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

Jan 19, 2021

Proper English S2 E28: Fun and Funny

Jan 19, 2021

9 min

This week, we're looking at two words: fun and funny - and we do our level best to explain the difference in meaning, and also their history and origins. The Idiom of the Week is 'a barrel of laughs.' No, really, it is.

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 also used the following sound from Freesound:

Sitcom Laughter 9x, Small Audience by Kinoton

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Jan 12, 2021

Proper English S2 E27: Practically Perfect

Jan 12, 2021

11 min

In this week's episode we're all about the perfect tenses - and those two little old ladies are back in the café, gossiping over their cups of tea about this week's idiom, 'A perfect storm.'

You can find us on italki at

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

If you have any feedback or suggestions for future podcasts, you can always contact us at properenglish@sapo.pt.

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.

Jan 5, 2021

Proper English S2 E26: The Adventures of Davidson and Roberts

Jan 5, 2021

21 min

It's a bumper episode this week! We're looking back on the antics and escapades of our resident detectives, Davidson and Roberts as they investigate intriguing cases and discover exciting idioms and phrasal verbs along the way.

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:

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/

...and we'd also like to acknowledge the following sound effect from Freesound:

Mobile Phone - outbound call ringing by Aldergrove_Studios

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Dec 29, 2020

Proper English S2 E25: The End of 2020

Dec 29, 2020

10 min

It's the end of the year, and so we're looking back on 2020 and looking forward to 2021. The idiom of the week is 'Another string to your bow.'

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 as a little bit of incidental music:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

...it also uses the following incidental music:

Local Forecast - Slower by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3988-local-forecast---slower

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Aerosol Of My Love by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/7013-aerosol-of-my-love

License: https://filmmusic.io/standard-license

Dec 22, 2020

Proper English S2 E24: Happy Holidays!

Dec 22, 2020

12 min

So here is it is - Merry Christmas! It's the festive episode, and this year we're talking about some of the Christmas traditions around the world - and those two old ladies are back, illustrating what we mean by the idiom 'All one's Christmases have come at once.'

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:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

...it also uses the following incidental music:

Danse Macabre - Big Hit 2 by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3590-danse-macabre---big-hit-2

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

...and these sounds from Freesound:

Pigs oinking by zachrau

cafe - takk, northern quarter, manchester by AntonyBK

Both licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

…and finally, this sound is from Soundbible:

soundbible.com/1256-Sleigh-Bells-Ringing.html by Mike Koenig

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Dec 15, 2020

Proper English S2 E23: Herding Cats

Dec 15, 2020

10 min

This week's episode is an exercise in futility! Actually, that's what we're talking about. Futility. And how it has made such an impact on us that there are a large number of idioms to describe pointless actions. This week, we're making a point of looking at seven of them!

Incidentally, you can find out more about The Scottish Play here:

https://www.sparknotes.com/shakespeare/macbeth/quotes/page/5/

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:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

...it also uses the following incidental music:

Danse Macabre - Big Hit 2 by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3590-danse-macabre---big-hit-2

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

These sounds are from Freesound:

Kittens and Cats by kevingate

Prison door closing by brianbaltar

cat purring and meow by skymary

Pigs oinking by zachrau

Mallard Duck Quack Flying Away.wav by WavJunction.com

Geese by Bpianoholic

All licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

…and this sound is from Soundbible:

soundbible.com/1256-Sleigh-Bells-Ringing.html by Mike Koenig

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Dec 8, 2020

Proper English S2 E22: Cooking with Dave and Ali

Dec 8, 2020

11 min

As you probably know, one of our favourite subjects is food. We love food and we love cooking. So this week, we thought we'd share a couple of our favourite recipes with you! And those two old ladies are back in the local café, gossiping about Mr White and Judy - and illustrating this week's Idiom: 'Out of the frying pan and into the fire.'

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:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

...also there's incidental music from Incompetech:

Danse Macabre - Big Hit 2 by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3590-danse-macabre---big-hit-2

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

Guiton Sketch by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3834-guiton-sketch

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

Loopster by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/4991-loopster

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

...and not forgetting the following sound from Freesound:

cafe - takk, northern quarter, manchester by AntonyBK

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Dec 1, 2020

Proper English S2 E21: Phrasal Verbs Associated with Time

Dec 1, 2020

10 min

This week, our intrepid detectives, Davidson and Roberts, are investigating the case of a missing person in a furniture store - while using a number of phrasal verbs to do with time! The Idiom of the Week is 'That's the way the cookie crumbles.'

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:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

This week’s podcast also features the following incidental music from Incompetech:

Danse Macabre - Big Hit 2 and Hidden Agenda by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3590-danse-macabre---big-hit-2

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

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

...and we'd also like to acknowledge the following sound effect from Freesound:

Mobile Phone - outbound call ringing by Aldergrove_Studios

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Nov 24, 2020

Proper English S2 E20: Hobbies

Nov 24, 2020

12 min

So, what do you do in your spare time? Trainspotting, collecting teapots, playing chess… Everybody has a hobby, don't they?We talk about the origin of the word hobby and discuss the various hobbies we've both had over the years.
The Idiom of the Week is 'To get on (or off) your high horse.'

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

...also there's incidental music from Incompetech:

Danse Macabre - Big Hit 2 by Kevin MacLeod

Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3590-danse-macabre---big-hit-2

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

...and a sound effect from the BBC archive:

Long burst of shutter clicks with motor drive of 35 mm SLR camera.

http://bbcsfx.acropolis.org.uk/assets/07076039.wav

...and not forgetting the following sounds from Freesound:

cafe - takk, northern quarter, manchester by AntonyBK

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

Video Game Death Sound Effect by harrietniamh

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Horse Whinny, Close, A.wav by InspectorJ

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

steam train horn 03 by eliasheuninck

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

Nov 17, 2020

Proper English S2 E19: Time

Nov 17, 2020

11 min

This week, it's about time. About time for what? we hear you ask. It's about time we talked about how the different ways we talk about time in the English language. The Idiom of the Week is 'Over the Hill.'

This podcast uses the following music as the opening and closing themes:

Bright Wish by Kevin MacLeod

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

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

There are also some sound effects from Freesound:

Cuckoo Clock Ticking.aif by Dean-Raul_DiArchangeli

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

badaladas de relógio antigo.m4a by joanajojoalves

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons 0 License.

cheeringcrowd_01.wav by xtrgamr

This work is licensed under the Attribution License.

alarm_clock_ticking_02.wav by joedeshon