The Déclic Anglais Podcast

The Déclic Anglais Podcast episodes:

• 06.23.2024

  Episode 114: Common Mistakes - Don't Have To vs. Must Not

  The best way to see immediate improvements is to correct the small mistakes that francophones often make in English. This episode continues the theme of modal verbs, this time examining the difference between: "I don't have to..." and "I must...

  
• 06.16.2024

  Episode 113: Portmanteau Words

  Brexit, brunch, electrocute, podcast... What do these words have in common? They are all portmanteau words (des mots-valise). And English is full of them! In this episode, we will explore the wonderful world of English portmanteaus (also known as 'blended words')....

  
• 06.13.2024

  Episode 112: The UK General Election

  On Thursday, 4th July 2024, the British people will vote in a General Election. A General Election is where the British people can choose the most powerful person in their country: the Prime Minister. But how does a General Election...

  
• 05.29.2024

  Episode 111: Have To and Must

  This episode is another exploration of modal verbs. Here we explore two modal verbs in even more detail - have to and must. These verbs change a lot depending on the tense and if a sentence is positive or...

  
• 05.20.2024

  Episode 110: International Bee Day

  Adorable, hardworking, fascinating... Just three words to describe bees (les abeilles). Bees play a key part in our eco-system: "No bees = No food. No food = No humans." International Bee Day comes every 20th May, and raises awareness for...

  
• 05.16.2024

  Episode 109: Pronunciation Advice - MB Words

  In this episode, we are exploring the link between English spelling (orthography) and pronunciation - especially in words that end with the letters -MB (e.g. climb, numb, thumb etc.). Tom also shares some practical tips for improving your pronunciation in...

  
• 04.22.2024

  Episode 108: Modal Verbs

  Grammar... It can be big and scary, but it doesn't need to be this way! In this useful episode, we are exploring modal verbs. Modal verbs might sound complicated and difficult, but they are really much simpler than they sound. We...

  
• 04.16.2024

  Episode 107: Rhyming Expressions

  English is a very poetic language (and not just because of Shakespeare!) Did you know that everyday English includes hundreds of rhyming expressions? These expressions are often slang (argot), informal spoken language. But don't worry, they are also totally fine...

  
• 03.28.2024

  Episode 106: Vaughan Gething - The First Minister of Wales

  In March 2024, Vaughan Gething became the First Minister of Wales. He simultaneously made history by becoming the first black leader of a European nation. In this episode of The Déclic Anglais Podcast, we will discover Vaughan Gething's background, and...

  
• 03.14.2024

  Episode 105: Pi Day

  March 14th is Pi Day! Pi (π) is a Greek letter used in mathematics. (Perhaps you remember it from your maths lessons at school!) But what is so special about Pi? Why is it celebrated every March 14th? Listen...

  
• 02.26.2024

  Episode 104: Leap Years - 29th February

  2024 is one of those strange years, where February as one more day than normal! In this episode, we will explore what exactly is a 'leap year' (une année bissextile) and why they exist. We will also explore some funny...

  
• 02.21.2024

  Episode 103: Carnival in the U.K.

  Carnival is a time of celebration and fun across the world. But did you know that the British lost their carnival traditions? How did this happen? And how do the British celebrate carnival today? Find out in this interesting episode....

  
• 01.15.2024

  Episode 102: S.A.D.

  In the dark winter months, a lot of people have less energy than usual. But in some exteme cases, people may suffer with a condition called S.A.D. (Seasonal Affective Disorder). In this episode, we will explore this condition, some possible...

  
• 01.10.2024

  Episode 101: Bucket Lists

  Every year, many people make new year's resolutions. But how many people KEEP those resolutions? An interesting alternative is the "bucket list". In this episode, we will explore this interesting topic, and learn a useful English idiom: "to kick the...

  
• 12.11.2023

  Episode 100: Christmas in Alsace

  It's our 100th episode! HOORAY! And for this special episode, we have a special guest: the lovely Charlotte. Charlotte is Tom's wife, and works behind the scenes (en coulisse) of the Déclic Anglais Podcast. In this episode, Charlotte talks about...

  
• 12.06.2023

  Episode 99: Reflecting on the Year So Far

  The end of 2023 is almost here. At this time of year, it can be helpful to reflect on past 12 months. In this episode, we will explore the present perfect tense, and we will also practice forming sentences using...

