To Fluency Podcast: English with Jack

This English lesson helps you improve your listening skills through a heartwarming short story, “The Cafe Reunion.” Alongside enjoying the story, you’ll learn 10 phrasal verbs and three idioms used in everyday English. To make the most of this lesson, listen to the story with subtitles, then revisit it after reviewing the language analysis. Repetition is key—each time, you’ll absorb the language more deeply.RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISHAffiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluencyLearn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXwSpeaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQWriting method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgwChapters: 00:00 learn English through story 00:37 the story 05:36Language analysis 🔑 Push open: To open something, like a door, by pushing it. “Rachel pushed open the café door to step inside.” “He pushed open the door to the classroom and walked in quietly.” “I pushed open the window to let some fresh air in.”🔑 Shake off: To remove something by shaking or moving. “She shook off the rain from her umbrella.” “She shook off the sand from her shoes after the beach trip.” “It took her a while to shake off her nervousness before the speech.”🔑 Look around: To observe your surroundings or explore a place. “She looked around the café to take it all in.” “We looked around the park to find a good spot for a picnic.” “She looked around the shop but didn’t find anything she liked.”🔑 Pull out: To take something out of a bag, pocket, or container. “Rachel pulled out her notebook and phone to prepare for the interview.” “He pulled out his wallet to pay for the meal.” “She pulled out her phone to check the time.”🔑 Catch up: To reconnect and talk about what’s happened in someone’s life. “Oliver invited her to catch up on their lives.” “Let’s catch up over coffee this weekend.” “I need to catch up on the work I missed while I was sick.”🔑 Bring back: To make someone remember something or feel a certain way again. “The conversation brought back memories of university.” “That song always brings back memories of my childhood.” “Seeing her old house brought back a lot of emotions.”🔑 Speak up: To say something, especially when it’s important or difficult. “Rachel finally spoke up to ask why Oliver had disappeared.” “If you don’t agree, you should speak up during the meeting.” “She was too shy to speak up about her concerns.”🔑 Keep it together: To stay calm and composed in a stressful situation. “Oliver explained he was trying to keep it together during a tough time.” “She kept it together during the presentation even though she was nervous.” “It’s hard to keep it together when everything feels overwhelming.”🔑 Come back: To return to a place or situation. “He thought he’d come back to university, but things didn’t work out.” “I can’t wait to come back to this restaurant—it’s amazing.” “After taking a break, she decided to come back to her art classes.”🔑 Leave behind: To move on from something or let go of it. “Rachel felt like she’d left behind years of unanswered questions.” “When he moved to the city, he left behind his old life.” “Don’t leave behind your phone—it’s still on the table.”Idioms from the Story:🌟 Life’s funny like that: Used to describe unexpected or surprising events in life. “Oliver said, ‘Life’s funny like that,’ referring to their reunion.” “I bumped into my old teacher today—life’s funny like that.”🌟 For old times’ sake: Doing something to remember or celebrate the past. “Oliver brought tea and cookies for old times’ sake.” “Let’s watch that movie again for old times’ sake.”🌟 A lump in her throat: Describes feeling emotional or close to tears. “Rachel felt a lump in her throat as Oliver explained why he disappeared.” “The speech was so moving that everyone had a lump in their throat.”

In this lesson, we’re going to explore 15 phrasal verbs commonly used in everyday English. These phrasal verbs will help you improve your conversational skills and understand native speakers better. RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluency Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXwSpeaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQWriting method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgwHERE ARE THE PHRASAL VERBS FROM THE LESSON:🗨️ Catch on means to understand something, especially after some time. “She didn’t catch on at first, but now she understands perfectly.” “It took me a few lessons to catch on to the new software.”🗨️ Run out of means to use up all of something so that there’s none left. “We’ve run out of milk.” “I ran out of time to finish the report before the deadline.”🗨️ Look after means to take care of someone or something. “She looks after her younger siblings every afternoon.” “Who’s going to look after the plants while we’re on vacation?”🗨️ Turn on means to activate a device or machine. “Turn on the oven and preheat it before cooking.” “Let’s turn on the projector to start the presentation.”🗨️ Turn off is the opposite of turn on. “Please turn off the lights before you leave.” “Turn off your phone in the library.”🗨️ Pick up means to collect someone or something. “I’ll pick you up at 7:00.” “Can you pick up the kids after school?”🗨️ Drop off means to leave someone or something at a specific location. “She dropped off her son at school before going to work.” “I’ll drop you off at the bus station.”🗨️ Put on means to wear or apply something. “Put on your jacket; it’s cold outside.” “He put on some music to create a relaxing atmosphere.”🗨️ Take off means to remove something or for a plane to depart. “Take off your shoes before entering the house.” “The plane took off on time.”🗨️ Give up means to stop trying or to quit. “She gave up smoking after 10 years.” “Don’t give up just because it’s difficult.”🗨️ Make up has two meanings: to reconcile after a disagreement or to invent something. “They made up after their argument.” “He made up a funny excuse for being late.”🗨️ Call off means to cancel something. “They called off the meeting because of bad weather.” “The concert was called off due to rain.”🗨️ Carry on means to continue doing something. “She carried on working despite the noise.” “After the interruption, we carried on as usual.”🗨️ Cut down on means to reduce the amount of something. “I’m trying to cut down on sugar.” “We’re cutting down on expenses this month.”🗨️ Run into means to meet someone by chance or encounter something unexpectedly. “I ran into an old friend at the mall.” “I ran into technical issues during the meeting.”Take these phrasal verbs and practice using them in sentences. Check the description for more resources and examples. If you enjoyed this lesson, share it with a friend, and I’ll see you in the next one!

