Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

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• WORLD CUP RAMBLE #4 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 England 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 vs Argentina 🇦🇷 and more... (with Zdenek) [BONUS] 16.07.2026 2t 5min

  Recorded the day after Argentina beat England in the semi-final 😭 here is World Cup Ramble #4. Zdenek joins me again as we discuss as many talking points as possible, including what on earth happened yesterday, the intense rivalry between Argentina & England, the historical background to that rivalry, Spain eliminating France, predictions for the final and so many other things, including a passionate conversation about cultural differences and communication style, plus the real heroes and villains of this epic World Cup competition. Normal podcasting will continue next week.Luke on The Footglish Podcast https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zc-Wjg_DEXkEpisode Page https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/07/16/world-cup-ramble-4-fifa-2026-england-vs-argentina-and-much-more-with-zdenek/LEP Premium https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Funny Childhood Memories & Stories ⚡️👦 (with Martin) [997] 13.07.2026 1t 48min

  Martin returns with a set of questions about childhood, sparking a funny conversation full of stories from school, family holidays, getting into trouble, and formative years of Luke growing up both in urban West London and rural West Midlands. Expect a premium episode dealing with vocabulary in this conversation.Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Funny-Childhood-Memories-Stories-with-Martin-Episode-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/07/13/funny-childhood-memories-stories-with-martin/LEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• WORLD CUP RAMBLE 3 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 with Fred [BONUS] 08.07.2026 1t 15min

  Here is the third World Cup ramble, covering the events of the last 16, predicting the outcomes of the quarter finals and beyond, and discussing the various issues, talking points and controversies. Is the World Cup rigged? Are the referees biased? What about the scandal involving FIFA and Trump? Who is going to win this massive competition? I'm joined by football fan and returning guest Fred Eyangoh. Leave your comments below and join the discussion!Episode page https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/07/08/world-cup-ramble-3-fifa-2026-with-fred-bonus/LEP Premium https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Debating Skills in English 🗣️ (with Ray Addam) [996] 06.07.2026 2t 31min

  Win any argument in English with these incredible debating skills. Ray Addam joins me for a discussion about the art of debating, including various strategies you can use to help you win arguments, disagreements and debates. With plenty of examples given and techniques explained, this is surely a useful episode for developing your speaking skills in English.Episode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/07/06/debating-skills-in-english-with-ray/Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/07/Debating-Skills-in-English-with-Ray-Addam-996-.pdfLEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premiumLinks for Ray AddamHis Preply profile, to book one-to-one English tuition with Ray 👉 https://preply.in/RAY6EN200844011?ts=17815602Ray's school website, to access my courses and join live group sessions to practise English together, plus soft skills such as debating and public speaking 👉 https://www.skool.com/elevate-english-6228/about?ref=77d17e9d6acf4bf1ae51158796ecaa0f Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• WORLD CUP RAMBLE #2 ⚽️ FIFA 2026 with Zdenek [BONUS] 30.06.2026 2t 10min

  Here is the next bonus football rambling episode on LEP. The group stage of FIFA World Cup 2026 is over and teams are now being eliminated in the round of 32. In this episode, which is roughly the same length as the average game at WC2026, I am joined by Zdenek from The Footglish Podcast. Expect discussion of styles of play in modern football, the changes introduced this year and their effects on the game - including VAR updates, time wasting measures, plus an overview of England today (30 June) and Czechia, who is the true GOAT - Messi? Who will get to 1000 first? Luke or Christiano Ronaldo? Plus various meme-worthy moments of weirdness and hilarity. The Footglish Podcast 👉https://pod.link/1751816033Contact Zdenek through his website https://teacherzdenek.com/Episode page https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/07/01/world-cup-ramble-2-fifa-2026-with-zdenek-bonus/LEP Premium https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• How to talk about HEATWAVES like a (sweaty) British man 🥵 [995] 26.06.2026 1t 47min

  There has been an awful heatwave in Europe recently, with really high temperatures and a humid, sticky atmosphere. In this episode I ramble about the conditions, explore vocabulary with the words "hot" and "heat" and show the typical things British people say when the weather is boiling. Expect various funny tangents, anecdotes and improvisations, including a David Attenborough BBC nature documentary about Luke trying to buy lunch on a red-hot Paris boulevard, and plenty more. PDF notes available.Get the PDF with notes and full transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/How-to-talk-about-HEATWAVES-like-a-sweaty-British-man-995-PDF-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/29/how-to-talk-about-heatwaves-like-a-sweaty-british-man-995/LEP Premium (new episodes coming) 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• London Accents & Study Tips with Patricio Languages 🗣️🇬🇧 [994] 22.06.2026 1t 31min

