All Ears English Podcast | Real English Vocabulary | Conversation | American Culture

Do you need resources to prepare for the IELTS exam? Today, Lindsay and Jessica talk about three creative practice recommendations, and three textbooks to help you prepare for the IELTS exam!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now     Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Does your English sound natural? Or do you sound like a textbook when you speak? Today, get 7 tricks to update your English and sound more natural by using real talk instead of textbook talk!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training now   Speaking natural-sounding English can be difficult when you only work with textbooks.  While what your textbook says may be technically correct, some of the phrases might sound outdated or odd to native ears.   Can’t find native speakers to practice English with you? Can’t get your English corrected by your native-speaking friends? Get a professional, native English teacher in seconds at italki. For a limited time, italki is offering 10 USD in free English lessons. Click here to get your 10USD in italki credits before this offer runs out!   Here are 7 ways your textbook might tell you how to say something, as well as the ways a native English speaker would really say it.   Textbook: Hello. Real: Hi!, Hey!, or What’s up?   Textbook: Are you ha

Do you know how important it is to show charisma in American English? Today, Lindsay and Michelle talk about why it’s important, and give you three ways to be charismatic in English!   Come back to our site for more information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Are you making an impact? Today, get two quotes by two famous entrepreneurs, and learn how to talk about the impact you want to make on the world in 2015! Come back to our site for more info   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you raise a bilingual child? Today, Lindsay chats with Marianna Du Bosq, a bilingual educator who has three ways to help you raise your child to speak more than one language!   The benefits of raising a bilingual child are many. Not only will knowing more than one language open career opportunities for the child when they grow up, research is also finding significant positive cognitive advantages to having a bilingual brain.   Marianna believes bilingualism (and even tri-lingualism) is definitely achievable if parents are focused enough. Here are Marianna’s three main points to focus on: Expose your children to quality language input. Read books, or even use audio books. This way, your child is hearing voices other than those of their parents. Create a need to use the language. If the child doesn’t have to use the language to get what they want, they’re naturally going to fall back on using the dominant language. Ask your family members help by only speaking one language or the other. Keep it fun! Chil

How do you use the word ‘even’ in English? On today’s Tear-Up Your Textbook Tuesday, Lindsay and Michelle talk about four situations for using the term ‘even’, and how to use your tone of voice to make it work in an English conversation!   Get more info here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you declare a New Year’s resolution in English?  Today, Lindsay and Michelle discuss five easy English phrases to use for your intentions in the new year!   Come back to our site to see the phrases Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How can you prepare for the Reading Section of the IELTS? Today, Lindsay and Jessica discuss two strategies to help you answer questions quickly and correctly!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can you use your body to learn English? Today, Lindsay chats with Jessica Coyle about some of the ways the art of improvisational technique can help you use your body to improve your English!   Come back to our website to learn more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

How do you build a “Brain Box” for the IELTS Listening Exam? Today Lindsay and Jessica talk about two strategies to make the listening part of the IELTS exam easier!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have trouble understanding American speech habits? In today’s Tear Up Your Textbook Tuesday, Lindsay and Michelle discuss 5 weird ways Americans use English, and how to understand what they’re saying!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

What’s so difficult about the IELTS Speaking Part 1? What can you do to prepare? Today, Lindsay and Jessica discuss some tactics for avoiding the dangers and allowing yourself to stand out!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Speaking Part 1 of the IELTS includes questions about yourself. You will be asked about three topics, and though it may seem like simple stuff, the danger is that you might become too relaxed and start using one-word answers. You want to do better than that. In fact, ideally your answers will be 2-4 sentences each! How can you do come up with that? Do some brainstorming. Think of the question words. Question words can help you think of better answers.   Vocabulary is also important in Speaking Part 1. If you want to achieve a higher score, you will need to use a range of vocabulary, including slang and idioms. The examiner wants to hear that you know more than what’s in your textbook. A good strategy is to have a short list of slang and idioms ready to use.   W

