I’m Matt, an English teacher from the UK, and for the last 10+ years I’ve been travelling the world teaching English. Now I’m sharing my travel stories and turning them into a English learning materials for you. Practice your listening skills and learn new vocabulary / idioms / phrasal verbs / grammar points and more with each episode.
It's time to take a look back at 2023! What a great year! In this episode I choose my favourite destinations that I travelled to in 2023 in the following categories: 1. Best nature 2. Best cities 3. Best food 4. Best holiday destination 5. Most liveable We learn lots of nice English phrases along the way, including some new year-related stuff. Enjoy, and happy new year!
It's Christmas time, so I'm heading home to the UK to spend it with my family and friends. In today's episode I talk about how British people spend Christmas these days. We learn lots of Christmas-related English vocabulary and phrases, and also get a nice insight into one of the UK's most important cultural events. Enjoy, and merry Christmas!
Learn how to describe food in real-life, modern English as I talk you through the best food I ate while 'digital nomadding' as an online English teacher in Florence, Italy.
So after 2 weeks travelling the tropical paradise of Sri Lanka, it was back to Europe, and the next destination was Florence, Italy. Let's just say that if Sri Lanka was the high point of my year, Florence was the low point! I spent two months in this city, and for much of it I was 'down in the dumps'. In this episode, I teach you the meaning of this phrase and loads more English slang, phrases, and idioms that we can use to describe NEGATIVE things, particularly negative thoughts and emotions. In today's episode we welcome Solomon, my former student and high-level English speaker, as a guest! I tell Solomon about my time in Florence and test him on the new vocabulary and phrases I use. I think it's a great way to learn and I hope it makes the podcast more fun, and the new target language even clearer. Let me know what you think! Enjoy!
Our final episode on Sri Lanka, and to be honest, I didn't have much of a plan for this episode! The result was that I spoke at my natural speed, using ADVANCED LEVEL English vocabulary and phrases. This episode is a real test of your English listening skills. If you can listen all the way to the end and understand most of it, well done, you can be sure that you're AT LEAST at the upper-intermediate level! There's loads of nice new vocabulary to learn too, give it a try, and enjoy it!
Earlier this year I went on safari in Sri Lanka's Yala National Park. Today I'm telling you the story, and for each animal I saw, I'm going to teach you an ENGLISH IDIOM, PHRASE or PIECE OF SLANG related to that animal. Also, shout out to Ariya Tissa Guesthouse in Tissamaharama where we had one of the nicest stays of our trip. I highly recommend staying there if you're heading to Yala. Here's our word list: cheeky monkey brass monkeys mongoose a snake deer in the headlights the elephant in the room take the bull by the horns a bull in a china shop crocodile tears a leopard never changes its spots to make a beeline Enjoy!
I'm feeling really POSITIVE today! Earlier this year I backpacked around Sri Lanka and absolutely fell in love with the country and its people! In this episode I teach some really nice POSITIVE English vocabulary, phrases and idioms that are used by native speakers (particularly British people)! We're learning how to describe people, places, and things in a positive way. It's one of my favourite episodes so far! It's the first of 3 Sri Lanka episodes, and I'm sharing my stories from the South of Sri Lanka, which is a tropical paradise full of beaches and nature. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed recording it.
I turned 30 this year, but I'm still IN MY PRIME! Learn English phrases like this related to birthdays and age in this week's episode! We also look at different ways to wish someone 'happy birthday' in formal, modern, and 'text' English. We start by talking about attitudes to turning 30 in the UK, then I tell the story of my 30th birthday in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, which didn't go to plan! We finish by talking about how I took the positives out of the situation, and how you can do the same when it comes to learning English!
Sometimes when we travel we get ourselves into STICKY SITUATIONS. This week I'm telling the story of when I got myself in a VERY sticky situation the first time I visited Vietnam! This is an English lesson too, of course! So today I'm using, and teaching, lots of STRONG adjectives, so that you don't have to always use 'very'. It's a really useful one if you're trying to expand your vocabulary, and particularly if you're taking IELTS soon, where synonyms are so important. Enjoy! And remember to check out eng-tu.com for more English learning materials and to book a class with me!
