5 podcasts to help you learn English

PTE Author
PTE Author
Image- listening to podcast 800px x 451px
Reading time: 6 minutes

Podcasts are a great way to practice your English skills. You can listen to them while studying from your desk at home. Or you can listen to them on the go – like while you’re driving, cooking, cleaning, or working out.  

We especially love podcasts because, since many are conversational, they give you the chance to hear how English speakers interact in real life and expose you to lots of interesting new languages.  

If you’re planning to take PTE Academic this year, podcasts are great practice for the listening section of the exam – for which you’ll have to answer questions based on audio or video clips.   

So, are you ready to immerse yourself in the world of English language podcasts? In this blog, we’ll explore some of the best podcasts to learn English:

1. 6 Minute English 

6 Minute English is a podcast by BBC Learning English. Each week, the BBC hosts chat about everyday situations – and it makes for a really interesting listen. Ever wonder if trees are intelligent? Or if humans could live in cities underwater? Well, this could be the podcast for you. 

Overall, 6 Minute English is great for people with an intermediate level of English. It’s short (you guessed it, just 6 minutes) and each episode includes a vocabulary list and transcript. 

2. But Why

But Why is another fun podcast for intermediate-level English learners. Kids record questions for the show, and host Jane Lindholm brings in an expert to answer them on air.  

But Why is produced by Vermont Public Radio in the U.S. And while the podcast is made for kids – it answers questions like ‘why do dogs have tails’ or ‘why are whales so big’ – Lindholm speaks slowly and charismatically, making it easy to understand. Of course, if you have kids, But Why is also a good show to listen to as a family.   

Each episode is about 30 minutes long and includes a transcript. Even more, the episodes come with free learning worksheets (like this one), which you can use to practice your English writing and listening comprehension skills.  

3. Luke’s English Podcast 

Luke’s English Podcast is hosted by Luke Thompson, an English teacher, and comedian from the U.K. The podcast covers a big range of topics; one episode may cover pronunciation tips, and the next may simply feature a conversation between Thompson and his wife. 

The show is often touted as one of the best podcasts to learn English (it’s been downloaded more than 60 million times) and overall, is a good way to practice your British English skills. The episodes are on the longer side, and some are up to two hours long. 

While the podcasts are free, Thompson also produces paid content for listeners to subscribe to – giving them access to things like extra podcast episodes, worksheets, tests, and pronunciation drills.  

4. Criminal

Many podcast consumers enjoy listening to true crime stories. And, Criminal is one of the most popular crime podcasts out there.  

Criminal releases two new episodes every month, and each episode explores the story of a different crime. The host, Phoebe Judge, tells how the crime occurred and interviews the people involved – usually a witness, victim, police officer, historian, or the person charged.  

Since Criminal brings on lots of interview subjects – with different accents and ways of speaking – the podcast is not only thought-provoking. It’s also great for practicing your listening skills, particularly if you’re an upper-intermediate or advanced English learner.  

 5. This American Life

This American Life is one of the most popular English speaking radio programs and podcasts today. In fact, 3.1 million people download each podcast episode! The 1-hour show is hosted by Ira Glass. Each episode delves into a different theme and includes different stories about the theme.  

Sometimes the show features long-form pieces about U.S. politics or tells about how one family has been impacted by American immigration policies. Other episodes talk about break-ups or peculiar family traditions.  

Overall, it’s an excellent show to improve your English comprehension – and learn about American culture, politics, and stories while you’re at it. So if you plan to move to the U.S., listening to This American Life is a must.  

How to learn English with podcasts  

We know podcasts help to improve your listening skills. But you can use them to improve your speaking, reading and writing skills, too. Here are a few tips:  

Listen with the transcript 

As we mentioned above, many podcasts publish transcripts of their episodes. If you’re studying English at home, it’s a great idea to listen to your favorite podcast with the transcript in front of you. This will help to improve your reading, as well as understand everything the host is saying.  

You might even want to pause the podcast every few seconds and repeat after the host to practice speaking and pronunciation.  

Take note of interesting vocab 

To expand your vocabulary, write down 15 new words from each podcast episode. Take a few minutes at the end of each show to look up the words and define them. If you listen to two podcast episodes each week, you’ll learn 120 new words a month.  

