What would you do if you could easily understand spoken English?
Would you finally watch your favourite films or TV series without worrying so much about subtitles? Maybe you’d be able to travel without feeling anxious or even study abroad in an English-speaking country. Imagine just being able to order a beer at the pub with some new friends, buy a big slice of New York pizza, or attend a BBQ on a beach in Australia.
There are lots of ways understanding English could help you achieve your dreams and finally allow you to feel comfortable during real conversations with native speakers. The only question is: how do you find the time to practice your English listening skills?
Podcasts are a great way to add a little English listening practice into your day-to-day life. They are free, and can accompany any part of your day: driving a car, washing your dishes, doing laundry, working out, reading, and more.
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Quick Primer: How Do Podcasts Work?
If you're curious about podcasts, but not quite sure how they work, here's what you need to know:
- You can subscribe for free to podcasts on your phone, tablet, or computer.
- If you use an Apple computer, iPhone or iPad, go to the Podcasts app. If you're on a Mac that does not have the Podcasts app, use the iTunes directory.
- On a PC or Android device, try the Stitcher app for a quick and easy start.
- Subscribing means you'll always have the latest episode ready and waiting for you as soon as it's published.
The 9 Best English Podcasts for English Learners
In this article, you’ll find:
- British English Podcasts
- American English Podcasts
- Podcasts with both British and American English
- English Video Resources
- Story-Based Shows and Business English Podcasts
- A Special Tip for Advanced Learners
British English Podcasts
This podcast by English teacher Michael is fun and friendly!
Start with this episode, an interview with Kerstin (that's me!), where we talked about how I learnt English to native level myself, how I worked on my English accent, and what you can do when you're struggling with English.
What's better than practicing your English with real English converesation? In this podcast, hosts Abigail and Audrey get together for a chat in English. One is from England and one is from Australia!
American English Podcasts
If you’re after real conversations about interesting topics rather than language lessons, Conversations with Kate is a great resource. Host Kate invites both native and non-native English speakers from around the world as guests to help learners become familiar with different accents as well as learn about people, language, and travel.
Start with this episode, in which I visited Kate to introduce the Women in Language conference.
Looking to improve both your business English and your everyday English? All Ears English Podcast covers business topics as well as English grammar, expressions, American culture, and even IELTS (International English Language Testing System) specific topics.
The website also has short summaries for each episode. Subscribers can also get access to full transcripts.
Recommended episode: 3 Study Tips for the IELTS exam
British and American English Podcasts
EnglishClass101 from InnovativeLanguage covers everything from basic through advanced English. The episodes are exciting and immersive. You’ll easily find a large variety of topics, including both American and British culture, idioms, and even business-related episodes.
The dialogues are presented by engaging hosts in a clear, concise way covering many grammatical features and cultural topics. On the website you can sign up for premium content to access spaced repetition flashcards, PDF lesson notes, and a community forum.
English Video Resources
Yabla is a video-based learning platform with bilingual subtitles and integrated dictionaries. The subtitles are interactive, which is a really cool concept! Check out how Yabla works in detail by reading my full review.
Yabla is great for all levels from basic to advanced. There is a free English podcast available with plenty of videos to watch.
Story-Based and Business English Podcasts
This podcast series from the British Council follows conversations that take place between hosts Tess, Ravi, and their guests as well as the activities of a fictional student, Carolina. These episodes on on the longer side, ranging from 20 to 35 minutes, but they’re split up into sections so you can pause if you need to.
Complete transcripts are available for each episode. Plus, the website offers short quizzes to test your comprehension and practice exercises.
For those who are motivated to improve their English for business reasons, Business English Pod covers everything from sales and communication to presentations and job interviews.
Episodes are easy to understand and contain an explanation of the topic along with some cultural tips. These explanations are followed by conversational dialogues as well as explanation and practice sections. Members can also access PDF transcripts, online quizzes, and additional lessons.
Advanced Learner Tip: Native English Podcasts
English learners who are looking for something a bit more interesting and immersive might prefer to check out podcasts intended for native speakers. If that’s the case, try searching through popular English podcasts for something that sparks your interest, like true crime podcasts, TED Talks, or podcasts that keep you up-to-date on pop culture.
There are also a few public radio stations that offer apps you can explore, including BBC Sounds, SBS On Demand, and NPR. These apps offer a wide variety of English podcasts to make your search a bit easier.