Riva English: Real English for Real Life

Learn how to speak English more clearly with sentence stress. Join us for English pronunciation, listening and speaking practice through everyday conversations about coffee orders, meeting plans, and choices.

You know the words, but the person you’re speaking to still hears the wrong size, day, or number. Practise making the important word stand out while keeping the rest of your sentence connected and your voice friendly.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU’LL PRACTISE

• Hearing which word carries the important information

• Changing sentence stress to make your meaning clearer

• Saying dates, numbers, sizes, and colours clearly

• Checking what someone means before you act

• Correcting a misunderstanding calmly and politely

Listen to the conversations, repeat the model sentences, and use the speaking pauses to try your own replies. Finish with three new sentences and one independent correction before comparing possible answers.

This English learning podcast is designed for A2–B1 learners who want practical pronunciation and conversation practice.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Speak English clearly: today’s goal

01:15 A coffee order and a clear correction

01:33 What sentence stress sounds like

03:36 Dates, numbers, and colours in conversation

07:41 Same sentence, different focus

09:26 Choose the important word yourself

10:32 Check the meaning and say it again

12:36 Practise with your own details

14:17 A conversation with fewer hints

15:31 Your speaking challenge: three sentences and a correction

17:04 Compare your answers and try again

18:13 Put it into practice and share your sentence

YOUR TURN

Write one sentence in the comments using this frame:

“The important word is ___ because ___.”

For example: “The important word is Friday because Thursday is the wrong day.”

Change the word and the reason to match your own situation.

Subscribe to Riva English for more real-life English listening and speaking practice. If this episode helps, like it and share it with someone who wants to speak more clearly.

https://www.youtube.com/@RivaEnglishOfficial

#LearnEnglish #EnglishSpeakingPractice #SentenceStress

Watch this episode with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/WSb9SSGzlfI

Learn how to talk about your progress in English with before, now and still. Practise English listening and speaking with Jessie and Alex in this A2–B1 English conversation podcast.

Do you understand a question in class but need more time to answer? When someone answers faster, it can feel as if your English isn't improving. Practise describing one real task: what you needed help with before, what you can do now, and what is still difficult.

Follow Maya and Noor in a fictional conversation about English classes, appointment messages and difficult phone calls. Listen to complete examples, speak during the practice pauses, and finish with your own three-sentence answer. If a task hasn't changed, you'll learn how to say that honestly too.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL PRACTISE

• Comparing past and present with “Before, I needed help…” and “Now I can…”

• Explaining a continuing difficulty: “I still need help with…”

• Using “I'm still working on…” and “I'm not there yet” in context

• Describing a specific change without exaggerating

• Giving a truthful answer when a task is still just as difficult

CHAPTERS

00:00 Feel behind in English?

01:50 Maya's conversation: what has changed?

06:03 Before and now: describe one task

08:31 Still, working on and not there yet

10:40 When a task hasn't changed

13:50 Reading messages: name the details

16:08 Two model answers and email practice

20:10 Your three-sentence speaking challenge

21:54 Your English comment

TRY IT IN THE COMMENTS

Before, I needed help with ____.

Now, I can ____ / I still need help with ____.

I'm still working on ____.

Use details that are true for you. One sentence is enough, or write all three. Private details can stay out.

KEEP PRACTISING

You Understand English But Can't Speak? Here's How to Fix It:

https://youtu.be/OmcZHUo3dwk

Subscribe to Riva English for real English for real life. If this practice is useful, like the video and share it with a friend who compares their English with everyone else's.

#LearnEnglish #EnglishSpeakingPractice #EnglishPodcast

Watch this episode with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/Vt1rAHN_fCo

Learn how to speak up in meetings in English. Practise sharing ideas, asking clear questions and confirming next steps with this business English conversation lesson from Riva English.

Understand the discussion but struggle to join in? Join Jessie and Alex for a simple workplace meeting, useful phrases and guided speaking practice. Hear a complete example, try your own replies, then take three turns in a new team discussion.

