Are you still using memorised templates for IELTS, TOEFL, or PTE? 🚫 In this episode of The English Native Podcast, Kevin explains why examiners and AI systems penalise templates — and how flexible frameworks like PEEL (writing) and CLEAR (speaking) will help you think critically, sound natural, and achieve Band 7+ in IELTS, 100+ in TOEFL, or 80+ in PTE.

✨ What you’ll learn:

Why memorised templates don’t work anymore

How IELTS, TOEFL, and PTE examiners spot robotic language

The PEEL framework for writing (Point, Example, Explanation, Link)

The CLEAR framework for speaking (Claim, Logic, Example, Add depth, Return)

Practical tips to build critical thinking skills

🎧 Listen now and start practising smarter, not harder.
📥 Download the transcript + free handout at theenglishnative.com
See my videos on https://www.youtube.com/@TheEnglishNative

Kev's English Podcast

KEP 38: IELTS, TOEFL & PTE Success: Why Frameworks Beat Templates for Higher Scores!

Amanda: Hi Maria!
Maria: Oh, hi Amanda.
Amanda: You look a bit worried, are you all right?
Maria: I’m exhausted. Yesterday’s homework took me all evening. It’s probably going to double next year, isn’t it?
Amanda: Probably. My older brother has to write long essays for his English literature course. But we’ll have fewer subjects to study. Have you chosen your courses yet?
Maria: No, when’s the deadline?
Amanda: We have another month, but the school emailed us all the list the other day. I have it on my phone.
Maria: Ooh, let’s have a look, then.
Amanda: Here it is. Oh, look, the Spanish and biology timetables clash. I won’t be able to do both.
Maria: Would you do that, though? Languages and science don’t go together, do they?
Amanda: Well, you wouldn't think so, but actually, my aunt is a research scientist, and a lot of European universities work together on projects. She’s working on a project with a university in Rome, one in Germany, and one in Portugal.
Maria: Is it a biology project?
Amanda: No, she’s a chemist. They’re working on a solution to clean up deadly pollution in rivers and lakes.
Maria: That sounds so cool and really fascinating.
Amanda: It really is. She gets to visit colleagues in different cities sometimes, and she gets her work translated into lots of different languages. She wishes she had learned some German, though, so she could communicate better with her German research partners. She understands Portuguese and Italian, but German, not so much.
Maria: When did she learn Portuguese and Italian?
Amanda: I think she did some of her university degree in Lisbon and some in Rome.
Maria: Studying chemistry in different languages?
Amanda: Yes, she loved it!
Maria: So, you’re kind of following in her footsteps, then. Science and languages. You could be a biologist in Spain.
Amanda: Yep, or at least study there, or South America.
Maria: So, what are you going to do about the timetable clash?
Amanda: I think I’ll talk to the dean. 

English Conversation/Dialogue

Science For All

【跟屁虫】指的是喜欢跟着他人，粘着他人做一样事情的人。　
（对话）：“从那天起，这个叫赵永远的小男孩总是跟着我，我烦死了这个脏兮兮的跟屁虫，心想这辈子都不会理他，但没想到，我们平生第一次对话，竟是我先开口的。”

【gēnpìchóng】 zhǐ de shì xǐhuān gēnzhe tārén, niánzhe tārén zuò yíyàng shìqíng de rén. 
(Lùyīn lǐ de táicí):“Cóng nèi tiān qǐ, zhège jiào zhào yǒngyuǎn de xiǎo nánhái zǒng shì gēnzhe wǒ, wǒ fán sǐle zhège zāng xī xī de gēnpìchóng, xīn xiǎng zhè bèizi dōu bù huì lǐ tā, dàn méi xiǎngdào, wǒmen píngshēng dì yī cì duìhuà, jìng shì wǒ xiān kāikǒu de.”


