Conversation & Pronunciation: Learn English with The Rachel's English Podcast

025: New Year's Resolutions

Do you make New Year's Resolutions? Today we discuss the kinds of resolutions we make, and discuss tips on how to keep them. Learn what a SMART goal is, and learn the idi

024: The Best Present You've Ever Gotten

Today we talk about the best present we've ever gotten, and define interesting words, terms, and phrases that come up in natural conversation. Learn the phrases 'freaking

023: Conversations: Describe a Recent Situation that Made you Crack Up

David and I ask each other questions to get the conversation going – then we stop when we use an idiom, phrasal verb, or challenging vocabulary word and explain it.  You'

022: Phrases for being Polite in American English

When we were in Italy recently, we often struggled with knowing the polite way to phrase a request or ask for something.  We could get the point across, but we lacked nua

021: Our Experience Being Non-Native Speakers

Today we reflect on our trip to Italy and what is was like being non-native speakers. We discuss how we picked up language there, and how it felt not being able to fully

020: Letting Go of Inhibitions and Embodying a New Language

Today we listen to a conversation that we recorded in Italy with my sister- and brother-in-law as we discuss what it means to be in another country, trying to speak a new

019: Conversations: What are some of the Great Things about Living in Philadelphia?

Today we study casual English conversation as David and I ask each other questions like: Think back 10 years. What's something that has changed about your personality? As

018: Taking the IELTS Speaking Test - Interview with Eliot Friesen of Magoosh

The IELTS exam tests your proficiency in English, and today we sit down with IELTS expert Eliot Fresien of Magoosh. He has created a training program to help students pre

017: Conversations: What's the Most Challenging Job you've Ever Had?

Today David and I ask each other a series of questions to get the conversation going. Then we stop ourselves as idioms, phrasal verbs, or interesting vocabulary words com

016: Friendships in America

Today we answer questions about making with Americans—and growing friendships with Americans. Is it normal to have good friends of both sexes? Do Americans avoid talking

015: Diphthongs

Today we do a deep-dive into the American English diphthongs. How many are there, and why doesn't everyone agree with the number? We discuss the different spellings of th

014: Conversations: Name an Embarrassing Moment you've had as an Adult

Today David and I ask each other a series of questions to get the conversation going, then we stop ourselves as idioms, phrasal verbs, or interesting vocabulary words com

013: Interview with Brooke Kandel-Cisco on Teaching ESL Teachers

David and I sit down with Butler University professor Brooke Kandel-Cisco to discuss teaching English as a Second Language.  We talk about the standards for teaching non-

012: Family Relationships and Idioms

This week's episode is a companion to the vocabulary builder video published on YouTube and the website.  We discuss more complicated family relationships as well as lots

011: Vowels, Part 2

In Part 2 of the Vowels series, we discuss the remaining vowels in English:  EH [ɛ], UR [ɜ], OO [u], UH [ʊ], another UH [ʌ], and the Schwa [ə].  We discuss one of the mai

010: Vowels, Part 1

David and I discuss five of the 11 vowels of American English, and go over the various ways each sound can be spelled.  This leads to discussions of the International Pho

009: Rural Juror - Your Pronunciation Questions Answered

David and I answer your questions from YouTube.  How is ACTUAL actually pronounced?  Is it okay to use American idioms and slang during the IELTS speaking test?  How do y

008: Food Idioms! Small Peanuts, White on Rice and so much more!

David and I cover just some of the MANY idioms that are in use in daily English conversation -- some of those relating to food:  Icing on the cake, have your cake and eat

007: Interview with an American Adult Learning English AGAIN - Dave Valiulis

In this episode, I interview stroke survivor Dave Valiulis.  There's a lot to learn about mastering an accent from someone who had to relearn a language as an adult.  Dav

006: Pig vs. Pick, How to Understand People from all over the World, and more

I answer your pressing questions on English pronunciation, how to understand people from all over the world, the Flap T, and more, with the help of my amazing sidekick (a