Thinking in English

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...

When you imagine the city Rome, what comes to mind? Maybe the Colosseum, the Vatican, one of the largest empires in history, or delicious pasta? Rome isn’t just Italy’s capital; it’s also one of the most influential cities in human history. In today’s Thinking in English episode, we are going to take a journey through time, from the mythical founding of the city by Romulus and Remus, through the R...

Grammar Study Pack - https://www.patreon.com/posts/passive-voice-in-140250338?utm_medium=clipboard_copy&utm_source=copyLink&utm_campaign=postshare_creator&utm_content=join_link In 1666, most of London was destroyed. Over 13,000 houses were burned, thousands of people were made homeless, and the entire city had to be rebuilt. The event I’m talking about is one of the most famous disasters in Englis...

What actually is a podcast? You probably think you know. You might think you are listening to one right now. But are you actually? The definition of the word podcast has been changing over the past few years. I’ve been thinking about this a lot recently, especially with platforms like Spotify and YouTube changing how we listen and what podcast means. Video podcasts, for example, are everywhere now...

Imagine learning to drive… joining classes, talking to driving instructors, and taking theory exams in a foreign language. That’s exactly what I just did. Two weeks ago, I passed my Japanese driving test! It wasn’t easy. I went from knowing almost nothing about Japanese road signs, traffic rules, or driving terminology to passing both my provisional and main license written tests on the first try....

In today’s episode, I am going to talk about a very interesting political topic: gerrymandering. Gerrymandering is when politicians create voting districts in a way that gives one political party an advantage over the others. This topic is incredibly relevant right now, and constantly in the news in the USA. This year, Texas and some other US states have decided to redraw their congressional maps....

Try Lingoda with code 20THINKING for 20€ off. ⁠ https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust Today, we’re diving into the fascinating life of Marie Skłodowska Curie. Was she the greatest scientist ever? Well… maybe! She was the first woman to win a Nobel Prize, the only person to win Nobel Prizes in two different scientific fields, and a true pioneer in the study of radioactivity. In this episode, we’ll...

Try Lingoda with code 20THINKING for 20€ off. https://try.lingoda.com/ThinkingAugust In recent weeks the United Nations Security Council has met to discuss Israel’s planned military expansion in Gaza, to reject the creation of a rival government in Sudan, and hear reports of conflicts in Yemen, Syria, and at the Thailand/Cambodia border. The Security Council is a powerful, yet controversial, organ...

Which city has been the capital of three different empires? Which city is located on two continents at the same time? And which city has been known throughout history by three very different names, including Byzantium and Constantinople? The answer, of course, is Istanbul. Today, we’re going to explore the fascinating history of this city. For over 2,500 years, Istanbul has stood at the crossroads...

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! What makes something the same object over time, even if all of its parts are replaced? This might sound like a strange question, but it’s one of the oldest and most interesting puzzles in philosophy. And we still ask similar questions all the time: about identity, technology, artificia...

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! What does it really take to become an expert English speaker? How do some people reach such a high level of fluency, while others seem to struggle for years without much progress? Is it talent? Luck? Or something else? Recently, I rewatched a fascinating video from one of my favourite Yo...

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ ⁠https://nordvpn.com/think85⁠ Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! Today we are going to look at an interesting and often controversial idea: Universal Basic Income, or UBI for short. Let me ask you a question: What if the government gave everyone free money, no strings attached? No matter who you are, where you work, or how much you earn; just regular...

EXCLUSIVE NordVPN Deal ➼ https://nordvpn.com/think85 Try it risk-free now with a 30-day money-back guarantee! You’re studying every day… but you feel stuck. You forget vocabulary. You hesitate to speak. And you start to wonder… “Why am I even doing this?” If this sounds familiar, you’re not alone. Many English learners experience frustration, boredom, or burnout at some point on their journey. But...