  
• 11.26.2023

  Word of the Week #5: Bonfire

  Welcome to "Word of the Week" from the Déclic Anglais Podcast. This week's word is: bonfire (un feu de joie). Other vocabulary heard in this episode:marshmallow (la guimauve)to have a sweet tooth (avoir un bec sucré) Cliquez ici pour télécharger...

  
• 11.19.2023

  Word of the Week #4: Fireworks

  Welcome to "Word of the Week" from the Déclic Anglais Podcast. This week's word is: fireworks (des feux d'artifices). For more information on Bonfire Night (also known as Guy Fawkes Night), please listen to episode 98 of The Déclic Anglais...

  
• 11.17.2023

  Episode 98: Guy Fawkes Night

  Guy Fawkes Night, also known as Bonfire Night, is a pleasant cultural event in British society. It is an event where friends and families come together in the fresh November air. But Guy Fawkes Night has a dark history that...

  
• 10.30.2023

  Episode 97: Halloween Special - Vampires

  The spookiest day of the year is here! In this terrifying episode, we are exploring something even more terrifying than phrasal verbs... Vampires! And one vampire in particular, created by Irish author Bram Stoker. Happy listening, and hold on to...

  
• 10.29.2023

  Word of the Week #3: Undead

  Welcome to "Word of the Week" from the Déclic Anglais Podcast. This week's word is: undead (mort-vivantune). Other vocabulary heard in this episode:even though... (même si) Cliquez ici pour télécharger la transcription. -------------------------  The Déclic Anglais Podcast est le podcast idéal...

  
• 10.17.2023

  Episode 96: Face Your Fear

  De quoi avez-vous le plus peur pour Halloween ? Des zombies et des fantômes ? Ou de parler anglais ? La peur de parler anglais est le plus grand obstacle à votre progression. Mais éviter les situations parce qu'elles sont...

  
• 10.15.2023

  Word of the Week #2: Pumpkin

  Welcome to "Word of the Week" from the Déclic Anglais Podcast. This week's word is: a pumpkin (une citrouille). Other vocabulary heard in this episode:a pumpkin (une citrouille)a jack-o-lantern (une citrouille d'Halloween)a winter squash (une courge d'hiver)spooky (effrayant) Cliquez ici...

  
• 10.08.2023

  Word of the Week #1: Toll

  Welcome to "Word of the Week" from the Déclic Anglais Podcast. This week's word is: a toll (un péage). Other vocabulary heard in this episode:a motorway (une autoroute)a toll (un péage)a toll road (une autoroute à péage)"Safe driving!" (Soyez prudents...

  
• 10.05.2023

  Episode 95: Syllable Stress

  English is a musical language, and rhythm is important for good pronunciation. In this episode, we are exploring syllable stress (c'est à dire : le fait de savoir quelles syllables doivent être accentuées dans un mot). Be careful! Sometimes the...

  
• 09.28.2023

  Episode 94: Phrasal Verbs - Hobbies and Fitness

  Phrasal verbs - Qu'on les aime ou qu'on les déteste, ils sont là pour rester ! La meilleure façon d'apprendre de nouveaux mots est de les apprendre dans un contexte. Dans cet épisode, nous allons explorer trois verbes à particule...

  
• 09.12.2023

  Episode 93: Roald Dahl - Improve your reading skills!

  Roald Dahl était l'un des auteurs pour enfants le plus connu du 20ème siècle. Ses histoires ont inspiré l'imaginaire de milliers d'enfants de par le monde, et bon nombre de ses livres ont été adatpés au cinéma. Dans cet épisode...

  
• 09.07.2023

  Episode 92: The British School System

  Nous sommes en septembre 2023 et il est l'heure de reprendre le chemin de l'école !

  
• 08.28.2023

  Episode 91: The Gift of the Graft

  Pourquoi est-ce que tant de monde n'arrive pas à progresser ou à gagner en confiance en anglais ? Que signifie être un "grafter" (une personne travaillant dur) ? Et comment vos efforts fournis pour améliorer votre anglais peuvent-ils avoir des...

  
• 08.22.2023

  Episode 90: Anniversaries and Birthdays

  The rentrée is almost here! And after the summer break, we are restarting your English with a nice simple podcast on common false friends (faux-amis) and other common mistakes when talking about anniversaries and birthdays!

  
• 07.25.2023

  Episode 89: World Esperanto Day - (Interview with a guest speaker!)

  Imagine a language that is easy to learn and simple to use. Imagine a langauge that has no irregular verbs, no complicated grammar, and simple tenses. Now imagine that everyone uses this language as a second, auxiliary language... That was...

