Luke's ENGLISH Podcast - Learn British English with Luke Thompson

Vietnam Travelling Diary 🇻🇳 [992]

In 2009 I did a solo travelling experience around Vietnam, and I wrote a diary while I was there. In this episode, over 16 years later, I read out the diary, follow my descriptions of each part of my trip, explore how I was feeling at that time of my life, go off on some comedy and English teaching tangents, and take a journey into the past, across a very different country.

[BONUS] FIFA WORLD CUP 2026 PREVIEW MEGARAMBLE ⚽

A bonus mid-week episode previewing the FIFA World Cup 2026 in North America. I'll be talking about all the teams, the favourites, the underdogs, the wild cards, the dark horse teams, England's chances, plus various issues and controversies both on and off the pitch. Comments are welcome! This is a bonus episode, and you will get another normal episode (no football) on Monday.

Coffee, Cats & Conversation ☕️ Kate Billington’s 900-Day Streak in Taiwan [991]

[991] A conversation with English teacher / comedian / cake maker Kate Billington, talking about her academic qualifications, cutting edge subtitling technology for theatres, questions of teaching English including teaching in Taiwan vs in France, Kate's tips for language learning, a cat-village in Taiwan, traffic madness, earthquakes, signage in train stations, using flashcard apps to learn English, testing Kate's Chinese by making her translate jokes, and drinking coffee in Taipei! Just that! Check out P81 a premium episode with vocabulary review for this conversation.

RAMBLEMAN: Into the Ramble-zone 🌀 [990]

An epic rambling episode packed with British humour, listener emails, anecdotes, English teaching, thoughts about AI, parenting, podcasting, language learning, YouTube comments, animals listening to LEP, British communication styles, and much more.

Crazy Questions with my daughter 👧✨ [989]

In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, I chat with my 8-year-old daughter as we answer a series of absurd questions, including funny Would You Rather...? questions, imaginative What if...?questions, food questions, science questions, superpowers, animals, fairy tales and more.

This is a natural, funny and heart-warming English conversation full of real spoken English, perfect for English learners who want to improve their listening skills, vocabulary, pronunciation and fluency.

📄 Get the PDF transcript for this episode

Use the transcript to check words, follow the conversation and study vocabulary from the episode.

Is the AI Bubble Bursting? 🤖🫧 (Technology & Discussion) with James [988]

[988] In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, Luke and James discuss artificial intelligence, ChatGPT, the AI bubble, generative AI, AGI, automation, job displacement, tech startups, Silicon Valley culture, deep fakes, AI hallucinations, cryptocurrency, Blade Runner, and the future of work. This is a long-form British English conversation designed to help learners improve listening comprehension, vocabulary and fluency while exploring the hype, risks and promises surrounding AI technology.

Insane Facts 🤯 True or False? with Amber & Paul [987]

[987] British English listening practice at a natural speed with surprising facts and lots of humour. Pod-pals Amber & Paul join me for an outlandish and outrageous "true or false" quiz 📝. Can Amber and Paul decide if these facts are true, or just total bulls#*t (or maybe that should be b*llocks?) The episode is long, the English is fast, but the jokes come regularly and I promise that you will learn something new.

⚠️Warning: some topics are a bit disgusting, graphic or explicit and not for the kids👧🙅.

Includes talk of satanic cats 🐈‍⬛, animal accents 🐐, unsexy corn flakes 🥣, wolverine toads 🐸, blood-shooting lizards🦎🩸, suicide sex-bees 🐝, British tank tea 🫖, astro pee 🛰️, urine mouthwash 😬, ancient dogs 🐕, 23-hour dinosaurs 🦕 and a lot more. Listen all the way to the end as things get incredible in the 2nd half. Transcript available. 

The Bad Room 👞 (Learn English with a Short Story) [986]

Another short story on LEP to entertain you and help you learn some more English words and expressions. This one is a creepy tale about a room in a house with a strange, fatal attraction. People can't stop themselves going through the door, but then what happens to them? Follow along with me and try to understand the final, crucial line at the end. I will explain everything, analyse the vocabulary line by line and teach you plenty of useful English phrases. PDF available as usual!

10 Questions about Food 🍲 with Martin [985]

A funny British English conversation about food, cooking & eating habits, with my friend Martin. Why is British food a bit of a joke? Do French people have the right to criticise British cuisine? What is marmite, and why don't Brits just throw it away? What did Luke eat for lunch every single day during secondary school? And, who would be Luke's dream dinner party guests? All that and more, in a conversation full of tangents, recipes, rants and apologies, and a nice range of vocabulary expressions to spot. Enjoy! PDF Transcript available.

