Expect some anecdotes about embarrassing and humiliating experiences on stage, and “dying on your arse”. Intro & outtro transcripts available + bonus audio in the LEP app. Andy Johnson Returns (Part 1) Moving House / London vs Canterbury / English Teaching –Chatting to friend of the podcast Andy Johnson about moving house, comparisons between London and Canterbury and different approaches to teaching English. Unexpected Road Trip (with James) – James and Luke go on an accidental road trip in the south-west of England and record a rambling podcast, while slowly going a bit mad.
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Words of the Year (with Amber) – Amber joins me for a discussion of some words which reflect various cultural movements of the last 12 months or more. Learn some trending words and listen to discussions of topics such as the influence of online content on mental health, the Oasis concert ticket scandal, an exploration of the ‘lore’ of LEP, romantic fantasy books, the rise of AI and more. Includes a PDF with my episode notes and vocabulary lists. The Best English Expressions are from Shakespeare ✍️ Learn English Vocabulary – Hello! In this episode I focus on English expressions and idioms that originated in the works of William Shakespeare and are still used in modern everyday language.
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Ian is now a bestselling author and his books are being adapted for television. Ian talks about ending his stand-up career, being the terrible host of a guesthouse in the French countryside, writing books on trains, and why his COVID lockdown was actually great. Terrible Traffic Jams & Self-Driving Cars (Topic & Vocabulary) – This episode is all about the exciting topic of driving, getting stuck in traffic jams, the future of our roads and how self-driving cars might be the solution 🚗. What is so annoying about traffic jams? Why do they even happen in the first place? Have you seen your first self-driving car yet?
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Weird Google Questions, Answered (Topics + Vocabulary) – 😿 This episode is about the bizarre and funny questions that people input into Google. I explore and answer some of these questions, explaining some vocabulary. The result is an engaging and intellectually light-hearted discussion involving the usual mix of rambling, and English teaching. The Man Who Could Work Miracles ✨ (Learn English with a Short Story) – Learn English with a short story on LEP.
- So this is an episode all about cross-cultural experiences, specifically relating to parenthood.
- PARIS STORIES with Amber Minogue – Amber returns to the podcast to tell us some grisly stories about the history of Paris.
- Listen to this episode to hear all about it.
- Coping with Isolation / Describing Feelings and Emotions – Vocabulary & Experiences – A vocabulary episode with lots of phrases for describing the experience of living in self-isolation.
- Transcript and text video available.
- Marie Connolly Returns (+ 2 songs) – Talking to author Marie Connolly about her new books for children, plus a story about how Jerry Seinfeld came to one of our comedy shows, with two songs on guitar at the end.
- Are native English speakers bad communicators?
- Thanks to my Mum & Dad for their contribution to this episode.
- The Simulation 💻 ✨(Learn English with a Short Story) – Learn English with a short story.
Find out in this episode which covers over 60 items of vocabulary for describing animals, their body parts, habitats and behaviour. I am joined by my daughter for a quiz and chat about different kinds of animals. PDF available with quiz questions, vocabulary review & more. I couldn’t resist putting this in as this post was already massively bumped by some ‘tard, but after nearly 5 years from the original post, not one Aristocrat machine has actually been preserved (i.e. boards collected and ROMs etc. dumped). In Victoria (Australia), all machines (not just Aristocrat – Konami, Atronic, Bally, VLC/Powerhouse, IGT, Stargames/WMS…) before 2002 have been banned for use in gaming venues.
- The Collins Words of the Year (Part 6) 2018 with Amber Minogue – The final part of this series about trending words and issues in 2018, this time with friend of the podcast Amber Minogue.
- FUNNY RUSSIAN CITIZENSHIP TEST with Amber & Paul – Can Luke, Amber & Paul pass this funny Russian citizenship test which was written and sent in by a Russian LEPster?
- PDF transcript available.
- A Rambling Chat with Martin Aaron – Martin Aaron is an old friend of mine from the days when I taught English in London.
- Real money aristocrat slots uk to make the best use of this exclusive feature, one of the most main indicators was honesty of clubs` administration in withdrawing of winnings.
