Ben Gill from To The Point English joins us today for a great, detailed overview of the Cambridge English exams. Ben covers all sorts of topics and questions related to these exams on his YouTube channel (particularly B2, C1, and C2 levels). The exams are huge and we could talk about them for days, so in today's episode, I try to ask Ben a couple of common questions for each paper of the exam.We talk about tips for the listening exam, what accents to prepare for in the speaking exam, how much advanced grammar to use in your writing, and strategies for making the reading sections easier.Exam Format:B2 FirstC1 AdvancedC2 ProficiencyShow notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast308Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

For the past 6 months, I've been noting down the most common mistakes I see English learners make in preparation for this episode.I go through them one by one and give examples from my own life to give you some context for each one and show you how they're used.Some of these are simple mistakes, and others look at the subtle differences between two similar phrases.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast307Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

I've been tracking my own language learning for over a year and it's amazing to see my progress and time invested over that period. In this episode, I share with you the lessons from tracking all this data every day for one year, the benefits of doing so, and why doing something similar might be beneficial to you.Don't forget to join the discussion by leaving a comment in the shownotes or wherever you listen to this podcast.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast306Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

Discover how New Year resolutions can transform your personal growth journey. Reflect on last year's highs and lows while planning for new adventures in 2025. The host introduces exciting new initiatives for small conversational classes to enhance learning. Explore immersive experiences in London and the joy of stepping out into the unknown. Join the conversation by sharing your own goals and reflections for the upcoming year, all while simplifying your intentions for a more fulfilling year ahead!

In this episode, we'll be going around the world to 5 different countries and looking at their different Christmas traditions. While doing this, I'll be sharing one expression with each one that you can use in daily conversations at any time of the year.I also talk a little bit about the differences in my experience between Christmas in Thailand and the UK.Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast304Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

Join a lively discussion about the pros and cons of group versus solo activities. Explore useful English expressions for teamwork that can spice up your daily conversations. Hear personal stories about the thrill of cultural exchanges in group settings and the freedom found in solo travels, especially to Japan. The speakers shed light on the significance of collaboration and shared experiences while also reflecting on the importance of enjoying your own company. Dive into the balance between the supportive nature of group learning and the benefits of personal exploration!

Mental Health is something we should all take seriously and I believe there's a lot of crossover between language learning and having a healthy mindset. This was a request from a listener to cover this topic. Although I am of course, not a professional, I do love the topic, so I share 18 different methods that I used to improve my own mental health and bring happiness into my life. I hope you find some of them useful too.Of course, as always, I mention loads of fantastic English words and phrases related to this topic that you can use in your daily life too. Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast302Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

British culture has a fascinating relationship with the word 'sorry.' It’s used far beyond mere mistakes, reflecting politeness and social norms. The podcast explores various ways to apologize, revealing subtle distinctions based on context. Personal anecdotes highlight the emotional depth of sincere apologies and the awkwardness that can arise when seeking forgiveness. The discussion showcases how cultural influences shape expressions of regret, making the act of apologizing an intricate social dance.

In Episode 300 of the podcast, Akari from the Nihongo For You podcast joins me today for a chat about teaching languages, moving abroad, and learning English.In the second half of the episode, we talk about life experiences where I ask Akari questions using the present perfect tense about things she has done before. It's a great opportunity to practice the grammar and see it used in the context of a regular conversation.Perhaps you could also answer along at home and practice for yourself?If you're learning or thinking about learning Japanese, don't forget to check out Akari's website and podcast too.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast300Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.

In my last episode, I spoke about my cycling trip to Taiwan. While there, I had a lot of time alone to think to myself with no distractions. In this episode today, I'm going to share some of the things I was thinking about.One of these was the idea of Hedonic Adaptation (also known as the Hedonic Treadmill). This is something that we all face as humans and might just be the key to understanding how to be happy and content.It's a really useful topic when it comes to being happy with what you have and not always feeling bad about what you don't - such as feeling bad for not being good enough at English. Let's find out more.Show notes page - https://levelupenglish.school/podcast299Sign Up for Free Lessons - https://www.levelupenglish.school/#freelessonsJoin Level Up English - https://courses.levelupenglish.schoolBy becoming a member, you can access all podcast transcripts, listen to the private podcast and join live lessons and courses on the website.