This week we learn new English PHRASAL VERBS and UPPER-INTERMEDIATE to ADVANCED VOCABULARY as I tell you about the weekend trips I took in Vietnam. We'e trying something a little different this week! Instead of having 2 parts (1 for the story and 1 for the teaching), I teach you our target vocabulary directly when I use it. I speak much more naturally in this episode, and use my 'teacher voice' a lot less, so it will really test your listening skills, but I hope it makes the podcast more listenable and enjoyable. Enjoy, and remember to message me if you have any question about this week's target language!
Moving on to Vietnam and 10 new British slang phrases to learn in today's episode! Episode word list: mental get your bearings knackered pavement get into it fill your boots rip you off pop on bum in the middle of nowhere Enjoy! Thanks again to my student Valerio who produced the new intro music on the podcast! Check out his music studio on instagram at: @_eulaliaproject_
Something different in today's episode! We don't have any target vocabulary or grammar. Instead, in Part 1, while I'm speaking about Taiwan as a digital nomad destination, I make 10 grammar mistakes that I often students make in my classes. As you listen, test your English grammar and listening skills by trying to identify my mistakes. In Part 2, we go back and look at those mistakes together, and I explain how we can correct them. Listen carefully, this is a difficult one! Head to www.eng-tu.com to become and Eng-Tu member and unlock access to: - Interactive podcasts with video and subtitles - Eng-Tu travel blog English lessons (improve you reading skills) - Interactive exercises to test yourself on the podcast / blog content
Fishing is one of my biggest passions, so I really enjoyed telling this story when I went fishing in Taiwan for the fish of my dreams! As I tell the story I use a lot of fishing VOCABULARY and fish-related IDIOMS. In part 2 we learn how to use these! Even if you're not interested in fishing there's some good vocabulary to learn in today's episode! Episode word list: Fishing vocabulary: rod / reel / spot / bait / lure / hook / cast (out) / reel (in) / line Fish-related idioms: be hooked on / a different kettle of fish / a fish out of water
Today we welcome Cindy, an English teacher and surf-skate coach (check out the episode to learn more about this!) who's been living and teaching in Taiwan for many years. You can find Cindy on Instagram at: ciiindyenglish and cindysurfsk8 Continuing our recent theme of Taiwan on the podcast, we talk about what makes Taiwan great, including the incredible nature that maybe not so many people know about before visiting Taiwan! Cindy talks about the difficulties that Taiwanese English learners face, mainly that the school system is designed around passing tests and doesn't focus on learning real-life English. We talk about how students in Taiwan and around the world can overcome these issues by getting more natural English practice. As always with our guest chats, we finish off with a challenge where we race each other to see who can name 10 Taiwanese foods the fastest. It was great fun so make sure you stick around to the end! You can access an interactive version of today's episode with highlighted words and subtitles by becoming an Eng-Tu member at www.eng-tu.com Thanks for listening!
In today's episode I talk about one of my favourite topics: food! Not only food, but TAIWANESE food. We focus on how to describe food in REAL-LIFE, MODERN BRITISH ENGLISH. Do you know how to use words like 'stunning' or 'pretty' to describe food? If not, make sure you listen to this episode! Episode Word List: Adverbs: ridiculously / slightly / pretty / insanely Adjectives: stunning / sensational / satisfying / gorgeous Others: the G.O.A.T / elite / never miss / spot on / a bit of me Become an ENG-TU member for £1.99 per month to unlock more learning materials: - Interactive podcasts (subtitles, key word search) - Blog lessons (Read the content in written form with pictures) - Interactive exercises (Test yourself on the new language) Head to www.eng-tu.com
Taipei, the capital of Taiwan, is one of my favourite cities in the world. In Part 1 of today's episode I discuss what I love about 'my second home'. I use lots of ENGLISH LINKING AND TRANSITION WORDS. In Part 2 of today's episode, we study these linking and transition words and learn how to use them naturally. Word List: although as though however furthermore due to alternatively therefore moreover
Natasha is an advanced level English learner and teacher from Ukraine, and she's also one of my students! She joined me for our first guest chat episode and it was a lot of fun! In this episode we talk about: Life in Ukraine and Natasha's hometown How people learn English in Ukraine and the difficulties they have How to take a conscious approach to using books, movies, podcasts etc. to improve your English How Natasha reached the advanced level How the war in Ukraine has changed the need/desire to learn English We finish with a really fun teacher challenge where Natasha explains 3 new Ukrainian phrases / idioms that have developed since the start of the war, and I have to guess the English meaning. Make sure you listen to the end!
