

Thinking in English
Thomas Wilkinson
Thinking in English is a podcast designed for intermediate and advanced English learners.I believe that thinking is an incredibly important step on the road fluency, and this podcast is going to help you achieve this by discussing topics ranging from politics and economics, to philosophy and science.Rather than "learning English", Thinking in English focuses on "learning in English."Learn something new, listen to something interesting, and improve your English at the same time!Conversation Clubs, bonus episodes, and more on Patreon - https://www.patreon.com/thinkinginenglishMy website - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/Thinking in English is part of the Airwave Media podcast network. Contact advertising@airwavemedia.com to advertise on Thinking in English.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Oct 27, 2021 • 7min
Tongue Twister Challenge!: English Pronunciation Practice
On today’s episode of Thinking in English let’s test your English pronunciation skills by practicing some fun and challenging Tongue twisters!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/27/tongue-twister-challenge-english-pronunciation-practice/
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112. English Accents Explained!: Why do Language Learners Have Accents and Should We Care? (English Lesson)
Terrifyingly Troubling Tongue Twisters!: A Pronunciation Challenge
5 Challenging English Riddles!
CONTACT ME!!
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Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
I saw a kitten eating chicken in the kitchen
I wish to wash my Irish wristwatch
Thin sticks, thick bricks (x3)
Rolling red wagons (x3)
Four fine fresh fish for you
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Oct 25, 2021 • 24min
112. English Accents Explained!: Why do Language Learners Have Accents and Should We Care? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Why do language learners have an accent when speaking? Can we improve our accents? Should we really care about having an accent? Let’s talk about this on today’s episode of Thinking in English!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/25/112-english-accents-explained-why-do-language-learners-have-accents-and-should-we-care-english-lesson/
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86. The Best Way to Master English?: Everything You Need to Know About Language Exchanges!
106. TOEFL vs IELTS!: Which One Should You Take? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
82. Why is your English not improving?: Tips and advice on how to get better! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Terrifyingly Troubling Tongue Twisters!: A Pronunciation Challenge
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
Vocabulary List
Distinct (adj) – clearly separate and different from something else
The dogs are two distinct breeds
Identity (n) – who a person is, or the qualities of a person that makes them different from others
In prison people often suffer from a loss of identity
To get rid (phrasal v) – to throw away or remove something unwanted
Horses get rid of flies by moving their tails
To perceive (v) – to come to an opinion about something, or have a belief about something
How do French people perceive the British?
Phonetic (adj) – a spelling system can be described as phonetic if you can understand how words are pronounced simply by looking at their spelling
Japanese has two different phonetic alphabets
Syllable (n) – a single unit of speech, either a whole word or one of the parts into which a word can be separated, usually containing a verb
The word ‘button’ has two syllables
Comprehensibility (n) – the quality of being easy or possible to understand
I like the simplicity and comprehensibility of his writing style
Tongue twister (n) – a sentence or phrase that is intended to be difficult to say, especially when repeated quickly and often
“She sells seashells on the seashore” is a well-known tongue-twister
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Oct 22, 2021 • 17min
How to Describe Pain in English!! Essential Vocabulary and Phrases (English Vocabulary Lesson)
On today’s episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some new ways to talk about and describe pain in English!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/22/how-to-describe-pain-in-english-essential-vocabulary-and-phrases-english-vocabulary-lesson/
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“Have Egg on Your Face,” “Put Your Foot in it,” and “Sheepish”: Idioms and Phrases for Embarrassing Situations!
5 Essential English Proverbs – Perfect for ESL Learners! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
More than delicious: Advanced Food Vocabulary (English Vocabulary Lesson)
‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms!
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
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Oct 20, 2021 • 20min
111. Should We Still Use the Death Penalty?: English Language Debate (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Explore the controversy surrounding the death penalty and perspectives on punishment, rehabilitation, and flaws in the justice system. Delve into the historical origins and changing applications of the death penalty and examine arguments for and against its use, including legal flaws, alternatives, and moral considerations.

Oct 18, 2021 • 22min
110. Why do Authoritarian Countries Buy Football Clubs?: Saudi Arabia and the Purchase of Newcastle United! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
At the beginning of October, English football club Newcastle United were taken over by a Saudi Arabian supported investment fund, and over night became one of the world’s richest sport teams. But why do authoritarian governments like to buy football clubs? Let’s discuss this, and learn some new vocabulary, on today’s episode of Thinking in English!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/18/110-why-do-authoritarian-countries-buy-football-clubs-saudi-arabias-purchase-of-newcastle-united-english-vocabulary-lesson/
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85. Football English: All the Vocabulary You Need to Watch the UEFA European Football Championship in English! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
69. The European Super League: Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
57. Is Democracy Dying?: Freedom House 2021 Report (English Vocabulary Lesson)
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
Vocabulary List
Takeover (n) – a situation in which a company gets control of another company by buying enough of its shares
The company has decided not to go through with the takeover of its smaller rival
Dispute (n) – an argument or disagreement, especially an official one
India and Pakistan nearly went to war over a border dispute
Rumoured (adj) – used to describe an unofficial, interesting story or piece of news that might be true or invented, and that is communicated quickly from person to person
The rumoured plan to sell the company never actually took place
Asset (n) – something valuable belonging to a person or organization that can be used for the payment of debts
A company’s assets can consist of cash, investments, specialist knowledge, or copyright material
To diversify (v) – to start producing a range of different types of products or services, or to invest in a range of different investments, in order to reduce risk
Farmers are increasingly diversifying into other activities to supplement their incomes
Piracy (n) – the act of illegally copying a computer program, music, a film etc, and selling it
Record companies have tried to combat internet piracy
Distract (v) – to make someone stop giving their attention to something
Stop distracting your sister from her studies!
