This week’s episode is a little slower, a little softer — because I’ve been recovering from COVID. But even in moments of weakness, we can still learn. In this reflective lesson, I share a quiet story from my week in recovery and teach useful, real-life English you can use when you're sick, tired, or just in need of rest.

You’ll learn:

     - How to talk naturally about being sick in English

     - Gentle ways to cancel or reschedule plans

     - Useful expressions like “I’m on the mend” and “I’ve been resting up”

     - A mindfulness prompt to help you practice English through real-life reflection

Whether you’re under the weather or just craving a pause, this immersive episode invites you to slow down and reconnect — with English, and with yourself.

Context Clues

Breathe In, Breathe Out: Recovering and Reconnecting

In this episode, I explain why your English progress can slow down and stop. I offer 5 key strategies you can follow to overcome "the intermediate plateau" and move on to fluency. 
Follow the link for the full transcript: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-Uv6OsMTb0c7VHmzNe4E8ue8ZsmElqy8uh09d2KLqf4/edit?usp=sharing

UK TALKS WITH LIZ

EPISODE 4: WHY IS MY ENGLISH BLOCKED?

In this episode, the host, Smith, delves into the benefits of the EFL (English as a First Language) approach for intermediate to advanced English learners. The five key points highlighted include the importance of depth of understanding, navigating natural variations, promoting practical discovery, prioritizing fluency and flexibility, and fostering long-term confidence. By choosing the EFL method, learners can overcome obstacles and unlock their full potential in English. The speech concludes with an invitation to book a lesson and embark on a transformative journey of language mastery.

LEARN BY LISTENING

Ep4: Unlocking English Mastery: The Power of the EFL Approach

北海道の札幌味噌ラーメン
福岡の博多とんこつラーメン
そして一般的な普通の醤油ラーメン

スープだけじゃなくて麺も違いがあります。
太い麺　細い麺　細くも太くもない普通の麺。

Japanese "Taka" it easy

僕の大好きなラーメン

En este episodio hablamos sobre viajar en avión, con vocabulario sobre el aeropuerto, el equipaje y el vuelo.
Agrego algunas experiencias personales súper breves.
Practiquemos español juntos en este podcast corto y efectivo, que incluye vocabulario útil y pronunciación nativa. Si te gusta, deja un comentario. ¡Un abrazo!

Disfruta de aprender

¡Hablemos sobre viajar!

Noting down Out-of-Context Vocabulary and Memorizing it is the Least helpful strategy when it comes to learning new vocabulary. New words have to be Acquired, not Memorized.

All Things English

Vocabulary Acquisition - Memorizing vs Acquiring Vocabulary

(真好 大家庭 第二页）part  2
In this video, you will continue to listen to the story and follow me to read the nice story in this book. 
Please take your time, and read the subtitles at the beginning to learn the characters and later you can just practice your listening without even look at the pictures. 
Happy study and enjoy the Chinese learning. 
Annie

Story learning Chinese with Annie

Chill out story listening practice ( Comprehensible input Chinese for beginners and intermediate)

Remember, if you want to score a band 7 in your IELTS speaking test, it’s important to use some less common idiomatic expressions.

The best place to slip these idioms into your speech is in part 2, because you have 1 minute to prepare. If you are a clever clogs, you will be able to sneak your idioms into your speech naturally. 

When preparing for your exam it’s best to always try to go the extra mile, because there is a lot to learn.

Firstly, you have to learn how to use linking phrases. To be honest, I have to admit these are sometimes tricky to remember. On the other hand, once you have learned them, they can be difficult to forget.

Secondly, you have to learn how to paraphrase, and use synonyms. It’s good to spend time in a thesaurus and arm yourself with lots of alternative words. If you do this you will gain ground. 

Thirdly, in order to avoid feeling lost at sea when you take your exam, make sure you have one or two idioms up your sleeve. You can’t teach an old dog new tricks, but you can teach an English student a new idiom. 

Now take the quiz that goes with this podcast, and book your IELTS mock speaking test with me.
