The English Sessions

For today’s episode, I had a conversation with Vondra, from Belize.

Vondra's website is www.mybelizebox.com
Use the coupon code belizebox10 to get 10% off your order.

For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Schedule free lessons with Mike: https://www.englishsessionswithmike.com/p/schedule-lesson.html

Welcome to episode 45 of The English Sessions. The “As” Sandwich. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Are you ready to improve your English? Go to www.englishsessionswithmike.com and click on Schedule a Lesson today. The first lesson, 30 minutes with Mike, is free…. (englishsessionswithmike.com)

How you can help Omar's family: https://gofund.me/22bc874c

- For Advanced Learners and Native English Speakers -

Welcome to Episode 1 of a new series I’m calling English Around the World. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These episodes within the English Around the World series are going to look a bit different. They are for more advanced English learners, and for any native English speakers who are just curious about other accents around the world.

For more, including the video of the Tabaski festival in HD, go to www.englishsessionswithmike.com

For the full audio transcript, visit patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Welcome to Episode 44 of The English Sessions. Pronunciation of B A S S and B A S E. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Are you ready to improve your English? Go to www.englishsessionswithmike.com and click on Schedule a Lesson today. The first lesson, 30 minutes with Mike, is free…. (englishsessionswithmike.com)

Listen for these words today: 

Storm - a storm is intense weather often with strong winds, rain, thunder, lightning or snow!

Move on - “MOVE ON” is a phrasal verb that means “continue” or “progress”. It can also mean to leave a place; change to a different subject or activity; change ideas, attitudes, behaviour etc. “Let’s move on to our next topic of conversation”. Let’s move on to the next word in our vocabulary for today. 

Racket - RACKET has a few different definitions. I want to keep this simple, so I will say that for today’s episode, RACKET means NOISE! Unwanted noise. Nobody likes a ‘racket’. Hey! Turn off that racket! I don’t like that kind of music. It’s just noise to me!

Welcome a bonus episode of The English Sessions. An episode on Jakarta, Indonesia. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Are you ready to improve your English? Go to www.englishsessionswithmike.com and click on Schedule a Lesson today. The first lesson, 30 minutes with Mike, is free…. (englishsessionswithmike.com)

Listen for these words today: 

Dense - ‘dense’ is another word for ‘closely packed’ or ‘crowded’

Archipelago - a group of islands

Commander - a commander is the leader of an army. The boss, or chief, of an army. 

Welcome to episode 43 of The English Sessions. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Are you ready to improve your English? Go to www.englishsessionswithmike.com and click on Schedule a Lesson today. The first lesson, 30 minutes with Mike, is free…. (englishsessionswithmike.com)

Listen for these words today: 

Second-hand store: A second-hand store is a store that sells items that are not new. A second-hand store sells used items. Sometimes a second-hand store is called a ‘thrift’ store. A very common secondhand store, or thrift store, in my country is called Goodwill. 

Thief - a thief is a person who steals from other people. They take items that do not belong to them. A thief can steal from a person. A thief can steal from a store… or a museum! 

Welcome to episode 42 of The English Sessions. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Listen for these words today: 

“Speaking of” - We say “speaking of” before a topic that we have already been talking about. It is a way to introduce a statement or question about a topic that you already talked about. Listen carefully. I will use ‘speaking of’ today in this episode. It is a way to get BACK to a topic that you want to talk more about. 

Welcome to episode 41 of The English Sessions. Hear and Overhear. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Listen for this word today: 

Jackhammer - A handheld machine for drilling rock and breaking up pavement, typically operated by compressed air. It is a very big, very loud, device that breaks up rock, or pavement, like a chisel. There will be a picture of a jackhammer on the website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com

Phenomenal - synonyms for phenomenal are ‘exceptional, extraordinary, remarkable, outstanding, amazing’

More at The English Sessions website.

The video of this session is at our Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Welcome to episode 40 of The English Sessions. Time or Times? I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/posts/english-sessions-59396037

Welcome to episode 39 of The English Sessions. The pronunciation of ‘GH’ in English. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode. For the full audio transcript, go to https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Listen for these words today: 

Brain freeze - A brain freeze is another way to say ‘mental confusion’. Confusion, in your mind; a brain freeze! A brain freeze also happens when you drink something very cold very quickly. OW! Have you ever had a brain freeze?

Thaw - to ‘thaw’ is to warm something frozen. Ice is frozen water. Water freezes into ice. So, you can thaw ice in order to have water.

Go to the website for more of the audio transcript: https://www.englishsessionswithmike.com/2021/10/the-english-sessions-podcast-episode-gh.html

— A big THANK YOU to the latest Patreon supporters, Chris and Anna —

Hello everyone. Today’s podcast is a special episode. It is a conversation with a young man in Brazil who is a native Portuguese speaker and is also an English teacher in Brazil. His name is Miguel.

