English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast

In this intermediate English listening episode (Intermediate B1/B2 level), we explore the idea of the “anti-soulmate” - the person who instantly irritates you for no clear reason. Through a real life holiday story, you’ll learn natural spoken English while discovering psychological concepts like first impressions, personality clashes, insecurity, and projection . Perfect for intermediate English l...

Why do we procrastinate? Why do we wait for inspiration instead of starting? In this intermediate English listening episode, we explore writer’s block, creativity, and productivity through the lives of famous authors like Ernest Hemingway , Agatha Christie , Maya Angelou , and George R. R. Martin . What did they do when inspiration didn’t arrive? Did they wait - or did they build systems to keep w...

In this Intermediate English listening episode, we explore the Prince Andrew scandal and ask a deeper question: are powerful people really ever held to account? You’ll learn key vocabulary related to law, privilege, media, and public opinion while following a clear explanation of the events surrounding Prince Andrew, Jeffrey Epstein, and the civil case brought by Virginia Giuffre. We examine the d...

Why did Britain’s 1990s cultural boom fade - and could the same happen to today’s Korean Wave? In this intermediate English listening episode, explore how music, film and national identity shape global trends, from Oasis and the Spice Girls to BTS, K-Pop and Squid Game. Improve your English through cultural analysis while learning key vocabulary related to media, politics and soft power. Discover...

Who decides who the heroes are - and who becomes the monster? In this episode, we revisit the myth of Theseus and the Minotaur , not as a simple adventure, but as a story shaped by power and perspective. What happens when a myth is told to make one city look heroic and another cruel? This episode explores how propaganda works , how national stories simplify complex realities, and why the version o...

A personal story about living in London: what people get wrong about the city, what I came to appreciate, and why I eventually walked away . Clear, natural English for intermediate learners. 📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast Email your thoughts or questions → oli...

This intermediate English learning episode tells my true story about love at first sight, dating, emotions, and relationships, with clear, natural spoken English for listening practice. Do you believe in Love At First Sight? 📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast Emai...

Why do so many New Year’s language goals fail by February? In this episode, Oliver reflects on goal-setting, motivation, and why unrealistic ambitions can sometimes work better than sensible ones - especially for language learners. You’ll hear a practical example of a SMART listening goal, alongside a more personal (and slightly contradictory) approach: using big, impossible goals as pressure, whi...

I’m moving house… to my mother-in-law’s apartment. Yes, *really*. In this episode, I talk about why my partner and I are moving in with her while our new flat is being renovated, and why the whole process fills me with a unique kind of fear . From packing and misplaced chargers to angry drivers and mountains of paperwork, moving house always reveals more chaos than you expect. I also look back at...

It’s a big question, but this episode starts with something very small - an ant I accidentally killed on a train. That tiny moment led me to think about pain, morality, meat-eating, dairy, fish, and the strange logic many of us use when we decide which animals matter and which don’t. We’ll talk about why some creatures make us feel guilty and others don’t, why the modern food system keeps uncomfor...

Learn English through one of the most interesting stories in British history: in 1649, Britain killed its own king. The monarchy was gone. Oliver Cromwell took power - and the country became a Republic. The British Revolution! For eleven (quite dull) years, England lived without a crown: no kings, no queens, just strict rules and fading hope for democracy. Find out how the British Republic began,...

What if eating became optional? In this episode of English and Beyond : Intermediate English Podcast , I explore the strange and slightly dystopian future of food: from meal-replacement powders to lab-grown meat and even insect protein. Why are scientists and tech companies trying to reinvent something humans have done well enough for thousands of years? And what happens when efficiency replaces p...

If you’re studying English as an adult, you’ll probably recognise this feeling: sitting in class, forgetting simple words, and wondering if you’re too old to improve.  In this episode, I share what happened when I went back to school to learn Arabic from scratch, from the beginning, in my 30s - the embarrassment, the motivation, and the small victories that will add up to real progress. You’ll als...

