Proper English

https://feed.podbean.com/properenglish/feed.xml

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Episodes

If you're learning English and you want to know the correct word to use in a particular situation, if you get stuck thinking of the right preposition, if you are puzzled by definite and indefinite articles, then Proper English is the podcast for you!

Episodes

Mar 30, 2021

Proper English S2 E38 This vs That and Other Controversies

Mar 30, 2021

10 min

Questions, questions, questions. We have been asked so many - and we're taking the opportunity to answer some of them this week. And those lovely old ladies are back, illustrating this week's idiom: 'All over bar the shouting.'

Like us on Facebook (properenglish2019), and follow us on Twitter (@properenglish4) or YouTube . Oh, and if you have a burning English grammar-related question, why not ask us on Instagram (properenglish2019), and we'll do our best to answer - or, if you're an email kind of person, and you have any feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, you can always contact us at properenglish@sapo.pt.

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We're also grateful to Freesound for the following sounds:

wah wah sad trombone.wav by kirbydx

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

audience.wav by pyoorgoodshed

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Mar 23, 2021

Proper English S2 E37: What's The Difference?

Mar 23, 2021

12 min

This week, we're devoting a whole episode to answering a bunch of grammar-related questions that start 'What's the difference between…?' Meanwhile, our hapless detectives, Davidson and Roberts, are trying to solve of the mystery of who spilt the beans, which, coincidentally, is the Idiom of the Week!

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

...and this is the Davidson and Roberts theme:

Hidden Agenda by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3872-hidden-agenda

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We're also grateful to Freesound for the following sound:

wah wah sad trombone.wav by kirbydx

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Mar 16, 2021

Proper English S2 E36: Adverbs and Adverbials

Mar 16, 2021

11 min

This week we're looking at words and phrases that enhance the meaning of verbs and other major word groups. Meanwhile, Roxy and Sergeant Roberts are defining the idiom 'Sticking your head above the parapet', in the aftermath of a disastrous team-building exercise.

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

...and this is the Davidson and Roberts theme:

Hidden Agenda by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3872-hidden-agenda

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Mar 9, 2021

Proper English S2 E35: Theatre Terminology

Mar 9, 2021

11 min

This week, we're looking at vocabulary associated with the theatre - and this week's idiom is 'Let's get this show on the road!'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We're also grateful to Freesound for the following sounds:

Applause 2.WAV by Sandermotions

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

croc-12.wav by kalinkamalinka

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

running up stairs.aif by MAJ061785

wah wah sad trombone.wav by kirbydx

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Approx 800 Laugh 1.wav by lonemonk

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Mar 2, 2021

Proper English S2 E34: World Book Day

Mar 2, 2021

12 min

This month sees World Book Day being celebrated all round the world, so we thought we'd have an unscripted chat about books this week. The Idiom of the Week is 'Comparing apples with oranges.'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

This podcast also uses the following music:

Village Consort by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4585-village-consort

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

And finally, we've used the following sound from Freesound:

Owls.wav by Benboncan

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Feb 23, 2021

Proper English S2 E33: Shopping Around with Phrasal Verbs

Feb 23, 2021

9 min

This week's episode is another in our occasional series concerned with phrasal verbs - this time we're looking at vocabulary associated with shopping! The two Yorkshire ladies are talking about clumsy grandchildren to illustrate the idiom 'A bull in a china shop.'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We also used the following sound from Freesound:

cafe - takk, northern quarter, manchester by AntonyBK

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Feb 16, 2021

Proper English S2 E32: Three Little Words

Feb 16, 2021

12 min

Despite the title, this is not a Valentine's Day special - it's all about three little words in the English language that can sometimes be a bit of a handful - this week's idiom is 'Sick as a parrot.'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We've also used some sounds from Freesound:

Owls.wav by Benboncan

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Golf5.flac by acclivity

This work is licensed under the Attribution Noncommercial License.

...and this sound comes from Soundbible:

Sports Crowd by GoGo

Licensed under the Attribution licence 3.0

Feb 9, 2021

Proper English S2 E31: Words You Can Say In Front Of Your Mother

Feb 9, 2021

12 min

This week, we're talking about rude words - we're talking about them, but we're not saying them! Davidson and Roberts are back this week, talking about problems at work and the idiom 'To let off steam.'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

...and this is the Davidson and Roberts theme:

Hidden Agenda by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3872-hidden-agenda

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We're also using an excerpt of this sound from Freesound:

Last Post.wav by Benboncan

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Feb 2, 2021

Proper English S2 E30: Word Order

Feb 2, 2021

12 min

This week, we're looking into the rules governing adjective order. You didn't know about them? Well, you will after this episode. The Idiom of the Week is 'Every cloud has a silver lining.'
…and listen to the end for Misha's poem!

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We've also used some sounds from Freesound:

La cucaracha car Horn.wav by csnmedia

porsche_911.wav by mharo

These sounds are licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Owls.wav by Benboncan

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Jan 26, 2021

Proper English S2 E29: How the British Complain

Jan 26, 2021

10 min

This week, we're talking about kicking up a fuss, being critical - yes, we're talking about complaining. Meanwhile, Roxy and Sgt Roberts are illustrating this week's Idiom: 'To nip it in the bud.'

You can find us on italki at

https://www.italki.com/alisondaviskurley or https://www.italki.com/davekurley.

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes, and also for incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3458-bright-wish

License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

We also used the following sounds from Freesound:

Sitcom Laughter 9x, Small Audience by Kinoton

rain_strong_with_thunders.aif by loopbasedmusic

Both are licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.