Culips Everyday English Podcast

Have we got a treat for you! Andrew goes to his mother’s hometown in Scotland and interviews his cousin, Sarah. They talk about language, rural life, the Scottish weather, and vintage cars. We’re sure you’ll enjoy listening to Sarah’s stories … And her great Scottish accent! Fun facts Edinburgh, Scotland, hosts the world’s largest arts festival. It’s called the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, but most people called it simply The Fringe. Expressions included in the study guide * Nothing wrong with that * Fringe * Paternal * In [one’s] blood * Right from the word go * Vintage Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode, visit culips.com. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Suzanne and Andrew share a great English pronunciation lesson about how to pronounce and hear the differences between some difficult minimal pairs. If you struggle to pronounce or hear English vowels, you won’t want to miss this episode!! Note The audio for the practice exercises is included at the end of the ad-free version of this episode. To download this file, please visit the Culips Dashboard by logging in to your account or clicking the mobile version of the STUDYU GUIDE above. Material included in the study guide * Transcript * Practice exercises * Bonus audio download   Note: Download the study guide for this episode on culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Let It Go by Scott Dugdale

Have you ever lived in a place with noisy neighbours? It can be quite annoying when you’re trying to enjoy the peace and quiet of your own home, right? In today’s Simplified Speech episode, which was requested by a listener, Andrew and Suzanne talk about their experiences with their own pesky, noisy neighbours. For more information on this episode, visit culips.com

Neither? Either? Me too? Agreeing with someone in English can be complicated, especially when you add negatives, positives, and different verb tenses. To help you out, Andrew and Suzanne discuss ways of agreeing like a native speaker. Fun facts During this episode, our hosts mention a space movie. Even though we might think Star Wars and other space movies are a recent phenomenon, they have been around for more than 100 years. In fact, A Trip to the Moon by Georges Méliès was made in 1902. Expressions included in the study guide * Neither do I * So am I * To be starving * Rapid-fire * In forever * Don’t be afraid to Copyright: Culips Note: The best way to study with this episode is with our study guide. And you’ll get the transcript, some detailed vocabulary explanations of the key vocabulary from today’s lesson, real-life usage examples, a comprehension quiz, and even more in this study guide. So if you would like to download that, just visit our website, Culips.com. You can sign up and become a Culips member and then get unlimited access to all of the study guides in our library. It’s an awesome resource and we make it just for you guys, so please check it out. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar, Swing Theory by Freedom Trail Studio

Have you ever been in a traffic accident? In this listener-suggested episode, Andrew and Morag talk about traffic accidents that commonly occur in Canada and around the globe. Fun facts The Canadian Transportation Safety Board estimates that Canada has an average of 160,000 traffic accidents per year. Annually, 20% of these accidents are due to driver misconduct, such as speeding, failure to stop, or failure to use a turn signal. Over 50% of traffic accident fatalities occur because drivers continue to drive even when under the influence of alcohol. Expressions included in the study guide * To be all ears * Black ice * -ish * Rules of the road * To freak [someone] out * Drunk driving Copyright: Culips.com Learn more about this episode, visit https://esl.culips.com/2019/09/simplified-speech-066-traffic-accidents/ The best way to study with this episode is to become a member at Culips.com a and download the study guide for this episode. The study guide is going to have lots of great information and exercises. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

