🕯️ In this episode of The Learn English Podcast, we explore a true story that sounds like a horror movie — but really happened. As Halloween approaches, we dive into one of the most shocking events in American history: the Donner Party. This tale of survival, courage, and human endurance is perfect for English learners who want to improve their listening skills and expand their vocabulary in a real-life context.

The Donner Party was a group of settlers traveling to California in the 1840s. They faced extreme challenges on their journey, including harsh weather, dangerous terrain, and difficult decisions. You’ll learn why they took a risky shortcut, how they became trapped in the mountains, and the survival choices they had to make during a freezing winter.

While hearing this gripping story, you’ll practice listening to natural English, learn key vocabulary about survival and historical events, and understand expressions used to describe extreme situations. Words like determination, hardship, tragedy, and courage will help you speak and understand English more confidently.

If you love history and want to expand your English at a B2 level, this episode is an excellent resource. By the end, you’ll know the full story of the Donner Party and why it remains one of America’s most dramatic and fascinating historical events. Tune in and learn English naturally through real history!

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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Phrasal Verb episode: https://youtu.be/vxZnA20kX2U

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Source🔗:

The Donner Party

California Trail Center

PBS documentary

📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Set the stage – To explain background information so the listener understands what happens next.

2) Manifest Destiny – A belief in the 1800s that Americans were chosen by God to expand across the continent.

3) Manifest (something) – To make something real by believing strongly that it will happen.

4) Optimistic – Believing that good things will happen; positive about the future.

5) Settlers – People who move to a new place to live and build a community.

6) Wagon train – A group of wagons traveling together across long distances in the past.

7) Crucial – Extremely important; necessary for success.

8) Desperate – Feeling hopeless or ready to do anything to survive or solve a problem.

9) Perish – To die, especially in a tragic or natural way.

10) Weep – To cry because you are sad or emotional.

11) Frail – Weak or easily broken, often used to describe someone who is very thin or sick.

📺 Get into the Halloween spirit while improving your English! In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we explore the best TV shows and movies for Halloween. October 31st is the perfect time to learn new vocabulary, practice listening, and enjoy spooky entertainment. Watching English-language shows and movies is one of the most fun and effective ways to improve your listening skills and expand your vocabulary.

We focus on shows and movies set in high school with mysterious or supernatural themes. Our recommendations are organized into three categories: light and campy, suspenseful and slightly creepy, and truly scary horror films. Start with fun, easy-to-watch series like Sabrina the Teenage Witch and Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then move to suspenseful stories, and finally explore our scariest horror picks.

Watching TV and movies gives you natural English “input,” helping you learn words, phrases, and grammar the way native speakers use them. By following along with these Halloween-themed shows and films, you’ll improve your listening comprehension, learn real-life vocabulary, and have fun with spooky stories at the same time.

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

🔗Streaming site: https://www.streamwithvpn.com/

Previous Episode Halloween

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Spooky – a little bit scary, often in a fun or mysterious way.

2) Input hypothesis – the idea that language improves through listening and reading a lot in that language.

3) Campy – funny or exaggerated in a silly or over-the-top way.

4) Paranormal – related to things that cannot be explained by science, like ghosts or magic.

5) Supernatural – something beyond the natural world, like magic or monsters.

6) Suspenseful – making you feel nervous or excited because you don’t know what will happen next.

7) Creepy – making you feel uncomfortable or afraid in a strange way.

8) Unnerving – making you feel nervous, uncomfortable, or a little scared.

9) Cliffhanger – an ending that leaves you in suspense, wanting to know what happens next.

10) Witchcraft – the practice of magic, often connected with witches

11) Post-apocalyptic – describing a world after a major disaster or the end of civilization.

12) Binge-watch – to watch many episodes of a show one after another without stopping.

🗣️ Do you struggle with pronouncing certain English words? In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we focus on one of the trickiest sounds in English — the dark L. Many learners find this sound challenging, and even some native speakers are not fully aware of it!

We explain what the dark L is, why it’s difficult, and how it differs from the more familiar light L sound. You’ll learn the correct tongue, mouth, and jaw positions to make the dark L clearly and naturally. With examples from real words like ball, full, milk, and world, you can practice at home and improve your pronunciation step by step.

We also cover useful pronunciation rules: when the dark L appears at the end of a word, before a consonant, or in an unstressed syllable (like in people or subtle). Recognizing these patterns will help you hear and speak English more naturally, boost your listening skills, and make it easier to learn new words.

