Shows
English and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE65 Friendship at First Sight - Advanced Listening PracticeLet's improve your English listening skills while discussing a very relevant topic: why do we just 'click' so much better with some people more than others?In this episode, Oliver and César talk about the strange mechanics of adult friendship: why it’s so hard to make genuine friends through work or hobbies, why life constantly interrupts the friendships we do build, and why occasionally we meet people who feel familiar from the very first conversation.📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashca...
2025-12-0421 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE64 We Quit! (Not Really...) - Advanced English Learning PodcastShameful! But maybe relatable? 😂Why do two language teachers - people who literally teach languages for a living - end up quitting their own language learning lessons after just two months?In today’s episode, we talk honestly about motivation, classrooms, commuting, group dynamics, and why even experienced learners sometimes lose momentum. We discuss the reality of adult language learning, the temptation of digital tools, and the strange nostalgia that made us think traditional classes would solve everything.If you’ve ever started a language course, lost steam, found excuses, or wondered why it’s so...
2025-11-2316 min
English and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastAre We Bad People For Eating Animals? | Intermediate English Listening PracticeIt’s a big question, but this episode starts with something very small - an ant I accidentally killed on a train.That tiny moment led me to think about pain, morality, meat-eating, dairy, fish, and the strange logic many of us use when we decide which animals matter and which don’t.We’ll talk about why some creatures make us feel guilty and others don’t, why the modern food system keeps uncomfortable truths out of sight, and why many of us avoid thinking too deeply about what’s on our plate.If you’v...
2025-11-1917 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE63 The Price of Fame - Advanced English Learning PodcastWhy do so many celebrities follow the same tragic script - early success, impossible pressure, public decline, and a carefully managed collapse? And has anything really changed in the age of influencers, TikTok fame and constant online visibility?In today’s Advanced level episode of English and Beyond, Oliver and César explore the darker side of fame: the industry built on illusion, the toxic incentives behind talent management, and the strange role we, the audience, play in keeping the system alive. From Judy Garland to Britney Spears, from classic paparazzi culture to the self-inflicted exp...
2025-11-1521 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastRepublic: When the UK Brought Down Its Kings | Intermediate English Listening PracticeLearn English through one of the most interesting stories in British history: in 1649, Britain killed its own king. The monarchy was gone. Oliver Cromwell took power - and the country became a Republic. The British Revolution!For eleven (quite dull) years, England lived without a crown: no kings, no queens, just strict rules and fading hope for democracy. Find out how the British Republic began, why it failed, and what it taught the monarchy that followed.Perfect for intermediate English learners who love British culture, real history, and powerful storytelling.
2025-11-1110 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE62 The Art of Disappointing People - Advanced Listening Practice for English StudentsWe all do it: promise too much, deliver too late, and thus fail to meet someone’s expectations.In this Advanced level conversation, Oliver and César explore disappointment, guilt, and the strange pressure to meet other people's standards. From over-promising at work to letting friends down, we reflect on why we care more about strangers’ opinions than our loved ones’, and what it really means to “lower the bar.”📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Follow us on Instagram →...
2025-11-0918 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastThe Future of Food: Would You Eat Insects? | Intermediate English Listening PracticeWhat if eating became optional?In this episode of English and Beyond : Intermediate English Podcast, I explore the strange and slightly dystopian future of food: from meal-replacement powders to lab-grown meat and even insect protein. Why are scientists and tech companies trying to reinvent something humans have done well enough for thousands of years? And what happens when efficiency replaces pleasure?📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast Email your thoughts or questions → oliver@morethanalanguage.com 🎙 Ne...
2025-11-0413 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE61 If We Get D.I.V.O.R.C.E.D, Has Our Marriage Failed? (Advanced English Listening Practice)Almost half of UK marriages end in divorce - yet we often still treat it as a shameful or tragic failure. In this episode of English and Beyond, César and I explore why so many relationships end, talk a bit about our own (experiences with) marriage, whether staying married always means happiness, and why divorce might sometimes be an act of honesty rather than defeat.📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond Watch us on Youtu...
2025-11-0219 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastA Horror Story: Learning a Language as an Adult | Intermediate English Listening PracticeIf you’re studying English as an adult, you’ll probably recognise this feeling: sitting in class, forgetting simple words, and wondering if you’re too old to improve. In this episode, I share what happened when I went back to school to learn Arabic from scratch, from the beginning, in my 30s - the embarrassment, the motivation, and the small victories that will add up to real progress.You’ll also hear useful and practical tips to help you stay motivated, study effectively, and keep improving your English in this B1/B2 lev...