Listen to the short story The Wrong Suitcase to practice your English listening skills. This story is about Lena, who mistakenly takes the wrong suitcase after a flight to Florence. Inside, she finds a series of mysterious clues that lead her on an adventure through the city, where she ultimately reconnects with her boyfriend, Alex, in a heartwarming and unforgettable way. 00:00 lesson introduction00:29 English short story05:17 Language analysisRESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel!Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espresso/Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluencyLearn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/fluentu/Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cIvJsDPmXwSpeaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z7PGRbvJBkQWriting method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iDkiY1lcfgwIn this lesson, we’ll explore 10 commonly used phrases and phrasal verbs from the story to help you sound more natural in English and improve your understanding. Let’s break them down: 🗨️ “Step off” means to exit a vehicle or mode of transport by stepping down or out of it. "He stepped off the train and looked for a taxi." "As soon as we stepped off the bus, we were greeted by the tour guide."🗨️ “Grab” means to take hold of something quickly or firmly. "Can you grab me a bottle of water from the fridge?" "I grabbed my bag and rushed out of the door."🗨️ “Kick off” has two meanings. It can mean to remove something, usually shoes, in a casual way. "At the hotel, she kicked off her shoes to relax." "After a long day, I love kicking off my shoes and lying on the couch." It can also mean to start an event or activity. "Let’s kick off the meeting with a quick update."🗨️ “Set out” means to begin a journey or task with a specific goal in mind. "We set out early to explore the city before it got too crowded." "She set out to finish her report before the deadline."🗨️ “Rummage through” means to search for something in a hurried or untidy way. "I rummaged through my bag but couldn’t find my keys." "He rummaged through the drawers looking for a pen."🗨️ “Scan the room” means to look around quickly, usually to find someone or something. "She scanned the room for a familiar face." "The teacher scanned the room to see who wasn’t paying attention."🗨️ “Head toward” means to move in the direction of a specific place. "We’re heading toward the park for a picnic." "He headed toward the exit after the meeting ended."🗨️ “Hand over” means to give something to someone, often formally or with a specific purpose. "The cashier handed over my receipt and change." "He handed over the documents to his lawyer."🗨️ “Look around” means to observe your surroundings, often when exploring or searching for something. "We looked around the museum for hours." "She looked around the shop for a gift but didn’t find anything."🗨️ “Slip on” means to put something on quickly, often referring to clothing or accessories. "I slipped on my jacket before heading out." "She slipped on her shoes and ran to catch the bus."

Welcome to this special English lesson where we dive into the four essential skills you need to master: Listening, Reading, Writing, and Pronunciation. This comprehensive lesson is packed with strategies, tips, and examples to help you improve step by step. Each skill is crucial for fluency, and by mastering them, you’ll boost your confidence in speaking, understanding, reading, and writing in English. RESOURCES FOR LEARNING ENGLISH Affiliate Disclosure Some links in this description may be affiliate links. This means I earn a small commission if you make a purchase through these links, at no extra cost to you. Thank you for supporting the channel! Fantastic courses from a teacher friend: https://www.tofluency.com/espr... Find a language teacher online here: https://go.italki.com/tofluenc... Learn English through TV: https://www.tofluency.com/flue... Learn English with AI: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Speaking method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Writing method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?... Here’s what we’ll cover: - Listening Skills Learn how to improve your listening comprehension and why comprehensible input is essential for language acquisition. ✅ Find resources slightly above your level for steady improvement. ✅ Listen to podcasts, news, and interviews you can mostly understand. ✅ Challenge yourself gradually with more advanced materials. ✅ Acquiring grammar comes from hearing it repeatedly in context. - Reading Skills Discover the difference between intensive and extensive reading and how to combine them for maximum benefit. ✅ Intensive reading: Focus on new words, phrases, and grammar structures. ✅ Extensive reading: Read for pleasure and overall understanding without stopping. ✅ Find books that interest you, are comprehensible, and relevant to your goals. ✅ Use graded readers and audiobooks to enhance your learning. ✅ Highlight unfamiliar vocabulary, then review and internalize it using digital tools. - Writing Skills Practical tips to improve your writing and integrate it into your learning routine. ✅ Keep a daily diary to practice conversational English. ✅ Copy text from articles or books to internalize sentence structures. ✅ Read widely to absorb natural writing styles. ✅ Get feedback on your writing through apps or teachers. ✅ Use tools like grammar apps to refine your grammar and sentence construction. ✅ Search for phrases online to ensure your writing is accurate and idiomatic.  - Pronunciation Skills Master English sounds, stress, intonation, and linking for fluency and confidence. ✅ Learn how to produce specific sounds, such as the V and F sounds. ✅ Practice, record yourself, and get feedback to refine your pronunciation. ✅ Focus on stress and intonation to sound natural in conversations. ✅ Work on retractions and linking, such as “I could’ve done it.” ✅ Repeat sounds and phrases regularly to build muscle memory.  By the end of this lesson, you’ll have practical tools to improve your English fluency. Take notes, check the description for a summary and resources, and most importantly, take action. Which skill do you want to work on first? Let me know in the comments, and don’t forget to share this lesson with a friend who’s learning English. Let’s continue your journey to fluency together.