This episode is for A2-B1 English learners who want to participate more clearly in everyday work meetings.

YOU'LL PRACTISE

• Suggesting an idea and offering another option

• Asking for an explanation and checking what someone means

• Responding when a plan has a time or place limit

• Confirming who will do a task and when it will be finished

USEFUL MEETING PHRASES

“Can I suggest something?”

“I think we could...”

“One option is...”

“Could you explain that?”

“Do you mean...?”

“That could work, but...”

“Who will...?”

“So I'll... by...”

HOW TO PRACTISE

Listen to the example first. When Jessie invites you to reply, speak aloud during the pause. Use your own idea or detail, then compare it with the example. Replay a section whenever you want another try.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Speak up in meetings

01:11 A complete meeting conversation

03:46 Suggest an idea

05:36 Ask questions and clarify meaning

07:49 Respond to limits

09:57 Confirm tasks and deadlines

12:45 Practise with new details

14:43 Review your three meeting moves

15:38 Final challenge: your own meeting replies

18:12 Compare your answers

19:34 Your next step

YOUR TURN

Write one sentence you could use in your next meeting. Try “One option is...” to share an idea, or “So I'll... by...” to confirm your next step.

Share this episode with a colleague or friend who is preparing for a meeting in English. Subscribe to Riva English for more listening and speaking practice for real life:

https://www.youtube.com/@RivaEnglishOfficial

#EnglishForMeetings #BusinessEnglish #EnglishConversationPractice

Watch this episode with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/w8jwTp0L3pU

Learn how to describe people in English with listening and speaking practice. Join us to describe someone's appearance and personality using clear details, useful phrases, and everyday examples.

You know someone well, but all you can say is "They're nice"? In this English podcast for A2–B1 learners, practise finding the next sentence. Listen to model conversations, repeat useful phrases, and build your own description step by step.

In this episode, you'll practise:

• Describing hair, clothes, and where someone is standing

• Helping someone identify the right person

• Talking about personality with a specific example

• Understanding the difference between how someone looks and what they're like

• Giving your own 30–45 second description

Useful English phrases:

"They have short, curly hair."

"They're wearing a red coat."

"They're the person who's pouring water."

"They're easy to talk to."

"They're patient. For example, they wait while their friend finishes speaking."

CHAPTERS

00:00 More than "They're nice"

01:04 Listen: describing someone at the park

02:30 Hair, clothes, and location

04:21 Personality words and real examples

06:36 Find the right person

08:11 How they look vs. what they're like

11:54 Try a new description at the café

13:53 Build your own description

15:35 Your 30–45 second speaking challenge

16:45 Compare example answers

18:37 Your English comment challenge

YOUR TURN

Describe someone in the comments using one personality word and one action. Try: "They're ___. For example, they ___." You can describe a fictional person or leave out their name.

Subscribe to Riva English for more English conversation, listening, and speaking practice. Share this episode with a friend and try describing someone to each other.

https://www.youtube.com/@RivaEnglishOfficial

#LearnEnglish #EnglishSpeakingPractice #RivaEnglish

Watch this episode with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/Ic-A759q6d8

Learn how to remember English words with a simple story and use them in everyday conversations. Practise English listening and speaking with Jessie and Alex in this Riva English podcast.

Follow Omar and Nina through a story about a borrowed phone charger, a small promise, and a morning deadline. Then use the vocabulary in new situations and try two speaking challenges before hearing possible answers.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Learn 8 useful English words in context: borrow, lend, return, remind, notice, receipt, spare, and keep.

• Practise asking to borrow something, offering to lend it, and agreeing when to return it.

• Hear the difference between borrow and lend, and between notice and remind.

• Build your own short answers with time to think and speak.

HOW TO PRACTISE

Listen to the story first. When Jessie invites you to answer, say your sentence aloud before the model answer. Pause whenever you need more time. Later, try the situations again without looking at the word list.

