Culips Everyday English Podcast

In this Catch Word episode, Andrew and Kassy teach you some useful English expressions to use to talk about doing the bare minimum amount of work. After listening to this episode, you’ll know how to gossip about your lazy coworkers using completely natural English! Fun facts According to a study done by Peter Jonason, a professor at Western Sydney University, men are more likely to cut corners at work than women. The study found that people with certain personality traits, such as low levels of honesty and high levels of manipulation, self-interest, and pride, were more likely to cut corners at work. Lastly, the study suggested that those diagnosed as psychopaths were likely to make more money than their peers who do not cut corners. Expressions included in the study guide * To cut corners * Bare minimum * Surefire * To smell [something] * To half-ass [something] * To blow it Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Rice! Some people eat it every day. Some people only eat it once in a while. Some people only eat white rice despite there being dozens of different kinds! Join hosts Andrew and Morag as they discuss the fascinating world of rice. Fun facts Did you know that approximately 87% of the world’s rice production comes from Asia? Expressions included in the study guide * Nutty * Hippy * Nutritious * Texture * To offset * All of this talk about Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Hello everyone. This is Jeremy and you’re listening to Jeremy’s English Tips. The series where I teach you interesting expressions or share language learning tips. Episode description My English tip for you today is, become an actor. Have you seen a movie lately? Did you watch a movie in your native language or was it in a language you were studying? If you’ve seen a movie recently then I’m sure you have also seen an actor. So I want you to imagine your favorite actor. Actors are good at acting because they study people, and as language learners we also are in a way, studying people. We study language, but indirectly we are studying the native speakers of that language. What I mean by this is we are learning about their culture, their way of thinking, their way of life and in doing so we are learning to talk and act like they do. Take home messages * Learning English is more than just memorizing grammar and vocabulary. It is also about learning the culture, habits, and thinking patterns of English native speakers. * Norms, mores, taboos, and laws differ across cultures. It is important to learn what are acceptable and what are unacceptable topics of conversation when speaking English. * It is normal to feel awkward and strange when speaking English. It’s a foreign language, after all! Copying native speakers will make your English sound natural. * Imagining you are an actor is a useful exercise than can help you develop an identity as an English spea Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Have you ever wished you could join a quest to find hidden treasure, battle bloodthirsty monsters, and cast magic spells alongside a group of your closest friends? Then look no further than this episode, where Andrew and Morag introduce you to the world of Dungeons & Dragons. But beware: it’s not for the weak of heart! Fun facts Dungeons & Dragons first began in a basement in Wisconsin. Two guys, Gary Gygax and Dave Arneson, created a game with role-play characters and storylines in which players work together to journey through the story and complete missions. The genius of this game is that it can be added to or modified in such a way that groups can play the same game with the same characters for as short or long a period of time as they want, whether that be a few days, a few months, or even 50 years! Expressions included in the study guide * Role-playing game * To stay away from [something] * Avatar * Nerd * Semi- * Kick oneself Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Want to know what it’s like to visit a place where the people speak your second (or third) language? Jeremy tells Andrew about his trip to Mexico, where he spoke Spanish with the locals and took his son on adventures. Fun facts Did you know there is a species of cheetah that lives in Asia? The Asian cheetah, or Iranian cheetah, can only be found in Iran. However, it is unfortunately a critically endangered species. Expressions included in the study guide * Thanks in advance (TIA) * Catch the bug * Blend in * Off topic * To rub elbows * Kick oneself Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

In this Simplified Speech episode, we have a very special guest, Mohammad from Iran. Along with our host Andrew, Mohammad discusses how he achieved such a high speaking level in English and shares tips on the best techniques you can use, as well. Fun facts Did you know there is a species of cheetah that lives in Asia? The Asian cheetah, or Iranian cheetah, can only be found in Iran. However, it is unfortunately a critically endangered species. Expressions included in the study guide * To be psyched * A springboard * A hunch * To put in the time * To rub elbows * Deep down Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

The end of the calendar year is often a time to reflect on the past year and look ahead to the next. So why not do that while practicing your English skills! In this episode of Chatterbox, Andrew and Jeremy will help you with just that. Join them as they chat about the highlights of their year. Fun facts The year 2020 will bring one of the world’s greatest sporting events, the Summer Olympics, which will be held in Tokyo for the second time. Be on the lookout for the addition of 3×3 basketball, as well as the reintroduction of baseball and softball as competitive sports! Expressions included in the study guide * To reminisce * To close a chapter * A toddler * Trying * To come to fruition * To hit the nail on the head Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

