[977] Recently I visited my parents at their home, and while I was there I took the time to record conversations with them both. This first one is with my mum. I asked her questions about her life story, our family history, her memories of growing up and so many other things that I was […]

[976] Here’s an epic rambling episode in which I talk about learning English with BBC Radio and TV 📻 expressions with the word ‘thumb’ 👍 the story of how I became a taxi driver on the streets of Paris 🚖 the grammar of Yoda 🐸 fantastic haikus written by my listeners ✍️ and getting pecked […]

What skills are involved in being a good writer? What makes a good piece of writing? How is writing different to speaking? What are the challenges faced by learners of English who want to write well, and what are some solutions to these challenges? How can AI help develop writing skills? And, what does it […]

[974] In this episode I read out lots of haiku poems, explain their meaning, discuss what they make me think and feel, and use them to teach you some vocabulary. The haikus I read include some traditional Japanese ones translated into English, plus more modern ones written in English by writers from around the world. […]

Back by popular demand, here is another Sherlock Holmes short story on LEP. This one tells the suspenseful tale of a young engineer 👷 who accepts a well-paid but mysterious job. In classic horror movie style, he ignores so many red flags 🚩 and warnings ⚠️ and ends up paying the price for it! But, […]

[972] I talk with multilingual actor Ivan Doan about his multicultural background, his learning of languages and his work as an actor. Ivan shares his insights and experiences of learning English, dealing with different accents in film & TV roles, and the importance of mindset and discipline in his life. There are plenty of language […]

[971] Part 2 of 2. Here is the continuation of last week’s episode about changes you can make to your lifestyle, mindset and habits in order to become a better learner of English in 2026. Each of these tips is backed up by scientific research from the fields of psychology and psycholinguistics, with insights into […]

[970] Part 1 of 2. This episode deals with some simple habits you can introduce in your life, to make sure you are in top condition for learning English all year long. It is all backed up by scientific research into how our brains work, and how little changes in our behaviour can help us […]

[969] It’s time for the annual World News Quiz with 20 questions about some of the curious news stories of 2025. Stephen Devincenzi from the SEND7 podcast is the quizmaster. Can you I improve on my poor performance from last year? Can you beat me? Take a trip through some news highlights from this year. […]

[968] The Collins Dictionary Words of the Year is a list of 10 words which capture the cultural zeitgeist – the spirit of the times that we are living in now. These new words, picked by Collins, reflect issues that people have been talking about over the last 12 months. In this conversation, Amber, Paul […]