Authoritarian (adj) – demanding that people obey completely and refusing to allow them freedom to act as they wish
That country has struggled economically under an authoritarian leader
Oligarch (n) – one of a small group of powerful people who control a country or an industry
The story of how new Russian oligarchs amassed enormous fortunes when the Soviet Union broke up is fascinating
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Oct 15, 2021 • 14min
“Have Egg on Your Face,” “Put Your Foot in it,” and “Sheepish”: Idioms and Phrases for Embarrassing Situations! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Do you “Have Egg on Your Face"? Have you “Put Your Foot in it"? Do you feel “Sheepish”? In this episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some other useful idioms and phrases to describe embarrassment!!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/15/have-egg-on-your-face-put-your-foot-in-it-and-sheepish-idioms-and-phrases-for-embarrassing-situations/
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“Feeling blue,” “Crying Crocodile Tears,” and “Down in the Dumps”: Excellent Sadness Idioms!! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Are You ‘Bursting with Joy,’ ‘Over The Moon,’ or ‘On Cloud Nine’?: Idioms and Phrases to Describe Happiness!!
“When pigs fly:” Essential English Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms!
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
To have egg on your face - “Oh no! My boss found out my mistake and now I have egg on my face!”
Make a fool (out) of (someone or oneself) - “I’m not going to dance at the work party because I don’t want to make a fool out of myself”
Put your foot in it - “My Dad put his foot in it when he brought up the topic of politics at a friend’s party!”
Can’t look (someone) in the eye/face - “I couldn’t look him in the eye after crashing his car.”
Sheepish - “He looked a little sheepish when he answered her question!
Red faced - “The boy was red-faced when the teacher made him speak in front of the whole school”
Wish the ground would open up and swallow me - “I wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole when I forgot the words to my speech”
Want to curl up and die - “I wanted to curl up and die when I accidentally walked into the girl’s bathroom!”
Swallow your pride - “She is very independent, so it was difficult for her to swallow her pride and ask for help!”
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Oct 13, 2021 • 21min
109. Nobel Prizes Explained!: History, Context, and Current State of the World’s Most Famous Awards (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Over the last few weeks, the winners of this year's Nobel Prizes have been announced. The Nobel Prizes are perhaps the most prestigious and well known awards around the world. On this episode of Thinking in English, let’s talk about how you win a Nobel Prize, the origins of the awards, and this year's winners!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/13/109-nobel-prizes-explained-history-context-and-current-state-of-the-worlds-most-famous-awards-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/
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108. Should We Bring Extinct Animals Back To Life?: De-Extinction Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
107. Insects, Artificial Meat, and Microbes: What Is The Future of Food? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
100. How Many Oceans Are There? How Many Continents Are There? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
Vocabulary List
Field (n) - an area of activity or interest
He is well known in the field of medicine
To confer (v) - to give an honour, official title, or ability to someone
The US constitution confers certain powers on the president
Accolade (n) - praise and approval
He has been given the ultimate accolade - his face on the $10 bill
Prestigious (adj) - very much respected and admired, usually because of being important
She goes to a prestigious university
To nominate (v) - to say officially that a person, film, song, programme, etc, will be included in a competition for a prize
The film was nominated for an Academy Award
Dependable (adj) - if someone or something is dependable, you can have confidence in him, her, or it
My car is not very dependable
Dynamite (n) - a type of explosive
The cartoon character used dynamite to blow up a building!
Will (n) - an official statement of what a person has decided should be done with their money and property after their death
She left me some money in her will
Obituary (n) - a report, especially in an newspaper, that gives the news of someone’s death and details about their life
His obituary was reported in every national newspaper
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Oct 11, 2021 • 19min
108. Should We Bring Extinct Animals Back To Life?: De-Extinction Explained! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Recently, it has been announced that a group of researchers in the US are planning to bring back the woolly mammoth from extinction. While some scientists think there could be benefits to doing this, others are worried about the potential risks and negative consequences of de-extinction! So, should we bring extinct animals back to life? Let’s discuss it on today’s episode of Thinking in English
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/11/108-should-we-bring-extinct-animals-back-to-life-de-extinction-explained-english-vocabulary-lesson%ef%bf%bc/
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
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107. Insects, Artificial Meat, and Microbes: What Is The Future of Food? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
99. Should We Colonize Space? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
34. Should Zoos Exist?: A Discussion of the Benefits and Controversies Surrounding Zoos (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Vocabulary List
Extinct (adj) - not now existing
There is a concern that the Asian elephant will become extinct!
