6 Minute English

Scared to speak English?

Do you ever feel scared to speak in English? Lots of people find speaking a different language stressful. Beth and Pippa talk about learning languages and how to fight your fears of speaking English.Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-26012 BEATING SPEAKING ANXIETY: ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/beating_speaking_anxietySUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English for Work They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

What English phrases really mean

We've all been there – we're talking to someone and they say one thing, when we know they mean something else! British people love to play with language, using it deliberately to disguise, misdirect or even change their meaning entirely. But why do we do it? And what are some of the common things to look out for? Pippa and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260115 Learning English from the News - learn English from news headlines here: ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English for Work They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

Is social media dead?

What is your favourite social media platform? Do you still use it as much as you did three or four years ago? With the rise of generative AI, many social media users are finding their feeds cluttered with content that they feel no real connection with. Is social media on a downward spiral? Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260108 The Listening Room - improve your listening skills here: ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newsletters FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus LIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English for Work They're all available by searching in your podcast app.

Is it OK to disagree?

Are we becoming a divided society? Neil and Beth discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260101The Listening Room - improve your listening skills here: ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersFIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusLIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English for WorkThey're all available by searching in your podcast app.

Was Christmas better in the past?

It's Christmas time in the UK. And like with celebrations around the world, people have lots of traditions that they do every year, and memories about Christmas from their childhood. But were the Christmases of the past as magical as we remember? Neil and Beth discuss a strange emotion we can feel at Christmas called nostalgia.Find a full transcript, worksheet and interactive quiz for this episode at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2025/ep-251225The Reading Room - improve your reading skills here: ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/features/the_reading_roomSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersFIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusLIKE PODCASTS? Try some of our other popular podcasts including: ✔️ Learning English Grammar ✔️ Learning English from the News ✔️ Learning English for WorkThey're all available by searching in your podcast app.