Author Archives: Luke Thompson

About Luke Thompson

I've been teaching English for over 20 years in London, Japan and France. I also do an award-winning podcast for learners of English called "Luke's English Podcast". In my free time I'm a stand-up comedian who regularly performs shows in English in Paris and sometimes London.

933. The Best English Expressions are from Shakespeare / Learn English Vocabulary

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Hello! In this episode I focus on English expressions and idioms that originated in the works of William Shakespeare and are still used in modern everyday language. Notice the expressions in various contexts, fully understand their meanings and use, explore their origins in Shakespeare’s work, and gain valuable lessons about how to learn new vocabulary with real world examples. Also, learn about my short-lived career as a goalkeeper for the legendary football team “Chadwick FC”. Includes a PDF worksheet and transcript.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

Get the PDF here with notes, vocabulary quiz, memory exercise, discussion questions and full episode transcript 👇

933. The Best English Expressions are from Shakespeare _ Learn English VocabularyDownload

Sign up to LEP Premium here 👇 for more episodes in this series

932. What is so great about Shakespeare? (with Mum & Dad)

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In this episode I talk to my parents about the topic of William Shakespeare. Enjoy a conversation about this important figure in English language and culture, with two other important figures – my mum and dad!

We discuss the enduring appeal and significance of William Shakespeare’s work, biographical details of his life, the key themes in Shakespeare’s plays, and the impact of his language on modern English. We try to explain the qualities that make Shakespeare great, using examples from plays like Hamlet, Twelfth Night, and Macbeth.

PDF available with transcript, vocabulary list and vocabulary quiz. Premium listeners – watch out for a language review of this episode coming soon, in P68 “Learn English with Shakespeare” parts 1 & 2.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/cGid3C2AfuY?si=aQwG_5wG3q1erdZU

Get the PDF with full transcript, vocabulary list & vocabulary quiz 👇

932. What is so great about Shakespeare? (with Mum & Dad)Download

Coming soon to LEP Premium 👇

A new series of episodes – “Learn English with Shakespeare”, including:

  • A vocabulary review for LEP 932 with my parents
  • The best idioms and expressions from Shakespeare’s work
  • Learn English with Sonnets & Verses + pronunciation practice

Sign up to LEP Premium here and access 200+ episodes about vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation, and all new premium episodes which arrive every month.

931. Overcoming Fears (with Zdenek)

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This episode features a conversation with Zdenek about fears and anxieties experienced in everyday life. We explore common fears such as driving, flying, culture shock, language learning and public speaking. Listen for stories of Luke’s fear of Paris cafes ☕️, airport anxiety ✈️, Luke’s dramatic scooter ride in Nha Trang 🛵, Zdenek’s fears of Vietnamese roads and driving 🛣️, Luke’s recent cycling accident in Paris 💥, Zdenek’s encounter with a London police officer 👮‍♂️, nerves about teaching 😳, and more.

The PDF worksheet offers a vocabulary list from the conversation, with definitions, examples, and quizzes and a full transcript to help you boost your English with the episode.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/_0yTntyjeA4?si=dbuRaCfdbJBnQHa_

📄 Get the PDF here (lucky you – it’s very expensive but you can have it completely free) 👇

  • Detailed vocabulary list
  • Vocabulary quiz
  • Full episode transcript
931. Overcoming Fears with ZdenekDownload

Other links 👇

⚽️ The Footglish Podcast (Learn English with Football)

💬 Zdenek’s Discord server “The Achiever’s Chamber”

🏆 LEP Premium 👉 www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium

930. Can I eat my cat? Weird Google Questions, Answered (Topics + Vocabulary)

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😿 This episode is about the bizarre and funny questions that people input into Google. I explore and answer some of these questions, explaining some vocabulary. The result is an engaging and intellectually light-hearted discussion involving the usual mix of rambling, and English teaching.

The episode covers a range of topics, from personal health, sex and relationships to broader existential and practical issues, with some diverse and absurd moments. The language style is a mix of informal slang and neutral high-frequency vocabulary related to personal matters and common problems. I hope you enjoy it! PDF available with a full transcript and big vocabulary list.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/pf-zTmM8-H4?si=m-Y7iYv1FxEg_VA_

Get the episode PDF with full transcript, big vocabulary list & more 👇

930. Can I eat my cat? + other weird Google questions, answeredDownload

Express yourself in English! Don’t be a ninja 🥷Leave a comment below 👇

929. Sarah Donnelly: The Only American In Paris + UK vs US Accent Quiz

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Sarah Donnelly comes back onto LEP to catch up and to tell us about her stand-up special, now available to watch on YouTube, and to do a British English vs American English pronunciation quiz.

