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Plain English

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Sep 5, 2022 • 18min

Lesson 500: Jeff and JR's favorite places in Chicago

On this 500th episode, Jeff and JR talk about their favorite places in Chicago, including: Restaurants The lakefront Shedd aquarium Neighborhoods Field Museum History The beach Riverwalk Lincoln Park Zoo Breweries Art Institute Wrigley Field This lesson was live streamed on video. Watch the replay to get the full experience at PlainEnglish.com/500 (Our regular lesson format will return on Thursday.)Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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Sep 1, 2022 • 26min

Destination Chicago: the capital of the Midwest | Learn the English expression ‘wiped out’

[Countdown to 500] Get ready for the 500th lesson live stream by joining us on social media: Follow @plainenglishpod on Instagram Join the Plain English Listeners Facebook Group Date: September 3 Time: 8:00 am Chicago / Mexico / Colombia New York / Miami: 9:00 a.m. Brazil: 10:00 a.m. London: 2:00 p.m. Paris / Rome / Berlin: 3:00 p.m. Istanbul: 4:00 p.m. New Delhi: 6:30 p.m. Jakarta: 8:00 p.m. Taipei – Hong Kong: 9:00 p.m. Tokyo: 10:00 p.m. On today's lesson: Chicago is the third-largest city in the United States, and home to beautiful urban architecture, culture, and sports. If you like food, you’ll love Chicago. The city has its own signature pizza, hot dogs, and award-winning restaurants. It’s also where Plain English was born. Plus, learn “wiped out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/499 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and trending topics you care about: business, travel, technology, health, science, politics, the environment, and so much more. Our free English lessons always include English expressions and phrasal verbs, too. -- Learn even more English at PlainEnglish.com, where we have fast and slow audio, translations, videos, online English courses, and a supportive community of English learners like you. Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com/Join -- Aprende inglés gratis en línea con nuestro curso de inglés. Se habla a una velocidad lenta para que todos entiendan. ¡Aprende ingles con nosotros ahora! | Aprenda Inglês online grátis com o Plain English, a uma velocidade menor, para que todos possam entender. Contact: E-mail jeff@plainenglish.com | WhatsApp +1 312 967 8757 | Facebook PlainEnglishPod | Instagram PlainEnglishPod | Twitter @PlainEnglishPod "Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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Sep 1, 2022 • 8min

[Countdown to 500] All about JR, the producer

You hear his name on every lesson, but today you get to hear from JR himself (he locked Jeff in a closet and took control of the microphone!). Remember to join us on September 3 for the live stream!  You can view the stream on Instagram and Facebook: Follow us on Instagram Join the Facebook group *NEW* We will be setting up a YouTube link if you prefer watching there. I'll post to our social media accounts and send an e-mail when the link is ready. Then, log in on Saturday, September 3 at 8 am Chicago time. Here are the other time zones around the world: Chicago / Mexico City: 8:00 a.m. New York / Miami: 9:00 a.m. Brazil: 10:00 a.m. London: 2:00 p.m. Paris / Rome / Berlin: 3:00 p.m. Istanbul: 4:00 p.m. New Delhi: 6:30 p.m. Jakarta: 8:00 p.m. Taipei – Hong Kong: 9:00 p.m. Tokyo: 10:00 p.m. See you there!Mentioned in this episode:Try out the full Plain English experienceCurious what the full Plain English experience is like? With our free sample lessons, you can try out the fast audio, built-in translations, workshops, quizzes, exercises, and more. This page explains it all: https://plainenglish.com/free-sample/ Check it out and see exactly how you can upgrade your English with Plain English!
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Aug 31, 2022 • 11min

[Countdown to 500] The great team behind Plain English

500 lessons is a lot of work! While you only hear my voice, there is a huge team behind Plain English. Here are the amazing people who make it happen. Follow @profe.coty on Instagram if you speak Spanish! Remember to join us on September 3 for the live stream!  You can view the stream on Instagram and Facebook: Follow us on Instagram Join the Facebook group *NEW* We will be setting up a YouTube link if you prefer watching there. I'll post to our social media accounts and send an e-mail when the link is ready. Then, log in on Saturday, September 3 at 8 am Chicago time. Here are the other time zones around the world: Chicago / Mexico City: 8:00 a.m. New York / Miami: 9:00 a.m. Brazil: 10:00 a.m. London: 2:00 p.m. Paris / Rome / Berlin: 3:00 p.m. Istanbul: 4:00 p.m. New Delhi: 6:30 p.m. Jakarta: 8:00 p.m. Taipei – Hong Kong: 9:00 p.m. Tokyo: 10:00 p.m. See you there!Mentioned in this episode:Try out the full Plain English experienceCurious what the full Plain English experience is like? With our free sample lessons, you can try out the fast audio, built-in translations, workshops, quizzes, exercises, and more. This page explains it all: https://plainenglish.com/free-sample/ Check it out and see exactly how you can upgrade your English with Plain English!
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Aug 29, 2022 • 25min

