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Plain English

Improve your English and learn about the world at the same time. Plain English brings you short, modern stories about culture, science, travel, business, and everyday life, all told in clear, natural English designed for learners. You’ll grow your vocabulary, improve your listening skills, and build your confidence one episode at a time. Like the show? Sign up free at PlainEnglish.com and get a personalized learning path.

New life for rare species in Honduras | Learn English phrase 'at the behest of'

23 mins; July 25, 2019

Mumbai is India's beating heart | Learn English phrasal verb 'clear out'

20 mins; July 22, 2019

Scent is the next frontier in branding | Learn English phrase 'latch onto'

22 mins; July 18, 2019

Cheers, telescopes, and yoga: watching the solar eclipse | Learn English expression 'put to use'

17 mins; July 15, 2019

Istanbul election backfires on Turkey's president | Learn English expression 'bow to pressure'

21 mins; July 11, 2019

'Lost wallet' experiment: how honest are people around the world? | Learn English expression 'get your hopes up'

25 mins; July 08, 2019

What is killing American tourists in the Dominican Republic? | Learn how to use 'can't help but...'

24 mins; July 04, 2019

Facebook looks to shake up finance with new currency | Learn English phrasal verb 'hold up'

24 mins; July 01, 2019

How 5G will transform the mobile internet | Learn English phrasal verb 'roll out'

23 mins; June 27, 2019

Earliest use of marijuana was 2,500 years ago | Learn English phrasal verb "pin down"

24 mins; June 24, 2019

Meet the 24 Democrats running against Trump | Learn English phrase "to scratch your head"

24 mins; June 20, 2019

I.M. Pei, designer of Louvre pyramid, dies at 102 | Learn English phrase "to cause a stir"

25 mins; June 17, 2019

China battling a deadly pig virus | Learn English phrasal verb "to spell out"

23 mins; June 13, 2019

Would you see a 'hologram' concert? | Learn English phrasal verb 'turn down'

23 mins; June 10, 2019

Hiking Mt. Everest? Get in line | Learn English phrase 'think straight'

22 mins; June 06, 2019

Nothing to wear? Rent something from Urban Outfitters | Learn English phrase, 'to have your work cut out for you'

23 mins; June 03, 2019

Google cuts ties with Huawei amid US, China tensions | Learn English phrasal verb 'to flare up'

23 mins; May 30, 2019

What ridesharing is like around the world | Learn English idiom 'talk someone's ear off'

24 mins; May 27, 2019

How to follow a zero-waste lifestyle | Learn phrasal verb 'brush off'

25 mins; May 23, 2019

Kentucky Derby 'winner' dropped to 17th place | Learn English phrase 'long shot'

22 mins; May 20, 2019

Latest effort to topple Maduro falls short | Learn English phrase 'in the works'

22 mins; May 16, 2019

How Paris firefighters saved Notre-Dame relics | Learn English phrase 'short on'

22 mins; May 13, 2019

‘Avengers’ is Disney’s hero at the box office | Learn English phrase ‘on a tear’

21 mins; May 09, 2019

Cash is not king at new shops that take cards only | Learn English phrase ‘point to’

21 mins; May 06, 2019

Coca-Cola, seeking a boost, adds a shot of coffee | Learn English phrase ‘bread and butter’

21 mins; May 02, 2019

Tiger Woods shows that a comeback from anything is possible | Learn English phrase ‘reap the rewards’

24 mins; April 29, 2019

A stunned France vows to rebuild Notre-Dame cathedral | Learn English phrase ‘recipe for disaster’

26 mins; April 25, 2019

India’s poll workers brave swamps and mountains to reach voters | Learn English phrase ‘to get into gear’

23 mins; April 22, 2019

First images of a black hole offer a glimpse of the invisible | Learn English phrase ‘to come into focus’

22 mins; April 18, 2019

Japan welcomes a new emperor and ‘Reiwa’ era | Plus, learn ‘to date back to’

23 mins; April 15, 2019

‘Game of Thrones’ fans: your wait is almost over | Learn English phrase ‘tight-lipped’

23 mins; April 11, 2019

Fish on the menu and on view at new underwater restaurant | Learn English phrase ‘weighed down’

23 mins; April 08, 2019

Britain still unable to decide what kind of Brexit it wants | Learn English phrase ‘wear thin’