Our second and final day in Iceland chasing the northern lights for our Grandpa. Did we achieve his dream? I use the PAST PERFECT and PAST PERFECT CONTINUOUS TENSES as I tell the story In part 2 we review these tenses and look at when to use them! Study today's content with the blog lesson and interactive exercises at: https://www.eng-tu.com
My brother and I took our grandpa, Grandpa Alan, to Iceland to try to achieve his dream of seeing the northern lights. Here's what happened on Day One. As I tell the story I use the PAST PERFECT TENSE very often. In part 2, we review this tense and I explain why I used it. Study today's content with the blog lesson and interactive exercises at: https://www.eng-tu.com
Last year, my Grandpa Alan told me about a travel dream he'd had since he was little. Could I help him achieve it? I tell the story using British English idioms and slang in a natural way. In part 2, I teach you the meaning and how to use them! Word List: go out the window the tables turn no-nonsense, straight-talking sense of humour get up to took me by surprise lad think over see the cogs turning worry your head off a pain cut a long story short Study today's content with the blog lesson and interactive exercises at: https://www.eng-tu.com
Living the digital nomad lifestyle isn't always a dream! In part 1 of today's episode I discuss the highs and lows of my three months living as a digital nomad in Mallorca. Listen carefully as I use 12 upper-intermediate - advanced English phrasal verbs in context. In part 2 we go back through the recording together and learn how to use these difficult phrasal verbs. Word list: draw in move out play out touch down come across come down chill out put off take away end up turn out keep up Test yourself on these phrasal verbs with interactive exercises at: www.eng-tu.comhttps://www.eng-tu.com
It's time to get into the travelling! In the first part of this episode I discuss three things I love about the Spanish Mediterranean island of Mallorca, my first destination on my journey as a full time digital nomad. In part 2 I go back through the recording and teach some upper intermediate and advanced vocabulary, so be sure to stick around to test your English. This is a difficult one! Test yourself on this episode's vocabulary with the interactive exercises at: www.eng-tu.com
In the second episode we test our English listening skills by exploring the most important considerations when choosing a travel destination as a digital nomad. We learn some difficult vocabulary related to travellers and travelling. Test yourself on this episode's new vocabulary with interactive exercises at www.eng-tu.com
Welcome to the Eng-Tu English podcast with me, Matt, an online English tutor from the UK. Follow me as I travel the world while working as a digital nomad, and improve your English along the way! In the first episode I explain how I became a digital nomad, and teach some useful vocabulary. Here's how the podcast works, and how you can use it to improve your English. The podcast is split into two parts: 1. Part one - The recording. Practice your listening skills as I discuss this week's topic / story from my travels. Test your understanding by answering the pre-listening question I set at the start. For extra points, listen for details such as specific vocabulary / grammar points that I set! 2. Part two - Learning. We review parts of the recording together as I teach and explain new words / idioms / phrasal verbs / grammar points etc. The Eng-Tu English travel blog - To become a better all-round English speaker, the podcast should be used together with the Eng-Tu English travel blog! The blog gives you the opportunity to practice your reading skills and take a longer look at the topic. You can also test your new English knowledge by becoming an Eng-Tu member and trying the interactive exercises, designed to ensure you remember the new learning points and can put them into use in the real world! Head over to www.eng-tu.com to check it out.