Electric vehicles will soon be required to make more noise | Learn the English expression ‘walk by’

[Countdown to 500] Get ready for the 500th lesson live stream by joining us on social media: Follow @plainenglishpod on Instagram Join the Plain English Listeners Facebook Group Date: September 3 Time: 8:00 am Chicago / Mexico / Colombia New York / Miami: 9:00 a.m. Brazil: 10:00 a.m. London: 2:00 p.m. Paris / Rome / Berlin: 3:00 p.m. Istanbul: 4:00 p.m. New Delhi: 6:30 p.m. Jakarta: 8:00 p.m. Taipei – Hong Kong: 9:00 p.m. Tokyo: 10:00 p.m. On today's lesson: Electric vehicles promised to improve safety and reduce harmful CO2 emissions, but they’re also eerily quiet, which is causing safety problems for pedestrians and cyclists. Several countries now have regulations mandating that electric vehicles make noise with external speakers, but it’s up to the car companies to decide on the sound. Plus, learn “walk by.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/498 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and trending topics you care about: business, travel, technology, health, science, politics, the environment, and so much more. Our free English lessons always include English expressions and phrasal verbs, too. -- Learn even more English at PlainEnglish.com, where we have fast and slow audio, translations, videos, online English courses, and a supportive community of English learners like you. Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com/Join -- Aprende inglés gratis en línea con nuestro curso de inglés. Se habla a una velocidad lenta para que todos entiendan. ¡Aprende ingles con nosotros ahora! | Aprenda Inglês online grátis com o Plain English, a uma velocidade menor, para que todos possam entender. Contact: E-mail jeff@plainenglish.com | WhatsApp +1 312 967 8757 | Facebook PlainEnglishPod | Instagram PlainEnglishPod | Twitter @PlainEnglishPod "Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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Aug 29, 2022 • 9min

[Countdown to 500] What I like most about the Plain English audience

As we get ready to celebrate 500 lessons together this Saturday, I'm sharing some thoughts on why I like this audience so much.  Remember to join us on September 3 for the live stream!  You can view the stream on Instagram and Facebook: Follow us on Instagram Join the Facebook group Then, log in on Saturday, September 3 at 8 am Chicago time. Here are the other time zones around the world: Chicago / Mexico City: 8:00 a.m. New York / Miami: 9:00 a.m. Brazil: 10:00 a.m. London: 2:00 p.m. Paris / Rome / Berlin: 3:00 p.m. Istanbul: 4:00 p.m. New Delhi: 6:30 p.m. Jakarta: 8:00 p.m. Taipei – Hong Kong: 9:00 p.m. Tokyo: 10:00 p.m. See you there!Mentioned in this episode:Try out the full Plain English experienceCurious what the full Plain English experience is like? With our free sample lessons, you can try out the fast audio, built-in translations, workshops, quizzes, exercises, and more. This page explains it all: https://plainenglish.com/free-sample/ Check it out and see exactly how you can upgrade your English with Plain English!
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Aug 25, 2022 • 22min

What it’s like to stare at a painting for a full hour | Learn the phrasal verb ‘run out’

[Countdown to #500] To celebrate our 500th lesson, we'll be live-streaming on Facebook and Instagram. It will be on September 3 at 9 am New York time. Make sure to connect with us there, so you can join the fun: Join the Facebook group Follow us on Instagram @plainenglishpod All the details of the big event are available at PlainEnglish.com/500 We can't wait to see you on the live stream on September 3! On today's lesson: Oliver Burkeman is a British journalist that writes about productivity and time management and is author of “Four Thousand Weeks.” In the book, the author tells a story about a professor that challengers her students to go to a museum and look at a painting or a sculpture for three hours, so we did a modified version of that. Plus, learn “run out.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/497 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and trending topics you care about: business, travel, technology, health, science, politics, the environment, and so much more. Our free English lessons always include English expressions and phrasal verbs, too. -- Learn even more English at PlainEnglish.com, where we have fast and slow audio, translations, videos, online English courses, and a supportive community of English learners like you. Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com/Join -- Aprende inglés gratis en línea con nuestro curso de inglés. Se habla a una velocidad lenta para que todos entiendan. ¡Aprende ingles con nosotros ahora! | Aprenda Inglês online grátis com o Plain English, a uma velocidade menor, para que todos possam entender. Contact: E-mail jeff@plainenglish.com | WhatsApp +1 312 967 8757 | Facebook PlainEnglishPod | Instagram PlainEnglishPod | Twitter @PlainEnglishPod "Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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Aug 24, 2022 • 15min

