Learn English with Coffee Break English
Coffee Break Languages
Coffee Break English is a podcast which will help you learn English in regular 15-minute episodes, perfect for your coffee break! Find out more about Coffee Break English at https://coffeebreaklanguages.com/coffeebreakenglish/ .Coffee Break English can help you improve your English with short lessons - the perfect time to enjoy a cup of coffee while learning. The course is presented in slow English which is easy to understand. Don’t worry if you don’t understand every word, it’s more important to get the general meaning. Season one is at A2 level. This course is for you if you learnt some English at school or if you want to review the basics. Coffee Break English can help you improve your accuracy and understanding of English, to prepare you for many situations like using English at work, visiting an English-speaking country, taking exams, or talking with English-speaking friends. In each episode of the audio lessons, one of our colleagues from an English-speaking country tells us about an aspect of life or culture in their country. In season one, we hear from our friends in the UK, the USA, Canada, and Australia, helping you understand lots of different accents and varieties of English. Mark and Josie guide you through the text, explaining the language and helping you understand it better. Each text focuses on a specific language point, including tenses, prepositions, phrasal verbs, and much more. In addition to the main audio lesson, the course contains lesson notes, which explain the language in the lesson in more detail and provide a transcript of the text; practice exercises; a video version of the lesson; bonus audio episodes; and vocabulary lists in many different languages. Find out more at https://coffeebreakacademy.com. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Sep 28, 2026 • 9min
When to use 'I want' in English and when it's too direct
Discover when “I want” sounds natural and when it may come across as demanding. Explore examples from restaurants, job interviews, career ambitions, and workplace emails, then test your understanding with practical examples. Finish by practising how to use “want” to talk about your future plans and intentions.
Sep 14, 2026 • 9min
6 natural alternatives to 'I want' in English
Discover six natural alternatives to “I want” for making polite requests, expressing enthusiasm, sharing uncertain hopes, describing definite plans, floating ideas, and stating preferences. The discussion also explores when “I want” is the best choice and how informal “wanna” fits into everyday speech.
Aug 31, 2026 • 9min
8 phrases to buy yourself thinking time in English
Do you ever find yourself freezing in English because you need a moment to think? In this episode of Coffee Break English, Nick shares 8 simple phrases that help you keep a conversation flowing while you organise your thoughts, including everyday expressions like "let me think", "actually", "the thing is" and "well". By the end you'll have a small toolkit to fall back on when you're not quite sure what to say next.➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.➡️ Want more tips like these delivered straight to your inbox? Sign up for our free newsletter: https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Aug 17, 2026 • 11min
12 natural English reactions for everyday conversation
Short, natural reaction phrases for surprise, sympathy and agreement are introduced. The lesson highlights how intonation changes meaning. You get quick practice prompts to try the phrases in real conversation. Clear examples show when to use each simple response.
Aug 3, 2026 • 7min
How to sound more natural: describing experiences instead of using 'nice' or 'good'
Do you often describe everything as 'good', 'nice' or 'interesting'? In this episode, Nick shares two simple techniques that will instantly help your English sound more expressive, natural and confident: describing the experience rather than the object, and describing how something made you feel. You'll hear plenty of everyday phrases you can start using straight away, in conversations, on holiday, in meetings and beyond.➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.➡️ To receive regular free mini-lessons like this straight to your inbox, visit: https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 20, 2026 • 6min
Stop saying 'I think' so much: 3 ways to sound more confident
"I think" is one of the most overused phrases in English, and it can make you sound less sure of yourself than you really are. In this episode, Nick shares three simple strategies to help you speak with more confidence: when to remove it, how to upgrade it, and when to keep it.➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.➡️ To receive regular free mini-lessons like this straight to your inbox, visit: https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jul 6, 2026 • 11min
7 natural English phrases that make you sound more fluent
In this episode of Coffee Break English, Nick shares 7 natural English phrases that help you sound more fluent in conversations and in exams like IELTS. You'll learn simple but powerful expressions that help you respond naturally, connect your ideas clearly and summarise with confidence. So grab a coffee and join us for another Coffee Break English lesson. ☕️➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.➡️ To receive regular free mini-lessons like this straight to your inbox, visit:https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 22, 2026 • 7min
What to say in English when you forget a word
In this episode of Coffee Break English, Nick shows you what to say when you can't remember a word. It happens to everyone, and the good news is you don't need the exact word to keep talking. You'll learn how to describe an idea in simpler words, how to keep your language clear and easy, and a few natural phrases that buy you time to think. With these three simple strategies, you can stay calm and keep speaking with confidence.➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode and find a free worksheet in the comments section.➡️ To receive regular free mini-lessons like this straight to your inbox, visit:https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Jun 8, 2026 • 10min
How to sound more professional in English at work
In this episode of Coffee Break English, Nick shows you how to sound more professional at work, without any difficult grammar. You'll learn simple ways to upgrade everyday phrases, like turning "I think" into "it seems", so you can feel more confident in meetings, emails and conversations with colleagues.➡️ Click here to watch the video version of this episode.➡️ To receive regular free mini-lessons like this straight to your inbox, visit: https://coffeebreaklanguages.kit.com/newsletter Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
13 snips
May 25, 2026 • 9min
3 listening strategies to understand spoken English
Learn three practical listening strategies to catch meaning without knowing every word. Discover how focusing on stressed key words helps you follow conversations. Find out how facial cues and gestures fill gaps when you can see the speaker. Notice tone, stress and intonation to unlock hidden meaning. Get a bonus tip on using context beforehand to predict what will be said.
