Americans are in love with pets: dogs, cats, fish, hamsters, birds, and more!  Some Americans even have pet rocks!  Today we interview one American dog owner; join us for a fun interview!

My Pet, My Dog: Americans' Love Affair with Pets

Nouns ("Mr. President") and pronouns ("he") must get along in English! They must agree about things like person (I, you, he/she/it, they) and number (singular or plural). In today's podcast, we practice with agreement of nouns and pronouns and listen to some examples from your essays. And there are opportunities for you to practice as well. And Mrs. President?  She must be in agreement as well.

Noun-Pronoun Agreement: Mr. President and the First Lady

What is a verb? For the learner of English, the answer isn't always so obvious.  In today's podcast, we learn the difference between time reference and verb tense.  Join us as we explore the past, the present and the future!

What Is a Verb? We Podcast about English Grammar

Next in our series in English grammar: gerunds and infinitive phrases! In this podcast lesson, we discuss the pattern Verb + Noun or Pronoun + Infinitive Phrase.

English Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitive Phrases_Pattern_4

If you want to be confused with English grammar, just look at the problem of gerunds and infinitive phrases! At the ESL Help! Desk, with our podcasts, we make it easy for you.  In this lesson, we discuss verbs when the object is an infinitive phrase.

English Grammar: Gerunds and Infinitive Phrases_10_2

Ever wonder when to use present perfect continuous? Ever wonder how it's different from present perfect? Here we will answer your questions and give you lots of examples from authentic language.

Present Perfect Continuous: How've You Been Feeling Lately?

Want to learn how to express a command? Here we teach you positive ("do") and negative ("don't") commands. And we wish you a good summer at the same time!

Imperatives and Commands: Have a Nice Summer!

PAPER

Here's a lesson in which you can learn how to save money, save energy, save the Earth, and improve your English grammar all at the same time!

Paper or Plastic?

Today is the inauguration of the 44th President of the United States of America. Millions are taking to the National Mall in Washington DC to witness Barak Obama take the Oath of Office. Mr. Obama is making history: He is the first person of African-American heritage to become the leader of our nation.   Come join us as we watch history being made.

Barak Obama: A New Day for the USA

We continue our lessons with demonstrative pronouns: this, that, these, and those. We embellish our exploration of these, adding subject-verb agreement (is, are, was, were). And we learn more about food from countries such as Italy, Spain, Columbia, Israel and the Middle East, South Korea, and even the United States. Join us for a tasty lesson.

Definitely Fattening!

Stop by our friendly HELP! Desk, where English grammar is made easy to understand.  Listen to an audio of a story written by an ESL student.   Ask that question that you've needed an answer to.  We have the answers for you, whether you are a native speaker or somebody learning English as a  Second Language, whether you are a student or writing a business letter.   A new podcast every week.

Hi this is Faiz Mohammad Khairi Pleas help me to Learn English as a Grammatically . Tanks

Hello

English Grammar HELP and Podcasts for the Inquisitive ESL Student:  We're Interactive!

This verb tense, the present perfect, seems so difficult. After all, it refers to the past, despite its name, and it's hard to know what is so perfect about it.  We're going to explore this verb tense so that it becomes easy to use.

How Have You Been?  The Present Perfect Tense

People never stop asking ourselves questions.  Short and sweet, challenging and thought-provoking, questions without a right or wrong answer....Stop by and listen to some very interesting questions; try your hand at answering them!

Questions: People Who Ask Questions

Are you thirsty for grammar?  Don't know when to say "I love to ski" and when to say "I love skiing"?  Don't know the difference between "Did you remember to go?" and "Did you remember going?"  Stop by today for an introductory lesson in gerunds and infinitive phrases.

Gerunds and Infinitive:  More Grammar!

Surely you have tasted something so delicious that you wanted to get the recipe for yourself, so you could cook it in your own home.  In today's lesson, we'll guide you along with how to get that recipe.  And while you're at it, you'll get a wonderful Japanese recipe for salmon and yogurt!