【Copycat】 refers to people who like to follow others and stick to others to do the same thing. ​​
(dialogue): "From that day on, this little boy named Zhao Yongyou always followed me. I was so annoyed by this dirty follower, I thought I would ignore him for the rest of my life. For the first time in my life, I actually spoke first."

Lily-Buzzwords/Idioms/Slang-【Lily-中国 Italki Id:8877492 Chinese Tutor】

第6集-跟屁虫-with Lily -Chinese slangs

聊中西文化，也聊很多东西！
第十期，终于要来聊一聊学外语，和我做播客的原因了。

聊聊东西 - Talk to Me in Chinese

010. 聊聊学语言和为什么做播客 How to learn languages - ttmiChinese

Текст про звичайне життя українців. Про їх вподобання та про відпочинок, про подорожі та про роботу. Слухайте, пишіть питання, відповідайте на питання та чекаю ваших повідомлень.

Тексти на різні теми

Звичайний українець.

Hola a todos/as, por acá Camila, desde Buenos Aires, Argentina, con un tema que encuentro sumamente interesante; y que hace poco tiempo descubrí que si bien 'ir a terapia' es moneda corriente en Buenos Aires Capital, no lo es así en todo el mundo. 
Así que diseñé algunas preguntas y respuestas para entrar en tema.

¿EMPEZAMOS?

Dale play al podcast para practicar tu ESCUCHA DEL ESPAÑOL conmigo (nativa de BA, Argentina), si te animas, además podes responder las preguntas vos mismo/a para practicar escritura y gramática. Si tenes ganas siempre podes pedir feedback a tu profe!

Si queres compartir una o todas las respuestas conmigo, me encantaría leerte!

Un abrazo desde Buenos Aires!

Espero te disfrutes este podcast!

Disfruta de aprender

Ir a terapia en el siglo XXI - preguntas y respuestas

Today we're talking about a phrasal verb that you can use to talk about those times that you don't know what to say. Those moments in meetings or presentations when someone asks you a question, or you get to a challenging part of what you're saying and you stop talking. You just can't find the right words. Maybe you'll find this a useful phrasal verb to describe what sometimes happens to many of us!

DAILY Business English VOCABULARY builder

Silence... sudden silence... Are you OK?

Today we're talking about questions or issues that have only two possible solutions. Today's word is "binary" and I hope you find it useful.

Don't forget that I'm a full time English coach and tutor, right here on iTalki. So if you use English as a second language at work and you'd like to improve your professional communication skills then feel free to book some of my time and let's get to work!

Should we fire him or promote him?

EL GRITO DE CHARRO MEXICANO.

La música de mariachi, banda y norteña probablemente no serían lo mismo sin un grito en medio de una canción. El grito es una forma espontánea de expresar emoción y sentimiento, es una tradición "muy Mexicana".

"El grito es una expresión que sale naturalmente cuando más sientes la música"

"Es algo que se debe hacer cuando es una buena canción, como en la de 'Acá entre nos' [que interpreta Vicente Fernández]. Casi te hechas un grito cuatro veces".

Vicente Fernández, considerado un emblema de la música ranchera en el mundo, se "avienta un grito" en sus canciones que hablan de desamor y despecho como lo es "Volver, volver", entre otras.

"Cuando uno siente un grito es porque usualmente te identificas con algo que dice la canción, a veces es amor o desamor. A veces sólo lo haces porque es contagioso. Cuando yo me hecho un grito a mi me hace sentir orgulloso de ser mexicano, sale del alma".

"Es casi necesario incluir un grito en la música mexicana porque el grito también habla de la historia de México y nos hace únicos como mexicanos",  "A mi me gusta echar un grito por que me hace sentir más apasionado con la canción, sea cual sea, una de amor o un son como 'La negra'. Me hace sentir orgulloso de ser mexicano".

El Grito de Charro Mexicano es  algo natural, indica celebración, dolor, pérdida de un amor o simplemente una persona herida. Pero dentro de todo eso, un grito le pone más sentimiento a la música Mexicana.



