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 and maybe you even want to try and use them. In my podcast I try to make it easier to remember idioms by giving them stories, learning about the history, or just making them funny. I hope you find it helpful. In this episode of Emma’s ESL English, we explore four common but strange expressions:- More ideas than you can shake a stick at – Why are we shaking sticks?- Water off a duck’s back – What does a duck have to do with ignoring criticism?- There’s more than one way to skin a cat – A phrase with unsettling origins.- Miss the boat – A simple but widely used metaphor.Also, find out which ones might be used in Business English.Let me know in the comments if there's any of these you'd feel comfortable using yourself.#EnglishIdioms #WeirdEnglish #ESLEnglish #IdiomsExplained #LearnEnglish #EnglishGrammar #ESLPodcast #BritishEnglish #EnglishTips #EnglishFun#CommonIdioms #EnglishLessons #SpeakingEnglish #EnglishVocabulary #PodcastEpisode #EnglishCulture #IdiomsAndSayings #EnglishLearners #EnglishTeaching #LanguageTips

In this episode of Emma’s ESL English, we take a thoughtful look at Tom Cruise’s career and his most memorable movie quotes. From Top Gun’s iconic “I feel the need, the need for speed” to Jerry Maguire’s “Help me help you,” Cruise’s films have shaped modern cinema.

We examine his rise to fame, his ability to carry a film, and the impact of his performances—from Risky Business to Mission Impossible. We also discuss the courtroom drama A Few Good Men, where Cruise delivers one of the most famous exchanges in film history, and Vanilla Sky, a film that divided audiences but left a lasting impression.

What's your favourite Tom Cruise movie or quote? let me know in the comments.

Join the conversation in the comments, share your thoughts, and don’t forget to like and subscribe.

#TomCruise #MovieQuotes #ESLEnglish #Podcast #TopGun #MissionImpossible #JerryMaguire #AFewGoodMen #VanillaSky #ActorSpotlight #EnglishLearning #LearnEnglish #ESLPodcast

Tomorrow is the birth date of famous dystopian British writer George Orwell. In this episode find out more about his interesting and unusual life and his passion for writing, freedom and raising awareness about life in poverty. I'll also be reading a little from the book.

George Orwell’s 1984 isn’t just a novel—it’s a warning about historical erasure, surveillance, and authoritarian control. Orwell’s writing has never been more relevant, especially in a world where truth is constantly being rewritten.

🌍 In this video, we discuss:

• Orwell’s life & why his experiences shaped his writing
• How totalitarian regimes manipulate history
• The eerie parallels between 1984 and today
• What Orwell’s work teaches us about freedom & truth

Today's video is great for practicing your English listening skills, and has some interesting vocabulary such as:

Homage - something done in honour of someone.

Tramp - someone who is usually living on the street

Pen name - also known as nom de plume or pseudonym, is a fake name created by an author to hide their identity

#emmaseslenglish #learnenglish #englishreading #GeorgeOrwell #1984 #DystopianFiction #HistoricalErasure #Totalitarianism #TruthAndLies #Surveillance #FreedomOfSpeech #Literature #SocialIssues

English is full of strange idioms, and today we’re diving into some bizarre British expressions you might hear! Some of these are quite common, especially the 2nd and 3rd, and you might hear them in the office or out and about. The others are less common, and just for you to be aware of, rather than need to try and use. Hopefully they're fun and interesting!

💬 Examples:

• "I don't think I had the brass neck to bunk off." → Brass neck = extreme confidence (or foolishness). Bunk off = skipping school!
• "You'll get it in the neck!" → Means you’re going to be in trouble!
• "We've got other fish to fry." → We have more important things to do!
• "You’ll be smiling on the other side of your face." → Not good news! You’ll regret something soon.

📌 You won’t need to use these—just understand them if you hear them!
💬 Have you heard any weird idioms before? Drop them in the comments!

#EnglishIdioms #LearnEnglish #BritishEnglish #WeirdIdioms #ESL #LanguageLearning #EnglishTips #SpeakingEnglish #EnglishExpressions

🗣️ Struggling with L & R sounds in English? You're not alone! Many ESL learners, especially those from Asian language backgrounds, find it tricky to pronounce these sounds correctly.

