After a break I'm back with a phrasal verbs episode! In this episode I share some phrasal verbs and other interesting phrases to talk about this period of transition from the past year to the new year ahead.How was your 2023? Probably like most of us, your year had its ups and downs, its peaks and troughs. What were the highlights? And the things you’d rather forget? Get in touch with your summary of 2023 and I’ll read it out on the program, diane.spoken.native@protonmail.com (mailto:diane.spoken.native@protonmail.com)Join the community & Start Practicing 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/Yit1P Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

The second part of my conversation with my cousin Erin, who works with animals and has quite a few pets, like me. We continue talking about animal care and what kinds of pets are the best. Send your comments, episode ideas, and other feedback. Join the private community and Start Practicing English 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR (https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

A chat with my cousin Erin about working with animals and having pets! This was a long conversation and the second part will be released next week. Erin is from Northern Ireland and I'm from Scotland, and you might be able to tell my accent becomes less English and more Scottish when I speak to my family!  Start Practicing English, French, Spanish 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This time you get a snapshot of what the conversation can be like at SpeakMeeters. In this session we spoke about annoying colleagues, something that I think many people will be able to relate to! I gave corrections and added more vocabulary when I could, but I didn't correct every mistake, as this can disrupt the flow of conversation. Thanks to Pierrick and Dris for taking part! If you want to practise your English in a session like this, join us at SpeakMeeters. Start Practicing English, French, Spanish 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

Sarah and I share examples of common animal idioms. Idioms are those set phrases in a language that explain a situation with an image; they are like metaphors that work as a shortcut, and are used frequently by native speakers.  We go through some of the popular ones from English with funny examples. What are the best animal-related idioms in your language?  Start Practicing English, French, Spanish 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

As we continue with the chat I had with Nelly we talk about how SpeakMeeters got started, how Nelly has made progress with her English, and some differences between US and British English that sometimes go unnoticed. Mixed in with that there are our tips, observations and experiences about learning languages. Enjoy! Start Practicing English, French, Spanish 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR (https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR) Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This is part 1 of an interview with Nelly, who moved to France from Cote d'Ivoire as a student. She tells us what it's like to be an immigrant in France, differences between French and Ivorian culture and the use of language.  Nelly has achieved a high level of English speaking fluency, boosted significantly by regular practice at SpeakMeeters.  If you have thoughts, responses, or would like to tell your story, write us.  Join the private community and Start Practicing 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This is a solo episode where I share my advice for language learning, what I've learned about the science of learning (in general) and some practical ways to improve language learning (in particular). For episode ideas or questions you want me to cover in the podcast, email us. Join the private community and Start Practicing 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This is the second and final part of my chat with Sarah, wherein we discuss moving to Europe as British people, being English teachers, and different cultures' attitudes to speaking foreign languages, and foreigners speaking their language. Remember to go to speakmeeters.com to get speaking practice in your language of choice, and if you have feedback or ideas, or would like to collaborate please write to  diane.spoken.native@protonmail.com Join the private community and Start Practicing 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.

This week there's a listening quiz for you as you hear Sarah's story. We hear how and why she travelled from Kent to Australia to France, how she changed from wannabe lawyer to PR doyenne to entrepreneur to English teacher. Listen for the questions in the intro and check your answers at the end of the episode. Good luck! Join the private community and Start Practicing 👉 https://link.speakmeeters.com/GPpKR Hosted by Ausha. See ausha.co/privacy-policy for more information.