  What are the different English accents you can hear if you visit London? In this episode I am talking to Patricio from the YouTube channel Patricio Languages, who makes videos about diverse English accents from around the world. We talk about 4 specific accents that are native to his home town of London, namely Received Pronunciation, Cockney, Estuary English and Multicultural London English. We also chat about Patricio's study routines for learning Spanish and Portuguese.So, plenty of insights about British English pronunciation, how to understand native English speakers, and some tips for language learning. Perfect topics for another episode of LEP, right? Full transcript available, and listen all the way to the end to hear me turn into a proper cockney geezer.Check out Patricio's YouTube channel 👉 https://www.youtube.com/@PatricioLanguagesGet the episode transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/London-Accents-Study-Tips-with-Patricio-Languages-994TRANSCRIPT.pdfEpisode page on my website 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/22/london-accents-study-tips-with-patricio-languages-994/Sign up to LEP Premium for more episodes on vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Music, Marketing & Memories with Jez Booker 🥁 [993] 15.06.2026 2t 3min

  In this episode I am reconnecting with an old friend after over 25 years of not seeing each other. Jez Booker is from Solihull in the West Midlands and I first met him at 6th form college, where we became friends and later we got into a band together and had many adventures. Jez later went on to work in marketing and has recently started up his own YouTube channel all about getting out and enjoying the British countryside. Expect a chat full of natural English expressions and slang, and a journey into the past as Jez and I reminisce and also jog each other's memories of things that we did together years ago.Check out Jez's channel "Get Out"  @getoutfilms  Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Music-Marketing-Memories-with-Jez-Booker-993-Episode-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/15/music-marketing-memories-with-jez-booker-993/LEP Premium 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Vietnam Travelling Diary 🇻🇳 [992] 08.06.2026 3t 7min

  In 2009 I did a solo travelling experience around Vietnam, and I wrote a diary while I was there. In this episode, over 16 years later, I read out the diary, follow my descriptions of each part of my trip, explore how I was feeling at that time of my life, go off on some comedy and English teaching tangents, and take a journey into the past, across a very different country.Get the episode transcript PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Vietnam-Travelling-Diary-992-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/08/vietnam-travelling-diary-992/LEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• [BONUS] FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 PREVIEW MEGARAMBLE ⚽ 04.06.2026 1t 50min

  A bonus mid-week episode previewing the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America. I'll be talking about all the teams, the favourites, the underdogs, the wild cards, the dark horse teams, England's chances, plus various issues and controversies both on and off the pitch. Comments are welcome! This is a bonus episode, and you will get another normal episode (no football) on Monday.Get the episode PDF https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/BONUS-FIFA-WORLD-CUP-2026-PREVIEW-MEGARAMBLE.pdfEpisode page https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/04/bonus-fifa-world-cup-2026-preview-megaramble/LEP Premium https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Coffee, Cats & Conversation ☕️ Kate Billington’s 900-Day Streak in Taiwan [991] 01.06.2026 1t 41min

  [991] A conversation with English teacher / comedian / cake maker Kate Billington, talking about her academic qualifications, cutting edge subtitling technology for theatres, questions of teaching English including teaching in Taiwan vs in France, Kate's tips for language learning, a cat-village in Taiwan, traffic madness, earthquakes, signage in train stations, using flashcard apps to learn English, testing Kate's Chinese by making her translate jokes, and drinking coffee in Taipei! Just that! Check out P81 a premium episode with vocabulary review for this conversation.Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/06/Coffee-Cats-Conversation_-900-Days-in-Taiwan-with-Kate-Billington-991.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/06/01/coffee-cats-conversation-kate-billingtons-900-day-streak-in-taiwan-991/LEP Premium (with a vocabulary review for this episode) 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium👩‍🦰 Kate Billington on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/cakey_comedy/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• RAMBLEMAN: Into the Ramble-zone 🌀 [990] 25.05.2026 3t 41min