In your country, do you have cute names that you use for family members? Have you ever wondered what kind of names we use in English-speaking countries? Well, pal, then this is the episode for you! Listen to Andrew and Suzanne talk about a variety of different pet names we use to address the people we love. Fun facts Pet names are used all over the world to address loved ones. Although not everyone uses them, using terms of endearment is often a sign of a healthy relationship. Pet names are used with such frequency among family members or couples that a person might actually become alarmed or wary if he is addressed by his given name rather than the pet name he usually goes by. Expressions included in the study guide * Pet name * Squirt/pal/buddy/scout * Sweetheart/sweetie pie * Same old, same old * You’re going down * Grown-up Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

In this episode, Suzanne and Andrew teach you some important tips for perfecting two really difficult aspects of English pronunciation, R and L! Study with this episode and make your English sound clearer and more understandable. Note The English Accent Coach is an interactive game that can help you improve your English accent. Check it out at https://englishaccentcoach.com/. Material included in the study guide * Transcript * Practice exercises * Bonus audio Note: Download the study guide for this episode on culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Let It Go by Scott Dugdale

Transcript Hello everyone. This is Jeremy and you’re listening to Jeremy’s English Tips. The series where I teach you interesting expressions or share language learning tips. In this episode, we are going to talk about language exchange and friendship. Now, when I talk to people about language learning most people don’t understand what language exchange is. So, when I tell them that I learned Korean mostly through language exchange and that I didn’t take any language classes, they often say, “What? Language exchange, what is that?” So, I always have to explain. What I usually tell them is this: language exchange is trading your native language skill for help in the language that you are learning. So, if you are learning English and your native language is Arabic then you need to find a native English speaker who is learning Arabic. If you do a language exchange with them, then you can help them with their study and they can help you with your study. So, you are exchanging language. Now many other people in the language learning world these days have had trouble with language exchange. Many people say it doesn’t work or it’s too difficult to find a good language exchange partner and I definitely can understand. When I started learning Korean, I was living in Korea and luckily near my house there was a language exchange cafe. So, I went there and signed up to do language exchange. They paired me up with a partner and I ended up becoming good friends with that person. I know not everyone has this opportunity, maybe you live in your home country and there aren’t many native English speakers near you or maybe you are a shy person and it’s very difficult for you to meet new people. My advice for you is to utilize the power of the internet. So, I’d like to first tell you a few ways you can find language exchange partners and I’ll leave you with a couple tips for making a successful language exchange. The first method is to use a language exchange app. If you have a smart phone, you can download the free apps, Tandem and Hello Talk. Tandem is spelled T-A-N-D-E-M and Hello Talk is H-E-L-L-O T-A-L-K both of these apps are very similar and they have similar features. You can search for partners within the app based on age, native language, gender, location. So, you can even find someone who lives in your town, maybe. Once you find someone, you can send them a message saying hello and you can send them a text message saying hello or you can introduce yourself with a voice message. Within the app, when you search for a language exchange partner you can check out their profile and make sure that they are someone that you would like to talk to. Sometimes there are strange people on the internet, so we have to be careful who we talk to. So, I suggest reading through the person’s profile and using your best judgement before contacting someone. You can also use a website like italki. I-T-A-L-K – I.com to find a language exchange partner or tutor as well. Another website is conversationexchange.com. Whatever method you choose, once you find someone who you get along with, it is important that you lay down some ground rules first. What I mean by this is tell them your preferred method of communication. Do you want to only text message, do you want to have a weekly phone call, do you like to video chat? Things like this and talk to them about how you like to be corrected. If you make a mistake, some people will let it slide, meaning they won’t correct it and other people will correct it for you no matter what. So, I suggest telling your partner this early on. So that they know how to help you and how you would like to stay in contact with them.

