Slow English Podcast | Your English Toolbox

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/205-they-made-me-the-boss-of-people-older-than-me/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. You may know the words in English and still hesitate when the conversation really matters. Juan knows that feeling. He moved from Barcelona to Wolverhampton to study business, and he discovered that becoming fluent with real people was harder than doing exercises. After telling his story in our Small Talk series, Juan returns as part of the Your English Toolbox team. He now joins us in two formats: the short weekly What Does That Even Mean? and the longer Sunday conversations of Juan's…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/204-who-are-you-in-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Do you ever feel less funny, confident or expressive when you speak English? Martin and Julia explore that feeling through research, a fictional story and practical ways to find your voice. Discover a study in which Spanish–English bilinguals answered a personality questionnaire in both languages, and learn about cultural frame switching as one possible explanation for differences in their answers. Meet Camila, a fictional engineer whose conversations in Dublin feel different from those with her friends in…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/202-weekly-english-recap-popcorn-health-and-everyday-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Learn with this episode on Your English Toolbox: Peter brings together useful English from episodes 195–201. Listen to each original sentence, repeat it during a four-second pause, and hear the same idea expressed in different words. Weekly English recap for B1–B2 learners: 42 slow English shadowing pairs help you practise listening, pronunciation, paraphrasing and everyday vocabulary, including the science of why popcorn pops. Practise health idioms, rearranging appointments,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/203-short-stories-with-peter-the-hats-in-the-snow/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Learn with this episode on Your English Toolbox: Peter tells a gentle Japanese folktale about an older couple, a snowy journey and a small act of kindness. Listen in slow English and discover what happens when the man meets six statues by the road. After the story, practise set off, brush away, keep off, doorstep and unexpected, with examples you can use in everyday life. An original adaptation of the traditional Japanese folktale Kasa Jizō. Free study materials Download the complete…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/201-light-one-word-three-lives/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. One useful word appears as an adjective, a noun and a verb. Follow three scenes to distinguish a light bag, the light in a room and lighting a candle. Hear the grammar change, then use context to identify the intended meaning. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Sources and context: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/light Free study materials Download the complete learning…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/199-short-stories-with-peter-the-gift-of-the-magi/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Peter narrates an original, concise learning adaptation of O. Henry’s public-domain story. Della and Jim each make a loving sacrifice before exchanging gifts. The story uses distinct character voices, a literary jingle, gentle scene ambience, selective effects and a separate language section. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Sources and context:…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/200-explain-it-to-me-or-explain-me-fix-it-in-five/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Learn the pattern explain something to someone. Compare “Explain the rule to me” with the common but incorrect “Explain me the rule” in standard international English. Practise the pattern with clear, varied examples and a short correction challenge. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Sources and context: https://dictionary.cambridge.org/grammar/british-grammar/explain…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/198-why-do-fingers-wrinkle-in-water-curious-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Why do fingertips wrinkle after time in water? Martin and Julia explore the nervous system and research on handling wet objects. The observed effect is not proof of a settled evolutionary explanation, so the episode separates evidence from hypothesis and teaches useful language for cautious conclusions. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Sources and context:…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/196-feeling-under-the-weather-everyday-health-idioms/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Idiom Toolbox Lesson 15 explores five useful expressions for mild illness, recovery and energy: under the weather, back on your feet, fit as a fiddle, run down and recharge your batteries. Learn their meanings, tone and limits, with clear examples and recall practice. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Sources and context:…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/197-could-we-move-it-natural-ways-to-reschedule-an-appointment/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Need to change an appointment? Practise natural ways to ask, suggest a new time, give a brief reason and confirm the arrangement. Learn the difference between a request and a fixed decision, plus five extra expressions on the episode page. Your English Toolbox provides the full transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, practice and downloadable learning materials on the episode page. Free study materials Download the complete learning materials for this episode: • Full…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/195-why-does-popcorn-pop-curious-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Why does a hard little kernel suddenly pop? Before the explanation, Martin and Julia define kernel, starch, shell, and moisture with clear examples. Then they follow