How do you persist in learning English? Do you expect it to ever get easier? Today, learn how a New York-based painter went from poverty to riches by sticking with it, and how you can achieve success by following his example! Come back to our site for more tips Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Can movies cause problems in speaking natural English? Today, find out why mimicking phrases from movies can make it difficult to have natural-sounding English conversations!   Hollywood is drama. Its stories are fiction. This means that the language used by characters is often unrealistic. Because of the unnatural dialogue, you don’t want to quote from movies unless it’s understood that you are quoting. Native English speakers do it all the time by slightly changing the tone of their voice. Even then, such quotes are usually made in a context that makes it clear that the usage is a little joke.   Some popular American movie quotes: “Life is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you’re gonna get.” – Forrest Gump “May the odds be ever in your favor.” – The Hunger Games “May the force be with you.” – Star Wars “Houston, we have a problem.” – Apollo 13   While it can be fun to directly quote movies, you want to try to sound more like a real English speaker, not a fictional character.   Do you ha

Do you need a plan for Writing Task 1 on the IELTS exam? Today, Lindsay and Jessica share two clear steps for helping you beat it!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   The IELTS exam’s written section is divided into two tasks. Task 1 requires you to interpret a map or chart in approximately 150 words, while Task 2 is about 250 words on your own thoughts. Even though it is longer, Task 2 is often easier for test-takers. Task 1, because of the vocabulary needed, can be much more difficult. The Task 1 chart is usually some kind of line or graph that shows a change over time. To give yourself the language needed to discuss this chart, a good tactic might be to read the business section of the newspaper and pick up the vocabulary you need – words like that describe change, like increase, decrease, decline and skyrocket.   In writing your answer for Task 1, keep it clear and simple. A good plan might be to discuss increases in paragraph one, and decreases in paragraph two. That way, your

Do you have trouble using English modals? Today, Lindsay and Michelle give you three crazy role-plays to understand when to use should, could and would!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   Correct use of modals like should, could and would can be confusing.  All three deal with time and possibility, and all three involve telling or asking someone to do something.   Should describes the strong possible likelihood of something.  It is also used to give advice. “I should arrive on time.” “You should apply for the job.”   Could describes a possibility in the past or the future.  It can also be used as a polite request. “She could have eaten dinner already.” “Could you pick me up at the airport?”   Would is most commonly used to make a polite request. “Would you like to come with me?” “Would you ask him about the book?”   How can you use should, could and would? Give us some examples in the comments section below! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcast

Are you preparing to take the IELTS exam? Today, Lindsay and Jessica discuss what you need to know to pass with the score you want!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you have trouble writing an email in English? Do you worry about what kind of impression you’re making? Today, Lindsay and Michelle share four common email mistakes made by non-native English speakers, and how to correct them!   Come back to our site for more info   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Have you ever thought about taking the TOEIC? On today’s Test Talk, Lindsay and Jessica talk about using prediction in testing, and how it can help!   Taking IELTS? Get our free IELTS video training course now   When getting a bank account, cell phone, or internet connection in a foreign country, you need to be able to ask questions and know the right structures of conversation. If you don’t, you might not be told all of the information you need to know. By practicing, especially if you’re able to do so with a partner, you can learn to anticipate what might be said by the other person. Doing this is learning to predict, and see what you’re missing. It might make you a better test-taker.   A practice conversation might go like this: “I need to open a bank account.” “Okay, to open an account, please complete this form.”   “Where should I take the form?” “Give it to the woman in the office down the hall.”   “When can I have my account? Today?” “No, it takes two weeks.”   “Do you need my passport?” “Ye

On today’s Deep Thoughts Thursday, Lindsay and Michelle consider a quote from Teddy Roosevelt, 26th President of the United States.   When he was a child, Teddy Roosevelt was weak, sickly and asthmatic. He had poor eyesight, too. Yet he grew up to be one of America’s greatest symbols of achievement and individual strength. His attitude continues to inspire today, and is summed up in the following quote: Come back to our site to leave a comment Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices