Explore every episode of the podcast English Extras
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| How to (Dis)agree in English | 11 Mar 2025 | 00:12:41 | |
🌟 Episode Highlights
Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| Getting Out of the Intermediate Plateau: Tips and Tricks | 04 Mar 2025 | 00:15:25 | |
🌟 Episode Highlights
Listen and Watch 👉 Watch the episode on YouTube Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| About New Year's in America | 31 Dec 2024 | 00:13:48 | |
Let's talk about how Americans ring in the New Year! While Christmas is all about cozy family time, New Year's has its own special magic - it's party time! Picture this: friends gathering for parties, watching the famous Times Square ball drop (a dazzling tradition since 1907), and counting down together as midnight approaches. Then comes the fun part - sharing kisses at midnight (an old English and German tradition), singing "Auld Lang Syne," and celebrating fresh beginnings. And let's not forget those New Year's resolutions... Fun fact: only 8% of people actually keep them (but hey, we've been failing at resolutions since the 1800s, so you're in good company! 😅) | |||
| My Christmas in America | 25 Dec 2024 | 00:18:42 | |
Ever wondered how Americans celebrate Christmas? Join me as I share my personal Christmas journey, from childhood memories of decorating the family tree and waiting anxiously for Santa, to my current holiday traditions in Florida. From attic adventures and cookie baking to capybara-themed presents, discover how Christmas evolves but stays magical as we grow up. A warm, nostalgic look at both past and present celebrations of this special holiday. 🎄 | |||
| About Christmas in America | 24 Dec 2024 | 00:16:55 | |
In this episode, I share what it’s like to celebrate Christmas in America. I talk about where our modern traditions came from and what they are like now. Christmas looks different for everyone, but I share a broad overview of what Christmas looks like for Americans. | |||
| Idioms for Confidence and Courage | 17 Dec 2024 | 00:13:45 | |
💡 Boost Your Confidence for 2025! 💡 Looking for inspiration to tackle your New Year’s resolutions? In this episode, we explore 12 idioms about confidence and courage, like take the bull by the horns and stick to your guns. Learn how to apply them to your goals, overcome challenges, and take control of your life. Plus, discover an empowering phrase from Mandarin that will keep you motivated! 加油! 🎉 | |||
| Movies & TV Shows to Level Up Your English | 10 Dec 2024 | 00:16:13 | |
In this episode, we dive into the world of movies and TV shows to help you improve your English while having fun! I’ll share my top recommendations, including classics, modern hits, and binge-worthy series that are perfect for intermediate to advanced learners. From sharp comedies to gripping dramas, these picks are packed with everyday phrases, idioms, and cultural references to supercharge your language skills. Plus, I’ll give you tips on how to actively learn while watching—whether it’s using subtitles wisely or focusing on pronunciation and slang. Grab your popcorn and let’s make English learning an adventure on the big (and small) screen! | |||
| Ways to Say "Be Quiet" | 03 Dec 2024 | 00:13:55 | |
It's awkward to tell someone they're being too loud! In this episode, I share practical ways to say "be quiet" in English! Whether you're studying for exams, working on fluency, or aiming to sound more natural in conversations, this episode is packed with expressions, idioms, and phrases that go beyond the basics. 👉 What you'll learn: ✔️ Formal, casual, and fun alternatives to "be quiet" ✔️ How to use these phrases naturally in sentences ✔️ Tips to sound polite or assertive depending on the situation 💬 Need extra help? Access the full episode transcript with: • Definitions for keywords and phrases • Real-life example sentences • Bonus practice resources 📥 Transcript & Extra Resources HERE | |||
| About Thanksgiving in America | 26 Nov 2024 | 00:14:02 | |
Join me for a special podcast episode all about Thanksgiving in America! In this episode, we’ll explore: ✅ The history of Thanksgiving – from its origins to modern celebrations. ✅ Popular traditions like the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, football games, and sharing what you’re thankful for. ✅ Delicious Thanksgiving foods, including turkey, pumpkin pie, and more! Learn new vocabulary, improve your listening skills, and discover why this holiday is so important to Americans. Get the transcript for this episode (and more!) here. | |||
