Best Learnenglish Podcasts (2025)

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⚖️ Emoji in the courtroom 14:12

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31m ago14:12

14:12

Enjoy this episode from the Plain English archives. Emoji are everywhere, including some unlikely places...like the courtroom. Court cases often hinge on what words mean. But what happens when a dispute involves an emoji? To decide cases or rule on motions, judges often have to decide what a 👍 or a 💓 means. To make matters worse, there's no emoji d…

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How stolen vehicles move around the world 15:54

1d ago15:54

15:54

Today's story: How do stolen cars move around the world? Easy. They're loaded into standard shipping containers and sent overseas using the same freight network that moves legal goods. Weak customs enforcement and decentralized criminal networks help keep the operation running smoothly. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/805 Full less…

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Car theft goes global 14:57

7h ago14:57

14:57

Today's story: Car theft is on the rise, and it's high tech and global. Thieves in rich countries steal luxury SUVs using relay devices and other tools, then ship them overseas to markets in Africa and the Middle East, where demand is high and oversight is weak. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/804 Full lesson: https://plainenglish.…

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Women are making inroads into officiating men’s sports 15:30

8h ago15:30

15:30

Today's story: Umpire Jen Pawol made history as the first woman to officiate a Major League Baseball game in 150 years. Her milestone highlights the growing presence of female officials in men’s sports, from soccer to basketball, and the challenges they face breaking into these roles. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/803 Full lesson…

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Italy envisions a bridge to Sicily 14:24

19h ago14:24

14:24

Today's story: Italy has approved plans for the Messina Bridge, a €13.5 billion suspension bridge linking Sicily to the mainland. If completed by 2033, it would be the world’s longest suspension bridge, but faces engineering, environmental, financial, and political challenges. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/802 Full lesson: https:…

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The era of slim clothing is over 14:05

14d ago14:05

14:05

Today's story: Skinny jeans and tight-fitting clothes are out, and loose, oversized fashion is in. The shift is driven by comfort after the pandemic, greater body inclusivity, and a wave of 1990s nostalgia. Designers and retailers alike are embracing relaxed cuts for all genders. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/801 Full lesson: htt…

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‘Coldplay couple’ in a viral nightmare 14:56

8d ago14:56

14:56

Today's story: A playful concert tradition took a serious turn when Coldplay’s “Jumbotron Song” captured an embrace between a tech CEO and his HR director. The viral video ignited a nationwide scandal, raising questions about workplace relationships and the risks of being caught on camera. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/800 Full l…

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How prescription drugs get their names [archive episode] 19:22

19d ago19:22

19:22

Xoloft, Ibrance, Zocor, Mounjaro: How do drug companies come up with these names? That's exactly what we explored in this classic episode of Plain English. When a pharmaceutical company develops a new treatment, the company creates both the generic (scientific) name and the brand name. They sound weird, but there's a method behind the madness of na…

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What it’s like to stare at a painting for a full hour [archive episode] 10:57

29d ago10:57

10:57

It can be hard to focus on one thing for an extended period of time. An art class at Harvard takes this to the extreme. All students get an assignment during the class. They have to go to a museum and look at a painting for three hours. We didn't do that...but we came close, in this classic episode of Plain English. Here's what it's like to look at…

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Egypt’s long-awaited mega-museum nears completion 13:42

1M ago13:42

13:42

Today's story: After years of delays, Cairo’s Grand Egypt Museum is finally nearing completion. The massive museum will house over 100,000 artifacts from Ancient Egypt, including more than 5,000 items from King Tut’s tomb. Although the King Tut galleries are still closed, most of the museum is open to the public — and visitors say it’s stunning. Tr…

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The poison mushroom and Australia’s sensational murder trial 14:53

30d ago14:53

14:53

Today's story: Erin Patterson invited her estranged husband’s family to lunch and served them beef wellington. But her guests soon got sick, and doctors discovered the recipe had been made with poisonous death cap mushrooms. Patterson claimed it was all a tragic mistake, but inconsistencies in her story led police to suspect murder. A jury found he…

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Cities are getting that sinking feeling 13:55

1M ago13:55

13:55

Today's story: Cities around the world are sinking due to a combination of groundwater extraction, rapid urbanization, and the weight of large buildings. This phenomenon, called subsidence, can damage infrastructure, worsen flooding, and, in some places, become irreversible. Transcript & Exercises: https://plainenglish.com/797 Full lesson: https://…

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Microsoft’s ‘Blue Screen of Death’ is going away 14:12

1M ago14:12

14:12

Today's story: For decades, white text on a full blue background has meant one thing to Windows users: the computer has crashed and needs to be restarted. The screen was splashed across display boards in public places during a massive outage in July 2024. But now, Microsoft is redesigning the screen, frowny-face and all. Transcript & Exercises: htt…

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Alberta flirts with separation from Canada 16:07

2M ago16:07

16:07

Today's story: The western province of Alberta is moving toward a vote of independence from Canada. Polls show that only about 30 percent of residents truly want to break away. However, the growing independence movement reflects the frustration and isolation that many Albertans feel over the energy and environmental policies made at the national le…

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Episode 247 Is this the end...maybe... 7:26