🔍 In this lesson, Emma explains:- Why L & R pronunciation is challenging

• How to position your tongue correctly
• Common mistakes & how to fix them
• And whether this is even worth you spending your time on

Today's Practice Words:*Alive - Arrive*Light - Right*Calendar*Curly*Relax*April *Religious*Little*Rule*Rollercoaster

• For the 'F' Sound Episode 213: https://youtu.be/N2BZg718a-8
• For all the common sounds Episode 87: https://youtu.be/7kKfQzcWEQg

💡 Improving your pronunciation makes speaking clearer & easier! Let’s break it down step by step.

🔔 Subscribe for more English pronunciation tips!

#LearnEnglish #ESL #EnglishPronunciation #SpeakingEnglish #ImproveEnglish #LanguageLearning #EnglishTips #PronunciationPractice #FluentEnglish #StudyEnglish #AccentTraining

🚀 Take your English reading skills to the next level! Don’t let descriptive writing slow you down—learn how to tackle novels with confidence.📚 Learning English through books can be a challenge! In this video, we explore the difference between creative writing and daily spoken English, breaking down how novels use descriptive language that might not be useful for everyday conversation. We dive into four books, including Rogue Herries (Hugh Walpole), The Island of Missing Trees (Elif Shafak), Gorillas in the Mist (Dian Fossey), and Not Another Happy Ending (David Solomons), analyzing how their writing styles differ from spoken English.🌍 Topics covered:- Why reading in English sometimes feels harder than speaking- How descriptive writing can paint vivid pictures in your mind- Tips for choosing the right books to read - How local idioms and unique phrases can appear in novelsHead over to Episode 120 to hear a reading from Elif Shafak's Island of Missing Trees: https://youtu.be/OZEtmTp5hCs For more English listening practice, check out the playlist here: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6eu7BlE1AJSZA5GgMrFMmskXWE099AWL 👉 Want to improve your English reading skills? Watch now!🔔 Subscribe for more English learning tips#emmaseslenglish #EnglishLearning #LearnEnglish #ESL #DailyEnglish #CreativeWriting #ReadingEnglish #EnglishBooks #LanguageLearning #ImproveEnglish #StudyEnglish #EnglishTips #ESLStudents #ReadingSkills #SpeakEnglish

British idioms can be totally baffling—what on earth does “she’s absolutely cream crackered” mean? 🤯 In this episode, we unpack some of the UK’s weirdest and most illogical idioms, from Cockney rhyming slang to century-old phrases like “a different kettle of fish.”

These expressions are commonly used but rarely understood—so let’s figure them out together!

Listen in to discover:

• Why "cream crackered" means "tired"

• What kettles and fish have to do with trouble

• How idioms evolve and spread (even when no one knows their origin)

No need to memorize these—just know them when you hear them!

#BritishIdioms #UKSlang #LearnEnglish #ESL #BritishEnglish #EnglishIdioms #CockneySlang #RealEnglish #WeirdEnglish #EnglishVocabulary #emmaseslenglish

Hello and welcome back to Emma’s ESL English! This week, we’re diving into some brilliant and bizarre British dialect words — from sea fog called fret or sea roke, to mountains named bens, fells, and bryns.

We’ll also explore how bread rolls have a dozen different names across the UK (seriously — baps, cobs, barms, and more!), plus Scottish weather words like driech and hoolie that perfectly describe grey, rainy days.

British English is full of regional quirks, and understanding them can really help if you're moving here or just trying to follow what people are saying.

I’ve also included tips on how to get used to different global English accents, like Australian and South African — remember, it's totally okay to ask someone to slow down!

Hit follow and leave a comment if you enjoy learning real-life English — and feel free to share any weird words you’ve heard in the UK below!

#BritishEnglish #UKSlang #EnglishDialect #LearnEnglish #ESL #EnglishLanguage #RealEnglish #BritishCulture #ScottishWords #EnglishTips #ESLLesson #EnglishVocabulary #emmaseslenglish