[Countdown to 500] Plain English: the back story

In this "behind-the-scenes" episode, Jeff shares some of the history of Plain English as a business, including how he snagged the domain, plainenglish.com.  Today's episode is a special bonus as we prepare for our milestone 500th lesson on September 3. Here are three ways you can help celebrate: #1 - Record a video, telling us what you like about Plain English #2 - Enter the giveaway for a chance to win great prizes. #3 - Mark your calendars for the live stream on September 3 All the details are available at PlainEnglish.com/500 We can't wait to see you on the live stream on September 3!Mentioned in this episode:Try out the full Plain English experienceCurious what the full Plain English experience is like? With our free sample lessons, you can try out the fast audio, built-in translations, workshops, quizzes, exercises, and more. This page explains it all: https://plainenglish.com/free-sample/ Check it out and see exactly how you can upgrade your English with Plain English!
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Aug 22, 2022 • 19min

Remembering Vin Scully, the voice of baseball | Learn the English phrasal verb ‘treat someone to’

[Countdown to #500] We're getting ready to celebrate Lesson #500! We'll be live-streaming the lesson on September 3. Here are three ways you can help celebrate: #1 - Record a video, telling us what you like about Plain English #2 - Enter the giveaway for a chance to win great prizes. #3 - Mark your calendars for the live stream on September 3 All the details are available at PlainEnglish.com/500 We can't wait to see you on the live stream on September 3! On today's lesson: Vin Scully was what baseball sounded like for over six decades. He landed a job as a Dodgers baseball announcer shortly after graduating college and stayed on with the team for 67 years until he retired in 2016. Vin Scully recently died, so this lesson is all about remembering his life’s work as a broadcaster. Plus, learn “treat someone to.” -- At Plain English, we make English lessons for the modern world. -- Today’s full English lesson, including a free transcript, can be found at: https://plainenglish.com/496 -- Learning English should be fun! That’s why our lessons are about current events and trending topics you care about: business, travel, technology, health, science, politics, the environment, and so much more. Our free English lessons always include English expressions and phrasal verbs, too. -- Learn even more English at PlainEnglish.com, where we have fast and slow audio, translations, videos, online English courses, and a supportive community of English learners like you. Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com/Join -- Aprende inglés gratis en línea con nuestro curso de inglés. Se habla a una velocidad lenta para que todos entiendan. ¡Aprende ingles con nosotros ahora! | Aprenda Inglês online grátis com o Plain English, a uma velocidade menor, para que todos possam entender. Contact: E-mail jeff@plainenglish.com | WhatsApp +1 312 967 8757 | Facebook PlainEnglishPod | Instagram PlainEnglishPod | Twitter @PlainEnglishPod "Mentioned in this episode:Practice what you learn (and get human feedback)Don't just listen to the expression: put it into practice! Every time you learn an expression at Plain English, write your own example using that expression. And then an expert English speaker will read your example and give you personal feedback on how to improve. Sign up for a free 14-day trial at PlainEnglish.com
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Aug 22, 2022 • 11min

[Countdown to 500] What does 'Plain English' mean?

In this "behind-the-scenes" episode, Jeff shares what the term "Plain English" means and why he chose that as the name for this business. Today's episode is a special bonus as we prepare for our milestone 500th lesson on September 3. Here are three ways you can help celebrate: #1 - Record a video, telling us what you like about Plain English #2 - Enter the giveaway for a chance to win great prizes. #3 - Mark your calendars for the live stream on September 3 All the details are available at PlainEnglish.com/500 We can't wait to see you on the live stream on September 3!Mentioned in this episode:Try out the full Plain English experienceCurious what the full Plain English experience is like? With our free sample lessons, you can try out the fast audio, built-in translations, workshops, quizzes, exercises, and more. This page explains it all: https://plainenglish.com/free-sample/ Check it out and see exactly how you can upgrade your English with Plain English!

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