We talk about the differences between the word ‘doubt’ and the word ‘question’ in English. Many Brazilian learners mistranslate the word ‘dúvida’. However, it is not as simple as saying: ‘Dúvida’ in Portuguese is the same as ‘question’ in English. It’s more complicated than that. 

Listen to my conversation with Miguel to learn more. 

Also, this is not just a problem for native Brazilian Portuguese speakers. Perhaps you are from a different county, but it is still not clear to you what the differences between the words ‘doubt’ and ‘question’ are. This conversation with Miguel may help you as well.

For the entire conversation including the video of our conversation and images to help you learn and remember the material, go to www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions. For only $1USD per month you will have access to this and much more, including the full audio transcripts of new episodes of The English Sessions and Get the Word! Go to patreon.com/theenglishsessions

I hope you enjoy my conversation with Miguel. 

As a bonus to all of my loyal listeners to The English Sessions I am offering the latest episode of Get the Word! before it's officially released on the Get the Word! with Mike Butler podcast. I also have an announcement. The English Sessions Patreon page is back! You can become a member for only $1(USD). It's simple to sign up, and you can cancel anytime. Starting today, the full audio transcripts of The English Sessions and Get the Word! are only available if you sign up to be a member of the English Sessions Patreon ( www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions ). However, all of the audio transcripts of previous episodes will still be free on the website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com

Bonjour fellow word nerds. It’s Mike. I apologize already to any of my French listeners. Bonjour and Bon Voyage will be pretty much the only French words I speak today. I also apologize for starting right off the bat with the most stereotypical French music I could find. In all reality, I love French culture, French films and I love the influence that French has had on the English language. 

In English we see many words that have derived from French throughout the centuries, of course, but we also sometimes use words and expressions when speaking English that are taken directly from French. Déjà vu comes to my mind right away. This term appears in English dictionaries, and is taken directly from French meaning ‘already seen’. Déjà vu comes to my mind right away. This term appears in English dictionaries, and is taken directly from French meaning ‘already seen’.

For more of the audio transcript, go to www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Welcome to episode 38 of The English Sessions. For or During? I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode.

Listen for these words today: 

Blizzard - a ‘blizzard’ is a severe snowstorm. The northern part of my country, the USA, gets many blizzards in wintertime. 

Trick - ‘trick’ has a few definitions. Today, I use ‘trick’ because I am talking about a way to help remember something. It is a technique. A trick is a method, or process. For example, I know the trick to making the perfect pizza. I know the trick. I know a good technique for making pizza. I know a good process. A good method. I know a trick. 

Petsitting - ‘Petsitting’ means you are taking care of someone else’s pets temporarily. It’s like babysitting, but for pets instead of humans! 

Welcome to episode 37 of The English Sessions. The verbs: MAKE / DO. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode.

Hello loyal listeners. I have exciting news! Get the Word is now its own official podcast. Here is the latest episode (FOR ADVANCED LEARNERS AND NATIVE ENGLISH SPEAKERS). Make sure to find 'Get the Word! with Mike Butler' on your podcast player and follow/subscribe so you don't miss any episodes.

Is the audio hard to understand? The transcript is on the English Sessions website. Here is a link: https://www.englishsessionswithmike.com/2021/06/get-word-podcast-episode-opening-up.html

Welcome to episode 36 of The English Sessions. ED Endings, Part 2 (Adjectives). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit  www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website as you listen to this episode.

Listen for this word today: 

Pace - ‘to pace’ means to walk back and forth and back and forth. Someone may pace if they are feeling anxious, or annoyed.

Welcome everyone to another episode of Get the Word! The series focusing on the etymology, or history and origin, of words in English. Go to the website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com for more content, and for the audio transcript of this episode.

Listen for these words today:

Enfranchise - to ‘enfranchise’ means to give the right to vote to someone

Disenfranchise - to ‘disenfranchise’ means to deprive or remove someone’s right to vote

Voter suppression - voter suppression is a strategy that is used to prevent or discourage certain types of people from voting, in order to influence the outcome of an election. 

Hello everyone, this week has been very busy, selling a house and finishing a degree at the same time. I wanted to release something today, however, so here is an episode of my interview podcast, interviewing The Blues Wizard in Bisbee, Arizona. If you'd like to learn more about this now defunct podcast, you can visit: www.bajapod.com

Growing up in California, The Blues Wizard (Keith Kifer) and I talk about how being a California kid impacted his interpretation of the blues, authenticity, and how he found acceptance in Clarksdale, Mississippi, a town steeped in Delta blues history.

Welcome to Episode 35 of The English Sessions. Know the verb ‘know’! I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

We all know the verb ‘know’. It’s a very common verb in English. But let’s make sure we know how to use it properly in English. 

Welcome to Episode 34 of The English Sessions. Talk / Say / Tell (Rock and Roll Edition!). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content.