Species (n) - a set of animals or plants in which the members have similar characteristics to each other and can breed with each other
Over a hundred species of insect are found in this area
To raise (v) - to raise money is to succeed in getting money
I want to start my own business if I can raise enough money
Gene (n) - a part of the DNA in a cell that controls the physical development, behaviour, etc, or an animal or plant and is passed on from parents
The illness is believed to be caused by a defective gene
Hybrid (n) - a plant or animals that has been produced from two different types of plant or animal, especially to get better characteristics
The animal looks like a hybrid of a zebra and a horse
Embryo (n) - an animal that is developing either in its mother’s womb or in an egg
Between the eighth week of development and birth a human embryo is called a foetus
Tundra (n) - part of the very large area of land in North Asia, North AMerica, and Northern Europe where, because it is cold, trees do not grow and ground below the surface is permanently frozen
Reindeer roam the tundra in large herds
Ecosystem (n) - all the living things in an area and the way they affect each other and the environment
Pollution can have disastrous effects on the delicately balanced ecosystem
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Oct 8, 2021 • 11min
“Feeling blue,” “Crying Crocodile Tears,” and “Down in the Dumps”: Excellent Sadness Idioms!! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
Are You “Feeling blue,” “Crying Crocodile Tears,” or “Down in the Dumps”? In this episode of Thinking in English, let’s learn some other useful idioms and phrases to describe sadness!!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/08/feeling-blue-crying-crocodile-tears-and-down-in-the-dumps-excellent-sadness-idioms-english-vocabulary-lesson/
You may also be interested in...
Are You ‘Bursting with Joy,’ ‘Over The Moon,’ or ‘On Cloud Nine’?: Idioms and Phrases to Describe Happiness!!
“When pigs fly:” Essential English Idioms, Expressions, and Proverbs! (English Vocabulary Lesson)
‘Fat Cats,’ ‘Cat Naps,’ and ‘Doggy Bags’: Dog and Cat Idioms!
45. Eight More Business English Idioms!!
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
To Feel Blue - “I was feeling blue earlier today, but after taking a long walk I feel much better!”
To Be Down In The Dumps - “Jim is down in the dumps today because he broke up with his girlfriend”
To Cry Crocodile Tears - “The boy cried crocodile tears after fighting with his sister”
To Have A Lump In One’s Throat - “Every time I watch the movie Gladiator I get a lump in my throat”
To Fall Apart - “After Sarah’s husband died, she fell apart”
To Take Something Hard - “I took it hard when I was rejected from my dream job’
To Feel Out Of Sorts - “I think something is wrong with John, as it seems as though he feels out of sorts”
To Be Bummed Out - “My son is really bummed out after hearing his favourite band is breaking up”
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Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/thinking-english/support Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Oct 6, 2021 • 19min
107. Insects, Artificial Meat, and Microbes: What Is The Future of Food? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
What is the future of food? If we do not change the way we eat and produce food, we are going to struggle to feed the entire planet in the future and cause damage to the environment. So what can we do? Let’s discuss this issue in today’s episode of Thinking in English!
TRANSCRIPT - https://thinkinginenglish.blog/2021/10/06/107-insects-artificial-meat-and-microbes-what-is-the-future-of-food-english-vocabulary-lesson/
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81. The End of Coffee!!: How can we save the world’s coffee industry? (English Vocabulary Lesson)
23. UK Bans New Fossil Fuel Vehicles… by 2030 (English Vocabulary Lesson)
CONTACT ME!!
INSTAGRAM - thinkinginenglishpodcast (https://www.instagram.com/thinkinginenglishpodcast/)
Blog - thinkinginenglish.blog
Gmail - thinkinginenglishpod@gmail.com
Vocabulary List
Motivating (adj) - able to influence someone to behave in a particular way
The motivating factor behind our company’s success is concern for customers
Cattle (n) - a group of animals that includes cows, buffalo, and bison, that are often kept for their milk
This farm really cares a lot about their dairy cattle
To graze (v) - to eat grass
The cows were grazing
Sustainable (adj) - able to continue over a period of time
That sort of extreme diet is not sustainable over a long period
Efficient (adj) - working or operating quickly and effectively in an organized way without any waste
They are building more fuel-efficient cars to save gas
Delicacy (n) - something especially rare or expensive that is good to eat
In some parts of the world, sheep brain is considered a great delicacy
To accommodate (v) - to have or provide the space that someone or something needs
The centre can accommodate up to 220 students
Microbe (n) - a very small living thing that can only be seen with a microscope
It is microbes that create the unique flavour and smell of blue cheese
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