Episódios

  • 254. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
    Aug 20 2025

    Here is Part two of my popular story, Tsunami for learners of B1 English

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    23 minutos
  • 253. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
    Aug 13 2025

    I am still on holiday during August, so today I bring you a favourite of many listeners - the B1 story of Tsunami! (Part 1). Part 2 next week.

    Enjoy it and enjoy your summer!

    Mike Bilbrough


    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

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    21 minutos
  • 252. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
    Aug 6 2025

    While I'm on my summer holiday, here is a repeat of a lovely B1 story - Part 2 of "Dad". I published Part 1 last Wednesday.

    The verbs we are studying today are:
    realize
    drop
    call out
    weigh
    admire
    encourage
    dive
    appear
    breathe
    hug

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    22 minutos
  • 251. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
    Jul 30 2025

    I'm on holiday so I'm leaving you with a favourite story of mine "Dad" in 2 parts. This is a repeat of a podcast from September 2023. Next Wednesday, I'll publish part 2.

    This is part 1 of a B1-level story for learners of English, especially Cambridge English. The story is called Dad. It's about a family fishing trip in Spain. Vocabulary about the sea, boats and fishing equipment...

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    20 minutos
  • 250. Victims of Nature B2 (repeat)
    Jul 27 2025

    Comprehension questions for this B2-level story.

    (I'm on holiday at the momento so leave you with a repeat episode.) Enjoy!

    1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra?

    2) What did Gustavo mean by the comment "we're just victims of nature"?

    3) The story says, "When Alberto saw the pink clouds at dawn, he knew bad weather was on the way". What was the saying mentioned in the story which told Alberto there was going to be a storm?

    4) Why was Alberto worried when he saw the effects of the storm on the mountain?

    5) Why did the picnickers run away from the pool?

    6) Was this a true story?

    I also include the transcript.

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    27 minutos
  • 249. The Mushroom Murders (B2 English)
    Jul 17 2025

    This is about the trial in Australia that finished just last week and is popularly known as "The Mushroom Murders". Today, I'll ask the famous detective, Hércules Poirot (from Agatha Christie's novels) to explain to his exclusive audience of people involved in the crime and to us, the listeners of the podcast, what happened exactly, and who the murderer is.

    This is a B2-level podcast with focus on the third conditional. e.g.

    If I had studied more, I would have passed my Cambridge exams.

    Listen for examples of the third conditional.

    You can read the full transcript of Hércules Poirot's speech at my website:

    https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-249.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    20 minutos
  • 248. The Unexpected Visit (animal vocabulary) B2 Story
    Jul 8 2025

    This is a B2-level recording and story with vocabulary about animal sounds and movement:

    Animal words:

    warren - where rabbits live together in the ground

    roar - sound like a lion makes

    thunder - sound like large animals running past

    scream - high pitched sound that sounds angry or scared

    hop - to jump (in humans - on one leg)

    poke your head out - look out briefly from somewhere

    twitching - quick movements like a rabbits nose or ears

    crouch - when somebody or an animal moves their body down, or down flat to the ground

    beast - an animal

    whine - high pitched sound like a car engine when going fast, a dog 'crying'.

    slip back in - move quickly into a place

    hum - sound similar to that the bees make

    B2 words:

    beyond - further away than

    generation - referring to people or animals, the sons, then sons of sons etc.

    mutter - talk quietly

    unfamiliar - something you have not seen before

    tremble - shake, often with fear

    whistle - sound made with lips, often with a tune

    uneasy - a little frightened

    giggle - a laugh like a little girl's

    glance - look quickly

    to fade - sound getting quieter

    To read the Transcript of the story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-248.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    19 minutos
  • 247. Future Continuous for B1 (and B2) with story
    Jul 1 2025

    Hello, dear students!

    Future continuous for fixed events, which are expected to happen. (This is B1 grammar with interest for B2 students too!)

    will + be + verb+ing

    I'll be giving a talk at that time, but I could see you afterwards for a coffee.
    This time next week I'll be flying into paradise
    I'll be seeing you soon, then. Yes. Holidays finish next week.

    Not about making decisions but sth decided anyway
    Shall I take you into town?
    Don't bother
    No bother. I'll be going to the shops anyway.

    Polite - not to influence people's decision about plans
    Will you be staying the weekend?
    Yes, if that's OK with you.
    Of course, we'd be delighted to have you stay with us.
    Compare;
    Are you going to stay the weekend?
    (Come on! Tell me! I want to know now!)

    Note often with non-ing verbs like want.
    Will you be wanting breakfast tomorrow?
    Yes, please!

    Say what people are doing now.
    Don't call now. They'll be having lunch at this time.

    Well, the managers will be deciding who leaves and who doesn't.
    I'm just hoping I won't lose my job.

    For transcript of story, go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-247.htm

    For more help on Future Continuous, also listen to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-25.htm

    At https://www.practisingenglish.com/ I offer learners of intermediate-level English, grammar help and exercises and other English learning pages.
    https://www.practisingenglish.com/

    My latest novel for learners of B2 English is called The Tudor Conspiracy. You can see it on Amazon here: https://amzn.to/33Axu2N
    https://amzn.to/33Axu2N

    Be back soon with another podcast!
    Mike Bilbrough (Secondary school English teacher and Doctor in English philology)

    Exibir mais Exibir menos
    20 minutos