- The Murder Mile True Crime Podcast (with Moz) More Creepy Stories of Murders in London – My friend Moz, who runs a murder-themed tour company in London, is back on the podcast to talk about some more creepy stories of crimes from London’s history and his new podcast.
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Martin and Dan are lifelong friends. They know each other very well but they spend a lot of their time bickering and getting at each other. What’s going on in this friendship? Do they really like each other or not? Let’s find out in this episode and you can learn lots of vocabulary while we’re doing it.
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This is a story about people-watching and what you can notice about people’s relationships if you are observant enough. Aepyornis Island by HG Wells (Learn English with a Short Story) – Learn English with another short story. I’ll read the entire story to you, and then go through the text again explaining and clarifying the main events and plenty of vocabulary. This is a wonderful adventure story written by HG Wells, a very influential and imaginative English writer from the late 19th century.
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Do you remember…? With Mum, Dad & James / Family Stories with The Thompsons – Chatting to my family about some old anecdotes and stories from the past. Listen for some enjoyable chat, memories, descriptions and tales from days gone by.
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WORLD NEWS QUIZ 2023 Part 2 (with Stephen from SEND7 Podcast) – 2/2 Stephen from the Simple English News Daily podcast asks me questions about news events from this year. This is part 2 of a 2-part episode. Welcome Back / Your English in 2024 with LEP – A new year episode to welcome you back to my podcast, to encourage you to reflect on your learning of English over the last 12 months, to consider your English learning in 2024 and how this podcast can help you.
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We also discuss the wonders of fish & chips and deep fried Mars bars which you can buy on the streets of Edinburgh. PDF available. FUNNY ENGLISH SIGNS 🪧 Explained (Part 1) – Let’s look at some funny examples of badly-worded signs from around the world (including UK & USA), which show the ambiguity and unintended consequences of unclear English. I analyse lots of signs, explaining the errors and offering improved versions, using them as teaching moments to illustrate grammatical and vocabulary points. The episode also features vocabulary explanations and corrections. FUNNY ENGLISH SIGNS 🪧 Explained (Part 2) – (Part 2 of 2) Let’s continue where we stopped in the last episode, by going through the rest of my list of funny English signs 🪧 from around the world.
Fears for two children who vanished four days ago
- Is it just about having the right accent, or speaking with no errors?
- Website content Luke’s Criminal Past (ZEP Episode 185) – Learn some crime-related idioms and find out some things about Luke’s back-story that may or may not be true.
- Notes & script available.
- Listen to learn 20 words and phrases which native English speakers often get wrong.
It covers all the World Cups we’ve had since 1930, focusing on the key events with a few dodgy jokes along the way. You can read 99% of the transcript on the page for this episode. ODD NEWS STORIES (with Mum & Dad) – Discussing some strange and funny news stories with my parents. Thanks to my Mum & Dad for their contribution to this episode. Transcripts, news stories and notes available.
Video version also available on YouTube. Emergency Questions (with James) – Listen to Luke and James talking about various aristocrat pokies topics as we answer questions from the book “Emergency Questions” by comedian Richard Herring. Text video and full transcript available. Lucky Dip with Paul Taylor – More random questions, talking points, accent challenges and “guess the idiom” with pod-pal Paul Taylor.
What British People Say vs What They Mean – Examining British communication style and debunking a few myths about how British people communicate. This episode is based on a famous infographic called “What British People Say vs What They Really Mean” or “The Anglo-EU Translation Guide”. It contains lots of thoughts about how direct and indirect cultures communicate with each other, and some samples of business English, with a few improvised scenarios too! Raphael Miller’s Summer School Report – Raphael Miller (previously heard in episode 522) is back on the podcast to tell us about his experience of running a summer school for international teenagers in Liverpool. UK vs US Slang Game (with Jennifer from English Across the Pond) – In this episode I’m joined by Jennifer – a podcaster from the USA, and we test each other on our knowledge of slang from our countries.
