Synopsis
Learn and practise useful English language for everyday situations with the BBC. A weekly instruction manual for saying or doing something in English is published every Thursday.
Episodes
-
Britain's love affair with coffee
07/04/2022 Duration: 06minIt's not all about tea - Britons like coffee too. Learn vocabulary to talk about it.
-
Optimists vs Pessimists
31/03/2022 Duration: 06minWhich one you are may be linked more to your birthplace and age than attitude.
-
The world of Agatha Christie
25/03/2022 Duration: 06minWe discuss one of her most famous characters and teach you related vocabulary.
-
Mars: Mysteries of the Red Planet
17/03/2022 Duration: 06minNeil and Sam discuss our fascination with the 'Red Planet' and teach you related vocab.
-
Why laughter is the best medicine
10/03/2022 Duration: 06minShouldn't we take laughter more seriously? We discuss and teach related vocabulary.
-
Is being kind good for you?
03/03/2022 Duration: 06minNeil and Sam discuss the benefits of kindness and teach you related vocabulary.
-
Eating bugs
24/02/2022 Duration: 06minNeil and Sam discuss eating insects and teach you related vocabulary.
-
The benefits of boredom
17/02/2022 Duration: 06minWe talk about the positive side of boredom and teach you related vocabulary.
-
Sleepy in South Korea
09/02/2022 Duration: 06minLife in a place where people work longer hours and get less sleep than anywhere else.
-
Sleepy in South Korea
03/02/2022 Duration: 06minLife in a place where people work longer hours and get less sleep than anywhere else.
-
Preparing for the Beijing Winter Olympics
27/01/2022 Duration: 06minArtificial snow, coronavirus and controversy surround the Beijing Games starting soon.
-
Are personalised diets the best way to be healthy?
20/01/2022 Duration: 06minWe discuss how microbes matter when it comes to food, and teach some related vocabulary.
-
-
Welcome to the 'metaverse'
06/01/2022 Duration: 06minWe discuss how things like the metaverse and AI might influence how we live.
-
Do trees have memories?
30/12/2021 Duration: 06minWe discuss whether plants can 'remember' stressful situations, such as droughts or pests.
-
Algorithms
23/12/2021 Duration: 06minWe talk about the maths formulas that are increasingly part of our lives.
-
Changing the Earth's climate
16/12/2021 Duration: 06minCould diamonds help to prevent a climate catastrophe? That's what we discuss.
-
Body language online
09/12/2021 Duration: 06minHow can we make video conferences feel more natural? That's what Sam and Neil talk about.
-
The Human Library: Life as an open book
02/12/2021 Duration: 06minWould you like to borrow a person for a half-hour candid conversation?
-
How green is nuclear energy?
25/11/2021 Duration: 06minHow safe is a nuclear plant in a world of climate extremes? Listen to Neil and Sam.