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Our weekly series of topical discussion and new vocabulary, brought to you by your favourite BBC Learning English presenters.
B1 listening Listening practice to help you understand the main points of clear, standard speech about everyday or job-related topics. Situations include phone calls, meetings and interviews.
These five tips will help you maximize your podcast time and accelerate your journey to English fluency:
It’s tempting to turn on a podcast while doing the dishes, folding laundry, or scrolling through social media. But if you truly want to improve your English, resist that urge. Multitasking might feel efficient, but it divides your attention.
We highly recommend this program for those who are learning English in preparation for moving to the UK.
Many English learning podcasts offer downloadable transcripts, allowing you to read along as you listen. You’ll learn how words are pronounced in context through this powerful technique, which will help you master those tricky English spelling rules.
They’re perfect for those still getting used to spoken English, with a conversational style and moderate pace. Their massive library of over 2,000 episodes covers everything from true crime, hangovers, and Barbies – it’ll be a while before you run out of stuff to learn about.
If you want to boost English learning with podcasts, you need to be conscious and listen intently throughout. Playing back parts that you don’t understand and writing down words you don’t recognize will help you expand your vocabulary.
The speakers you will hear are of different nationalities and the recordings are designed to show how English is being used in the world today.
Ever wondered what National Geographic explorers, photographers, and scientists chat about when they’re not out exploring the world?
The good news? There are fantastic English learning podcasts out there (like the ones we mentioned above) that are perfect for building your skills.
All audio files are found in mp3 format. You can use the following media players to play mp3 files on website your computer:
Active listening is key – try to summarize the main points. Pause to reflect on the speaker’s message. Also, remember that new words are less likely to stick unless you write them down.
We have lots of free on-line activities to help teenagers and adults practise their English. Choose the skill you want to practise and the level that’s right for you.