Practising English
Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE First Certificate exams. IELTS: level 4, level 5 and level 6. Includes English grammar explanations and practice exercises, examples of vocabulary use, phrasal verbs and collocations help, British English pronunciation practice, advice and help for passing B1 and B2 English examinations: Cambridge, IELTS and Trinity. Start practising and improving your British English listening, vocabulary and speaking levels today!
Episodes
263 episodes
263. If Only We Could Go Back (B2 story)
The audioscript for today's B2 story:If only we could go backOn Tuesday morning, Alice decided to call in sick, not because she was ill, but because the clouds outside looked like elephants marching across the...
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Season 5
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Episode 263
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18:56
262. The Missing Actor (B1 Story)
The story audioscript for the story. The B1 words are shown in black.The missing actorDetective Anna Jones had a long career solving strange crimes. One rainy night, the police had called her to ...
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Season 5
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Episode 262
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21:06
261. The Crown Thief (B2 Story)
B2 story and vocabulary today. Here is the audioscript of the story and the B2 words in bold.The Crown ThiefDetective Harris was on the point of leaving the police station when the phone rang. A robbery had ta...
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Season 5
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Episode 261
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19:43
260. A Frightening Experience at the Airport (B1 Story)
A B1-level podcast today with a story and a test on the B1 words and expressions:A frightening experience at the airportRead the audioscript of the story at:ht...
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Season 5
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Episode 260
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20:47
259. The Fresh-food Market (B2 story)
This is the B2 podcast for this week.Aidioscript:The Fresh-food MarketSee audioscript with B1 words highlighted at https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast...
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Season 5
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Episode 259
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18:32
258. The Climbing Accident (B1 Story)
I'm back from my holidays!Today I'm publishing the first B1 podcast of season 5 - five years helping intermediate students pass Cambridge exams.I also have news of my new book just published on Amazon "B1 English Vocabulary Builde...
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Season 5
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Episode 258
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23:06
257. The Fool on the Hill (B1 story) (last of the summer repeats)
This favourite story for learners of B1 will be the last of the summer episodes before my return for season 5 next week. Enjoy the story!
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Season 4
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Episode 257
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26:32
256. The Cucumber (B1) (summer repeat)
Here are some words that are not B1 and you'll need to understand the story.Words which are outside the A1 to B1 levels*Greenhouse - a building with glass sides and roof for growing plants in.*Skin - the outsi...
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Season 4
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Episode 256
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16:57
255. The Green Door (summer repeat) B2 level
This lovely story from the the American writer O'Henry, I completely re-wrote for B2 level. Here is the vocabulary discussed:Just around the corner. The means a place further on where we cannot see but is very close.
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Season 4
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Episode 255
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19:28
254. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
Here is Part two of my popular story, Tsunami for learners of B1 English
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Season 4
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Episode 254
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22:53
253. Tsunami (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
I am still on holiday during August, so today I bring you a favourite of many listeners - the B1 story of Tsunami! (Part 1). Part 2 next week.Enjoy it and enjoy your summer!Mike Bilbrough
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Season 4
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Episode 253
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20:41
252. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 2)
While I'm on my summer holiday, here is a repeat of a lovely B1 story - Part 2 of "Dad". I published Part 1 last Wednesday.The verbs we are studying today are:realizedropcall outweighadmireencouragediveapp...
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21:46
251. Dad (summer repeat) B1 level story (part 1)
I'm on holiday so I'm leaving you with a favourite story of mine "Dad" in 2 parts. This is a repeat of a podcast from September 2023. Next Wednesday, I'll publish part 2.This is part 1 of a B1-level story for learners of English, especia...
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Season 4
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Episode 251
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19:34
250. Victims of Nature B2 (repeat)
Comprehension questions for this B2-level story.(I'm on holiday at the momento so leave you with a repeat episode.) Enjoy!1) What reasons did Alberto's mother give Alberto for leaving the Alpujarra?2) What did Gustav...
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Season 4
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Episode 250
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27:06
249. The Mushroom Murders (B2 English)
This is about the trial in Australia that finished just last week and is popularly known as "The Mushroom Murders". Today, I'll ask the famous detective, Hércules Poirot (from Agatha Christie's novels) to explain to his exclusive audience of pe...
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Season 4
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Episode 249
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20:21
248. The Unexpected Visit (animal vocabulary) B2 Story
This is a B2-level recording and story with vocabulary about animal sounds and movement:Animal words:warren - where rabbits live together in the groundroar - sound like a lion makesthunder...
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Season 4
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Episode 248
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19:29
247. Future Continuous for B1 (and B2) with story
Hello, dear students!Future continuous for fixed events, which are expected to happen. (This is B1 grammar with interest for B2 students too!)will + be + verb+ingI'll be giving a talk at that time, but I could see you aft...
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Season 4
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Episode 247
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20:06
246. There is / are and extended family
Today, I’m going to talk about the family of ‘there is’! At first, that might seem very basic English grammar. Indeed, the phrase ‘there is’ is A1 level. However, at B1 and even B2 level, I must admit there are few students who talk about this ...
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Season 4
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Episode 246
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13:51
245. B1 Linking Words with a story
B1 Linking WordsLinking words join two sentences together. Here are the ones I mention during the podcast:A Rainy AdventureTom wanted to go hiking. The sky looked grey but he didn’t mind – no problem...
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Season 4
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Episode 245
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17:27
244. The Breath of the Mosquito (complete version) B1 Story
For health reasons, I'm afraid I cannot share a new podcast with you today. I include instead, one of my favourite stories that I wrote for students studying for B1 English level: The Breath of the Mosquito as a complete version.
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Season 4
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Episode 244
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37:18
243. B1 adjectives (short story)
Here are the B1 words we're studying today:acceptableaccurateamusingannoyedconvenientembarrassedforbiddengratefulhopelessmiserableTo see the transcript of the story:&n...
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Season 4
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Episode 243
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20:50
242. FCE Story 2 (B2)
In today's B2 FCE story, you'll be listening to this B2 vocabulary:heading for Paris his hands were trembling both thrilled and terrified himdoubting every shotgazing out of the windowan old woman wiped her ...
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Season 4
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Episode 242
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19:50
241. FCE Story (B2 )
How to write the FCE story (B2 level) for the Cambridge exam. If you're not taking this exam, this episode will be useful for learning how to express yourself at B2 level in written prose.You can see the transcript at
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Season 4
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Episode 241
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23:59