Yum...Can I Get That Recipe?

So much dialogue today is idiomatic: Expressions like "That works for me" or "I'm going to pencil that in" are essential to interpersonal communication nowadays. What do they mean?  How do we use them correctly and still sound natural in conversations or even in written communication such as email?  Today's dialogue and vocabulary will provide you with the language you need to make a date to get together socially with others.

It's a Date!

Are you planning or considering taking a trip by train?  Do you want to avoid having to deal with parking and traffic?  In today's podcast, we're going to get you to the train station - on time.  All aboard for today's  lesson, where we teach important vocabulary and expressions dealing with transportation, how to make suggestions and to respond to suggestions.

Get Me to the Train Station (On Time)

Imagine a country with sun, sand, blue water, banana and papaya trees, roses, and more. Imagine Ecuador!  Join us today when we listen to an audio story written by an ESL student about his native country.  Our photos of the Galapagos Islands will delight you!

The Blues and Greens of Ecuador

Nine thoughtful and entertaining answers to nine thoughtful and clever questions!  Listen to the answers, and see if you can figure out the questions!  Then do the additional listening activities provided by this week's podcast, guaranteed to improve your listening comprehension.

The Nine Answers Podcast for Learners of English

Have you ever been invited to a social gathering and not known what to bring your host or hostess?  Should you bring wine? Chips? Or nothing at all?  In today's podcast, you will learn all about our social customs and you will learn how to communicate successfully and appropriately in this situation.

What Should I Bring? Wine, Beer or Chips?

Thanksgiving is America's most popular and highly celebrated Thursday and national holiday.  Join us for a summary of how we celebrate this prized day.

American Thanksgiving, Our National Holiday

How does your family solve its problems?  Do you have regular and open communication with each other?  Come and listen to our podcast, in which we listen to an essay written by Adimir Ramos, in which he describes his family's  way of dealing with each other's needs.

Solving Family Problems

Beep, Honk, Honk...Do you find yourself stuck in traffic more often than you would like to?  Like it or not, traffic is a topic of conversation in our lives.  In today's podcast and communication lesson, we will talk about traffic and learn useful vocabulary for such discussions.

Traffic

Perhaps you have to write a formal business letter in English, and you do not know how to even begin!  Should you write "Dear Jane" or "My Dear Jane"?  Should you comment on the weather or ask the reader how his family is?  This lesson will tell you important information about the language and culture of writing letters in English.

Dear Help Desk, Part One,

Confused by acronyms ESL, EFL, TESOL, L1 and L2? Do you feel like an outsider with all these codes?  We have good news for you:  You and other learners of English are not alone, and have come to the right place.  Today we talk a little about these codes and others and try to sort matters out.

Code Name ESL

You're in a bakery, a restaurant, or a store, and you see something you want - but you don't know how to ask for it! You don't have the right vocabulary.  Do you point to what you want? We're going to talk about this and that, and these and those. And we're going to see some delicious international foods while we're learning!

I'll Have Some of That, Please!

Perhaps you have to write a formal business letter in English, and you do not know how to end your letter.  Using the wrong closure could be disastrous if you're trying to get a job or be admitted into a special program.  Should you end with "Thanks", with "Yours", or with "Respectfully"?  This lesson is second in a series that will tell you important information about the language and culture of writing formal letters in English.

Dear Help Desk, Part 2

The Best Multi-Part Documentaries, with documentaries on Obama, Federer vs Nadal, the making of Star Wars, Netflix vs Blockbuster and more. Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!

Best Multi-Part Documentaries

The best podcast episodes of the most interesting stories and things. From skyping someone while they're in space, to tracking down and meeting a telephone scammer in person, to the story of a Galapagos. These episodes will keep you and all your friends entertained and captivated for hours. Learn something new in every episode! Add episodes you're interested into your queue below!