27 mins; April 04, 2019

How millennials are changing the workplace | Learn English phrase ‘turn something on its head’

28 mins; April 01, 2019

Alex Trebek is America’s longtime dinnertime companion | Learn English phrase ‘in command’

19 mins; March 28, 2019

Cheating scandal rocks university-admissions world | Learn English expression ‘raise eyebrows’

24 mins; March 25, 2019

Boeing jets grounded after two recent crashes | Learn English phrase ‘double-edged sword’

23 mins; March 21, 2019

The Virgin Islands are a sun-kissed paradise | Plus, learn English phrase ‘take the edge off’

25 mins; March 18, 2019

HIV eliminated in a second patient, but a cure is a long way off | Learn English phrasal verb ‘fight off’

23 mins; March 14, 2019

Finding joy in everyday objects with Marie Kondo | Learn English phrase ‘have a knack for’

20 mins; March 11, 2019

Quest to clean up the Great Pacific Garbage Patch | Learn English phrase ‘take something in stride’

23 mins; March 07, 2019

Breakdancing could be a new Olympic ‘sport’ in 2024 | Learn English expression ‘to the untrained eye’

22 mins; March 04, 2019

Stranded plane returns after 70-day ordeal in Iran | Learn English phrase ‘by the day’

23 mins; February 28, 2019

Chapo convicted, but drug trade still thrives | Plus, learn how to use ‘a slew of’

21 mins; February 25, 2019

New emojis are all about individuality (and a little frivolity) | Learn English phrase ‘hop on’

18 mins; February 21, 2019

‘Crazy Rich Asians’: a Singapore showcase with a great soundtrack | Learn English phrasal verb ‘measure up’

22 mins; February 18, 2019

Modern mating: How the internet has changed the search for love | Plus, learn English phrase ‘lend itself’

25 mins; February 14, 2019

Blast of Arctic air brings Midwest cities to a standstill | Learn English phrase ‘Good Samaritan’

23 mins; February 11, 2019

Dam collapse buries Brazilian town under river of mud | Plus, learn to say that events ‘unfold’

22 mins; February 07, 2019

Separating art from artist in the Me-Too era | Learn English phrase ‘sit well’

20 mins; February 04, 2019

Venezuela opposition leader gaining support from abroad | Learn English phrase ‘get traction’

26 mins; January 31, 2019

Delicious diversity in Toronto, Canada’s largest city | Learn English phrase ‘spoiled for choice’

21 mins; January 28, 2019

Drone deliveries are getting closer | Learn English phrase ‘inch closer’

20 mins; January 24, 2019

Think twice before trusting ‘Dr. Google’ | Learn English phrase ‘down a rabbit hole’

20 mins; January 21, 2019

Should ‘birth tourism’ be allowed in Canada? | Learn ‘test someone’s patience’

22 mins; January 17, 2019

‘Roma’ is a powerful tribute to director Cuarón’s childhood caregiver | Plus learn ‘kneel down’

19 mins; January 14, 2019

China sends rover to moon’s far side | Learn English phrase ‘at any given time’

19 mins; January 10, 2019

Mystery disease strikes diplomats in Cuba | Learn English phrase ‘come down with’

18 mins; January 07, 2019

Making New Year’s resolutions stick | Learn English phrase ‘fall short’

20 mins; January 03, 2019

NBA in Mexico; NFL in London: American sports push their brands abroad | Learn English phrase ‘a matter of time’

20 mins; December 31, 2018

Crying is serious business in Japan | Learn English phrase ‘latch onto’

19 mins; December 27, 2018

Trouble for Huawei after executive is arrested in Canada | Learn English phrase ‘dry up’

20 mins; December 24, 2018

Britain should vote again on Brexit | Learn English phrase ‘bite the bullet’

23 mins; December 20, 2018

George H. W. Bush, America’s 41st president, dies at 94 | Learn English phrase ‘keep a low profile’

23 mins; December 17, 2018

Yellow vest protests expand to France’s Champs-Elysée | Learn English phrase ‘finger on the pulse’

23 mins; December 13, 2018

First gene-edited baby is born in China, scientist says | Learn English phrase ‘slippery slope’