Have you ever been told your cooking was “interesting” - or that “we must do this again sometime” ? In Britain, those aren’t compliments. They’re polite lies. In this episode, Oliver explores the very British habit of hiding the truth behind euphemisms - soft, careful words that sound kind but often mean the opposite. From “He’s between jobs” to “It’s not ideal”, you’ll learn how English uses poli...

Margaret Thatcher changed Britain forever - but not everyone agrees on how. For some, she was the strong leader who rescued the country from decline. For others, she was the politician who destroyed communities and divided a nation. In this episode, you’ll learn who she was, what she did, and why the “Iron Lady” still provokes such strong opinions decades later. Was she a national hero who transfo...

In 1977, astronomers in Ohio picked up a mysterious radio signal from deep space - a signal so unusual that the scientist who saw it simply wrote one word next to the data: Wow! In this episode, I explore the story behind the famous “Wow Signal”, what might have caused it, and what it reveals about our search for extraterrestrial life. Are we really alone in the universe? And - perhaps more import...

I quit my job as a lawyer, and I upset my parents in the process. Many parents say they only want their children to be happy. But often “happy” looks very similar to “successful” - top grades, a good job, financial security. In this episode, Oliver reflects on parental expectations, cultural differences, and his own experience of following the “safe” path to Oxford and a legal career… only to find...

Want to sound more confident and convincing in English? In this episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast , Oliver breaks down the art of persuasion in simple, practical steps. You’ll learn why English is full of short, punchy words that make arguments powerful, how famous speakers like Barack Obama and Winston Churchill use repetition and rhythm, and how you can adapt the same t...

In everyday life, most of us rarely hear truly cruel comments face to face. Yet online, nastiness seems to be everywhere - from newspaper comment sections to Instagram selfies and Twitter threads. In this episode of English and Beyond , we explore why people behave so differently on the internet. Oliver reflects on his own experience receiving unkind comments and examines psychological explanation...

Why do we find it so satisfying to watch the rich suffer? From Succession and The White Lotus to real-life stories of billionaires in crisis , this episode explores our fascination with the downfall of the wealthy. We’ll look at the psychology of schadenfreude , why wealth makes us feel emotionally distant from people, and how their meltdowns echo ancient tragedies. Is it harmless entertainment -...

Imagine arriving on a quiet Mediterranean island… only to realise that everyone around you is naked. That was my experience when I finally agreed to join a university friend on a naturist island in France. In this episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate Edition , I share: My awkward first moments on the island The surprising rules (sarongs in the streets if you want, but nudity required on the...

In this episode, Oliver looks at the history and main arguments surrounding the death penalty. With examples from the UK and insights from other countries, he explains why some nations have abolished it, and how public opinion can change over time. You’ll hear about well-known legal cases and the key ethical questions at the centre of the debate - from whether capital punishment deters crime, to w...

Is your summer never quite as amazing as you expected? In this B1–B2 English podcast episode, I talk about why holidays can feel disappointing - and how to describe that in real English. You’ll learn: – How to talk about summer without saying “It was nice” – English vocabulary for expectations, emotions, and honesty – How to express yourself naturally when things weren’t perfect...which they never...

In 1940, as Nazi Germany advanced across Europe, a radical proposal was made: Britain and France would merge into a single country. One parliament, one army, one citizenship. In this episode, we explore that forgotten moment in history - what led to it, why it failed, and what it reveals about the long, complicated relationship between the UK and France. From medieval invasions to Concorde and Eur...

Most of us check the time every day without thinking twice. But what if the numbers on your screen or wrist aren’t as objective as they seem? In this episode of English and Beyond , we explore the strange history of time: from ancient rhythms and local sunsets to train schedules and time zones. We’ll look at why 9 to 5 feels unnatural, why jet lag is so confusing, and how culture shapes our idea o...