Don’t miss this episode if you want to improve your English pronunciation, sound more like a native speaker, and take your speaking skills to the next level. Perfect for learners who want clear, confident, and natural English pronunciation.

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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🔗Pronunciation Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFdt-dHCmwVht9nDH7vgD9F_Cgmijpp48

📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Unique – One of a kind; unlike anything else.

2) Stress – The emphasis placed on a certain part of a word or sentence.

3) Syllable – A unit of sound in a word, often containing a vowel.

4) Hard palate – The hard area on the roof of your mouth just behind your front teeth.

5) Clear (or light) L sound – The “L” sound made at the beginning of words, such as light or love.

6) Dark L sound – The “L” sound made at the end of words, such as ball or full, where the tongue curls back.

7) Opposite – Completely different from something else.

8) Unstressed – A syllable or part of a word that is not emphasized when spoken.

9) Accent reduction - The process of changing one's pronunciation to sound closer to a specific, desired accent.

10) To aim for - To intend or try to achieve something.

📖 In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we celebrate Banned Book Week by exploring the life and work of one of America’s most famous poets and writers, Maya Angelou. She was a powerful voice in literature, performance, and the civil rights movement. Her most famous book, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, tells the story of her challenging childhood and how she found her voice through writing and poetry.

We highlight Maya Angelou’s inspiring journey, from growing up in the South to becoming San Francisco’s first African American female streetcar conductor, and later, an international performer and activist. Learn how she overcame obstacles, built her career as a dancer, actress, and writer, and used her words to fight for justice and equality.

In this episode, we also read her famous poem, “Caged Bird”, which uses the image of a bird in a cage as a metaphor for oppression and freedom. You’ll learn advanced vocabulary, poetic phrases, and expressions that will help you improve your English listening comprehension, fluency, and confidence.

Banned Book Week reminds us of the importance of literature that challenges ideas and inspires thought. Sadly, Angelou’s memoir has been banned in some schools and libraries, making it an important work to study and discuss. Listening to her story and poems is a great way to expand your English vocabulary, practice real-life English, and enjoy powerful literature.

🔗Previous MLK Episodes 1 and 2

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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📜 SOURCES

Caged Bird Poem: https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/48989/caged-bird

Oprah Winfrey Interview

Inauguration Poem

📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Banned book – a book that has been removed from libraries or schools.

2) Struggles – difficult experiences or challenges.

3) Traumatic – very shocking or upsetting, causing lasting emotional pain.

4) Speak out – to say what you think openly, especially about something wrong or unfair.

5) Civil Rights Movement – the social movement in the U.S. fighting for equal rights for African Americans in the 1950s–60s.

6) Memoir – a book that someone writes about their own life and experiences.

7) Honorary degree – a special academic award given to someone for their achievements.

8) Analogy – A comparison between two things to help explain something.

9) Leap – to jump with energy or joy.

10) Seldom – almost never; rarely.

11) Rage – very strong anger.

12) Long for – to strongly want or desire something, especially something hard to get.

🎧 Are you struggling with phrasal verbs and want to use them like a native speaker? This episode of the Learn English Podcast is here to help!

In today’s lesson, we focus on phrasal verbs with the word “throw”—one of the trickiest areas in English. Small words can completely change the meaning of a verb, and understanding them in context is the key to speaking naturally.

You’ll learn five common phrasal verbs: throw up, throw down, throw out, throw in, and throw back. We explain each one with clear definitions and real-life examples, so you can understand how native speakers use them in everyday situations. Plus, we share practical tips to help you remember phrasal verbs and use them confidently in conversation.

By listening to this episode, you’ll improve your English listening skills, expand your vocabulary, and learn phrasal verbs naturally. These phrases may seem confusing at first, but with practice, you’ll soon be using them like a native speaker.

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

🔗Phrasal Verbs Explained Playlist: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFdt-dHCmwVj1j6GJNBRUY2TJHXGS0lBj

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1. Throw up

• To vomit (bring food back out of your stomach).
• To raise your hands quickly in the air.

2. Throw down

• To put something on the ground with force.
• To party, dance, or have a lot of fun.
• To fight or challenge someone.
• To share knowledge or strong arguments.

3. Throw out

• To put something in the trash.
• To remove someone from a place.
• To reject an idea or case.
• To suggest ideas quickly.

4. Throw in

• To add something extra for free.
• To return the ball into play in sports.
• Throw in the towel → to give up or surrender.

5. Throw back

• To return something.
• To drink something quickly, often alcohol.
• To remind someone of the past.
• Throwback (noun) → something old that reminds you of the past.