CHAPTERS

00:00 Remember English words through a story

01:15 Omar and Nina's charger story

04:21 Borrow, lend, return, and keep

07:20 Spare, receipt, remind, and notice

11:42 Use the words in a new conversation

14:44 Try two speaking challenges

16:31 Compare your answers

18:10 Write your own English sentence

YOUR TURN

Choose one word from this episode and write a sentence from your life in the comments. You can use this frame: "I can use ___ in this sentence: ___."

Subscribe to Riva English for more English listening and speaking practice. Share this episode with a friend who knows English words but finds it hard to use them.

https://www.youtube.com/@RivaEnglishOfficial

#LearnEnglish #EnglishVocabulary #EnglishListeningPractice

Watch this episode with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/kYFKe4PRw9g

Learn how to say sorry in English—and what to say next when you make a mistake. Join Jessie and Alex for everyday English conversation, listening, and speaking practice.

Saying “I'm sorry” is a start. But if your friend still needs the book or the right file, what can you say next? In this A2–B1 English learning podcast, learn how to apologize, offer a practical solution, and respond when your first plan doesn't work.

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL PRACTISE

• Taking responsibility: “That was my mistake.”

• Explaining what you should have done: “I should have checked it.”

• Offering help: “Let me fix it.”

• Checking whether your offer works: “Would that help?”

• Listening to the reply and adjusting your plan

• Confirming a clear time, place, or way to send something

LISTEN & SPEAK

Listen once for meaning, then replay and answer aloud during the practice pauses. Pause or rewind whenever you need more time. Try the final café conversation in your own words: apologize for a forgotten book, answer your friend's question, and agree on a plan.

TRY IT YOURSELF

Use a small real or imaginary mistake:

“I'm sorry I ____. I can ____ instead. Would that help?”

What practical next step would you offer?

Watch the lesson with English captions on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/_-zFnqNB0v0

Follow Riva English for real English for real life. Share this episode with a friend who wants to move beyond repeating “sorry.”

Learn how to talk about money in English with 8 everyday phrases for prices, budgets, saving, and making choices. Practise English listening and speaking with Jessie and Alex in this A2–B1 English podcast.

A lunch looks cheap—until you notice the delivery charge. Follow a friendly conversation, compare two choices, and learn to explain what you want without making things awkward.

By the end, try giving the total price, explaining a need or limit, and making your choice in 3–4 sentences.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Talk about prices and the full cost

• Explain your budget and what you can afford

• Say what you would rather do and why

• Suggest another option politely

• Use the same English to choose a thoughtful gift

8 EVERYDAY MONEY PHRASES

1. It costs…

2. That's within my budget.

3. It's more than I want to spend.

4. I can afford it.

5. I'm saving for…

6. I'd rather…

7. It's worth it to me.

8. I'll go with…

HOW TO PRACTISE

1. Listen to the conversation and notice how each phrase is used.

2. Say your own answers aloud during the practice pauses. Pause the episode if you need more time.

3. Try the final speaking challenge, then compare your answer with Jessie and Alex's examples.

YOUR ENGLISH PRACTICE

I'd choose ____ because ____.

Would you walk to the cafe or order delivery? Give one reason. A real or imagined choice is fine.

Riva English: real English for real life. Follow the show and share this episode with a friend who wants to compare prices or suggest lunch in English.

Watch the lesson with English subtitles and word highlighting on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/qC6t-UktrM4

British vs American English: lift or elevator, flat or apartment? Learn 8 everyday word pairs with Jessie and Alex through practical conversations, English listening practice, and chances to speak.

Follow a fictional travel day, from carrying a heavy bag upstairs to ordering food for a train journey. Hear how familiar things can have different names, use context to follow the conversation, and practice asking a quick question when the meaning isn't clear.

IN THIS EPISODE

• Getting around: lift / elevator and queue / line

• Homes and time off: flat / apartment and holiday / vacation

• Clothes: trousers / pants

• Food and ordering: biscuit / cookie, takeaway / takeout, and crisps / chips

Some of these words have other meanings too. You'll hear why the situation matters, especially with pants, biscuits, and chips.