  An epic rambling episode packed with British humour, listener emails, anecdotes, English teaching, thoughts about AI, parenting, podcasting, language learning, YouTube comments, animals listening to LEP, British communication styles, and much more. Get the episode PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/RAMBLEMAN_-Into-the-Ramble-zone-990_compressed.pdfEpisode page on my website 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/05/25/rambleman-into-the-ramble-zone-990/Sign up to LEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium This is a long-form English listening experience designed to help you improve your English naturally through extensive listening. I explain vocabulary, break down expressions, tell stories & jokes, react to listener comments, and reflect on recent episodes featuring Amber, Paul, James, Charlie Baxter, my parents, my daughter, and more.In this episode:Why some people complain about Luke’s long introsThe truth about “rambling” and learning English through listeningBritish expressions like “shoot the breeze”, “chew the fat” and “talk the hind legs off a donkey”Funny listener stories and emailsBritish indirectness and politenessAI, YouTube algorithms and the future of contentParenting, children asking “why?”, and a Louis CK routineWild boar in Fontainebleau 🐗Funny dad jokes and Comedy CornerLuke’s thoughts on recent episodes and the future of the podcastVocabulary explanations including “bothered” vs “disturbed”Why long podcasts can help your EnglishThis episode is ideal for:Intermediate to advanced English learnersFans of British English and British humourLearners looking for long English listening practiceAnyone who enjoys relaxing podcasts, storytelling and rambling discussions Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Crazy Questions with my daughter 👧✨ [989] 17.05.2026 1t 3min

  In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, I chat with my 8-year-old daughter as we answer a series of absurd questions, including funny Would You Rather...? questions, imaginative What if...?questions, food questions, science questions, superpowers, animals, fairy tales and more.This is a natural, funny and heart-warming English conversation full of real spoken English, perfect for English learners who want to improve their listening skills, vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency.📄 Get the PDF transcript for this episodeUse the transcript to check words, follow the conversation and study vocabulary from the episode.👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Crazy-Questions-with-my-daughter-989-Questions-Episode-Transcript.pdf🌐 Website page https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/05/18/crazy-questions-with-my-daughter-989/⭐ LEP Premium: https://teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Is the AI Bubble Bursting? 🤖🫧 (Technology & Discussion) with James [988] 10.05.2026 1t 46min

  [988] In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, Luke and James discuss artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, the AI bubble, generative AI, AGI, automation, job displacement, tech startups, Silicon Valley culture, deep fakes, AI hallucinations, cryptocurrency, Blade Runner, and the future of work. This is a long-form British English conversation designed to help learners improve listening comprehension, vocabulary and fluency while exploring the hype, risks and promises surrounding AI technology.Episode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/05/11/is-the-ai-bubble-bursting-technology-discussion-with-james-988/PDF transcript and vocabulary glossary 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/05/Is-the-AI-Bubble-Bursting_-Technology-Discussion-with-James-988-Transcript.pdfLEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premiumAre the massive predictions about AI and the future real, or just hype? Why does the tech industry push frightening narratives about AI and its effects on society? Will tech companies ever make a profit from the huge $$$ investments they have made in AI? How are ordinary people reacting to AI at the moment? How useful is it for Luke in his job? Do people really like or want what is produced by AI? Will AI ever reach super-intelligence? Is Harrison Ford actually a robot in the film Blade Runner? What disgusting thing did James eat for breakfast today? All these questions answered and discussed in rambling style by The Low Tech Bros - James and Luke. PDF transcript available with vocabulary glossary. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Insane Facts 🤯 True or False? with Amber & Paul [987] 04.05.2026 2t 11min

  [987] British English listening practice at a natural speed with surprising facts and lots of humour. Pod-pals Amber & Paul join me for an outlandish and outrageous "true or false" quiz 📝. Can Amber and Paul decide if these facts are true, or just total bulls#*t (or maybe that should be b*llocks?) The episode is long, the English is fast, but the jokes come regularly and I promise that you will learn something new. ⚠️Warning: some topics are a bit disgusting, graphic or explicit and not for the kids👧🙅.Includes talk of satanic cats 🐈‍⬛, animal accents 🐐, unsexy corn flakes 🥣, wolverine toads 🐸, blood-shooting lizards🦎🩸, suicide sex-bees 🐝, British tank tea 🫖, astro pee 🛰️, urine mouthwash 😬, ancient dogs 🐕, 23-hour dinosaurs 🦕 and a lot more. Listen all the way to the end as things get incredible in the 2nd half. Transcript available. Episode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/05/04/insane-facts-true-or-false-with-amber-paul-987/Get the episode PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Insane-Facts_-True-or-False_-with-Amber-Paul-987-TRANSCRIPT.pdfLEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• The Bad Room 👞 (Learn English with a Short Story) [986] 27.04.2026 1t 4min

