Thinking in English

Australian Facebook users realised last week that they could no longer read, access, or share news articles on the social media platform. Facebook, the world’s largest social media site, has banned news in Australia. This episode will look at why this happened, and what some of the consequences could be! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/22/53-why-has-facebook-banned-news-in-aust...

Missions from China, the UAE, and the USA have all arrived on, or near to, Mars. This is the first time three different countries have sent missions to the planet at the same time. Why? This episode will look at the reasons behind each of the three current missions, investigate why we want to travel there at all, and what the future holds for Mars and humanity! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginengl...

In this episode of Thinking in English I want to talk about Clubhouse. Clubhouse is a social media application that has become incredibly popular over the last few weeks. Entrepreneurs, investors, and creative people are using the site to host discussion and conversations for thousands of listeners. However, it is an exclusive platform and all users need to be invited before they can join. What is...

Coronavirus is not the first disease to kill millions of people and impact our lives. Throughout history, smallpox destroyed countless lives and devastated entire communities. It was incredibly infectious and incredibly deadly. However, smallpox is also the only disease to ever be completely eradicated by humans. This episode will look at the history of that deadly disease, investigate how we got...

We drink millions of bottles of water every year. However, in some countries, including mine the UK, our tap water is perfectly safe! We don’t really need to buy bottled water! There are environmental, financial, and health costs connected to bottled water. Should bottled water be banned? TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/08/49-should-bottled-water-be-banned-english-vocabulary-le...

On February 1st, the military of Myanmar staged a coup and took control of the country. They arrested elected leaders including the famous Aung San Suu Kyi, and there are worries they will damage Myanmar’s democracy! In this episode we’ll look at what happened, why it happened, and what will happen in the future! TRANSCRIPT: https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/02/03/48-myanmar-military-coup-what-i...

George Orwell is one of the most famous and talented writers of the last hundred years. Fortunately for us, Orwell left a list of rules for writers to follow and questions to consider which will help you to improve your written English. Writing is an essential skill, and something we can always improve! Hopefully you will find Orwell’s tips and tricks useful! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglis...

Archaeologists recently discovered the world’s oldest cave paintings of animals, in an isolated cave in Indonesia. This has challenged the way scientists think about our history, and provided evidence for people in Asia tens of thousands of years ago! Let’s learn about this topic, while studying English vocabulary! Transcript -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/27/46-worlds-oldest-cave-paint...

In this episode, I am going to introduce eight idioms that are commonly used in business situations. One of the major problems language learners face when working in a native English environment is recognising and comprehending idioms. Even if you are not interested in business, these idioms are used in many different situations and contexts! Whether you are studying, working, living, and or just...

Everyone has binge-watched a TV show. Only a few weeks ago, I watched the Netflix show the Queen's Gambit in only 3 days. However, is binge-watching actually bad for you? In this episode, of thinking in English, we will look at what binge-watching is and then think about the benefits and consequences of doing it! Hopefully, by the end of the episode you will be able to express your own opinion on...

On the 20th January, Joe Biden will officially replace Donald Trump as the President of the United States of America. This process is very traditional, and therefore uses traditional and specific vocabulary. Today’s episode will introduce some of the events that will take place on the 20th, and highlight some of the essential vocabulary you might notice! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blo...

There are thousands of languages in the world. Some are spoken by billions of people, others by less than one hundred! Which country has the most languages? In this episode I’ll answer that question, look at some of the languages spoken in that country, and try to explain why there are so many! TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/13/42-which-country-has-the-most-languages-english-...

As I'm sure you already know, a riot broke out in the capital of the USA recently as Donald Trump supporters invaded the US Congress. In the aftermath, Trump has been removed and banned from numerous social media platforms. On today’s episode, we will look at the events of January 6th, and then discuss the idea of free speech. Free speech has been a major talking point after the banning of Trump....

How expensive is the city you live in? Recently, the Economist Intelligence Unit has released its ranking of the most expensive cities in the world. The episode will look at the results of this ranking, as well as talk about some of the trends in price increases or decreases and the reasons behind these trends! https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/01/06/40-what-is-the-most-expensive-city-in-the-wor...

Brexit. I’m sure you must have heard about Brexit at some point in the last four years, and the UK finally left the EU on January 1st 2020. I often get asked about Brexit by English students and foreign friends, and one of the biggest challenges people face is the vocabulary. It can be complicated, confusing, and full of political and economic jargon! So on this episode, I will introduce some of t...

2020 is almost over! What a strange and unforgettable year it has been! In this episode, we are going to look at New Year’s resolutions. And if you listen until the end, I will give you some suggestions for English learning related New Year’s resolutions that you can try yourself! https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/30/38-new-years-resolutions-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRAM -...

On today’s episode, let's talk about money. Whether you love the idea of money, or hate it, money is undoubtedly one of the most important parts of our modern world! As an important part of our culture, money has obviously impacted our language. There are hundreds, if not thousands, of different ways to refer to or talk about money; although I can't introduce you to all of these, this episode will...

Hello and Merry Christmas! This episode is probably being released on Christmas eve, so there is no better time to learn some Christmassy words!! Learn some festive themed idioms, phrases, and sayings to boost your Christmas vocabulary! TRANSCRIPT!! - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/23/36-christmas-special-christmas-idioms-phrases-and-sayings-english-vocabulary-lesson/ CONTACT US!! INSTAGRA...

On today’s episode, I'm hoping to give you some tips to improve your writing skills! Writing is one of the key language skills, and often students want to know how they can get better! We’ll look at some of the reasons writing is important to practice, and then I'll offer some advice on how to improve! Transcript - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/21/35-how-to-improve-your-writing-skills/ CO...

On today’s episode we are going to discuss the controversy and debate surrounding zoos! Are zoos vital organisations because they promote scientific research and public education, and save animals on the verge of extinction? Or are zoos terrible prisons with no educational value that damage animals physically and psychologically? TRANSCRIPT -- https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/16/34-should-zo...

On today’s episode, we are going to look at how to ask great questions! Asking questions is one of the most important skills in daily life, but most people do not realise we can practice and improve! I’ll look at why questions are important, the mistakes we often make when asking questions, and then some tips on how to improve! TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2020/12/14/how-to-ask-exce...

Today, i want to introduce you to some of the Oxford English Dictionary’s 2020 words of the year. For the first time ever, the Oxford Dictionary was unable to choose one single standout word from the previous 12 months. Instead, as a consequence of the unprecedented events of 2020, they have highlighted a number of highly significant developments in our vocabulary! So I’m going to introduce you to...

Today we will discuss the failure of Quibi! I guess many of you are asking, “what is Quibi?” You’re probably not alone. Quibi was supposed to be the next big thing in online videos, attracting billions of dollars in investments before it launched earlier this year. On the 1st December, however, Quibi ended for ever. We’ll look at the history of Quibi, its unique selling points, and talk about why...

How much do you know about the history of your languages? Where do the words come from, and why do we use them? Today’s episode will look at the recent news Germany is removing some words of Nazi origins from its phonetic alphabet. Although most German’s were unaware of the history of these terms, the regular use has been considered problematic. Are there any words in your languages that have offe...

On today’s episode we are going to discuss the news that China has landed another probe on the surface of the moon. The Chinese mission intends to collect rock samples to bring back to Earth; the first time this will happen for over 40 years. Why is China interested in space exploration? Are we on the verge of a new space race? What is the scientific importance of moon rocks? We’ll look at all the...