PRACTICE WITH US

1. Listen to each complete conversation.

2. Use the practice pauses to answer out loud. Pause the episode if you need more time.

3. Try the two new conversations near the end before you hear the answers.

Practice a useful question: “Do you mean...?”

YOUR TURN

Which word do you usually use? Write your own version in the comments:

“I usually say elevator. I also understand lift.”

Follow Riva English for everyday vocabulary, listening practice, and conversations you can use in real life. Share this episode with a friend visiting the UK or the US.

Watch this episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/siZ9VjUxAjc

Learn how to use 10 everyday phrasal verbs in real conversations. Join Jessie and Alex for English listening and speaking practice—from looking for your keys to picking up milk and changing a plan.

A friend texts, “Can you pick up some milk?” You know the words, but what are they asking you to do? In this A2–B1 English podcast, follow one ordinary day, hear each phrase in context, and practise your own replies.

THE 10 PHRASAL VERBS

get up • put on • take off • look for • pick up

turn on • turn off • run out of • put off • find out

YOU'LL PRACTISE

• Describing everyday actions and the order they happen in

• Understanding two meanings of “pick up”: lift something or buy it while you're out

• Choosing between “look for” and “find out”

• Using natural word order: “pick it up,” “put it on” and “turn it off”

• Explaining what you've run out of and why a plan needs to change

HOW TO USE THIS EPISODE

Answer out loud during the speaking pauses, and pause the episode whenever you need longer. For the final challenge, try both new situations before comparing your answers with the hosts. Use at least three different phrasal verbs across your two answers.

CHAPTERS

00:00 “Can you pick up some milk?”

01:27 Alex's morning: keys, coat and lights

02:13 Get up, put on, take off, look for and pick up

03:29 Turn on and turn off

04:20 Pancakes, no milk and a shop closing soon

05:32 Run out of, put off and find out

06:58 Two meanings of “pick up”

07:48 Put on vs put off

08:39 “Pick it up”: word order with “it”

10:01 Choose the action that fits

11:03 Change your plan

13:06 Hear the afternoon again

13:37 Final speaking challenge: two new situations

15:20 Compare your answers

16:26 Your comment challenge

YOUR PRACTICE CHALLENGE

Complete this sentence with your own details:

“Today I need to ... before I ...”

For example: “Today I need to find out the opening time before I pick up some milk.”

Follow Riva English for more everyday English listening and speaking practice. Share this episode with a friend who wants to use English in daily life.

Watch the episode with English subtitles and current-word highlighting on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/eKe8nT81hr0

Riva English — real English for real life.

#PhrasalVerbs #EnglishConversationPractice #EnglishPodcast

Learn English through story with The Wrong Bag—an original short story for A2–B1 English listening and speaking practice. Follow Lina's bag mix-up, guess what she should do next, then tell the story in your own words.

Join Jessie and Alex as a quick stop at a café turns into an unexpected problem. Two bags look almost the same, but Lina discovers that the things inside are not hers. Can she find her own bag and still meet her friend?

YOU'LL PRACTISE

• Following the people, actions and clues in an English story

• Making predictions and explaining your choices

• Using useful phrases: picked up, looked around, decided to wait and in the end

• Connecting a problem, a choice and a result

• Retelling the story in three to five sentences

HOW TO PRACTISE

Listen, then speak during the practice pauses. Pause the episode whenever you need more time. Keep four anchors in mind: PERSON → PROBLEM → CHOICE → ENDING. At the final challenge, try your own retelling before comparing it with the hosts' version.

TRY YOUR OWN RETELLING

Tell the story in three sentences using: At first, ... Then, ... In the end, ...

If three sentences feel too much today, try just your ending.

Watch the full lesson with English subtitles and word highlighting, and share your retelling in the YouTube comments:

https://youtu.be/0AswjPpYT1A

Follow Riva English for more English listening and speaking practice. Share this episode with a friend who enjoys learning English through stories.