heat, water, and pressure through the kitchen mystery and practise three useful expressions. On the episode page, practise the four key words with examples and a quick recall check. The transcript, vocabulary, seven listening speeds, and downloadable materials are there too. Sources and context:…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/194-understand-english-but-struggle-to-speak-learn-from-juan-s-story/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. For four episodes, we have been telling you about a man from Barcelona who arrived in Wolverhampton with one suitcase and a sentence he practised in the shower. The bus stop in the rain. The fourteen questions. The three days ill in bed. The night he made room for somebody at a party. Today, Juan joins Martin and Julia for a longer conversation. No list of rules to memorize — just one honest account of the year he actually had. He expected the hard part to be speaking.…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/192-weekly-english-recap-rain-luck-clear-choices-38-shadowing-pairs/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Practise thirty-eight shadowing pairs from this week's seven episodes. Peter gives you exactly four seconds to repeat each useful sentence before saying the same idea in different words. Revisit rainy-day language, idioms about chance, the different meanings of fine, doomscrolling, persuasion, value for money and workplace boundaries. Source episodes: 185–191 · Week of 26–30 October 2026. B1–B2 · Your English Toolbox Free study materials Download the complete learning…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/193-short-stories-with-peter-the-three-evils/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Chou is strong, fearless and feared by everyone around him. When he hears that his village has three evils, he believes he can defeat them all. But the third evil is closer than he thinks. This original English-learning adaptation of a Chinese legend explores humility, responsibility and the slow work of rebuilding trust. It includes non-graphic danger and transparently focuses on one part of the traditional tale. Peter tells the story as a gentle radio drama, then helps you use deal with,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/191-viral-english-quiet-quitting-still-at-work-doing-less/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Does quiet quitting mean secretly leaving a job? Decode a contested workplace expression, contrast going the extra mile with setting boundaries, and practise interpreting a headline without assuming an employee’s motives. Gallup used the term in 2022 and again in 2026; these dates establish context, not its first-ever use. Your language toolbox: quiet quitting go the extra mile set boundaries The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/189-short-stories-with-peter-the-north-wind-and-the-sun/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. The North Wind and the Sun compete to make a traveller remove his cloak. Peter narrates an original short learning adaptation of the Aesop fable, with distinct character voices, a literary jingle, atmospheric sound and a separate language section. Practise hold on to, give up and persuade someone to do something. Your language toolbox: hold on to give up persuade someone to do something The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript and…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/190-cheap-affordable-or-good-value-precision-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Two winter coats help Martin and Julia separate three different judgements: a low price, a price within your budget and a worthwhile return for what you pay. Includes the possible negative implication of cheap, contrasting situations and personal practice. A language lesson, not a product recommendation. Your language toolbox: cheap affordable good value for money The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript and editorial Spanish, German, Farsi…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/188-viral-english-doomscrolling-one-more-bad-headline/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. A quick news check turns into a long chain of negative headlines. Understand doomscrolling, your feed and get sucked into, then distinguish a reading habit from the intention of a post. Dated examples document established usage; we are not claiming a newly invented word or a trend measured this week. Your language toolbox: doomscrolling your feed get sucked into The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript and editorial Spanish, German, Farsi…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/186-a-stroke-of-luck-4-idioms-about-chance/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. A first visit to a bowling alley becomes a lesson in four ways to talk about luck. Distinguish a fortunate event, a successful first attempt, a difficult period and an outcome decided by chance. Continues the free Idiom Toolbox course with Lesson 14: Luck, using a new teaching scene. Your language toolbox: a stroke of luck beginner’s luck down on your luck the luck of the draw The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript and editorial Spanish, German,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/187-fine-one-word-three-lives/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. One short word travels through three connected scenes: agreeing to a plan, paying a penalty and checking small writing. Learn the grammatical clues that separate fine as an adjective from a fine as a noun, with a spoken interpretation challenge. Your language toolbox: fine — acceptable a fine — a financial penalty fine print The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the transcript and editorial Spanish, German, Farsi and French translations, vocabulary, practice and downloadable…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/185-why-does-rain-smell-so-good-curious-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Why can the first rain after dry weather smell so distinctive? Martin and Julia explore one mechanism scientists observed in raindrops and practise three useful expressions. A