In this interesting Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Kassy answer a Culips listener’s questions about high school life in Canada and the United States. How was high school different for you? Listen and find out! Fun facts Boston Latin, in Boston, Massachusetts, is the oldest high school in the United States. It was founded in 1635! Over the years, it has had five different sites. The school moved to its current site in 1922. Expressions included in the study guide * Mandatory * Bright * A tradesperson * Demanding * A meet * No comment Note: To get the most out of studying with Culips, we recommend that you sign up and become a Culips member. Now, membership gets you unlimited access to our study guide library, which includes the study guide for this episode plus all of our other ones and you’ll also get exclusive access to other goodies, like our members-only series called the Fluency Files Copyright: Culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Recently, there have been quite a few posts popping up on social media about the new live-action Little Mermaid movie set to release sometime in the next few years. This movie is getting a lot of media coverage due to Disney’s decision to cast 19-year-old Halle Bailey as the main character, Ariel. Listen to Andrew and Kassy discuss the issue in this week’s episode of Simplified Speech. Fun facts The Little Mermaid movie made by Disney is roughly based on the Danish fairy tale written by Hans Christian Andersen. The Little Mermaid was an amazing success and kicked off the renaissance of Disney’s children’s films, with successful movies such as Aladdin, Mulan, and Beauty and the Beast quickly following. Expressions included in the study guide * On the right page/same page * Bubbly * Zero problem * To get one’s nose bent out of shape * Hater * To cross one’s fingers Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode and how we can help you improve your English, visit culips.com. Become a member and download the study guide for this episode.  The study guide is going to have lots of great information and exercises. So check that out. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Long-time Culips host Suzanne is visited by her mom, Emily! Her mother is such an interesting person. In this Chatterbox episode, they talk about her career as a nurse, her travels in Montreal, and her future travel plans to Aruba! Fun facts Do you know anyone who always thinks they are sick? There’s an English word for that person: a hypochondriac. That is someone who thinks they have all kinds of illnesses, even when they don’t. I hope that’s not you! Expressions included in the study guide * For the most part * A clinic * Chronic * Critical * Heartwarming * A rescue animal Copyright: Culips.com For more information about this episode and how we can help you improve your English, visit culips.com. Become a member and download the study guide for this episode. Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Summertime! Every year when summer rolls around, people get excited about the warm weather and, of course, all the good foods to eat during the season. Find out what kind of summer foods our hosts Andrew and Kassy enjoy the most in this Simplified Speech episode. Fun facts In this episode, Andrew mentions very expensive Japanese grapes that go for over $100 each. He wasn’t kidding! In July 2019, a bunch of about 30 Ruby Roman grapes sold at an auction for $10,900. That comes out to about $360 per grape! Expressions included in the study guide * To be famous for [something] * Don’t quote me on that * It’s a [place] thing * Homework * Astronomical * Ultra Note: Download the study guide for this episode on culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Imagine being fluent in two or three languages—that would be great! But some people can speak five, ten, twenty languages! Those people are called polyglots. In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew speaks with polyglot YouTuber Lindie Botes about language and the best techniques to learn many of them. Fun facts Ziad Fazah is recognized as the man who speaks the most languages in the world. He claims to be able to speak 59 languages, although not everyone believes he is fluent in all 59. Regardless, that’s an impressive title to have! Expressions included in the study guide * A polyglot * A community * Conversational * A bit * Collecting dust * Quality over quantity Note: Download the study guide for this episode on culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Have you ever watched a really bad movie and been at a loss for words on how to describe just how terrible it was? If so, look no further! In today’s Real Talk episode, Andrew and Jeremy give some useful words and phrases to talk about movies that just aren’t your thing. Fun facts The original title of the classic American film Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was The Sundance Kid and Butch Cassidy. The names were reversed when Paul Newman, who was one of the biggest movie stars in the world at the time, took the role of Butch. Expressions included in the study guide * Letdown * Bummer * Snoozefest * To drag on * Off-putting * To pass on [something] Note: Download the study guide for this episode on culips.com Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar

Are you in the market for a new car, motorcycle, lawnmower, or the like? In today’s Catch Word episode, Andrew and Jeremy introduce you to some words related to machines. Fun facts The first gas-powered motorcycle was invented in Germany in 1885. It had a wooden frame and a gas engine attached to it. However, it was extremely uncomfortable to ride, due to its low-tech tires. Expressions included in the study guide * Bad boy * Sucker * Manly * A spin * To ooze [something] * Wacky Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Note: For more information on this episode and other English lessons, visit culips.com

When you think of Canada, what comes to mind? How about when you think of America? In this fun episode of Chatterbox, Andrew and Kassy talk about common stereotypes in Canada and America: the good, the bad, and the ugly. Fun facts Stereotypes exist in every country and in every part of society. Even by age 5, children can recognize and form opinions around stereotypes related to gender, ethnicity, and other social groups. However, stereotypes are always changing, evolving, or disappearing, thanks to education and shared experiences. Expressions included in the study guide * Stereotype * Twang * To be like a religion * To get one’s fix * Gnarly * Black sheep * To get on one’s high horse Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Photo: Luke Stackpoole (Unsplash.com)

Game shows can be exciting. They can be informative. But, since the invention of the television, they are most of all consistently popular. In this Chatterbox episode, Andrew and Morag talk about popular game shows in North America and who really watches them. Give it a listen! Fun facts In this episode, our hosts talk about Bob Barker, who used to be the host of a game show called The Price Is Right. He hosted the show for 35 years! He eventually retired at the age of 83. That’s doing a good job! Expressions included in the study guide * To take a crack at [something] * Dumb luck * To spay/to neuter * Surface * A foil * Outrageous Credit: Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Photo: dylan nolte (Unsplash.com)

What do birthdays mean to you? Getting one year older? Eating cake and ice cream? Making birthday wishes? In this Simplified Speech episode, Andrew and Jeremy chat about birthday traditions. Fun facts There are some funny birthday traditions around the world. For example, in Germany, if you are still single at the time of your 30th birthday, your friends will force you to sweep dirty stairs in a public place while potential soul mates walk by. Meanwhile, in Jamaica, people throw flour on you to celebrate your day of birth. Expressions included in the study guide * Happy belated birthday * To have a hunch * Birthday boy/girl * Make a wish * Dream come true * It’s on me Credit: Happy Birthday Mambo by E’s Jammy Jams, Something Elated by Broke For Free, Step On by Jahzzar Photo: Lidya Nada (Unsplash.com)