  Another short story on LEP to entertain you and help you learn some more English words and expressions. This one is a creepy tale about a room in a house with a strange, fatal attraction. People can't stop themselves going through the door, but then what happens to them? Follow along with me and try to understand the final, crucial line at the end. I will explain everything, analyse the vocabulary line by line and teach you plenty of useful English phrases. PDF available as usual!Get the episode PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/The-Bad-Room-Learn-English-with-a-Short-Story-986.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/04/27/the-bad-room-learn-english-with-a-short-story-986/Sign up to LEP Premium for more vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation episodes from me 👉 www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• 10 Questions about Food 🍲 with Martin [985] 20.04.2026 1t 33min

  A funny British English conversation about food, cooking & eating habits, with my friend Martin. Why is British food a bit of a joke? Do French people have the right to criticise British cuisine? What is marmite, and why don't Brits just throw it away? What did Luke eat for lunch every single day during secondary school? And, who would be Luke's dream dinner party guests? All that and more, in a conversation full of tangents, recipes, rants and apologies, and a nice range of vocabulary expressions to spot. Enjoy! PDF Transcript available.Sign up to LEP Premium to hear the vocabulary review for this episode with my wife 👉 www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Get the episode PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/10-Questions-about-Food-with-Martin-985-TRANSCRIPT.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/04/20/10-questions-about-food-with-martin-985/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Paranormal Experiences 👻📘 with Anna Brooke [984] 13.04.2026 1t 19min

  [984] English listening practice in the form of an authentic conversation about ghosts and the paranormal. Returning guest Anna Brooke returns to talk about her latest book "Death by Chocolate" which is inspired by various spooky and unexplained experiences she has had recently, including a suspected haunting of her apartment, poltergeist activity, cold and creepy atmospheres, sightings of spirits and more strange encounters. Anna describes these experiences and we have a discussion about the paranormal. A premium episode with vocabulary review is available for premium subscribers. PDF transcript also available.Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/Paranormal-Experiences-with-Anna-Brooke-984-Episode-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/04/13/paranormal-experiences-with-anna-brooke-984/Learn 19 vocabulary items from this episode with Premium series 78 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premiuim"Death by Chocolate" available now 👉 https://www.chickenhousebooks.com/books/death-by-chocolate/ Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• English Language Haiku Master John Stevenson ✍️ (Interview) [983] 06.04.2026 1t 32min

  Practise your listening in English with a fascinating conversation with a writer of haiku poetry in English. John Stevenson is one of the world's leading English language haiku poets, and in this episode I had the pleasure of talking to him for an hour. John taught me more about haiku and senryu poetry, revealed how he first became interested in haiku, and then was willing to discuss various haiku poems he has written over the years, giving details of what real events inspired them, what they mean and more about his process of writing haiku in English. I hope this episode is fascinating and inspiring. Keep listening because it becomes more and more revealing as it continues. John was a pleasure to talk to and I think this is the perfect conclusion to the trilogy of episodes I have done on this subject on the podcast recently. Get the PDF transcript 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/04/English-Language-Haiku-Master-John-Stevenson-Interview-983-Episode-Transcript.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/04/06/english-language-haiku-master-john-stevenson-interview-983/Sign up to LEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium"My Red" by John Stevenson available from Brooks Books 👉 https://www.brooksbookshaiku.com/Stevenson-MyRed.htmlThe Heron's Nest haiku website 👉 https://www.theheronsnest.com/March2026/index.html Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
• Haiku in English 2 🍂✍️ [982] 30.03.2026 1t 11min

  Haiku poems communicate a lot of ideas, thoughts and feelings into just a few simple words. They can be moving, humourous or meditative, and reading haiku in English allows you to learn vocabulary in a very interesting way. In part 1 I talked about the form and history of haiku, and read out various short poems in English from both Japanese writers and modern English ones. In part 2 here I finish reading my haiku selection, including many written by English-language haiku master John Stevenson. Listen to each one, consider the different meanings and interpretations and also learn specific words and phrases to expand your English vocabulary.Get the episode PDF 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2026/03/Haiku-in-English-2-982-1.pdfEpisode page 👉 https://teacherluke.co.uk/2026/03/30/haiku-in-english-2/LEP Premium 👉 https://www.teacherluke.co.uk/premium Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.