Sarah’s show is called The Only American in Paris and we discuss some of the themes of the show – the real experience of being a US citizen living in Paris, the Netflix show Emily in Paris, cultural differences, learning French, plus a pronunciation quiz to help you compare UK and US English.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/2iLkgCv5984?si=M9sguk4b5QOLO0cH

Get the episode PDF👇 (pronunciation quiz and full transcript)

929. Sarah Donnelly_ The Only American In Paris US vs UK Accent QuizDownload

928. The Abduction (Learn English with a Short Story)

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Learn English with another short story on Luke’s English Podcast. This one is about a learner of English who has an extraordinary experience. Listen to me tell the story, and summarise it, then explain plenty of natural, commonly occurring, up-to-date English vocabulary.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/u5rIOmG3dqc?si=86_OBVGvtd947Rbz

📄 Get the PDF with story script and vocabulary notes 👇

928. The Abduction (Learn English with a Short Story)Download

927. Walk & Talk: Medieval Museum (with Amber, Paul & Kyle)

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Finally, it’s here – the medieval museum episode with Amber & Paul. Join us as we visit the museum of the middle ages in Paris. Learn about the history of the middle ages, find out about some of the art and artefacts from that period, including some fantastic symbolic tapestries, sculptures and weapons, and have fun with a few jokes along the way.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/OVyAGFojRaw?si=of1m8TELIBbb4QON

The audio and video versions are slightly different. The audio version has more content recorded in the studio, with lessons about the historical context of the middle ages and an overview of the main historical periods in European history.

926. Oral Storytelling Traditions and the Mental Health Benefits of Listening to Podcasts

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Recently I was thinking about how podcasts must be good for your mental health, and how this could be connected to the tradition of collective oral communication, and how this has been central to human psychological and cultural development over the years. So, I made this podcast episode about it. Expect discussion of culture, history, psychology and communication, with plenty of vocabulary explained. Detailed PDF available.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/L2gqpP3erJA?si=CDfvjdxDmXrlbyb7

Get the PDF transcript including vocabulary lists 👇

926. Oral Storytelling Traditions and the Mental Health Benefits of Listening to PodcastsDownload

925. Walaa’s Experience in Syria / Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 2)

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When Walaa was first on this podcast in episode 703 she talked about living in Syria as a student during the civil war (or people’s revolution) but at that time she felt she could not talk in detail about the situation. Now that the Assad regime is no longer in control of Syria, Walaa feels she can talk more candidly about what it was like to live near Damascus during those days. Walaa’s descriptions are both shocking and moving. This is the topic of this episode, which is part 2 of a two-part series.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

Links for English with Walaa

Listen to Part 1 👇 (Walaa talks about her academic studies in Wales)

Walaa’s previous appearance on LEP (episode 703) 👇

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w9ythdvbKKM&t=1s&ab_channel=Luke%27sEnglishPodcast

Episode Transcript

925. Walaa’s Experience in Syria Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 2)Download

924. Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 1) PhD Studies in Wales & Teaching English for Refugees

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Walaa Mouma returns to the podcast after 4 years to give us an update about her academic studies and personal story, including getting married and moving to Wales, details of her PhD doctorate, as well as her other studies and volunteer work helping to teach English to refugees and asylum seekers. Walaa’s passion for this work is inspired by her own personal story of learning English, seeking asylum in the UK and studying in the UK’s academic system, which she first talked about in episode 703 of this podcast. Part 1 of a 2-part episode.

[DOWNLOAD AUDIO]

https://youtu.be/G8S29ICPKVM?si=Igq5b8TzQTPWGOpy

Links for English with Walaa

Walaa’s previous appearance on LEP (episode 703) 👇

https://youtu.be/w9ythdvbKKM?si=mIo-qmYLcfEsiGvS
924. Walaa Mouma Returns (Part 1) PhD Studies in Wales & Teaching English for RefugeesDownload