2025-10-2911 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE60 Has Mindfulness Lost Its Mind? - Advanced English Listening (C1/C2)After a period where every small problem felt catastrophic, and he was encouraged to be more "mindful", Oliver asks how and why this radical idea about awareness became yet another lifestyle brand. In this conversation, he and César unpack how a practice meant to help us face discomfort ended up being sold as the cure for it.📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Follow us on Instagram → @BritishEnglishandBeyond Watch us on Youtube → @englishandbeyondpodcast Email your thoughts or questio...
2025-10-2620 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastWhy Do British People Lie? | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]Have you ever been told your cooking was “interesting” - or that “we must do this again sometime”?In Britain, those aren’t compliments. They’re polite lies.In this episode, Oliver explores the very British habit of hiding the truth behind euphemisms - soft, careful words that sound kind but often mean the opposite. From “He’s between jobs” to “It’s not ideal”, you’ll learn how English uses politeness to disguise criticism, avoid conflict, and keep everyone comfortable… even when that means we're being a little dishonest.📖 Want to improve your English even more? ...
2025-10-2211 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE59 Do Europeans Even *Like* Each Other? (feat. French Mornings with Elisa)What does it really mean to be European? Shared values, a shared history… or just a shared habit of thinking our neighbours are doing everything wrong?In this episode, we are joined by Elisa from French Mornings with Elisa (https://www.frenchmornings.com/) to talk about the strange mix of rivalry and affection that unites the continent. We compare British, French and Spanish attitudes to each other, Erasmus memories, Brexit, national clichés, and even which country gets blamed when things go wrong.📖 Want to improve your English even more?...
2025-10-1730 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastMargaret Thatcher: National Hero or National Disgrace? | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]Margaret Thatcher changed Britain forever - but not everyone agrees on how. For some, she was the strong leader who rescued the country from decline. For others, she was the politician who destroyed communities and divided a nation.In this episode, you’ll learn who she was, what she did, and why the “Iron Lady” still provokes such strong opinions decades later. Was she a national hero who transformed Britain for the better, or a national disgrace who left deep scars behind?Listen to find out - and decide for yourself.📖 Want to improve y...
2025-10-1412 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE58 Teachers We’ll Never Forget - Advanced English Listening (C1/C2)Most of us remember a teacher - and not always for positives reasons.Maybe they inspired us. Maybe they embarrassed us. Maybe they simply showed up every day and did their job without ever realising how much it mattered to us.In this episode of English and Beyond, Oliver and César reflect on the people who taught them and left a big impression. They share stories of teachers who left a mark, both good and bad, and explore how those small, unspoken moments in education can shape who we become.📖 Want to i...
2025-10-1220 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastI Hope Aliens Don't Exist... (The Wow! Signal) | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]In 1977, astronomers in Ohio picked up a mysterious radio signal from deep space - a signal so unusual that the scientist who saw it simply wrote one word next to the data: Wow!In this episode, I explore the story behind the famous “Wow Signal”, what might have caused it, and what it reveals about our search for extraterrestrial life.Are we really alone in the universe? And - perhaps more importantly - should we want to be found?📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashca...
2025-10-0710 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE57 Perfectly Miserable: The Culture of Optimisation - Advanced English ListeningAre we becoming obsessed with optimisation?From Greek philosophy to Apple Watches, the idea of “the good life” has shifted from balance and virtue to data, tracking, and biohacking.In this episode of English and Beyond (Advanced), Oliver and César explore the culture of self-optimisation - from sleep divorces to clean eating, from supplements to billionaire blood transfusions.You’ll hear natural British English conversation on:Where “healthy living” becomes obsessive control;Why sleep tracking, diets, and fitness apps can be both useful and harmful; andWhether we’re chasing perfection or...
2025-10-0217 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastHave You Disappointed Your Parents Too? (Quitting My Job) | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]I quit my job as a lawyer, and I upset my parents in the process.Many parents say they only want their children to be happy. But often “happy” looks very similar to “successful” - top grades, a good job, financial security. In this episode, Oliver reflects on parental expectations, cultural differences, and his own experience of following the “safe” path to Oxford and a legal career… only to find it didn’t bring happiness.Why do parents still push us towards success, and why do we still care so much about making them proud?Listen for...