  
• 07.13.2023

  Episode 88: English as a Global Language

  English is everywhere!

  
• 06.26.2023

  Episode 87: Three Phrasal Verbs Using OFF

  This episode is a follow-up to episode 86 on Phrasal Verbs. In this interesting episode, we will explore THREE phrasal verbs that all use the same preposition, OFF: to be off, to head off, to slip off.These...

  
• 06.21.2023

  Episode 86: Phrasal Verbs

  This grammar-based episode explores phrasal verbs (des verbes à particule). These are very common verbs that require a stem (un radical) and a preposition: Get up = se lever Take off = enlever etc.There a thousands of...

  
• 06.14.2023

  Episode 85: Give Blood, Save Lives!

  Today is World Blood Donor Day (la journée internationale du don de sang). In France, 10,000 donations of blood are needed EVERY DAY. Without these daily donations, thousands of people would die unnecessarily. Blood donations are literally a matter of...

  
• 05.29.2023

  Episode 84: The Prince of Wales

  The Prince of Wales (le Prince de Galles) is an important figure in British society. But how much do you know about this position? Who is he? What does he do? And how did this title come into being?

  
• 05.25.2023

  Episode 83: Look, See, or Watch?

  Look, See and Watch: Three small words, but they can have VERY different meanings! What's the difference between these two sentences?  "I watch the TV". "I see the TV". And what about these two sentences? "I see the...

  
• 05.10.2023

  Episode 82: The Coronation of King Charles III

  On Saturday, 6th May 2023, the United Kingdom celebrated the coronation of their new monarch: King Charles III. At the age of 74 he became the oldest person to ascend the British throne (to become King). In this episode, Tom...

  
• 04.27.2023

  Episode 81: Problematic Words - TOO

  TOO is a small word that causes big problems! When does TOO mean "aussi"? When does TOO mean "trop"?  If you are not sure, this is the epsiode for you! BONUS: In this episode, we will also examine 3 expressions...

  
• 04.17.2023

  Episode 80: Walk to Learn Vocabulary

  Do you have trouble memorising vocabulary?  Did you know that you can WALK your way to better English? In this episode, we explore how gentle exercise can boost your memory, helping you expand your vocabulary in English. Don't believe me?...

  
• 04.11.2023

  Episode 79: Spring Is Here!

  In this episode, Tom talks about his favourite season: Spring! There will be a lot of vocabulary in this episode (but that's a good thing). Take a pen and paper, and make a note of the unknown vocabulary. BUT... Prioritise the...

  
• 03.29.2023

  Episode 78: Don't Doubt Yourself

  If you don't feel confident speaking English, don't worry - it's normal! But don't let self-doubt (le doute de soi) stop you from improving your English, and having fun. Your English is probably MUCH better than you think! Cliquez...

  
• 03.20.2023

  Episode 77: Don't make this "important" mistake!

  False friends (les faux amis) are everywhere! A false friend is a word that exists in both French and English, but where the meaning might be different. The word "important" is one of these words! Are you sure that you...

  
• 03.07.2023

  Episode 76: International Women's Day

  Every 8th March, the world observes International Women's Day. In this episode, we explore this global event that celebrates the many achievements made by women. Happy listening, and happy International Women's Day!

  
• 02.27.2023

  Episode 75: Retirement

  Retirement (la retraite) is a hot topic at the moment! In this episode we explore some useful vocabulary around retirement. And also some of the reasons around the current retirement reform. Should we retire at 60? 65? Or even 70?!...

  
• 02.21.2023

  Episode 74: How to pronounce February

  Pronunciation is a big obstacle for intermediate learners! If you can improve your pronunciation just a little bit, it can make an enormous difference to your level in English. In this episode, we will explore the pronunciation of February (spoiler:...

  
• 02.06.2023

  Episode 73: "Pas content! Pas content! Pas content!"

  France and Britain are on strike (ils sont en grève !) In this episode, we will be exploring some useful vocabulary relating to "industrial action" - strikes! In this episode we will also explore the reasons why so many people...

  
• 01.23.2023

  Episode 72: Saint Dwynwen's Day

  Love is in the air!

  
• 01.17.2023

  Episode 71: Tom's Natural Way of Talking

  In this episode, you will hear Tom speaking in his normal voice. (Yes, Tom doesn't usually speak with such clear pronunciation and clear articulation!!!) The topic of this episode is very general, but it will give you a great idea...

  
• 01.08.2023

  Episode 70: Gratitude

  Happy New Year, dear listeners!