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode. Also, go to the website for some great Rock and Roll songs today!

Listen for these words today:
To devote - ‘to devote’  is a verb that means ‘to give all or most of your time to something’.  The monk devoted their life to their religion.

Break down -  ‘break down’ is a phrasal verb. It has more than one meaning. Today, it  is used to talk about someone’s vehicle that is not working/functioning  properly.

To repair - ‘to repair’ is a verb that means ‘to fix’  something. ‘Repair’ is often used in relation to mechanic devices,  appliances or technology. My refrigerator needed to be repaired.

Welcome to episode 33 of The English Sessions. Win or Earn? I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content.

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Listen for this word today:
To gamble - ‘to play games with the chance of winning money’. EXAMPLE: I gambled at the casino, and won $1,000,000!

Welcome to episode 32 of The English Sessions. Child/children. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Listen for this word today: 

To chill - ‘to chill’ means to make something cold. I chilled the beer in the refrigerator. ‘Chill’ can also mean just ‘to relax, and spend time with people”. I’m chillin’ with my friends tonight. 

Welcome to Episode 31 of The English Sessions. Next to / Near. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Listen for these words today: 

Crowd - a large group of people

Vendor - a person who sells something

Intersection - where two roads cross each other

Welcome to Episode 30 of The English Sessions. STOP + Gerund/Infinitive. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 29 of The English Sessions. Few or a few?. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Listen for these words today: 

Got it made = “Got it made” is an expression. You say this expression when you want to say that someone has everything they could possibly want in life. Perhaps they are very comfortable, have a lot of success and don’t need to worry about money or too many other things. For example, “Wow, those people in Beverly Hills, California really got it made. They have swimming pools and big fancy cars. I mean, if you think those things bring happiness”. 

Welcome to episode 28 of The English Sessions. Transitive / Intransitive verbs. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 27 of The English Sessions. The Passive Voice. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 26 of The English Sessions. Don’t count those nouns! I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content.  You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 25 of The English Sessions. Could (Modal Verb Series). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 24 of The English Sessions. The Infinitive. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to a bonus episode of The English Sessions. This podcast episode suggestion came from my student, Anna, in Brazil. She wants to know more about where I live, Bisbee, Arizona, USA. So, today, I am going to tell you about all the great things in my area, and some bad things. Do you have any suggestions for episodes? Give me your suggestions by writing an email and sending it to mike@englishsessionswithmike.com, or, record a message on the website: www.englishsessionswithmike.com I am going to have the audio transcript, as well as many pictures for today’s episode, on the website. Today’s episode may be a bit difficult for learners who are not advanced learners. Make sure to go to the website. I will try to explain some words as we go along. 

Welcome to episode 23 of The English Sessions. Vowel Sounds (Pronunciation THE LETTER ‘U’). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 22 of The English Sessions. Fun or Funny? I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 20 of The English Sessions. The Silent ‘W’. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 19 of The English Sessions. Determiners. I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 18 of The English Sessions. Grow / Grow up (Phrasal Verb Series). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

NOTE: If you enjoy this episode, you can find another Great Greta episode on the Patreon page: https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions

Welcome everyone to a bonus episode of The English Sessions. I am your host and dog lover, Mike Butler. Today’s episode is part of a series called, “Great Gretas doing Great Things” because history is fun, AND, because we have ended our puppy naming contest. The name of our puppy is now Greta. The winner of our contest is Patrick, because he thought of the name “Gobou”, which was a very close runner up. A “runner-up” is a phrase for someone or something that is not the winner, but is in second-place. So, Gobou is not the winner, but perhaps will become her middle name. Greta Gobou, I like that, it sounds like “Greta Garbo”, which is the Great Greta that we are talking about today. So, let’s get started!

Welcome to episode 17 of The English Sessions. Too much / so much / too many / so many (Much/many, Part 2). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

Welcome to episode 16 of The English Sessions. To and For Part 2 (The Preposition, TO). I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

This second episode of Get the Word! is being released to the general public, through the podcast and through our Patreon page (https://www.patreon.com/theenglishsessions). These episodes feature Mike, an English teacher and Etymology nerd and Alexa, Mike's friend and PhD candidate in Anthropology. They will discuss the history of the words we use everyday in English! We would love to hear from all of you. I will release some "Get The Word!" episodes exclusively on Patreon, so make sure to support The English Sessions on Patreon for these bonus episodes. What would you like to hear us discuss? Write in to the podcast, mike@englishsessionswithmike.com

Welcome to episode 15 of The English Sessions. To / For, Part 1 (The Preposition, “FOR”) . I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.

I am your host and English teacher, Mike Butler. These podcasts can help you improve your English! Together, we will talk about grammar… pronunciation… structure... and have some fun too. Remember to visit my website, www.englishsessionswithmike.com to contact me for private lessons, and for more content. 

You can also read the transcript of this audio on the website, as you listen to this episode.