The Existential Threat of AI to Human Civilisation (Topic & Vocabulary) – This episode explores the important topic of AI and human civilisation, and teaches plenty of vocabulary on the subject. I analyse an interview with an AI expert and explore many words and phrases for talking about this subject. This includes discussion of the potential pros and cons of AI, how it will impact the job market, global security and economics, and what could happen if (and when) AI exceeds human intelligence. Check the episode PDF for a transcript and detailed vocabulary list.
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Video version available (just the conversation). The Surprising Power of Reading Aloud (Article) – Reading out loud can have lots of surprising benefits for our memory and our mental health. How can it also help with your English? In this episode I read an article to you, help you understand it and give comments on the importance of reading, both quietly in your head, and out loud.
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The Mystery of Lord Lucan (with Alastair Budge) – Talking about the story of Lord Lucan, the British aristocrat who disappeared in 1974 after the murder of his nanny and attempted murder of his wife. Lord Lucan is an infamous name in Britain, and the story of his disappearance is a compelling glimpse into a life of privilege, high-stakes gambling, and unresolved mystery. I am joined by Alastair Budge, who covered this story for one of his podcast episodes, and we discuss it in detail. Dysfluent 🤐 (Learn English with an Interactive Story) – “Dysfluent” is a piece of interactive fiction, all about communication.
Listen to Andy and Ben talking about their experiences of becoming parents, how their babies were born and more. Vocabulary is explained in the second half of the episode. Vocabulary list available.
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Ask Me Anything / Hang Out With Luke (AUDIO VERSION) – Listen to the audio version of the recent LEP Live Stream on YouTube including an audience Q&A, learning English tips, some crap ‘Dad Jokes’ and 3 songs on the guitar. Aussie English with Pete Smissen – A conversation with genuine Aussie Pete Smissen, about differences and similarities between the UK and Australia, cultural and historical details, language similarities, and more. Check YouTube for the video version. Urban vs Rural / Living Abroad / Cultural Differences (with Cara Leopold) – A conversation with Cara Leopold about the differences between life in Paris and life in provincial France, plus how it feels to live abroad away from your home country.
The Collins Words of the Year (Part 6) 2018 with Amber Minogue – The final part of this series about trending words and issues in 2018, this time with friend of the podcast Amber Minogue. Join us as we talk about jogging, picking up litter, bird watching, VAR & football, veganism, ethnic diversity in Hollywood and more. (Part 1) Understanding Posh People and Posh Accents – Everything you always wanted to know about posh people, but were afraid to ask. This episode is all about poshness in people, posh accents and what it really means to be posh. Quick Hello / OPP / Living Through Comedy / Somewhere Else Dreamin’ – Just a quick “hello” to let you know about some other things you could listen to this month, including my appearances on some other people’s podcasts. London Native Speaker Interviews REVISITED Part 2 – Listening to the audio from another old YouTube video of mine, and then exploring it for new vocabulary and English learning opportunities.
RECENT PODCAST EPISODES
A conversation with Joe Dale (modern foreign language teaching consultant, EdTech guru) about the use of ChatGPT in English teaching and learning. Lots of recommendations, tips and tricks for saving time and combining ChatGPT with other software including Google Chrome extensions. My brother’s new album is out now / Music Chat with James – Here’s a bonus episode, and it’s for fans of my brother’s music. James’ new album is out now and so we decided to record this episode in order to promote it and also to talk generally about music, including a chat about favourite albums, first albums we ever bought, albums we discovered in our parents’ record collection and more. The Lying Game #9 with Amber & Paul (with Vocabulary Explanations) – The return of the lying game on LEP!
English in International Diplomacy – In international diplomacy, “communication is everything”. This is the main point of this conversation, in which I talk to my friend who works for the UK delegation at UNESCO in Paris.
The story is full of vivid descriptive language, action, adventure and extraordinary moments. I hope it captures your imagination and lets the English come alive in memorable ways. “A Year on the Fosse” by Rick Thompson (English History & Wildlife) Dad’s New Book 📕 Out Now – A conversation with my dad about his new book, which is about the history and wildlife of a famous Roman road which passes right through the heart of England.