| Ways to Tell Someone to Wait | 19 Nov 2024 | 00:10:45 | |
In this episode, we dive into the art of asking someone to wait in English! Whether you're managing a conversation, need extra time to think, or just want to be polite, there are countless ways to express “wait a moment” without using the same phrase over and over. Transcript here! | |||
| 3 More Common Mistakes (and how to fix them) | 12 Nov 2024 | 00:12:26 | |
Are you making these common English mistakes? 🗣️ In this episode of English Extras, I cover three tricky errors that many learners make: when to use "too" vs. "either," "make" vs. "do," and when verbs need an object. These differences are essential for sounding natural and fluent in English. By following along, you’ll learn how to use these words confidently and avoid misunderstandings!📃 Transcript Available: Want to read along? Click here for a transcript with definitions and example sentences for all phrases used in this episode. Reading while listening can help you learn and remember new expressions! | |||
| Ways to Describe Stupidity & Craziness | 05 Nov 2024 | 00:18:32 | |
It’s not nice to call people stupid or crazy but of course people still do it anyway! Only people try to be less straightforward about it. So how do we do this in English? In this episode, we’re diving into euphemisms you can use instead of calling someone "stupid" or "crazy." From "not the sharpest tool in the shed" to the hilarious "a few fries short of a Happy Meal," these expressions let you add humor and subtlety to your English. You can find the transcript here | |||
| From CRYING in Latin Class to Speaking Chinese | 25 Feb 2025 | 00:15:13 | |
🌟 Episode Highlights
Listen and Watch 👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube 🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| About Halloween in America | 29 Oct 2024 | 00:15:28 | |
Halloween has arrived! So what does that mean exactly? It means a lot of things: pumpkins and ghosts and spiders but also candy and scary movies and haunted houses. In this episode, I give an overview of Halloween in America as well as where some of today’s traditions come from. 📄 Follow along with the transcript here: https://ko-fi.com/s/e5d9565bba 🏁 New to English Extras? Start with episode 1, “Ways to say Hello, how are you” ☕️Subscribe for $5 a month to get access to all the transcripts! 🗣️ Do you celebrate Halloween in your country? How do you celebrate it? 🎶 Music by Mikhail Smusev from Pixabay | |||
| Ways to Talk About Geography | 22 Oct 2024 | 00:19:08 | |
This episode tackles two topics: the weird ways we use (or don't use) "the" with geographic features AND a common mistake I hear when people say where they are from. Do you make this mistake? Transcript available here! | |||
| Ways to Use Conversation Fillers | 15 Oct 2024 | 00:24:30 | |
Conversation fillers–in linguistics, it’s also known as discourse markers–are words or phrases that have many purposes: conversation fillers can help start a conversation, maintain a conversation, clarify what we say, better show our opinion, or make our words softer. Transcript can be found here. | |||
| 5 Common Mistakes (and how to fix them) | 08 Oct 2024 | 00:25:41 | |
In this episode, I'm going to share 5 common mistakes I hear from my students as an English language teacher. They include:
Transcript here | |||
| Ways to Talk About Sadness | 01 Oct 2024 | 00:13:55 | |
We talked about anger. We talked about happiness. Now it's time to talk about sadness. Spoiler alert: it's a bummer. You can find the transcript here | |||
| Idioms for Happiness | 24 Sep 2024 | 00:11:08 | |
In episode 19, I shared how to express anger and irritation. In this episode, I share six idioms to express happiness! Transcript available here | |||
| Idioms for Anger and Irritation | 17 Sep 2024 | 00:13:41 | |
How can we express our anger or irritation? There are a TON of ways. In this episode, I share 6 ways. Transcript available here | |||
| Ways to Make Small Talk | 10 Sep 2024 | 00:13:59 | |
Small talk can be scary, but the other person is probably more nervous than you are! In this episode, I talk about how to start small talk, maintain small talk, and end small talk, so you can feel more comfortable talking to strangers or acquaintances 👍🏻 Transcript available here | |||
| Ways to Measure Things | 03 Sep 2024 | 00:15:06 | |
