One of the most popular films of 1997 was by far “ Titanic.” It won 11 Academy Awards! If you saw the film, or even just previews of it, you know the plot. There’s a love story between Rose (Kate Winslet) and Jack (Leonardo DiCaprio) that develops while aboard a huge ship called Titanic. The Titanic was a real ship that set off on its first transatlantic trip from England to the United States in 1912. I know you know what happens; the ship hits an iceberg and sinks.
I thought about retelling this story and I know English speakers would tell me: Oh no, Shana, really? That ship has sailed, literally.
That ship has sailed is an expression that means that the opportunity has passed; this topic is no longer new or very exciting. It’s been talked about way too many times! That ship has sailed. So instead of doing my long, cultural lesson, I’ve decided to change it up! I’ll tell you a brief summary of the Titanic and in the story, you’ll hear 10 irregular verbs in the simple past tense.
This lesson also includes an explanation of the terms and a quiz.
*****
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Life can't possibly get worse! You've lost your job, you have no money, and then to top it off, your dog dies. You've hit rock bottom; you've reached the lowest possible point in your life.
To hit rock bottom is a common expression in American English, and in today's lesson you'll learn exactly how to use it. In addition to learning how to use this idiom, you'll hear a joke, we'll hear comments from the audience, and we'll go through a pronunciation exercise!
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My grandma permanently moved to the United States from Spain in the 1950s and the only way she could afford to keep in contact with friends and family was through writing letters; flying and international calls back then were not in her family’s budget. Email didn’t exist yet. She sent postcards and letters, pictures of her kids and eventually her grandkids. In her lifetime, the United States Postal Service (USPS) was her lifeline to the people she’d left overseas.
Today, I'll tell you a bittersweet and very informative story about my grandma and her relationship with the post office and mail. Through it, you'll learn over 20+ words in context!
Can you relate to this story? Let me know what you think. You can write to me on Instagram @americanenglishpodcast, or on Spotify in the comments.
If you would like to help me decorate my office, please send me a real postcard!
Shana Thompson
P.O. Box 9074
Asheville, NC 28815
I create this podcast because of YOU. You have no idea how excited I would be to see you're not just a figment of my imagination (haha). Plus, your card will end up on my wall! :)
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Illinois is situated in the heart of the American Midwest, and it's known as the "Prairie State" because over 60% of it is covered in farmland. Despite the number of natural wonders found in Illinois, what attracts most visitors is the vibrant city of Chicago ("The Windy City").
Situated on the scenic shore of Lake Michigan, Chicago is a hot spot for music lovers and art enthusiasts. It's not only home to world-class museums and iconic architecture, it's where today's guest, Jackie Katsis, is from! Jackie is an ESL teacher and a well-known YouTuber from the channel "Ask Jackie."
We'll begin today's episode by getting to know this wonderful Chicagoan, and then we'll discover her state with her. You'll hear about Jackie's experience with tornadoes, learn the nuances of the Chicago accent and we'll take a deep dive into the culture she grew up in (we cover mouth-watering food, music, lifestyle and more).
Let's get a local's perspective on how to make the most out of our next trip to the beautiful state of Illinois! :)
Jackie's Chicago Recommendations
Learn with Jackie
Jackie Katsis is a well-known ESL teacher from Chicago. You can find her content here!
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I know, I know, 99% of you are saying what in the world is that? What in the world is a reduplication?
Well I just told you one: Handy-dandy. Handy by itself means useful or practical, in American English you can add dandy for emphasis, intensification and to give it a playful and poetic effect. Handy-dandy is a reduplication.
In English, you’ll hear reduplications in songs and casual conversation! Many times it just involves repeating the first word and changing one consonant or one vowel, like handy dandy, flip flop or chit chat. Sometimes you’ll actually hear the exact same word repeated, like boo-boo or yo-yo. Sometimes reduplications rhyme, but not always. Yet, there is always a certain rhythmic nature to them.
And let’s be honest, who doesn’t like rhythm!? If you want to add some spice and flavor to the way you talk in English, keep listening! Today, we’ll go through 10 Common Reduplications and how to use them in everyday contexts.
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You've seen it, right? The long cereal aisles in a U.S. supermarket? Crammed from top to bottom with colorful boxes? I bet you have.
Cereal arouses a sense of nostalgia in a lot of the Americans that I know; it brings about memories of childhood, simpler times, family breakfasts. It's a wonderful topic of conversation that you can have with native speakers. Ask them: What was your favorite cereal when you were a child? You'll see their eyes light up. Then maybe you can share something that you learned in today's lesson!
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Raisin Bran Muffins:
Optional Topping:
Each batch makes about 18 muffins. My family doubles it and it makes 36 at a time! We freeze them. Then, in the morning, we microwave each muffin for 40 seconds, slice in half and spread a bit of butter on each side. :)
Enjoy!
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You're sitting on the couch and your significant other is too far from you. Want them to cuddle up next to you? Say: "Gimme some sugar!"
"Gimme some sugar" is a common American English expression used to express desire for physical affection, whether that be some cuddles, a hug, a kiss or even a fist pump! It's a playful idiom, and today, you'll learn its origin and hear a number of examples so that you can hear how native speakers would use it in various contexts.
The second part of this lesson will answer the questions: "How cereal became a popular breakfast food in the U.S." Stay tuned, the story is short, sweet and relevant!
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Last month, my family and I moved into a new home. In English, it's what we'd call a fixer upper; it's a home that needs updates, it needs renovation, it needs to be remodeled in various ways. We are in the process of fixing our house up, and today you'll hear a true story about the process.
In this 5-minute English episode, you'll learn how to talk about home renovations and repairs in English. This is a topic-specific lesson, so it's jam-packed with vocabulary you will need if this topic arises in conversation.
If you sign up to premium content, or just the 5-minute English courses, you will receive an image sheet with pictures of all of the key vocabulary discussed, you'll see a video with those images and shadowing exercises to work on your pronunciation, as well as many exercises and quizzes to help you retain the words you hear. You also have an annotated transcript! Believe me, as a language learner myself, this is incredibly helpful for understanding a text.
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Moving across the United States is a significant event that brings with it a mix of excitement and challenges. Just last month, Lucas made the cross-country road trip from California to North Carolina, and today he's here to talk about the experience.
This is a casual and fun conversation with lots to take away, even if you're not relocating! We talk about the change of scenery from the West to East Coast, the vast and diverse landscape of the U.S., and how the culture differs as you travel. Learn how to make the most of a cross-country roadtrip from the careful planning to the unique cuisine. Hopefully at some point you also get the chance to take a roadtrip! :)
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Every January, as the clock strikes midnight and the New Year unfolds, millions of people around the globe start a familiar ritual: they start their New Year’s Resolution. A resolution is a firm decision or commitment to oneself to achieve some sort of goal. Usually one is made with hope for self-improvement.
In today’s lesson, we’ll talk about a few different studies and surveys about the top New Year’s resolutions in the United States! My hope is to uncover cultural insights - not only about our aspirations and priorities for 2024, but how we can be more successful at achieving our goals.
Because this is an English lesson, we’ll cover more than just culture. I’ll explain new vocabulary and phrases as we progress through this lesson, specifically words related to statistics in English.
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This lesson has two parts. In part one, you'll learn the common English expression "to get the ball rolling" you'll hear a joke and you'll do some pronunciation exercises.
In part two (which will be posted shortly), you'll learn about New Year's Resolution Statistics for the United States! What are our priorities in 2024? How convinced are we that we'll succeed at keeping our resolutions?
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