way-yih-non: very smooth and connected.

So how about you? What’s something you weighed in on recently - maybe a decision at work, a family plan, or even a friend’s problem? Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Phrasal Verbs in a Minute.  Hey, thanks for listening. And until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

So I got invited to another one of Jack’s parties. If I go by myself, there’s a good chance I won’t know anyone, which is ok, unless a lot of people come. But if Jenny comes with me, then there’s a better chance of having fun. I wonder if she’ll go... or come with me. Come and go. 

That’s the magic - and the confusion - of the verbs come and go in English. They seem simple… but they can be really tricky. Today we’re going to clear up one of the biggest confusions that even intermediate and advanced learners struggle with: the difference between come and go.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
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The other day, I was thinking about the difference between though, even though, and although. Even though they all mean but, there’s a difference, though. And although you may not have learned it before… you’ll learn it today.

Though, Even Though, & Although all - express contrast, like you say one thing, but then mention something opposite. But how we use them depends on the situation, how formal or casual we want to sound, and the rhythm of the sentence. So today, I’ll walk you through the differences between though, even though, and although... with clear, natural examples to help you speak more fluently and confidently.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

And if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.
As we’ve said before, in everyday spoken American English, we often use reduction - that means we shorten or soften sounds when we speak.

Today, let’s look at two really common question reductions that you hear all the time in natural spoken English: don’t you and won’t you. These are pronounced like, doncha and woncha

When we say don’t you, the T of don’t blends with the Y of you. Don’t you becomes doncha.  
Like “Doncha wanna go?” “Doncha know him?” “Doncha like it” Doncha

And when we say  won’t you, the T of won’t blends with the Y of you. Won’t you becomes woncha.  
“Woncha join us for lunch?” “Woncha come inside?” “Woncha tell me?”  Woncha

So remember. Doncha and Woncha. These natural ways to say don’t you and won’t you in American English.  They help the rhythm stay smooth and make the whole sentence easier to say.

And if you want to sound more natural yourself, try using them in casual conversation. Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Sunday’s Speak Naturally in a Minute.  Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to English Tips in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Saturday with a short, simple tip to help you speak English more naturally and confidently. And by the way, if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.
Today, let’s look at a really useful conversational phrase - “What’s up with…?”

We use what’s up with…? to ask about something we don’t understand. It’s another way to say
“What’s the situation with…?”  And you can use it for people, for events, or even for weird situations.

• Like,  Maybe your coworker is acting strange. You can say:  “What’s up with John today?”
• Or if you’re confused about a rule at work, you might say:  “What’s up with casual Fridays? Can we wear jeans or not?”
• We also use it to talk about trends or new behaviors we don’t get.  Like:  “I don’t know what’s up with kids these days and that 6-7 thing.”

One thing to keep in mind is tone. With a neutral tone, it sounds curious.  With a strong tone, it can sound annoyed or frustrated:  “Oh man, what’s up with all this traffic today?”

What’s up with waiting? Go try this phrase in your next conversation! 

Lemme know in the comments how it goes, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Saturday’s English Tips in a Minute. Hey, thanks for listening. And until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Hey there! It’s Michael here, and welcome back to Phrasal Verbs in a Minute from Happy English.
I’m here every Friday with a quick one-point lesson to help you learn a new phrasal verb and sound more natural when you speak. 

By the way, if you want to see the video version of this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.

Today’s phrasal verb is brush up on.  When you brush up on something, it means you review it or practice it again so you can improve. We usually use brush up on for skills, subjects, and knowledge.

• For example, before my trip to Paris, I brushed up on my French a little.
• And yesterday, my friend Emma brushed up on her Excel skills before her job interview.
• If you want to brush up on your English, why not take a lesson with me!

And here’s a pronunciation tip: brush up on sounds like bruh-shuh-pon. The SH of brush links with UP, and the P of UP links with ON bruh-shuh-pon That makes it smooth and quick.

So how about you? What’s something you want to brush up on? Maybe English, a hobby, or a skill you haven’t used in a while? Let me know in the comments, and remember to follow or subscribe so you don’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next week’s Phrasal Verbs in a Minute.  Hey, thanks for listening. And until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Do you need a pick-me-up? I’m not being a show-off when I say that our little online get-togethers like this podcast are probably good for your English. 

Thanks for tuning in! Let me start with a quick question. Have you ever heard someone say, “We’re having a little get-together this weekend”? Or maybe, “I could really use a pick-me-up”? You might think, wait a second – isn’t get a verb? Isn’t get together a phrasal verb? Yep - but when we add a hyphen and use it as a noun, it becomes something totally different. Today, we’re going to look at these kinds of phrases that native speakers use all the time, but they don’t always show up in grammar books. These are called phrasal nouns and for today’s lesson, we’re going to see how those verbs become nouns, and how we use them in conversation. 

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Let me ask you something… have you ever been surprised - like, really surprised - and you just didn’t know what to say in English? Imagine, you’re talking to a friend, and they say something totally unexpected. Like, “Hey, did you hear? Lisa is moving to Australia!” And you want to respond like a native speaker - with something more natural than just “Wow” OR “Really?”

That’s what we’re going to look at today - casual, real-life phrases that native English speakers use to show surprise. And hey - this isn’t just fun stuff. These phrases help you sound more natural and more confident when you speak. So let’s jump in!

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup

Hey there! It’s Michael here - and welcome back to Speak Naturally in a Minute from Happy English. I’m here every Sunday with a quick one-point lesson to help you improve your pronunciation, rhythm, and intonation.

And if you want to watch this lesson, just look for Happy English Podcast on YouTube.
Now, in everyday spoken American English, we often use reduction - that means we shorten or soften sounds when we speak. Today’s example is the word “didn’t.” 

First, most native speakers drop the D in the middle.  So instead of “didn’t,” we say “dih-n’t.” “dih-n’t.” The reason is if you pronounce the final D of did, and the next sound is N, D followed by N makes the sound stop. Did-n’t. Dropping the D makes the sound smoother: “dih-n’t.” Like, “I didn’t see your message.” becomes “I din’t see your message.” OR “She didn’t call me back.” becomes “She dih-n’t call me back.” “dih-n’t.”

And there’s one more thing. The final T in this word also tends to get very soft… or disappears.  So “dih-n’t ” becomes “dih-n.”  That’s right - both the D and the T get reduced. I’m sure you hear this all the time, like,  “I didn’t hear you.” becomes “I dih-n hear you.”  “She didn’t call me back.” becomes “She dih-n call me back.” and  “They didn’t do it.” becomes “They dih-n do it.”

This is not slang and it’s not lazy. It’s just how real American English flows. So next time you say didn’t, try relaxing your tongue a bit:  “I dih-n know.”  “I dih-n get it.”  That’s the rhythm of natural American speech.

Hey, thanks for listening! And remember to follow and subscribe so you won’t miss the next Happy English Podcast and next Sunday's Speak Naturally in a Minute.  Until next time, keep learning and keep it cool.

Watch video versions of the Happy English Podcast on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@HappyEnglishNY/podcasts
Build Vocabulary With My Free Vocabulary Workshop: https://learn.myhappyenglish.com/vocabulary-workshop-signup