Thinking in English

In 1994, the small African country of Rwanda experienced one of the worst genocides in modern history. Over a one-hundred-day period, an estimated 800,000 people were murdered. The genocide shocked the world and left Rwanda devastated. But if you visit Rwanda today, you would probably be surprised at that history. The country is often described as one of Africa’s greatest success stories. Its capi...

Imagine living in a place so remote that the nearest inhabited land is over two thousand kilometres away. No neighbours. No easy escape. Just ocean in every direction. And across the island are hundreds of giant stone heads, carved by hand. This place exists… and people have lived there for centuries. This episode will look at Easter Island, or Rapa Nui as it is known locally. Easter Island is in...

What does poverty really mean? When we hear the word poverty, I think many of us imagine extreme situations, like homelessness, starvation, or people living in very poor conditions. But poverty is far more complex, and far more widespread, than we often realise. According to the United Nations, more than 700 million people (around 10 percent of the world’s population) still live in extreme poverty...

Do you know how to ask great questions? A few years ago, back in 2022, I released an episode called How to Ask Better Questions in English. And today’s episode is an update to that original one. The core idea is the same, because it’s still important, but a lot has changed since then. I’ve changed as a podcaster and an educator, and I think English learners’ needs have changed too. In fact, the wa...

Is it becoming harder to move to a new country? Everywhere seems to be tightening the rules. Canada, the US, Australia, Europe, Japan, the UK. Countries that once focused on attracting people are now focused on control, limits, and conditions. And these changes are happening fast. If you’re thinking about moving to the UK, already living in the UK, or interested in how the world and immigration is...

Berlin is one of the most iconic cities in the world. Few cities have been destroyed so completely, divided so deeply, and then rebuilt so many times. Understanding Berlin’s past helps us understand the development of Germany and Europe. The rise of empires, the impact of nationalism, the horrors of totalitarianism, and the tension of the Cold War are all part of this city’s history. Berlin’s stor...

Every time you type a message, unlock your phone, or trust a computer to make a decision, you’re relying on the ideas of someone you may never have heard of and probably never learned about at school. That person is Alan Turing. He was a British mathematician, logician, and wartime codebreaker, and one of the most important figures in modern science and technology. Turing helped lay the foundation...

Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/prepositions-of-148657101?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link Last year, I was walking on the street back home in the UK, and I started noticing just how many security cameras there were around me. There were cameras on lampposts, cameras in shops, and cameras at train stations, quietl...

Artificial intelligence is everywhere right now. We use it to write emails, generate images, recommend videos, and even help study English. Some people believe AI will completely change the world, just like the internet did. Others are more sceptical and worry that the excitement has gone too far. Every day on the news, we hear about new AI startups worth billions of dollars, governments investing...

Today we’re going to explore a topic that I notice again and again whenever I work with bilingual people, speak with people who are studying a second language, and actually notice inside my own family: code switching. You’ve probably done it yourself. You start a sentence in English, suddenly use a word from your native language, then switch back again. This is a form of code switching and is extr...

Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/prepositions-of-148657101?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link People often say history repeats itself… but does it really? When we look back at the past, certain events feel strangely familiar. Pandemics that spread across the world. Wars that change everything. Economic crashes that s...

In the 19th century, a quiet, curious naturalist named Charles Darwin proposed a theory that went on the shake science, religion, and philosophy. Darwin introduced a new way of thinking about life itself. His theory of evolution by natural selection revealed that every species (humans included) changes over time, adapts to its environment, and shares common ancestors. In today’s episode of Thinkin...

People love to debate history, especially when it comes to who was first. Last year, I made an episode about the oldest country in the world. I argued that the answer might be San Marino, because it has a long, continuous history as an independent state. And the reaction from listeners was… quite intense! I received comments from people around the world saying things like: “No, Egypt is older!” or...

Australia is a country that many English learners dream of visiting, studying in, or even working in. Its beaches, culture, and cities are famous all over the world. But how much do you really know about the history of this country? In today’s episode, I want to discuss the development of Australia, from the first Aboriginal Australians who arrived tens of thousands of years ago, to the European s...

Interested in joining Patreon in 2026? 20% off with code 2026 - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish Last year, I made an episode where I openly shared my goals and New Year’s resolutions for 2025. Now, it’s time to look back and see how I did. In this episode, I’ll review my 2025 goals. I’ talk about what I achieved, what I only partially achieved, and where I failed. And there were definite...

This is a short end-of-year bonus episode of Thinking in English. In this episode, I share a few important updates as we move towards the new year. The Thinking in English AGM 2025 (Bonus Episode) Free to listen to on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/collection/869866 20% of Annual Patreon Memberships (Use Code 2026)- https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish Peter's English Courses (Write THINK...

Interested in Joining the Thinking in English Patreon in 2026? 20% Discount is you use the code 2026 - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish Welcome to a special Thinking in English Christmas episode! Today’s lesson isn’t about Santa Claus, reindeer, Christmas trees, or anything you might normally expect at this time of year. Instead, I want to talk about a place that literally carries the nam...

In a world of social media, fake news, and deepfakes… how can we know what’s true anymore? The phrase “post-truth” has become one of the defining ideas of our time. Politicians lie without consequence, misinformation spreads faster than facts, and many people seem to trust their feelings more than solid evidence. As a result, truth itself seems less influential than emotion or personal belief. In...

Today I want to talk about one of the greatest mathematicians of all time. A genius who, with almost no formal training, made mathematical discoveries that still astonish experts today. His name is Srinivasa Ramanujan, and his story is as extraordinary as the mathematical formulas he created. Despite growing up in poverty and facing enormous challenges, Ramanujan produced ideas that continue to sh...

Thinking in English BLACK FRIDAY SALE (50% Off Annual Memberships) - ⁠https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish What is the EU? Is it just a group of countries in Europe? Is it a trade bloc? Or is it something much more complex? When people talk about the EU, they often mention things like the Euro, the Schengen Zone, or European laws, but many people don’t actually know what the EU really is or h...

Thinking in English BLACK FRIDAY SALE (50% Off Annual Memberships) - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglish The biggest city in North America isn’t New York or Los Angeles, it’s Mexico City. Mexico City is also the oldest capital city in the entire Americas and the largest Spanish-speaking city in the world. Today, this enormous metropolis is home to over twenty million people. But its story be...

Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link ⁠⁠https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust ⁠⁠ The Collins Dictionary Word of the Year is… Vibe Coding! In this Thinking in English episode, I’m going to define and explain the term vibe coding and talk about why it was chosen as the Word of the Year by Collins Dictionary. I’ll also discuss some of the other contenders an...

Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link ⁠https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust ⁠ Have you ever heard someone say, “kick the bucket” or “pass away,” and felt confused? They both have the meaning of “die”… but are used in different contexts. English, like all languages, is full of phrases and expressions that don’t always make sense if you look at the words l...

Try the Lingoda Sprint Today! 20 EUR OFF with code 20THINKING or click the link https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust  When people think of the United Kingdom, they often think of England. Maybe, on a rare occasion, they might also think of Scotland. But the United Kingdom is made up of four historic countries, including the proud nation of Wales. Wales is a small country with a big identity. It...

When you hear the word vampire, what comes to mind? Dracula? The Twilight books? Ancient castles in Transylvania? What if I told you that vampire stories are much older, and much stranger, than you think? In today’s Halloween special episode of Thinking in English, we’re going to explore the history of vampires. We’ll start with ancient superstitions and medieval fears, move on to the vampires of...