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

Do you know how to leave a great voicemail in English? Today you’ll get the 5 steps that you need to follow to leave a great voicemail. Listen to the sample role plays in today’s episode to hear what your message should sound like. Here are the steps: 1) Greeting: “Hi it’s Lindsay” or “Hey it’s Michelle” 2) Why are you calling: “I just wanted to talk with you about tomorrow’s meeting” or “I’m calling to catch up.” 3) What they should do next: “Would you get back to me when you can” or “Give me a call whenever you’re free” 4) Your phone number: “My number is 359-284-9856″ or “You can reach me at 617-593-0952 5) Say goodbye: “Hope you’re having a good day” or “Take care” or “Have a great one”   Here are a few other tips: 1) Make sure they know how to get back to you 2) Don't ramble, don't go on and on, don't leave a long message, make it concise and tight and to the point 3) Do leave a message- don't call and hang up, it's better to leave a message with some grammar mistakes than it is to not leave a message an

Get our free IELTS video training!   Do you know how to naturally talk about what you want in English? Native speakers use the verb “to want” in the past tense when we are making a request in the present tense. For example, you might call a colleague and say ” I wanted to confirm our lunch appointment for today.” This makes the message a bit more polite and more indirect. We think it’s also used more commonly for women.   Come back to our site for more information Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get our FREE IELTS VIDEO TRAINING NOW   What makes you come alive? To “come alive” means to become energized and excited about something. Here is the question: “Each day wake up and ask yourself, what will make you feel most alive that day.” What makes you feel happier? What makes you feel smaller or less alive? We all owe it to ourselves to think about this every day.   Come back to our website for more Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Get our FREE IELTS VIDEO TRAINING   English acronyms are fun and easy when it comes text messaging and emailing but you need to know what impression you give the person when you use them! Today we’ll show you some common English acronyms and what impression they create. We’ll also give you some alternatives. Here are some common acronyms in English when we send text messages:   LOL (“Laughing out loud”)- A lot of people get annoyed by this one. This could be used in a text message. A good alternative is “haha” TTYL (“Talk to you later”)- This one also sounds really young. A more mature alternative is “talk soon” or “talk to you soon” or actually writing out “talk to you later” SMH (“Shaking My Head”)- This is a newer acronym. You can use this when you disapprove of something that someone has done. OMG: (“Oh my gosh”)- This can also be annoying. Other options are: “Oh wow” or “I can’t believe it.”   Which acronyms have you used? Let us know in the comments below. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit po

Get our IELTS Free Video Training   Do you know what to say to someone after a good or a bad date in English? Today you will find out from our favorite dating consultant, Jessica Coyle. You’ll also get some new English dating vocabulary and terms that you can use in the real world!   What should we do if we have just had a good date: (1) Send a text message that evening and say: “I had a really nice time.” “Had a great time tonight. (I) Would like to see you again.” “It was really nice meeting you, let’s hit up (go to) the MOMA.” “Thanks so much for a great time.” “I enjoyed meeting you.”   (2) Jessica likes to research the person online after a good first date to find out more about the person.   If you had a bad date you can say: “I didn’t feel any chemistry but best of luck.” “I got more of a friend vibe.” Key vocab from today: To ghost someone: To disappear and stop communicating after you have been on a date To do the fade-away: Similar to ghosting (see above) A vibe: A general feeling or imp

Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/305 and tell us what change you are going to make after today's episode Get our FREE IELTS CHEAT SHEET: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   Today you’ll find out why staying in the same place will never get you to where you want to go and how to make an effective change quickly and easily. Here it today’s quote: “To get something you never had you have to do something you never did.” -Unknown “If you do what you’ve always done, you’ll get what you’ve always gotten.” -Tony Robbins   It’s so easy to get into a habit but we have to step back and ask ourselves if our habits are creating the results that we want. Time goes by fast. We often realize that we have been doing the same thing for years and we haven’t achieved our goals. Here are some examples of our goals: Michelle’s new goal: She wants to build upper body strength. How is she working towards the goal? She is using resistance bands at her home a few times every week. Lindsay’s new goal: She wants to de

Come back and tell us what your dating deal breakers are! http://www.allearsenglish.com/303 Get our FREE IELTS CHEAT SHEET: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation Today we have our dating consultant, Jessica Coyle, back on the show! Today Jessica is back to talk about the concept of chemistry in dating in urban US culture. Jessica is going to tell us how to know if we actually have chemistry with someone. Chemistry: A magnetic pull between two people where you seem to understand the other person and something is different about that person to you.  Two different types of chemistry: Slow burn chemistry: You start out as friends and then chemistry and attraction gradually builds over time. Features of the other person that seemed strange or unattractive initially start to become endearing and attractive. Quick chemistry/limerance: This is more of an infatuation. Jessica thinks that online dating and set ups reward this type of attraction. These connections can be really intense at first and then can fizzle

