Thinking in English
Thomas Wilkinson
- 19 minutes 37 seconds367. The Strange Story of Christmas Island: Exploitation, Occupation, and Refugees! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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Welcome to a special Thinking in English Christmas episode!
Today’s lesson isn’t about Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees, or anything you might normally expect at this time of year. Instead, I want to talk about a place that literally carries the name Christmas: Christmas Island.
Christmas Island sounds like a cheerful and festive place. Photos of the island show bright blue oceans, white beaches, tropical forests, and its famous red crabs that are often featured in nature documentaries.
But behind the beautiful scenery and joyful name lies a far more complicated, and often dark, history. Christmas Island has been home to exploited migrant workers, brutal colonial mining operations, Japanese wartime occupation, and, more recently, Australia’s controversial refugee detention centre.
So today, in this Christmas special, let’s explore why one of the world’s most festive-sounding islands has such a complex past, while learning some new English vocabulary!
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22 December 2025, 3:00 am - 21 minutes 46 seconds366. Do We Live in a Post-Truth Society? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
In a world of social media, fake news, and deepfakes… how can we know what’s true anymore?
The phrase “post-truth” has become one of the defining ideas of our time. Politicians lie without consequence, misinformation spreads faster than facts, and many people seem to trust their feelings more than solid evidence. As a result, truth itself seems less influential than emotion or personal belief.
In today’s episode, we’re going to explore what it means to live in a post-truth society…. a society where the line between fact and opinion is increasingly blurred, and where it can feel harder than ever to know what is real.
At the same time, I’ll introduce some new and useful vocabulary, and we will practice our English listening comprehension!
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15 December 2025, 3:00 am - 21 minutes 13 seconds365. Who Was Ramanujan? The Greatest Mathematician of All Time? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Today I want to talk about one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. A genius who, with almost no formal training, made mathematical discoveries that still astonish experts today. His name is Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his story is as extraordinary as the mathematical formulas he created.
Despite growing up in poverty and facing enormous challenges, Ramanujan produced ideas that continue to shape modern mathematics.
This episode is part of my Greatest Scientists Series, where we explore the lives and contributions of people who transformed our understanding of the world (while learning some new English vocabulary). And today, I want to ask an interesting question: can a mathematician like Ramanujan be considered a scientist?
Over the next few minutes, we’ll explore his early life in India, his journey to England, the famous collaboration with G.H. Hardy, his remarkable discoveries, his legacy, and finally, we’ll reflect on the role of mathematics itself in the world of science.
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8 December 2025, 3:00 am - 28 minutes 47 seconds364. What is the EU? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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What is the EU?
Is it just a group of countries in Europe? Is it a trade bloc? Or is it something much more complex?
When people talk about the EU, they often mention things like the Euro, the Schengen Zone, or European laws, but many people don’t actually know what the EU really is or how it works.
In today’s episode of Thinking in English, I want to explore the European Union, which I think one of the most ambitious and influential political projects in modern history. We’ll look at what the EU actually is, how and why it was created, and what its main institutions do. I’ll also try to clear up some common confusions, like the difference between the Eurozone, the Schengen Area, and the EU itself.
Finally, we’ll examine its successes and criticisms, discuss why the United Kingdom decided to leave, and consider what the future of the European Union might look like, all while learning some new vocabulary and practicing your English comprehension!
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1 December 2025, 3:00 am - 25 minutes 44 seconds363. History of Mexico City! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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The biggest city in North America isn’t New York or Los Angeles, it’s Mexico City.
Mexico City is also the oldest capital city in the entire Americas and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world.
Today, this enormous metropolis is home to over twenty million people. But its story began centuries ago, long before the arrival of the Spanish, when it was an island city built by the Aztecs in the middle of a vast lake.
In this episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to explore the incredible history of Mexico City from its origins as the Aztec capital of Tenochtitlán, to its destruction and rebirth under Spanish rule, and finally, to its rise as a vibrant and dynamic modern city.
At the same time, we will learn some new and useful English vocabulary and practice our listening comprehension at the same time!
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24 November 2025, 3:00 am - 25 minutes 54 seconds362. What is the 2025 Word of the Year? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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The Collins Dictionary Word of the Year is… Vibe Coding!
In this Thinking in English episode, I’m going to define and explain the term vibe coding and talk about why it was chosen as the Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary. I’ll also discuss some of the other contenders and runners up for the 2025 Word of the Year, including Broligarchy, Task Masking, and Micro-Retirement.
These are interesting words and are connected to some fascinating changes and problems in modern society!
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17 November 2025, 3:00 am - 25 minutes 46 seconds361. What Are Idioms, Euphemisms, and Slang? (And Should You Learn Them?) (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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Have you ever heard someone say, “kick the bucket” or “pass away,” and felt confused? They both have the meaning of “die”… but are used in different contexts.
English, like all languages, is full of phrases and expressions that don’t always make sense if you look at the words literally.
Native speakers use this kind of language all the time… in conversations, TV shows, songs, and workplaces. But for English learners, idiomatic and informal expressions can be some of the hardest parts of the language to understand.
In today’s episode, we’re going to explore idioms, euphemisms, and slang. These are three important (and sometimes confusing) types of everyday English. We’ll talk about what they mean, why native speakers use them, and whether you should spend time learning and using them yourself.
By the end of this episode, you’ll have a clearer idea of how these kinds of expressions work and how understanding them can help you sound more natural and follow native-level conversations more easily.
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10 November 2025, 3:00 am - 24 minutes 26 seconds360. What is Wales? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
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When people think of the United Kingdom, they often think of England. Maybe, on a rare occasion, they might also think of Scotland. But the United Kingdom is made up of four historic countries, including the proud nation of Wales.
Wales is a small country with a big identity. It has its own language, culture, and its own parliament. Yet many people around the world know surprisingly little about it.
In today’s episode, we’re going to explore what Wales really is. We’ll discuss its geography, history, language, and culture.
Along the way, I’ll try to emphasise what makes Wales unique within the United Kingdom and introduce you to some new and useful English vocabulary!
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3 November 2025, 3:00 am - 17 minutes 12 seconds359. History of Vampires (English Vocabulary Lesson)
When you hear the word vampire, what comes to mind? Dracula? The Twilight books? Ancient castles in Transylvania?
What if I told you that vampire stories are much older, and much stranger, than you think?
In today’s Halloween special episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to explore the history of vampires. We’ll start with ancient superstitions and medieval fears, move on to the vampires of literature, and finally look at how vampires appear in modern culture.
Along the way, we’ll ask an important question: Why do humans invent blood-drinking monsters?By the end of this episode, you’ll understand where vampire myths came from, why they terrified people for centuries, and you’ll have learned some new English vocabulary along the way!
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27 October 2025, 3:00 am - 21 minutes 16 seconds358. History of Rome (English Vocabulary Lesson)
When you imagine the city Rome, what comes to mind?
Maybe the Colosseum, the Vatican, one of the largest empires in history, or delicious pasta? Rome isn’t just Italy’s capital; it’s also one of the most influential cities in human history.
In today’s Thinking in English episode, we are going to take a journey through time, from the mythical founding of the city by Romulus and Remus, through the Roman Republic and Empire, the Middle Ages, the Renaissance, and finally to modern Rome. I’m not an expert on Italian history, but I loved researching this episode and I think this is such an interesting topic.
You’ll discover its myths, politics, art, and language, and of course learn plenty of useful English vocabulary along the way.
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20 October 2025, 3:00 am - 17 minutes 20 seconds357. The Great Fire of London: Passive Voice (English Grammar Lesson)
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In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were burned, thousands of people were made homeless, and the entire city had to be rebuilt. The event I’m talking about is one of the most famous disasters in English history: the Great Fire of London.
Today, I want to tell you this story, but with a special focus. You’re going to learn about history, while also learning some English grammar.
The Great Fire is a perfect example of when we use the passive voice in real English. Disasters are often described with the passive because the actions are more important than the people who did them. We don’t always know who was responsible, and sometimes it doesn’t matter. What matters is what happened.
So in this episode, I’ll share the story of the Great Fire of London, and we’ll look together at how the passive voice is used. At the beginning I’ll guide you through a short grammar lesson to help you use the passive voice, and then you’ll hear plenty of natural examples while talking about the Great Fire of London!
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