2025-09-2913 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE56 "First Love Never Dies" - Advanced English Listening PracticeThey say you never forget your first love. And maybe that’s true - not because it was perfect, but because it carried an intensity that later relationships rarely match. Years later, a song, a name, or a face in a crowd can bring the memory back, fresh and overwhelming.In this episode, we talk about first crushes, awkward kisses, and secret teenage romances. Some stories are sweet, others bittersweet, but all of them remind us how powerful those early feelings can be - and how they stay with us, even when everything else has moved on....
2025-09-2619 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastStop Sounding Weak in English - Speak Persuasively Instead | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]Want to sound more confident and convincing in English?In this episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate English Podcast, Oliver breaks down the art of persuasion in simple, practical steps. You’ll learn why English is full of short, punchy words that make arguments powerful, how famous speakers like Barack Obama and Winston Churchill use repetition and rhythm, and how you can adapt the same tricks - even as an intermediate learner.By the end of this episode, you’ll know how to:Avoid weak, rambling sentences;Use repetition, contrast, and “rule of three” to make...
2025-09-2212 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE55 The End of Language Learning - Advanced English Listening PracticeWhen AI can podcast, teach and even translate in real time, what’s left for us humans?In this episode of English and Beyond: Advanced English Podcast, Oliver and César discuss the promises and threats of Artificial Intelligence. From Apple’s new live-translation AirPods to AI-generated podcasts on YouTube, they ask hard and sometimes depressing questions about the future of education, creativity, and work!Will teachers and podcasters (and lawyers) become redundant? Could AI replace not only routine jobs but also creative voices? Or will this technology simply shift what we value as “u...
2025-09-1919 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastWhy Are People So Rude Online? | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]In everyday life, most of us rarely hear truly cruel comments face to face. Yet online, nastiness seems to be everywhere - from newspaper comment sections to Instagram selfies and Twitter threads. In this episode of English and Beyond, we explore why people behave so differently on the internet.Oliver reflects on his own experience receiving unkind comments and examines psychological explanations: online disinhibition, lack of tone, negativity bias, power imbalance, and the role of a small but loud group of repeat offenders. We also look at how public criticism has changed over the centuries, and why...
2025-09-1512 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE54 Do We Love Our Pets Too Much? - Advanced English Listening PracticeWhy are humans so devoted to pets?We spend billions on them, treat them like family, and grieve their loss as deeply as we would a relative. But they’re not human. They don’t share our language or our culture, and their lives are heartbreakingly short. So why do we choose to invite animals into our homes - knowing from the beginning that the story will end in loss?In this episode of English and Beyond, Oliver and César explore the paradox of pet ownership. We look at the history of pets...
2025-09-1219 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastWhy Do We Love Seeing Rich People Suffer? | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]Why do we find it so satisfying to watch the rich suffer? From Succession and The White Lotus to real-life stories of billionaires in crisis, this episode explores our fascination with the downfall of the wealthy.We’ll look at the psychology of schadenfreude, why wealth makes us feel emotionally distant from people, and how their meltdowns echo ancient tragedies. Is it harmless entertainment - or do we lose something when we stop seeing the rich as human?📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full trans...
2025-09-0812 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE53 Why Do Compliments Feel So Awkward? - Advanced English ListeningWhy do compliments so often make us cringe? In this advanced English podcast episode, we explore the psychology of praise and the language of compliments: why a simple “you look nice today” can trigger self-doubt, suspicion, or even discomfort.You’ll discover how cultural differences shape the way compliments are given and received in English, why flattery can sometimes feel manipulative, and how a “backhanded compliment” works. We’ll also look at natural phrases and advanced vocabulary you can use when giving or responding to compliments in English.This episode is designed for advanced English learners who...
2025-09-0519 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastMy Accidental Week on a Naturist Island 😱 | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]Imagine arriving on a quiet Mediterranean island… only to realise that everyone around you is naked. That was my experience when I finally agreed to join a university friend on a naturist island in France.In this episode of English and Beyond: Intermediate Edition, I share:My awkward first moments on the islandThe surprising rules (sarongs in the streets if you want, but nudity required on the beaches and hiking trails)The surreal details, like ordering bread at the boulangerie from a topless waitressA short history of naturism in France and Germany, and how it never re...
2025-09-0114 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastShould We Bring Back the Death Penalty? | Intermediate English Listening Practice [B1/B2]In this episode, Oliver looks at the history and main arguments surrounding the death penalty. With examples from the UK and insights from other countries, he explains why some nations have abolished it, and how public opinion can change over time.You’ll hear about well-known legal cases and the key ethical questions at the centre of the debate - from whether capital punishment deters crime, to whether it delivers justice, to the serious risk of punishing someone who is later found to be innocent.This is an intermediate-level discussion that uses precise and engaging la...