📚 In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we explore books that can help you improve your English. Reading and listening in English are two of the most effective ways to expand your vocabulary, understand grammar naturally, and see how native speakers use the language. Even if reading feels challenging at first, staying consistent is the key to progress.

We explain the idea of “input”—reading or listening to English as much as possible. The more input you get, the faster your English will improve. By trying different types of books, you’ll discover new vocabulary, better understand sentence structures, and gain confidence in using English.

We also share my personal book recommendations, including a mix of classic and modern stories. You’ll hear short summaries to help you decide which books to try:

• Washington Square by Henry James
• The Three Musketeers by Alexandre Dumas
• Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens
• Pachinko by Min Jin Lee
• All the President’s Men by Carl Bernstein and Bob Woodward

Many of these books also have movie or TV adaptations, which you can use to practice listening and reinforce your understanding of the story. This episode will give you great ideas to practice English naturally, improve your listening comprehension, and expand your vocabulary.

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

Source🔗:

Washington Square on Youtube

Dua Lipa's Service95 Book Club

Reese’s Book Club

Previous Episodes: https://rss.com/podcasts/learnenglishpodcast/2024102

https://rss.com/podcasts/learnenglishpodcast/2084843

📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Mobility – the ability to move your body.

2) Classic – an old and famous book, film, or piece of art

3) Novella – a story that is longer than a short story but shorter than a full novel.

4) Adaptation – a film, TV show, or play that is based on another story.

5) Historical fiction – a story set in the past that mixes real history with invented characters.

6) Campy – silly or exaggerated in a way that is funny.

7) Converge – to come together from different directions.

8) Problematic – causing difficulties or not acceptable.

9) Perspective – a way of thinking about or understanding something.

10) Scandal – an event that shocks people because it shows something wrong or dishonest.

📉 In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we explore essential words and phrases used when talking about recessions and the economy. A recession is a period when the economy slows down—people may lose jobs, businesses may close, and families may spend less. Understanding these terms will help you follow the news, discuss financial topics, and speak more confidently in English.

We cover common phrases like vibecession and economic downturn, as well as job-related expressions such as layoffs, being fired, and being let go. Each word and phrase comes with clear definitions and real-life examples so you can understand the context and use them naturally in conversation. You’ll also learn how people talk about the economy even when it’s not officially in a recession.

By the end of this episode, you’ll feel more confident talking about money, jobs, and financial news in English. These practical expressions will help you sound more like a native speaker and improve your listening and speaking skills. Tune in to grow your vocabulary, practice real-world English, and stay informed about important economic topics. 🎧

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

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Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Circumstances – the situation or conditions someone is in.

2) Downturn – a decline or drop in economic activity.

3) In this economy – a phrase people use to mean “with today’s difficult financial situation.”

4) Vibe – the feeling, mood, or atmosphere of a place or situation.

5) Vibecession – slang for when people feel like the economy is bad, even if it isn’t officially in recession.

6) Portmanteau – a new word made by joining two other words.

7) Let go – a polite way of saying someone lost their job (either fired or laid off).

8) Severance package – money a company gives to employees when they lose their job, to help them while they look for another.

9) Golden parachute – a large payment or benefits given to top executives when they leave a company, even if they did a bad job.

10) Living paycheck to paycheck – only having enough money to survive until the next paycheck, with no savings.

11) Make ends meet – to have just enough money to pay for basic needs.

12) Underemployment – when people have jobs but not enough hours or not jobs that match their skills.

13) Drying up – when something is decreasing or becoming less available.

14) Disposable income – extra money you can spend on fun or non-essential things after paying bills.

🌉 In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we celebrate California’s statehood by exploring three of its most iconic landmarks: the Golden Gate Bridge, the redwood forests, and the Hollywood sign. These famous sites are not only exciting to visit but also full of history and interesting stories.

We start in San Francisco with the Golden Gate Bridge, learning why it was built, how it improved travel, and why its bright color makes it so unique. Then, we travel to Northern California to explore the majestic redwood forests, home to some of the tallest and oldest trees in the world. Finally, we head to Southern California to discuss the Hollywood sign, which began as a real estate advertisement and has become a worldwide symbol of movies and Los Angeles.

Along the way, you’ll learn useful English vocabulary and expressions related to travel, landmarks, and history. We explain how each site became a symbol of California and why people from all over the world visit them. You’ll also get tips on how to see these landmarks in person. This episode is perfect for English learners who want to improve listening comprehension, expand vocabulary, and discover more about California’s culture and famous destinations.

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

Follow us on social Media: https://linktr.ee/learnenglishpod

Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Iconic: very famous and easily recognizable.