Write a summary of each episode  

It’s also a great idea to write a few words about each podcast episode. You might want to challenge and write a 200-word podcast summary. Or, you could simply write a sentence about something new you learned from the show.  

These writing exercises are great practice for PTE Academic because writing a one-sentence summary of a text or audio file is something you’ll be tested on.  

Join a listening club 

A podcast listening club is just like a book club – you get together with a group of friends to discuss and reflect on what you’ve learned.  

So, if you’re a fan of a particular podcast, why not ask a few friends to meet to chat about some recent episodes? It’s a great way to practice your speaking skills, and it will also help you gain more confidence in expressing opinions in English.  

Want more prep ideas?

Explore Smart Prep, which combines all our practice materials in one place, so it's easier for you to stay on track with your PTE preparation.

  • Smart Prep is a clear path to test day, guiding you through the official paid and free resources available for your test

  • It can be accessed whether you’ve booked a test or not – just create, or sign in to your myPTE account

  • Preparation materials include guided practice tests, introductory videos, video courses and test tips.

Ready to get started?

 

 Sign up for Smart Prep

Related Content

  • Image- Cornell university 800px
    Which English test should I take to migrate to Australia or New Zealand?
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    PTE Academic can help you get there

    If you want to migrate to Australia or New Zealand you may be required to sit an English test as part of your visa application. Or you may need to sit a test as part of a  skills assessment or for professional registration.

    The question is “which test should I take?”

    There are a range of language tests you can choose from. However, the Pearson Test of English Academic (PTE Academic) is the market leader in computer-based English language testing. PTE Academic is delivered entirely on a computer and then scored by a computer, using Pearson’s automated scoring technology.

    The PTE Academic English test is accepted by Australia’s Department of Home Affairs (DHA) and Immigration New Zealand (INZ) for all visa applications. This includes Permanent Residency, Employer- Sponsored/Work Visas, and Student Visas.

    Further, PTE Academic is accepted by most Australian skills assessment authorities and professional registration bodies including:

    • Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)

    • Australian Nursing and Midwifery Council (ANMAC)

    • Certified Practicing Accountants Australia (CPA Australia)

    • Chartered Accountants Australia and New Zealand

    • Australian Computer Society (ACS)

    • Engineers Australia

    How does PTE Academic’s technology help me?

    You will sit PTE Academic on a computer in one of Pearson’s secure test centers. Pearson then uses its automated scoring technology to ensure that your English skills are assessed with complete fairness. Your responses are scored objectively and consistently, no matter where in the world the test is taken, so it doesn’t matter where a test taker comes from or what they look like.

    The use of the automated scoring technology also allows PTE Academic to deliver test results typically within2 days, in comparison to other English languages tests which take 2-3 weeks.

    Where can I take the test?

    Booking PTE Academic is a simple online process. Simply choose one of our 240+ test centers in 400+ test centers in 117 countries, then select a convenient test time and date. We test 365 days of the year around the world.

    Plus you can also schedule your test up to 24 hours in advance where seats are available.

    Interested in studying abroad?

    When studying abroad in a course taught in English, you will often need to prove how your English language skills. With PTE Academic you can apply to thousands of universities and colleges around the world including:

    • All universities in Australia, Ireland, and New Zealand, including all New Zealand Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics.

    • All TAFE and Institutes of Technology and Polytechnics in Australia and New Zealand.

    • Prestigious institutions such as Stanford University, Harvard University, and Imperial College London accept PTE Academic scores.

    • In the USA, Canada, UK, Singapore, and Europe, PTE Academic is continuing to grow.

    You can view a complete list of institutions that accept PTE Academic on the website.

    Learn more

    You should always check with government bodies and institutions for the latest score requirements and tests accepted.

  • UK city
    UK student loans for international students
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 5 minutes

    The United Kingdom is a cornucopia of leading education facilities and employment opportunities – but such world-class education comes at a cost. With university courses quite easily exceeding £20,000 (US$24,830), studying in the UK is known to be costly (and that’s not even taking into account rent and other costs of living!).

    It’s understandable then that many students in the UK require some financial help to see them to the end of their education. Working while studying can be an option – but what about UK education loans for international students? 