prediction, a miniature scene and a recall challenge turn a curious question into reusable English. This is a language lesson, not a claim that every rain smell has the same cause. Your language toolbox: an earthy smell a dry spell release into the air The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/184-sorry-i-didnt-catch-that-small-talk-4/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Julia once hid in a bathroom for eight minutes to escape a conversation about insurance. She is fluent — and she still hid, because she did not know how to leave. In this fourth Small Talk in English episode, Martin and Julia tackle the four things that happen in real conversations: you miss something, the room is too loud, a group already has its own rhythm, and eventually you need to leave. You will practise a repair scale from “Sorry?” to “Would you mind saying that again, a bit slower?”,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/182-weekly-english-recap-time-risk-and-better-choices/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Weekly English Recap with Peter: practise 38 slow English shadowing pairs about time, risk and better choices. Hear a sentence, use the four-second pause to repeat it, then listen to a clear paraphrase with alternative vocabulary. Read the transcript in English with Spanish, German, Farsi and French translations. Practise with vocabulary, flashcards, exercises, seven listening speeds and Cinema Mode. Download transcript and vocabulary PDFs in all five languages. Source episodes:…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/183-short-stories-with-peter-the-banyan-deer/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Read the transcript in English with Spanish, German, Farsi and French translations. Practise with vocabulary, flashcards, exercises, seven listening speeds and Cinema Mode. Download transcript and vocabulary PDFs in all five languages. Source: Ellen C. Babbitt, Jataka Tales (1912), chapter XII, The Banyan Deer: https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/62514 B1–B2 · Your English Toolbox Free study materials Download the complete learning materials for this episode: • Full transcript (PDF) • Vocabulary…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/181-viral-english-shrinkflation-same-price-less-chocolate/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Same price, less chocolate? Understand shrinkflation, explain downsizing and say that you get less for your money. Distinguish quantity, price and ingredient changes through original examples and a challenge. The invented two-pound bar is not a claim about a real brand. Context includes dated 2026 usage by Which? and the Office for National Statistics. Your language toolbox: shrinkflation downsize get less for your money The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/179-short-stories-with-peter-how-much-land-does-a-man-need/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Pahom believes more land will finally make him secure, but every new boundary makes him want another. Peter narrates an original abridged learning adaptation of Leo Tolstoy's story, based on the Aylmer and Louise Maude translation. Includes character dialogue, restrained scene sound, and a separate vocabulary lesson. Contains a non-graphic death. This specially extended Thursday episode may run up to twelve minutes; the exception does not change the usual short format. Your…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/180-that-was-my-fault-3-natural-ways-to-own-a-mistake/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin has sent the wrong document. Practise three steps: take responsibility, explain the missed check, and offer a specific repair. Includes contrasts between I should check and I should have checked, plus a restaurant-booking challenge. The website adds exactly five extra expressions with examples and practice, separate from the audio lesson. Your language toolbox: That was my fault I should have checked Let me put it right The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/178-viral-english-rage-bait-why-that-post-makes-you-angry/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. A deliberately provocative coffee post becomes a lesson in digital language. Distinguish rage bait, clickbait and a hot take, and learn why an angry reaction alone does not prove manipulative intent. Original teaching scenarios, an interpretation challenge and neutral paraphrases. Oxford's 2025 selection is historical context, not a claim that the term was invented then or is trending this week. Your language toolbox: rage bait clickbait a hot take The complete episode page…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/176-stick-your-neck-out-4-idioms-about-risk/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin has a toast-truck idea; Julia has questions. Learn four ways to describe risk through a natural conversation, meaningful contrasts and active recall. This continues the free Idiom Toolbox course with Lesson 13: Risk. Includes a brief recovery of take the plunge, without presenting it as a fifth new idiom. Your language toolbox: play with fire put all your eggs in one basket stick your neck out take a leap of faith The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/177-fix-it-in-five-for-or-since/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. The sentence in the title is the mistake we correct. Practise I've lived here since a starting point, I've lived here for a duration, and How long have you lived here? Our example runs from October 2023 to October 2026 and assumes Martin still lives there. A focused, friendly lesson, not a complete guide to every present perfect use. Your language toolbox: I've … since [starting point] I've … for [duration] How long have you …? The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/175-why-do-we-change-the-clocks-curious-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Why can your phone and your oven disagree after the clock change? Martin and Julia explain what summer time changes, what it does not change, and three reusable English expressions. The 25 October 2026 date applies here to Spain and the United Kingdom, not