Language Learning

An interview with Lindsay McMahon from All Ears English.

We discuss why learners should focus on "connection, not perfection", why this can be difficult for people, and Lindsay gives three practical tips on what you can do about this.

Learn how to actually use podcasts to improve your English listening, vocabulary, speaking, and even writing.

This is a special episode packed full of tips & tricks to help you use podcasts in a more effective way.

There is a lot about the English language that makes very little sense at all.

In this episode we look at some of these illogicalities, paying close attention to homonyms, homographs, homophones, and even something called lonely negatives.

The Prime Minister of the UK has a unique way of using language, which shows his privileged upbringing and elite education.

Learn about how he uses language, why he talks in this way, why this appeals to the British people, and what similarities he has with Donald Trump.

The President of The United States of America uses a kind of English you won't find in a textbook.

Here we take a look at how he speaks, why he speaks like he speaks, and what Donald Trump can teach you about speaking English effectively.

It's the world's most famous man-made language, and is spoken by up to 2 million people.

In this episode we take a look at the fantastic history of Esperanto, how it works, why people love it, why people fear it, and what has made it attract so many devoted followers.

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There are 7,000 languages spoken across the world.

Yet 80% of the population speaks just 1.1% of the languages, and 43% of the languages are endangered.

What happens when they die out?

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From evil spirits to the Roman army, we look at the influences that have shaped the English language.

We'll discuss some of the weirdest ones, bust some myths about the origins of words, and talk about the mystery of where words come from.

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A quick announcement of some exciting developments at Leonardo English.

New memberships, request an episode, and exclusive Q&A sessions for members.

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Every self-respecting English learner wants to improve their English pronunciation.

But how to actually do it isn't so clear.

Today we talk about the truth about pronunciation in English.

George Orwell, author of books like Animal Farm and 1984, is considered to be one of the finest writers in English.

Today, we discuss his six rules on how to write effectively.

Vocabulary is the building blocks with which language is formed. But there are a lot of myths around the best way to learn vocabulary.

Today we'll bust some of the most common myths, talk about some techniques you can use to build your vocabulary, and about the joy of pointless words.

A very different episode to normal.

Today it's time to ask for your help...

Curious? It's only 9 minutes long.

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It's time for Part 2 of our most common mistakes people make when learning English.

Learn about why you shouldn't worry about grammar, why 'survival' listening isn't the answer, why you don't need to go to an English-speaking country to learn English, and how to set yourself effective goals and not get disheartened.

From how to get over the fear of opening your mouth to why you shouldn't speak too fast, we go into some of the most common mistakes English learners make, and how to avoid them.

Have you always wondered how to properly use a dictionary to learn English?

Here are our top tips for how to use a dictionary to help you remember words and become a more effective English learner

Why are babies so good at language learning, and what can we learn from them to make us better English students?

Today we take a look at 5 qualities that babies have that we should all incorporate into our language learning.

Ever wondered how you can use podcasts to learn English?

This episode explains why listening to podcasts is the serious English learner's secret weapon, how it is 10x more effective than watching videos on YouTube or Netflix, and why you should start doing it today.

We'll explain some of the best techniques to maximise your learning, and give you an actionable plan on what steps you can take today to use podcasts to improve your English speaking, listening, reading and writing.

Wondering what the English Learning for Curious Minds podcast is all about, who is behind it, and whether it's for you?

Well, this should clear things up. In today's inaugural episode, we'll cover who should be listening to the podcast (hint - if you want to improve your English and learn interesting things about the way the world works, this is you), who is behind the podcast (an English avid language learner), and talk about some of the quick things you can do to get the most out of the podcast.