2025-08-1211 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastHow NOT to Talk About Your Disappointing Summer 😂 | B1/B2 Listening PracticeIs your summer never quite as amazing as you expected? In this B1–B2 English podcast episode, I talk about why holidays can feel disappointing - and how to describe that in real English.You’ll learn:– How to talk about summer without saying “It was nice”– English vocabulary for expectations, emotions, and honesty– How to express yourself naturally when things weren’t perfect...which they never are!📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Watch us on Youtube → @engl...
2025-08-0613 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE52 Learning English Abroad? The HONEST Truth About Immersion Trips...Improve your English listening with this advanced-level story. Oliver shares the real experience of studying a language abroad - the good, the bad, and the sweaty.What happens when you go abroad to learn a language? Does immersion really work? In this episode, I talk about my time in Montpellier: the grammar lessons, the teachers, the pros and cons… and what I actually took away from the whole experience.📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full transcript & vocabulary flashcards → www.morethanalanguage.com Follow us on Inst...
2025-08-0119 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastWhy Britain and France Almost Became One Country | Intermediate English Podcast with StoriesIn 1940, as Nazi Germany advanced across Europe, a radical proposal was made: Britain and France would merge into a single country. One parliament, one army, one citizenship. In this episode, we explore that forgotten moment in history - what led to it, why it failed, and what it reveals about the long, complicated relationship between the UK and France.From medieval invasions to Concorde and Eurostar, Oliver reflects on rivalry, admiration, and cooperation - and how these two neighbours keep finding new ways to misunderstand (and sometimes impress) each other.📖 Want to improve your English eve...
2025-07-2212 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE51 Can You Compete with Someone You Love? (The Results Are In!)In this episode, we explore a subtle, often unspoken kind of rivalry - the sort that happens not in sports or business, but in close relationships. What does it mean to compete with someone you care about? Can it help you grow, or does it just create tension? Oliver and César share the story of their two-year French-learning journey, but things quickly turned into a challenge. Who would reach B2 first? Who was more consistent? And who would end up paying for dinner?📖 Want to improve your English even more? Read the full...
2025-07-1023 minEnglish and Beyond: Advanced English for Fluency & CommunicationE50 Fifty Episodes Later: Do Anniversaries Really Matter? - Advanced EnglishIn this special 50th episode of English and Beyond, Oliver and César reflect on one year of podcasting, what anniversaries really mean, and why they could often forget their own.From the challenges of staying consistent to the little victories along the way, we talk about how far we’ve come - and whether anniversaries are worth celebrating at all. Expect language tips, personal stories, some light teasing, and a spilled coffee or two.Whether you’ve been here since episode one or just joined us, this is a gre...
2025-07-1017 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastIs Time Just An Illusion? | Intermediate English PodcastMost of us check the time every day without thinking twice. But what if the numbers on your screen or wrist aren’t as objective as they seem?In this episode of English and Beyond, we explore the strange history of time: from ancient rhythms and local sunsets to train schedules and time zones.We’ll look at why 9 to 5 feels unnatural, why jet lag is so confusing, and how culture shapes our idea of punctuality. Perfect for intermediate learners, with clear storytelling and practical vocabulary.📖 Want to improve your English even more?
2025-07-0311 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastYou’re Not Dying, So Why Aren’t You at Work?! | Intermediate English PodcastWhy do you feel guilty for resting when you're sick?In this episode of English and Beyond, I explore the strange but familiar feeling of guilt that creeps in when you take a sick day. Why do so many of us struggle to switch off, even when we’re clearly unwell? From cultural attitudes to childhood messages about work and productivity, we dig into where this mindset comes from - and how to challenge it.You'll also learn some natural English expressions and idioms related to being ill, missing work, and taking time of...
2025-06-2711 minEnglish and Beyond: Intermediate English PodcastSounding Native is Overrated | Intermediate English PodcastHave you ever felt frustrated that, no matter how long you’ve been learning English, you still don’t sound like the Queen? Or Hugh Grant? Or anyone remotely British?In this episode, I share my personal journey with pronunciation - from crying in a French oral exam as a teenager, to getting over perfectionism through Mandarin, German, and now Spanish. We talk about why trying to sound native can sometimes hold us back, and why the real goal should be clear, confident communication in your own voice.I also share some practical strategies to impr...
2025-06-1810 min