Plain English

Preview the changes improvements coming to Plain English this fall:

1. The English expressions you learn may or may not appear in the main story. This will let us focus on those expressions that are most useful to you, whether or not you heard them in the first half of the lesson.
2. Each month will have a theme with three or four episodes. (The remaining four to six episodes will be about current events and trending topics.) This will let us intentionally create stories about a wide variety of topics, so everyone has something fun to listen to.

This month's theme is fashion. The first episode about fashion will be on Thursday, when we'll talk about why it's so hard to find an outfit that fits you well.

Today's story: At age 81, Joe Biden was the oldest person ever to seek the U.S. presidency. And while voters had concerns about his age, he easily won the Democratic Party's nomination. But after a terrible debate performance, he withdrew from the race. The sitting vice president, Kamala Harris, will face Donald Trump in the November election.

Learn this English expression: A race is 'down to the wire' if the result is in doubt until the last moment

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/707

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

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Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: From an attempted assassination of Donald Trump to a landslide election in the UK to an uplifting Summer Olympics, the summer of 2024 was a rollercoaster of news.

Learn this English expression: To get out of something is to avoid doing it

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/706

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: Most American families are confronted with the decision to buy or rent a home at some point. This decision is a common one around the world, but the specific pros and cons can be different, depending on the country. Here's what the decision is like in the U.S.

Learn this English expression: When someone has given you money, and you return it, you pay that person back

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/705

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: American office culture isn't exactly what you see on TV. In this story, learn about the typical workday, including what time people arrive, what they wear to work, how much time they have for lunch, and how they get to the office from their homes.

Learn this English expression: To 'wrap up' is to finish something successfully

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/704

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: It starts with a notice from a court: ""You have been summoned."" American citizens are occasionally required to appear for jury service. Most people called don't have to serve on juries. Here's what the experience is like, for selected jurors and for those who are excused.

Learn this English expression: To 'check in' is to register with a company or person

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/703

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: There are over 50 million retirees in the United States, about the equivalent of the entire population of Spain. Every person's retirement is different, but today, you'll learn about what retirement is like for most people in the U.S.

Learn this English expression: To 'stay put' is to stay in one place and not move

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/702

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

Today's story: Train travel is famous in Europe. In the United States, though, it's a little more complicated. But with some planning, you can make train travel part of a U.S. vacation (if you plan ahead and leave plenty of time).

Learn this English expression: A system is 'up and running' when it is fully working

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/700

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

--

Mentioned in this episode:

Ready to improve your listening?

Ready to listen fast? Improve your listening with the fast version of this and every episode. The full-speed version is a fresh recording and it sounds just like someone speaking to a native speaker (with no AI or computer manipulation!) You can even listen on a podcast app

This workshop teaches you how to use "even as" to present a potential contrast in a sentence.

Full workshop: https://plainenglish.com/videos/even-as

Video Workshops give you all the tools you need to express more complex ideas.

Workshops include:

• Video lesson ~10 minutes
• Quiz
• Exercises
• Opportunity to practice & get feedback

Watch workshops free today

The Workshops are a benefit of Plain English Plus+. Not yet a member of Plain English Plus+? That's okay. Sign up for a free 14-day trial today: https://plainenglish.com/free-trial

After you begin your trial, visit the Toolkit of workshops at https://plainenglish.com/toolkit

** Enjoy this fast version of Episode #700. Listen to the fast audio of our lessons by signing up for a free trial at PlainEnglish.com

Today's story: America's national parks are an important part of the country's natural landscape and they attract millions of visitors per year. Some parks preserve wilderness areas. Others have pristine beaches. Two parks include networks of caves. All are preserved for future generations and open to visitors.

Also in this episode: Learn English expression 'one of a kind'

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/700

Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/700

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Plain English helps you improve your English:

• Learn about the world and improve your English
• Clear, natural English at a speed you can understand
• New stories every week
• Learn even more at PlainEnglish.com

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