Come back and let us know your thoughts on this: http://www.allearsenglish.com/302 Get our FREE IELTS Cheat Sheet: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   Today we have a special guest on the show! Our guest will challenge your assumption that SPEAKING is the most important part of learning English. Julian sees learning languages as a simple, two-step process: Step 1: Learn the language that we need for our specific situation Step 1: Apply the language and use it     Julian’s 3 Tips- How to Keep it Practical: Try to do many different kinds of things in the language: English is a process. Spend time with it. You can’t HAVE it. You can’t GET it. You need to constantly maintain it. Julian says that there is no difference between “experiencing” the language and “learning” the language, as far as your brain is concerned. By experiencing the language in many different ways, we can acquire chunks of English which will help us to sound more native-like. You should try to encounter the language through reading, spe

Get our IELTS CHEAT SHEET HERE: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   Most people think that forgiveness is weakness but today we’ll challenge your perspective with an awesome quote! Do you have any enemies? Do you have any “frenemies”? Here is today’s quote for a Deep Thoughts Thursday: “Always forgive your enemies. Nothing annoys them so much.” – Oscar Wilde   What does this quote mean? This quote is somewhat “cheeky” and it says that if we want to annoy our enemies even more, we can forgive them. Also, the quote is telling us that it’s better for us to forgive. It helps us lead healthier lives. When you have an enemy you carry a lot of negative energy around and it takes up space in your body and in your brain.   According to Mayoclinic.org, the benefits of forgiveness include: Stronger immune system Less anxiety Lower blood pressure   A few great vocabulary words from today’s episode: Frenemy: “Friend” + “enemy”= someone that you care about and you are there for them but you can’t get along with

Come back to our blog and leave a comment. Did you bring up one of these topics on a first date? What happened? Tell us your story: http://www.allearsenglish.com/299 Get our free IELTS Chat Sheet at http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   Jessica is the author of Hopeful Disasters where she explores dating in New York City. She is also an ESL teacher in New York City. Check out her blog here!   When you meet someone for the first time in English, whether it’s a date or just a first-time meeting with a friend or colleague, there are certain topics that you should NEVER discuss. Today you’ll find out what they are with our favorite AEE dating consultant, Jessica Coyle. A few weeks ago we talked about what four things you SHOULD talk about on a first date in English or at a first meeting but today we’ll show you what you should avoid.   4 Topics to AVOID on a first date or first meeting in English: Politics: You can casually mention your political interests but don’t get drawn into a political debate or disc

Come back and tell us how you want to apply this quote in your life: http://www.allearsenglish.com/297 What is the difference between being original and imitating? What will get you further in life? Today is a Deep Thoughts Thursday so we have a quote: “It is better to fail in originality than to succeed in imitation.” -Herman Melville     What does this mean for English learners? Don’t follow a formula. Be creative with your words. Don’t focus too much on being perfect. Get creative with your tone of voice. Learn different ways to say different things.   Check out this episode about the Zone of Genius.   Where does this quote resonate with you? Let us know in the comments. We want to hear from you! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Do you feel like you never get a chance to speak English? Even when you attend an English class or work with an English tutor do you leave the class feeling like you haven’t spoken at all? If so, then you are not alone. A lot of students feels this way. Today we have a guest, Jason Newnum, who is an American English teacher. He teaches on the italki platform and he is available for lessons now! Jason has a special class called “Student Speaks, Teacher Listens.”     Why did Jason create this class? Jason created this class because when he took Spanish classes he noticed that he was not getting much speaking practice at all. He felt discouraged and didn’t get much better. He realized that the same problem was happening with English students. Jason wants to solve this problem.   Why is Jason’s class different? He makes sure that students talk more, about 80% of the time He feels comfortable being quiet, he doesn’t get nervous like other teachers do sometimes when they are nervous so he doesn’t fill that space

Come have a conversation with Lindsay and Michelle in the comments section of our blog! Come back to: http://www.allearsenglish.com/295 Get your free IELTS Cheat Sheet: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   Today you’ll get six ways to check on someone’s progress in a non-pushy way in English! Do you ever want to get the status of someone’s progress on a project or an assignment but do you get confused about how to ask without making the person feel pressured? Today you’ll find out how to do it successfully in English.   Ways to check on progress: “How’s it going? I look forward to receiving the files.” “Any updates? ” How are things progressing?” “How are things moving forward?” “How are things going?” “Do you need any feedback on anything?” “Do you want me to check your work?” Slightly more direct ways to check on progress: “What’s your timeline?” “How’s your timeline looking?” “I just wanted to check in. When do you think you’ll be able to get that done?”   What other phrases do you use wh