    Can international students get loans in the UK? 

    The answer to this question is quite simple, and it lies in your citizenship. It is also set to change once the UK leaves the EU.  

    EU citizens/Student loans UK

    If you’re a student from a European Union country – such as Italy, Germany, France, Spain or Sweden – your education costs will be capped as though you were a UK student. This means that you won’t pay more than £9,250 a year for your university degree. 

    You will also be eligible for a government student loan. This will cover your tuition fees, as well as your living costs if you’re studying an undergraduate course. This UK education loan for international students is not paid directly to you; instead, it will be paid to your university, and you will be required to pay it off in increments once you graduate. 

    A wide number of degree types will allow you to access student financial assistance. These include (according to gov.uk): 

    • A first degree, for example BA, BSc or BEd

    • A Foundation Degree

    • A Certificate of Higher Education

    • A Diploma of Higher Education (DipHE)

    • A Higher National Certificate (HNC)

    • A Higher National Diploma (HND)

    • An Initial Teacher Training course

    • An integrated master’s degree

    • A pre-registration postgraduate healthcare course.

    Interestingly, if you are an EU student and plan to study in Scotland, you might not pay any tuition fees. The costs are covered by the Student Awards Agency for Scotland (SAAS) for first degrees and PGDE courses. 

    International student loans UK 

    We wish that there was good news on this front – but unfortunately, UK education loans for international students (excluding students from the EU) are not available. Additionally, the cost of your tuition fees can potentially be far more than home students, with laboratory-based degrees set to cost up to £30,000. 

    If you plan to study in the UK as an international student, it’s also worth remembering that you’ll need to prove that you have £1,015 in your international student bank for each month of study up to nine months in order to be eligible for your visa. This number increases to £1,265 if you’re studying within London. This means that you’ll need to have saved between £9,135 and £11,385 in your bank account (depending on your university’s location) before you can obtain your student visa. 

    So, what can international students do to support themselves while studying in the UK? 

    Working while studying in the UK 

    While it can be difficult to balance work and study – especially if you’re studying in a country that is not your home – it is one of the best ways to ensure a steady income if you cannot apply for an international student loan. Your visa may restrict you to a set number of hours, but that doesn’t mean you can’t work to get a little extra cash into your bank account. 

    An international student visa (Student route visa, formerly known as Tier 4), will allow you to work up to 20 hours per week during the term. A number of casual jobs will grant short shifts that do not exceed this limit, including: 

    • Retail worker

    • Receptionist

    • Waiter/barista/bartender

    • Shelf packer

    • Mystery shopper.

    When UK vacation periods come into effect, however, you are able to work full-time hours. This means you could potentially undertake higher-paying jobs such as: 

    • Private tutor

    • Sales representative

    • Event assistant

    • Call center operator

    • Amusement park staff member.

    Students should check out Indeed, Reed, or Monster to apply for part-time work.

    Apply for an international student loan 

    Depending on your country of origin, you can still apply for a loan to study abroad. The USA and Australia have such loans in place, but these may be restricted to particular countries, courses and universities. This is likely the closest equivalent to an international student loan in the UK. 

    Consider an exchange program 

    Although these may not be as extensive as full-time study in the UK, it can be a chance to test out the experience for up to a year. You will have to check that your university in your home country has an exchange program set up with a university in the UK, but it could be an excellent experience if you can partake in it. 

    Apply for a scholarship 

    This is likely your best chance for getting a foot in the door if you’re an international student looking for a loan to study in the UK. There are many scholarships open to international students, with varying levels of criteria to meet. They also tend to differ depending on the country in which you live. Some examples of these include: 

    If you have your heart set on studying in the UK, it’s best to explore every avenue available to you to ensure you end up studying in the country and university you love.

    Learn more about PTE Academic if you need to undertake an English language proficiency test before you depart.

  • Image- Asian student writing
    How long will I wait for my PTE Academic results?
    By PTE Author
    Reading time: 3 minutes

    Most test scores are now returned within just 2 days

    During 2018 students, migrants, and professionals that sat PTE Academic received their scores in even less time than ever before. In fact, during 2018, 85.7% of PTE Academic test takers received their results within just 2 days.