2) Landmarks: a well-known building or place that is easily identified.

3) Gold rush: a large movement of people to an area where gold has been found.

4) Fog: a thick cloud of tiny water droplets that limits visibility.

5) Natural wonder: a beautiful natural place or feature.

6) Conservation movement: a movement to protect the environment.

7) Upscale: of high quality, luxurious.

8) Disrepair: the state of being in bad condition because of a lack of maintenance.

📜 SOURCES

Golden Gate Bridge: Welcome Center, Berkeley library, and Golden Gate History

Redwoods: National Park Service

Hollywood Sign: Westhoof and Hollywood Sign History

⏰ In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we explore real-life English through a typical day in my life. From the moment my alarm goes off in the morning until I return home in the evening, you’ll hear about daily routines, morning commutes, and what it’s really like to teach in an American high school. This episode is a great way to practice listening comprehension and learn English that you can use every day.

You’ll discover how to talk about common activities like packing lunch, getting dressed, commuting to work, and walking a dog. Learn useful expressions and vocabulary such as morning person, night owl, and do one's business, which are commonly used by native speakers.

This episode is perfect for English learners who want to improve listening skills, expand vocabulary, and practice natural English. By following along, you’ll get a realistic view of school life, daily routines, and life in the United States. If you enjoy learning English through real stories and everyday situations, this episode is for you!

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

Follow us on social Media: https://linktr.ee/learnenglishpod

Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1) walk you through: to explain something to you by going through it step-by-step.

2) morning person: a person who likes to wake up early in the morning and feels most active then.

3) night owl: a person who likes to stay up late at night.

4) do one's business: a polite way to say that an animal needs to go to the toilet.

5) put your face on: a casual way to say you are applying makeup.

6) litter mates: animals from the same birth, like a brother and sister from the same group of puppies or kittens.

7) daycare: a place where pets or children are cared for during the day while their owners or parents are at work.

8) rush hour: the times of day when there is a lot of traffic because many people are traveling to or from work.

9) morning announcements: daily information for students and staff that is usually broadcast over a loudspeaker.

10) stationary bike: an exercise machine that looks like a bicycle but doesn't move.

11) strong-willed: determined to do what you want, even if other people tell you not to.

12) coax: to gently and patiently try to persuade someone to do something.

🏠 Are you looking for a new place to live in the United States? In this episode of the Learn English Podcast, we explore everything you need to know about renting a home or apartment. You’ll learn common vocabulary and phrases often seen in rental listings and understand what they mean. We also explain the full renting process and give practical tips for visiting and choosing a place.

Learn what to look for when touring a home or apartment, including appliances, utilities, and amenities. We’ll also explain important terms like security deposit, lease agreements, and the difference between month-to-month and long-term leases. These phrases are essential for understanding rental ads, communicating with landlords, and navigating the rental process confidently.

With clear examples and real-life situations, this episode will help you remember key vocabulary and use it naturally. By the end, you’ll feel more confident searching for a home in English and be ready to handle conversations with landlords, real estate agents, or roommates. Perfect for English learners who want practical language skills for everyday life in an English-speaking country. 🌍✨

🔔 Follow us on social media @LearnEnglishPod and visit our website:

Podcast website: https://learnenglishpod.com/

Follow us on social Media: https://linktr.ee/learnenglishpod

Take lessons with me: https://www.italki.com/en/teacher/8531387

📚Affiliate link for italki: https://www.italki.com/en/i/ref/GBBdbb

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📝 Vocabulary list:

1) Apartment hunting: The process of searching for an apartment to rent.

2) Studio apartment: A small apartment that usually consists of a single room for living, sleeping, and a kitchen area.

3) Open concept: A floor plan where different rooms, like the kitchen and living room, are not separated by walls.

4) Condo/Condominium: A type of residence in a building where each apartment is individually owned.

5) Townhouse/Row house: A house that is part of a row of similar houses that share walls on either side.

6) Duplex: A house that is divided into two separate residences.

7) Room for rent: An advertisement for a single bedroom available to rent within a larger house.

8) Furnished: An apartment that already has furniture and appliances inside.

9) Tour/Showing/Viewing: The act of visiting an apartment or house in person to see if you want to rent it.

10) Amenities: Extra features or services in an apartment complex, like a swimming pool, gym, or laundry room.

11) Deposit/Security deposit: A sum of money paid before moving in that is held by the owner in case of damages or unpaid rent.

12) Month to month: A rental agreement where you can end your lease at any time at the end of each month.