Houseplants add colour and life to any room. Andrew and Suzanne talk about their love for houseplants, the plants in their collections, and their best care tips. Find out how to talk about adding a bit of nature to your home in this Simplified Speech episode. Fun facts Houseplants are becoming more and more popular with people who rent apartments and are not allowed to have pets. Having plants can improve mental health and air quality, and they make a space more beautiful. Expressions included in the study guide * To be frank * Hard to gauge * To stoke the fire * Totally nerd out * Back from the brink * Emotional rollercoaster Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Have you ever tried something and it didn’t go the way you’d planned? In this Catch Word episode, Andrew and Jeremy introduce useful expressions for talking about past experiences that didn’t work out the way we might have hoped. Fun facts Albert Einstein has a famous quote that says, “A person who never made a mistake never tried anything new.” This quote is especially useful in this episode, where we discuss failures that occurred in the past. However, as Albert says, failure is a part of life; new things cannot be experienced or achieved without a few failures and mistakes thrown in as well. Expressions included in the study guide * I tried doing the whole thing for a bit, but * A solid [something] * To throw oneself into [something] * To give [something] a shot * To stick with [something] * Burnout Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Transcript Hello everyone. This is Jeremy and you’re listening to Jeremy’s English Tips. A series by the Culips English Podcast where I teach you interesting expressions or share language learning tips. OK, let’s get started with another episode of Jeremy’s English Tips. Thank you for listening today. In this episode, we are going to talk about mistakes. I’m sure most of us are a bit afraid of making mistakes especially in front of other people because you know, sometimes it can be embarrassing and most of us don’t like being embarrassed. However, mistakes are actually a very, very important part of the learning process. I would like to start by sharing a story from my Korean learning journey about a mistake that I made. Relatively early on in my Korean learning I decided to go shoe shopping. So, I went to a shoe store and I walked in and asked how much this pair of shoes cost. However, I made a mistake in pronunciation and the woman at the shoe store immediately starting laughing hysterically when I said this sentence. At first I didn’t understand what happened, my face turned red, I was embarrassed and I looked over at my Korean friend and asked him what went wrong? At that moment he explained to me that I missed pronounced the word shoe in Korean, which is shin bal, and instead I say a very, very, very bad word, a curse word. The woman at the shoe store understood that I was still learning Korean and so thankfully she laughed and didn’t take offence, however I was mortified. I left that shoe store that day red faced, tail between my legs, and I vowed to make sure that my pronunciation was perfect before I started speaking again. However, I went on to make many, many, many more mistakes and now I realize that each of those mistakes was a very valuable opportunity to learn. So, as I mentioned in a previous episode, I have a son who is almost 2 years old at this point. I remember when he was learning to walk, he made many, many mistakes in the process of learning to walk. In fact, everyone knows that probably every baby on the planet earth must fall many times before learning to walk. This is common knowledge, we can say and yet, for some reason when we adults try to learn a foreign language, we try to avoid making mistakes from the very beginning. So, my advice to you today in this episode is don’t be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are your friends, each mistake is an opportunity for you to learn something new. If you use the wrong pronoun in a sentence and you confuse someone, all you have to do is recognize your mistake and move on. If you make a pronunciation mistake and other people can’t understand you, once you become aware of it then you can fix it. In order to gain experience speaking English and making friends with English speakers, you must let go of the fear of making mistakes otherwise, you may never gain enough experience speaking English in order to get good at it. So, take your time, try not to be afraid of mistakes and find some good friends who can help you notice your mistakes and help you correct them. In the next episode of Jeremy’s English Tips, we will talk about language exchange and how to find a friend who can help you correct your mistakes and enjoy the learning process even more. Thank you for listening to this episode. If you found it helpful, please let us know. You can email us at contact@culips.com or find us on social media to let us know. That’s it for this episode, until next time, take care. Bye. Take home messages Making mistakes is a natural part of learning English Each mistake you make is a learning opportunity Letting go of the fear of making mistakes will allow you to connect wi...

We’re really happy we receive so many emails for our listeners! So in this Chatterbox episode, our hosts Andrew and Jeremy have decided to answer as many emails as they can in one episode. Maybe we’ve answered your questions! Fun facts At one point in this episode, hosts Andrew and Jeremy talk about their desire to run. Who could blame them? It’s quite the popular activity. An estimated 60 million people in the United States ran or jogged in 2017. That’s a lot of exercise! Expressions included in the study guide * Pristine * Island fever * To butcher [something] * To follow the news * Something in the water * Mad respect Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

In another listener-requested episode, Andrew and Suzanne talk about quitting jobs. Quitting a job is never easy; it requires preparation, courage, and a leap of faith. Andrew and Suzanne talk about why they quit certain jobs in the past and how they felt afterward. Fun facts Have you ever heard of ghosting? Ghosting is a phenomenon in which two people form a connection, get acquainted, and communicate frequently, and then suddenly one of the members of the relationship drops all contact with the other person unexpectedly and with no warning. This phenomenon is most often witnessed in dating, but these days ghosting is becoming common in the workforce as well. Instead of formally quitting, sometimes these days employees simply stop coming to work and block their boss’ phone numbers to avoid the awkward situation of a formal resignation. Expressions included in the study guide * To snag [something] * Fit of rage * Unhinged * Leap of faith * Hot head * To boss [someone] around * Jerk Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar