Join Tim for 'Tea, Talk & Textbooks,' where British culture meets English learning. Ideal for B1-B2 learners or British culture enthusiasts. Enjoy narratives, language tips, and a spot of humour.

Tea, Talk & Textbooks: An ESL Podcast

Sharpen your British English vowels with this focused practice session on the four pronunciations of the initial A. In this episode, you’ll warm up with clear examples, drill minimal pairs to refine your ear, and test your control through mixed-word practice and playful tongue twisters. It’s a practical, repetition-based workout designed to build accuracy and confidence with one of the most common—and most confusing—vowel patterns in English. Perfect for learners who want targeted pronunciation training and steady improvement.
Transcript: 
Unstressed Schwa; about - again - ago - around - aware - allow - alone - adapt - ahead - across - attend - attempt - amount - agree - apart - assist - achieve 
Short /æ/ – apple, actor, attitude - average - annual  - actual - anchor - Attic - album
Long a /eɪ/ April - agent - alien - able - ancient - apron - acorn - aces
/ɑː/ artist - archive - army - armour - artisan
Activity 1: 
about – apple
again – actor
ago – agent
around – army
awake – able
allow – artist
alone – acorn
adapt – April
ahead – alien
across – armour
attend – alien
attempt – aces
amount – April
agree – acorn
apart – artist
assist – agent
achieve – army
Activity 2: 
apple – agent  – army – about
actor – able – artist – again
animal – alien – archive – alone
advantage  – agent – army – amount
address – able – artist – again
arrow – able – army – about
aroma – agent – artist – alone
ate – apple – army – about
atlas – able – artist – again
Activity 3: 
Angry ants always avoid amber apples.
An actual actor attacked an attractive anchor.
Able aliens ate apricot acorns all afternoon.
April’s agents arranged ancient aprons.
Army artists archive armour accurately.
Artisan armies argue around ancient arches.

British Pronunciation Tips 

British Vowel Sound Masterclass: Lesson 6: But wait! There is more… Initial A schwa - PRACTICE 

Before you take your IELTS speaking exam don’t you think it would be a a good idea to know what the examiners are looking for? What’s the difference between a band 5 and a band 6 ? What do you have to do to get a band 7 ? Why do some people get band 8? What’s the difference between a 7 and 8, or the difference between 8 and 9? IELTS examiners mark your work according to 4 different skills, or criteria. The first is 'fluency and coherence'. This podcast teaches you the key differences between different band scores when examiners mark your speaking test according to fluency and coherence.


IELTS Speaking Practice

IELTS band scores - Fluency and Coherence

今日はなぜ日本では財布は戻ってくるのに傘は盗まれるのか、という問題について話しました。みなさんは財布をなくしたことはありますか？とても不安な気持ちになりますが、それが戻ってきたときは安心しますよね。では傘を盗まれたときはどうでしょうか？なぜ財布は戻ってくるのに傘は盗まれやすいのでしょうか。一緒に考えてみましょう。

☆目次

0:00 オープニング
0:25 日本では財布が戻ってくる？
3:39 なぜ傘は盗まれる？
8:15 仮説

☆語彙
恩を返す
所有
ばれる
衆人環視
罰が当たる
土壇場
その場しのぎ
泣き寝入り
法廷
むしゃくしゃする
連鎖
特定
倫理観

"After 5" by Japanese Teacher

財布は盗まず、なぜ傘盗む！

Knowing Everything About Chinese Cultrue

20The custom of giving gifts in China

...
После свадьбы жили хорошо. Она сидела у него в кассе, смотрела за порядками в саду, записывала расходы, выдавала жалованье, и ее розовые щеки, милая, наивная, похожая на сияние улыбка мелькали то в окошечке кассы, то за кулисами, то в буфете. И она уже говорила своим знакомым, что самое замечательное, самое важное и нужное на свете — это театр и что получить истинное наслаждение и стать образованным и гуманным можно только в театре.
— Но разве публика понимает это? — говорила она. — Ей нужен балаган! Вчера у нас шел «Фауст наизнанку», и почти все ложи были пустые, а если бы мы с Ваничкой поставили какую-нибудь пошлость, то, поверьте, театр был бы битком набит. Завтра мы с Ваничкой ставим «Орфея в аду», приходите.
И что говорил о театре и об актерах Кукин, то повторяла и она. Публику она так же, как и он, презирала за равнодушие к искусству и за невежество, на репетициях вмешивалась, поправляла актеров, смотрела за поведением музыкантов, и когда в местной газете неодобрительно отзывались о театре, то она плакала и потом ходила в редакцию объясняться.
Актеры любили ее и называли «мы с Ваничкой» и «душечкой»; она жалела их и давала им понемножку взаймы, и если, случалось, ее обманывали, то она только потихоньку плакала, но мужу не жаловалась.
И зимой жили хорошо. Сняли городской театр на всю зиму л сдавали его на короткие сроки то малороссийской труппе, то фокуснику, то местным любителям. Оленька полнела и вся сияла от удовольствия, а Кукин худел и желтел и жаловался на страшные убытки, хотя всю зиму дела шли недурно. По ночам он кашлял, а она поила его малиной и липовым цветом, натирала одеколоном, кутала в свои мягкие шали.
....

Нескучные истории - Not boring stories

А. П. Чехов "Душечка". Отрывок. 

A common saying, is that "an apple a day keeps the doctor away". But which is healthier, an apple or an orange?

The Social Evolutionary

Don't eat apples!

In last week's podcast episode, How to Use Informational Interviews to Land Your Dream Job, I said informational interviews are the best-kept secret in networking. 

That means they're great, but many people don't know it. So, they don't include informational interviews in their networking efforts. 

Tune in to this week’s episode to more about using “best-kept secret” and five more English phrases and idioms. You'll also get some homework at the end so you can continue to improve your English communication skills. Tune in to continue building your English vocabulary with new idioms and phrases! 

Original theme music by Lucas Knutter 

Read the transcript at https://www.express-to-impress.com/english-idioms/.

See infographics for this episode at https://www.pinterest.com/ExpresstoImpress/_created/.

Episode originally published on October 30, 2020.

Express to Impress

Best Kept Secret and Other English Idioms

안녕하세요~
🎵 한국어 문법 '이에요, 예요'를 쉽고 재미있게 케이팝 스타일 노래로 배워요.
초보자도 쉽게 따라할 수 있는 이 노래는 한국어 말하기 자신감을 키워줍니다.
지금 바로 노래하며 한국어 문법을 익히고, 즐겁게 배워보세요!
🎵 Learn Korean grammar '이에요, 예요' easily and fun with a K-pop style song.
This song is easy for beginners to follow and will help you build your confidence in speaking Korean.
Learn Korean grammar while singing right now and have fun learning!

영상은 여기를 시청하세요. You can watch the video here.
https://youtu.be/TaeNIC9pmoI

English Version
"이에요, 예요." Song

"이에요, 예요." means "It is" or "This is"~
We use it to explain something~
Names, jobs, or the name of an object~
When you talk to someone, it’s used!

"I am a student." is "나는 학생이에요"~
"My friend is a doctor." is "내 친구는 의사예요"~
If there’s a final sound, use "이에요"~
If there’s no final sound, use "예요"~

"이에요, 예요." – don’t get confused~
If there’s a final sound, it’s "이에요"!
If there’s no final sound, it’s "예요"!

"It's a bag" is "가방이에요" – that's correct~
"It's a rose" is "장미예요" – that's correct~

What’s a final sound.
 Let’s find out together~
"책" has a final sound, so it’s "이에요"!
"바나나" has none, so it’s "예요"!

"이에요, 예요." – don’t get confused~
If there’s a final sound, it’s "이에요"!
If there’s no final sound, it’s "예요"

Now you know "이에요, 예요." so well~
Singing makes learning so easy!

감사합니다.