"Many" is a common way to say the number of things--many apples, many ideas. But native speakers use other phrases to say the number of things: a bit of, a lot of, a ton of, and more! And sometimes the pronunciation changes, too. Transcript here | |||
| Florida and Peddler's Mall and Summer Slam--Oh my! | 27 Aug 2024 | 00:18:40 | |
In this episode, I share my summer vacation to Kentucky! I discuss traveling, various places in my hometown, and attending an amazing event called Summer Slam. Want the transcript? You can get it here | |||
| Are you saying "thank you" like a native speaker? | 18 Feb 2025 | 00:12:54 | |
English Extras Episode #41: Are You Saying ‘Thank You’ Like a Native Speaker? 🌟 Episode Highlights
Listen and Watch 👉 Watch the full episode on YouTube 🎧 Listen on your favorite podcast platform Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| Ways to Use Conditionals | 20 Aug 2024 | 00:17:38 | |
Conditionals are the phrases and verb tenses we use when talking about hypothetical situations. In this episode, my husband and I ask each other hypothetical questions. For example, if you could have a superpower, what would you choose and why? Follow along with the transcript here! | |||
| Ways to Talk About Death | 06 Aug 2024 | 00:17:00 | |
Death is a sensitive topic. Not many people feel comfortable talking about it. So there are a lot of other expressions--less direct expressions--we use to refer to death. Of course, it depends on the context. The transcript is available here. | |||
| Patterns of Connected Speech (Part 2) | 30 Jul 2024 | 00:15:10 | |
This episode covers even more ways native speakers of American English connect words together. Knowing these patterns improves your understanding and speaking 👍🏻📄 Follow along with the transcript here🏁 New to English Extras? Start with episode 1, “Ways to say Hello, how are you”📱Follow me on Instagram☕️Subscribe for $5 a month to get access to all the transcripts! | |||
| Patterns of Connected Speech (Part 1) | 23 Jul 2024 | 00:12:11 | |
Native speakers (of any language) will take the shortest, most efficient path to say something, and it often sounds different than when a word is said in isolation. This episode shares the most common patterns of connected speech in American English. 📄 Follow along with the transcript here🏁 New to English Extras? Start with episode 1, “Ways to say Hello, how are you”📱Follow me on Instagram☕️Subscribe for $5 a month to get access to all the transcripts! | |||
| Ways to Say "I'm Sorry" | 16 Jul 2024 | 00:14:34 | |
Saying sorry is so hard. In this episode, I talk about three ways to apologize more formally, three ways to apologize more casually, and some things you can say after you apologize. Transcript ➡️ here | |||
| Ways to Talk About Numbers | 09 Jul 2024 | 00:10:54 | |
I don't know about you, but I think learning numbers in another language is hard. In this episode, I talk about (1) how my students say 2,500 vs. how native speakers usually say it and (2) a common mistake I hear from my students about -teen vs. -ty.📄 Follow along with the transcript here🏁 New to English Extras? Start with episode 1, “Ways to say Hello, how are you”📱Follow me on Instagram🗣️ How do you feel about learning numbers? | |||
| Ways to Be Polite | 02 Jul 2024 | 00:21:38 | |
I don't know about you, but I try to be as polite as possible, especially when I'm talking to someone older than me, or an authority figure, or someone providing me a service. In this episode, I discuss various ways to show respect and politeness--in a very general way, because "polite" means different things to different people in different cultures. The transcript for this episode can be found here. | |||
| Ways to Introduce Yourself | 25 Jun 2024 | 00:21:32 | |
Introducing yourself is super important, and you'll need to do it a lot! In this episode, I discuss various ways to introduce yourself to a future English teacher. The transcript for this episode can be found here. | |||
| Ways to Talk About Time (Part 2) | 18 Jun 2024 | 00:17:28 | |
Let's discuss common mistakes I hear my students make and how to remember the correct way. In this episode, I also talk about two more time-related words that native speakers don't agree on. Transcript for this episode can be found here. | |||
| 5 Things About Me | 11 Jun 2024 | 00:18:13 | |
Do I have a weird thing about pickles? Possibly. Depends on who you ask. In this episode, I share 5 things about me that maybe you didn't already know--about my languages, about my hobbies, my dog, and more! Want the transcript for this episode? Get it here! | |||