Come back to our blog and have a conversation with us! Go to http://www.allearsenglish.com/294 Get your FREE IELTS Cheat Sheet: http://www.allearsenglish.com/evaluation   April Fool’s Day is coming up later this week. Are you ready for it? How do you celebrate April Fool’s Day in your culture? Today you’ll learn what many Americans do on April Fool’s Day and you’ll get a few new vocabulary words for this day. It’s common to play jokes on friends and colleagues at work or at college in the United States. It’s especially common in colleges because students live together with their friends in dormitories.   Vocabulary for April Fool’s Day: Gullible: To trust people and believe things that people say, even if those things are not true. Practical Joke: A joke that you play on someone (not a spoken joke). You act out this kind of joke. A prank: A practical joke, a joke that is acted out Gag gift: A silly gift that is not meant to be serious but is meant to be a joke   What should you do if someone plays a joke

Come back to our site and let's have a conversation about this episode in the comments section: http://allearsenglish.com/aee-293-how-to-learn-english-the-way-a-child-learns-to-walk/   Today is a Deep Thoughts Thursday and we have an inspiring quote for you!   Let’s talk about success.       Here is the quote:   “Success consists of going from failure to failure without loss of enthusiasm.”   -Winston Churchill     We can apply this quote to a lot of different aspects of our lives like learning English, dating, and our career paths.   We have to keep going and take on new challenges with a positive attitude even if we have failed many times in the past.   Try to avoid feeling bitter when you take on a challenge and try again.       What do you think about this quote?   Do you keep your heart open and stay enthusiastic when you try again with something?   Leave us a comment below and let’s discuss it! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Come back to our site and talk about fashion with us! http://allearsenglish.com/how-to-talk-about-fashion-in-english   What is your fashion style?   Would you like to be able to talk about fashion in English in a more sophisticated way?   Today you’ll get to expand your English fashion vocabulary in this episode with Lindsay and Michelle.   Fashion Vocabulary:       1) Umbrella term= Bag   Purse Backpack Satchel Handbag Pocketbook Evening bag Clutch Wristlet 2) Umbrella term= Shoes   Sneakers Tennis shoes Walking shoes Boots Hiking boots Heels Flats Sandals Birkenstocks   3) Umbrella term= Shirt   T-shirt Blouse Tank Top (Spaghetti straps, sleeveless) Sweater Sweatshirt Hoodie (hooded sweatshirt) 4) Umbrella term= Jacket   Coat (heavier than a jacket) Ski jacket Leather jacket Peacoat     What do you think? How do you know when someone is fashionable? What is your fashion style? Share it with us in the comments. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoice

Do you use a lot of English slang in your everyday conversations with natives? In today’s episode you’ll find out how to use the words “crazy” and “insane” as slang words in conversations. How to use the word “crazy” in a slang form:   “I know someone who’s totally crazy because he still hitchhikes.” It was crazy for us to hitchhike. Those were my crazy days.” “Are you crazy about your boyfriend?” “What is the craziest thing you have ever done?”   The slang words “crazy” and “insane” mean wild and out of control. They could also mean unexpected or out of control. The words are also used a lot in song lyrics, especially love songs. If you use these words in a literal way to describe someone who is mentally ill it is rude. Instead you could say that they are “mentally disabled” or “mentally handicapped” or “mentally challenged.”   Have you ever tried using these slang words in your English conversations? Share your questions with us in the comments below. Let’s talk! Come back to allearsenglish.com/291 Lea

Come back to http://allearsenglish.com/288 Do you ever get confused about whether or not you should tip in an American restaurant?   Do you wonder how much to leave?   When to leave it?   Today you’ll get insider information from Michelle, who used to be a waitress at an American restaurant.   In the United States you MUST tip in a restaurant. Servers only make a few dollars per hour.   They rely on your tips.   How much should you tip?   You should tip 18-20%. However, you do have a choice when it comes to leaving a tip. If you have bad service then you can tip less.   If the waitress is slow or has a bad attitude then you don’t have to leave a lot of money as a tip.   It’s up to you.   When should you leave the tip?   If you pay with a credit card they take your card and come back with a receipt and the receipt has a place to write in the tip and the total and then you need to sign the receipt before you leave.   If you are paying in cash it’s ok to leave the cash on the table but put it under a cup or a pl

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Come back to http://www.allearsenglish.com/287 Do you ever get into trouble during English phone conversations? This is one of the biggest challenge for English students, especially at work. Today we will show you how to get out of trouble if you aren’t understanding someone on the phone. We’ll give you 8 things to do before or during the call to get the help you need.   How to Rescue Your Phone Call:  Practice to listening to natives as much as possible in your daily life (podcasts, sitcoms, the news on TV) Ask the person to help you: “I’m sorry. I’m having trouble understanding you. Would you (be able to ) say that again?” “Could you repeat that (for me) please?” “Would you mind slowing down a bit? It’s hard to hear you.” Ask the person to follow up with a summary of the conversation by email See if it’s ok to record the conversation Breathe deeply before you get on the call with a native speaker   It’s important not to be ashamed if you can’t understand someone in English on the phone. Don’t prete