every country. Includes prediction, recall and personal practice. Your language toolbox: put the clocks back / forward an extra hour in bed your body clock The complete episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, the…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/174-the-question-that-changes-everything-small-talk-3/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin and Julia explore the step from polite conversation to a closer connection. Practise a specific question, a follow-up that shows you remembered, and a small piece of honest self-disclosure. Juan and Priya’s story continues in Wolverhampton. Research is discussed as evidence about a structured experiment, not a guarantee of friendship. Sentence of the day: Somebody has to go first. It might as well be you. Read the transcript in English with Spanish, German, Farsi and French…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/172-weekly-english-recap-truth-feelings-and-everyday-clues/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Consolidate useful English from episodes 165–171 through 32 sentence pairs. Peter gives you four seconds after each original sentence, then an equivalent sentence with different vocabulary. Practise truth and honesty, feelings, tunes, travel, visits, the meanings of miss, and collecting deliveries. Some expressions return in a new context to strengthen recall. Read the transcript in English with Spanish, German, Farsi and French translations. Practise with vocabulary, flashcards,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/173-short-stories-with-peter-the-fire-on-the-hill/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. A farmer sees the sea retreating while his neighbours prepare a celebration. What happens next turns a harvest into a lesson in courage, compassion and responsibility. This radio drama is an original abridged learning adaptation of the Hamaguchi narrative in A Living God, from Gleanings in Buddha-Fields by Lafcadio Hearn (1897). It follows the literary telling, inspired by events in Japan, and is not a documentary reconstruction. Includes natural-disaster peril, without graphic detail.…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/171-where-s-the-parcel-a-delivery-message-mystery-english-detective/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Listen to a short everyday message, choose your answer and check the clues with Martin and Julia. Then solve a new case using the same useful language. The solution and explanation are included in the audio. Your language toolbox: leave something with someone pick something up before a time Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, editorial translations and downloadable transcript and vocabulary PDFs.…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/169-short-stories-with-peter-the-model-millionaire-by-oscar-wilde-abridged-b1-b2/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. An abridged adaptation of The Model Millionaire by Oscar Wilde (1887), adapted for B1–B2 English learners by Your English Toolbox. Original English work in the public domain in Spain. The story is followed by a short language lesson. No spoiler is needed to enjoy the surprise. Your language toolbox: drop in feel sorry for someone give away Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/170-miss-one-word-three-lives/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Follow miss through three everyday contexts: a journey or event you do not catch or attend, a person or experience whose absence you feel, and a target you fail to hit. Includes the figurative expression miss the point and the pattern miss doing something. Your language toolbox: miss a bus or event miss someone or doing something miss a target or the point Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, editorial translations and downloadable…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/168-which-platform-a-train-announcement-mystery-english-detective/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Train station English listening practice: understand a platform announcement, spot a delayed train and choose the right departure platform. Listen to a short everyday message, choose your answer and check the clues with Martin and Julia. Then solve a new case using the same useful language. The solution and explanation are included in the audio. Your language toolbox: instead of running late depart from Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/166-come-clean-4-idioms-about-truth/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Continue the free Idiom Toolbox course with lesson twelve: Truth. Learn how to admit a hidden mistake, check information, question a surface explanation and describe deliberate deception. Your language toolbox: come clean take something at face value get your facts straight pull the wool over someone's eyes Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, editorial translations and downloadable transcript and vocabulary PDFs. Free Idiom…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/167-stop-saying-angry-annoyed-frustrated-or-furious/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Small irritation, blocked progress or intense anger? Martin and Julia compare three precise words through a ticket-machine problem and realistic examples. These words are not interchangeable steps on a single scale. Your language toolbox: annoyed frustrated furious Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, editorial translations and downloadable transcript and vocabulary PDFs. Level: B1–B2 · Series: Precision English…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/165-why-do-songs-get-stuck-in-your-head-curious-english/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Why does a short tune return when the music has stopped? Martin and Julia explore earworms, separate established findings from simple guesses, and practise three expressions you can use immediately. Your language toolbox: stuck in your head catchy pop into your head Finish with active listening or recall practice. The episode page includes seven listening speeds, Cinema Mode, editorial translations and downloadable transcript and