| Your Guide to Valentine's Day in America | 11 Feb 2025 | 00:12:27 | |
🌟 Episode Highlights
Episode Transcript Want extras? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| Ways to Talk About Weather | 28 May 2024 | 00:14:55 | |
In this episode, we talk about ways to ask about the weather and to talk about it, including a common idiom that talks about rain using cats and dogs. | |||
| Ways to Talk About Time | 22 May 2024 | 00:15:06 | |
Talking about time can be as easy as 4:20 or as difficult as explaining the meaning of "next." In this episode, I ask some of my friends how they talk about time. | |||
| Ways to say "I don't understand" | 15 May 2024 | 00:14:13 | |
"I don't understand" is a solid way to tell someone you don't understand what they are saying. However, there are plenty of other options for you, including the flexible word "get." | |||
| Ways to say "Goodbye" | 07 May 2024 | 00:10:35 | |
Did you know that saying "goodbye" can sometimes sound abrupt and unfriendly? There are a lot of different ways native English speakers end a conversation. There are even some funny, silly ways we say goodbye. This episode discusses a bunch of different ways to say goodbye to someone. | |||
| Ways to say "Hello, how are you?" | 30 Apr 2024 | 00:16:31 | |
Greeting someone can be very important because it sets the mood for the conversation. How many different ways do you know how to say "hello"? How many ways do you know how to say "how are you"? In this episode, we explore some options so you can express yourself more authentically. | |||
| Welcome to English Extras | 23 Apr 2024 | 00:02:26 | |
Go beyond your textbook and learn authentic alternatives to common phrases! Let's make your English sound real! | |||
| Babe, Bro, Buddy: Explaining Affectionate Terms | 04 Feb 2025 | 00:12:18 | |
🌟 Episode Highlights
Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| Asking for Help Like a Native Speaker | 28 Jan 2025 | 00:19:24 | |
🗣️ Need to ask for help in English but tired of basic phrases? You know there's more than just "Can you help me?" - but what do native speakers actually say? In this episode, we'll explore 4 natural expressions that will help you ask for assistance with confidence, whether you're at work, school, or just going about your day. Plus, learn exactly how to pronounce them with stress patterns that sound natural! 🎯 What you'll learn:
Episode Transcript Want to read along? 📖 Download the full transcript here Find me on social media! ➪ @missjeanteaches
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| How to Expand Your Vocabulary | 21 Jan 2025 | 00:15:00 | |
A helpful guide exploring two key questions for English learners: where to find new vocabulary and how to remember it effectively. I discuss practical strategies like active recall, creating associations, and maintaining consistency in learning. Find the transcripts here! | |||
| Do You Have a SMART English Goal? | 14 Jan 2025 | 00:15:37 | |
🎯 Is your English goal SMART? Are vague goals holding you back? Many learners say "I want to be fluent in English" - but that's not specific enough! | |||
| Secrets to Understanding Fast English | 07 Jan 2025 | 00:19:03 | |
Transcript HERE Have you ever felt proud of your English progress, only to feel completely lost when trying to follow a quick conversation? That sudden drop in confidence - that feeling that maybe you'll never get there - I understand it deeply. We've all been there, and it's completely normal. But here's the truth: understanding native speakers, even at their natural rapid pace, isn't just a dream. It's a real destination, and you can reach it. The path might be challenging, but you're already on your way. In this guide, I'm sharing 10 techniques that have helped many learners break through that barrier of fast speech. These aren't magical solutions or overnight fixes - they're practical tools for your learning journey. Some might click with you immediately, while others might not suit your style at all. And that's okay. Think of these techniques as different paths up the same mountain. Try them all - you might be surprised by which ones feel right for you. The key isn't in finding the perfect method; it's in taking small, consistent steps forward. A few minutes of practice each day, a little patience with yourself, and a willingness to keep going even when it feels tough. Perfect for: Anyone who's ever felt discouraged by fast English but isn't ready to give up on their dream of effortless comprehension. This is your reminder that you can do this. | |||