1M ago7:26

7:26

Thank you so much for tuning in to Emma's ESL English for three years and 246 episodes! I really appreciate all your time, clicks and the occasional daring comment. Unfortunately I have run out of time. I need to evolve my business, and this just doesn't fit in anymore, literally, not enough hours in the day. I will continue to teach English as par…

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What citizenship do you get at birth? 12:57

2M ago12:57

12:57

Today's story: 'Birthright citizenship' is the legal concept that grants citizenship to children born within a country's borders, no matter the nationality of their parents. The modern version started in the United States and quickly spread to other countries in the Americas. But the rest of the world (generally speaking) gives citizenship based on…

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The last Blockbuster [archive episode] 17:46

2M ago17:46

17:46

We recently did an episode about how movie titles are translated from their original to other languages. That made us nostalgic for the days of movie rentals, and it called to mind this classic episode of Plain English about the ""last Blockbuster." There were once over 9,000 locations of the video rental store with the eye-catching blue-and-yellow…

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Episode 246 The Tale Behind Peter Rabbit: Beatrix Potter’s Life & Legacy 8:46

1M ago8:46

8:46

📚 In this special episode of Emma’s ESL English, we’re celebrating the life and legacy of beloved British writer and illustrator Beatrix Potter—whose birthday was just yesterday!Join me in the garden (two garden's! My Grandma's and mine) as we explore:- Who Beatrix Potter was and why she’s one of my favorite British women- How she created The Tale …

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How to apologize [archive episode] 16:28

1M ago16:28

16:28

It's sometimes said that the two hardest words to say in the English language are, "I'm sorry." Today, we're republishing a classic Plain English episode about how to apologize — not how to say the words, but how to form an apology to repair a relationship after you've done something wrong. Full lesson: https://plainenglish.com/lessons/good-apologi…

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Country music is growing its mainstream appeal 13:44

2M ago13:44

13:44

Today's story: Country music has long existed in its own space, with a dedicated fanbase and distinct sound. But recent years have seen major pop stars like Beyoncé and Post Malone embrace country elements, helping the genre reach new listeners. Streaming is also opening the door for more diverse artists and fans. Transcript & Exercises: https://pl…

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Episode 245 What’s a Thingamajig? Words for When You Forget the Word! 7:09

2M ago7:09

7:09

🌼 Welcome back to Emma’s ESL English, still recording in my grandma’s garden—complete with sunshine, thunderbugs, and roses.Today we’re talking about metasyntactic variables—a fancy way of saying “words we use when we forget the word!” These are common in English, used by native speakers every day, and they’re surprisingly useful for language learn…

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'Freestyle' chess scrambles the board 14:25

2M ago14:25

14:25

Today's story: A new global chess tour is trying to make the ancient game more exciting—for both players and viewers. Spearheaded by Magnus Carlsen, the Freestyle Chess Grand Slam Tour shakes up traditional chess by randomizing the starting position of key pieces. The format reduces the advantage of computer-assisted preparation and rewards raw ski…

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Wave of needle stabbings reported in France 14:49

2M ago14:49

14:49

Today's story: Almost 150 people in France reported being stabbed with a needle during a summer music festival in 2025. It's just the latest in several waves of similar attacks around the world. Victims say they feel a sudden pinprick. Some later feel dizzy, nauseous, and tired. But few reported more serious symptoms and toxicology screens show onl…

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Episode 244 10 FREE Tools to Improve Your English Writing Instantly—Without Studying More 16:00

2M ago16:00

16:00

✏️ Struggling with writing in English? Whether you’re writing emails, essays, or presentations, I’ve got you covered. In this episode of Emma’s ESL English, filmed in my grandma’s sunny garden 🌹, I’ll show you 10 free tools that will help you write better English today—even if you’re not confident in your grammar or vocabulary yet.These tools inclu…

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Drone video shows orcas using kelp as a tool 14:21

2M ago14:21

14:21

Today's story: Orcas are the largest type of dolphin, and they're known for their intelligence. A recent study proves they are more clever than previously thought. Researchers captured video of orcas using kelp to groom each other. The behavior shows not only tool use, but also cooperation between individuals—a rare behavior for animals that live i…

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How to keep a high passenger rating 17:37

2M ago17:37

17:37

Today's story: You thought only the passengers rated the drivers? Think again: drivers rate passengers, too. And a low passenger rating might cost you. But it's not hard to earn a high passenger rating. To keep a high rating, don’t make the driver wait, be polite, avoid eating or drinking in the car, follow the rules, and don’t slam the door when y…

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Episode 243 Why Is English So Weird? Exploring More Strange Idioms 6:25

2M ago6:25

6:25

English is full of bizarre idioms that make little sense—yet we use them all the time! Remember, most British people don't study idioms at school, we just learn them by...osmosis? So we're not thinking about where they come from or how weird they sound, we just use them. Unfortunately for you as an English learner, you might need to remember them a…

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Three words to say exactly where you are 19:56

3M ago19:56

19:56

Today's story: A company called what3words has divided the world into 57 trillion squares, each three meters by three meters, and labeled each square with a unique three-word combination. This makes it easier to specify precise locations—even in parks, rural areas, or places without formal addresses. This can help when meeting friends or giving dir…