vocabulary PDFs. Research background: Goldsmiths,…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/164-what-to-say-after-hello/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Julia fires seven questions at Martin in forty seconds. Where are you from? How long have you lived here? Do you like it? By the end he says he feels as if he is at passport control — and Julia tells him that is exactly what he does to other people. Last time we covered the first ten seconds. This episode is about the second that comes after: you said your sentence, they answered, and your mind went completely blank. So you fire another question. And another. In English there is a phrase for it — to grill…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/163-weekly-english-recap-fear-character-small-problems-20-shadowing-pairs/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Can you understand an expression, repeat it naturally and recognise the same idea in different words? In this weekly recap, Peter turns this week’s three short episodes into one focused vocabulary and shadowing workout. The two-sentence game is simple: Peter says a short, natural sentence containing one target expression. You get four seconds of silence to shadow it aloud and copy the pronunciation, rhythm and stress. Peter gives you a second sentence with the same…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/162-the-fisherman-and-the-jinni/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. A poor fisherman pulls a sealed brass jar from the sea and releases an enormous jinni. Instead of thanking him, the furious spirit announces that the fisherman must die. With no strength and nowhere to run, the fisherman has only one weapon left: his mind. In this episode of Short Stories with Peter, enjoy a clear, slow B1–B2 adaptation of The Fisherman and the Jinni, a traditional tale from The Thousand and One Nights. Peter narrates the story, while the fisherman and the jinni have distinct dramatic…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/158-it-s-no-big-deal-4-natural-ways-to-handle-small-problems/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin spills coffee on the workshop handouts and announces “bad news”. Julia shows how natural English can reduce unnecessary tension, remove blame and move a small problem towards a solution. This is episode nine of Everyday Useful Expressions, our series of ready-made English for real situations. You will learn: It’s no big deal — say that a problem is not very serious; These things happen — treat a small mistake as understandable without assigning blame; We’ll figure it out…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/160-short-stories-with-peter-after-twenty-years-by-o-henry/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Would you travel a thousand miles to keep a promise you made twenty years ago? On a cold, wet night in New York, Bob waits in the doorway of a closed shop. When he was eighteen, he and his best friend Jimmy Wells agreed to meet at this exact place, on this exact date, twenty years later — no matter where life had taken them. The friends have long since lost contact, but Bob is certain that Jimmy will come. First, a patrolman stops to ask why he is waiting. Then, twenty minutes…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/157-a-tough-cookie-4-idioms-to-describe-character/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin finds Julia’s mysterious notes for a community project: gold, cookie, book and horse. They are not a shopping list — they are four vivid English idioms for describing character. This short conversational Slow English episode continues Lesson 11 — Character — in the free Idiom Toolbox course. You will learn: have a heart of gold — be extremely kind and generous; be a tough cookie — be strong and handle difficulty well; be an open book — have thoughts and feelings that are easy to…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/156-stop-saying-scared-nervous-anxious-or-terrified/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Martin says he was “scared” before a presentation, while waiting for an important result and when a large dog ran towards him. Julia shows why those three situations call for more precise English. In this short Precision English episode, you will learn: nervous — worried or tense before a specific event or performance; anxious — worried or uneasy, often because the outcome is uncertain; terrified — extremely frightened by an intense or immediate danger. The conversation compares…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/161-the-first-10-seconds-how-to-start-any-conversation/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. Julia went up four floors in a lift with her neighbour in complete silence, both of them studying the ceiling. He said, “Going up?” She said, “Yes.” Then came eleven seconds of nothing. She is a native speaker, in her own language, in her own building — so if starting a conversation can feel difficult for her, imagine doing it in English. This is the first of five episodes about the small talk that opens doors: how to start, keep going, get closer and leave naturally. Across the…

https://yourenglishtoolbox.com/episodes/159-short-stories-with-peter-hoichi-the-earless/ This podcast is created through a human-led editorial process. Every episode concept, educational strategy, narrative direction and final editorial decision is developed and reviewed by people committed to making English learning meaningful. Artificial intelligence supports script development and editing, while ElevenLabs provides the synthetic voices of our hosts. Human judgement leads the process; technology supports its production. What happens when the most beautiful audience you have ever heard is one you cannot see? Hoichi is a gifted young blind musician who lives in a Buddhist temple near the graves of a defeated Japanese clan. One summer night, an armed samurai arrives and commands him to perform before a magnificent court. The noble listeners weep at his music, and their lady orders him to return for six more nights without telling anyone where he is going. But when the temple priest discovers the truth, Hoichi…