22 mins; December 10, 2018

Cuba pulls 8,000 doctors from Brazil after spat with Bolsonaro | Plus, learn English phrasal verb ‘make up for’

24 mins; December 06, 2018

Pisa’s famous tower is leaning a bit less | Learn English phrase ‘straighten out’

21 mins; December 03, 2018

Migrant caravan arrives at the US border: now what? | Learn English phrase ‘bear a burden’

20 mins; November 29, 2018

Scientists have re-defined the kilogram | Learn English phrase ‘seal someone’s fate’

21 mins; November 26, 2018

Brexit deal leaves few happy in UK | Learn English phrase ‘strike a deal’

25 mins; November 22, 2018

Lady Gaga was amazing in ‘A Star Is Born’ | Learn English phrase ‘down to earth’

22 mins; November 19, 2018

Partial rebuke for Trump in US midterm elections | Learn English phrase ‘when the dust settles’

21 mins; November 15, 2018

Top European football teams in talks to create a ‘Super League’ | Learn English phrase ‘at the expense of.’

21 mins; November 12, 2018

Mexico will cancel partially-built new airport after strange vote | Learn English phrase ‘bursting at the seams’

20 mins; November 08, 2018

Brazil elects Bolsonaro, riding global wave of discontent | Learn English phrase ‘run the gamut’

23 mins; November 05, 2018

Popular destinations struggle with ‘over-tourism’ | Learn English phrase ‘wear and tear’

23 mins; November 01, 2018

Marijuana is now legal in Canada | Learn phrasal verb ‘ramp up’

20 mins; October 29, 2018

Mystery surrounds death of Saudi journalist | Learn how to use ‘to paint a picture’

19 mins; October 25, 2018

Should Japan have an army? | Learn the English phrasal verb "take effect"

21 mins; October 22, 2018

New route is world’s longest flight: 18 hours, Singapore to New York | Learn phrasal verb ‘pay off’

21 mins; October 18, 2018

Chile wins battle over sea access for landlocked Bolivia | Learn English phrase ‘sigh of relief’

22 mins; October 15, 2018

French gangster recaptured after escaping jail in a helicopter | Learn English phrase ‘in reality’

18 mins; October 11, 2018

New look for London phone booths: digital ads and touch screens | Learn English phrase ‘to put it mildly’

21 mins; October 08, 2018

Genetic change in mosquitoes may be key to eliminating malaria | Learn ‘upside’ and ‘downside’

20 mins; October 04, 2018

Facebook, committed to connecting people, now must decide who to disconnect

19 mins; October 01, 2018

VW retires the Beetle, revives the Bus | Learn about ‘hippies’ and the counter-culture

18 mins; September 27, 2018

Spain to remove Franco from Valley of the Fallen | Learn English phrase ‘take for granted’

18 mins; September 24, 2018

How bad is the storm? Check the Waffle House Index | Learn English phrase ‘in the wake of’

20 mins; September 20, 2018

Focus on security, digitization after museum fire | Learn English expression ‘come to grips’

21 mins; September 17, 2018

Sadness and anger after Museu Nacional fire | Learn English word ‘exempt’

22 mins; September 13, 2018

Europe may abolish Daylight Saving Time | Learn English phrase ‘follow suit’

20 mins; September 10, 2018

Lula ineligible to repeat as Brazil’s president | Learn English expression ‘in a bind’

17 mins; September 06, 2018

Is a drink a day healthy? New research says no | Learn English phrase ‘to put stock in’

17 mins; September 03, 2018

TV’s ‘The Big Bang Theory’ to end after 12 years | Learn English phrase ‘to bite the dust’

22 mins; August 30, 2018

Britain’s EU exit plan is a mess | Learn how to use ‘figure out’

19 mins; August 27, 2018

Aretha Franklin was the ‘Queen of Soul Music’ | Learn English phrasal verb ‘break out’

19 mins; August 23, 2018

Implanting a chip in your hand: the new way to pay? | Learn the English phrasal verb ‘show off’

20 mins; August 20, 2018

Airline employee steals plane, flies, and crash-lands | Learn phrasal verb ‘take off’

17 mins; August 16, 2018

Video shows panic, bad weather in Mexican plane crash | Learn English phrasal verb ‘sum up’

16 mins; August 13, 2018

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