Paranormal Experiences 👻📘 with Anna Brooke [984]

[984] English listening practice in the form of an authentic conversation about ghosts and the paranormal. Returning guest Anna Brooke returns to talk about her latest book "Death by Chocolate" which is inspired by various spooky and unexplained experiences she has had recently, including a suspected haunting of her apartment, poltergeist activity, cold and creepy atmospheres, sightings of spirits and more strange encounters. Anna describes these experiences and we have a discussion about the paranormal. A premium episode with vocabulary review is available for premium subscribers. PDF transcript also available.

English Language Haiku Master John Stevenson ✍️ (Interview) [983]

Practise your listening in English with a fascinating conversation with a writer of haiku poetry in English. John Stevenson is one of the world's leading English language haiku poets, and in this episode I had the pleasure of talking to him for an hour. John taught me more about haiku and senryu poetry, revealed how he first became interested in haiku, and then was willing to discuss various haiku poems he has written over the years, giving details of what real events inspired them, what they mean and more about his process of writing haiku in English. I hope this episode is fascinating and inspiring. Keep listening because it becomes more and more revealing as it continues. John was a pleasure to talk to and I think this is the perfect conclusion to the trilogy of episodes I have done on this subject on the podcast recently.

Haiku in English 2 🍂✍️ [982]

Haiku poems communicate a lot of ideas, thoughts and feelings into just a few simple words. They can be moving, humourous or meditative, and reading haiku in English allows you to learn vocabulary in a very interesting way. In part 1 I talked about the form and history of haiku, and read out various short poems in English from both Japanese writers and modern English ones. In part 2 here I finish reading my haiku selection, including many written by English-language haiku master John Stevenson. Listen to each one, consider the different meanings and interpretations and also learn specific words and phrases to expand your English vocabulary.

Is the glass half empty, or half full? 🥃 (Vocabulary & Discussion) [981]

In this episode I discuss optimism and pessimism, what forms our outlook on life, which is healthier, how we talk about optimism and pessimism in English and which perspective helps you learn English more effectively. Expect some discussion, science, vocabulary, advice for learning English and a few jokes thrown in for good measure. PDF available.

Room 101🚪with Charlie Baxter 🇬🇧 Funny British English Listening Practice [980]

Practise listening to British English conversation and enjoy some complaining, ranting and funny anecdotes in this episode based on the concept of a popular BBC TV chat show. My guest is Charlie Baxter from The British English Podcast. Charlie has chosen 3 things which he wants to be locked inside the mythical "Room 101" 🚪 an imaginary place where all the things you hate in the world are stored forever. What would Charlie like to remove from the world to be kept inside this room? And what is the shocking info about a certain popular British English YouTuber 👩‍🏫 that could break the internet? 🤔

The Lumber Room (Learn English with a Short Story) [979]

Time to learn English with another short story on Luke's English Podcast. Listen to the story and my comments, then learn vocabulary as I break down the text line by line and teach you English in context. This time it is a funny little tale written by Saki - the English author and master of the short story. A mischievous lad is punished by his strict aunt, but who ends up having the last laugh?

My Dad talks about his life [978]

Following my chat with my mum last week, now it's my dad's turn! In this episode my plan was to ask my dad lots of questions about his life, and to listen to him talking about the various choices he has made, and experiences he has had, as well as details about his parents. The result is another deep chat about family history, and my dad's life story. I hope you enjoy listening to it as much as I enjoyed recording it. Full transcript available.

My Mum talks about her life [977]

[977] Recently I visited my parents at their home, and while I was there I took the time to record conversations with them both. This first one is with my mum. I asked her questions about her life story, our family history, her memories of growing up and so many other things that I was curious about. The result is this recording. I hope you will find that it is not only good for your English listening practice, but also fascinating and absorbing as a piece of personal history. Full transcript available.

RAMBLEMANIA 🗣️ 3+ Hours of English Listening & Learning with Luke [976]

Here's an epic rambling episode in which I talk about learning English with BBC Radio and TV 📻 vocabulary expressions with the word 'thumb' 👍 the story of how I became a taxi driver on the streets of Paris 🚖 the grammar of Yoda 🐸 fantastic haikus written by my listeners ✍️ and getting pecked in the face by a swan 🦢. 3h30min+ of English listening and learning from me to you. #learnenglish #britishenglish #englishlistening

How to write well in English ✍️ (with Fabio Cerpelloni) [975]

What skills are involved in being a good writer? What makes a good piece of writing? How is writing different to speaking? What are the challenges faced by learners of English who want to write well, and what are some solutions to these challenges? How can AI help develop writing skills? And, what does it take to write your own book in English? These are all questions which I talk about in this episode, with the help of professional writer and returning guest Fabio Cerpelloni.

Haiku in English 📖 🍃 [974]

[974] In this episode I read out lots of haiku poems, explain their meaning, discuss what they make me think and feel, and use them to teach you some vocabulary. The haikus I read include some traditional Japanese ones translated into English, plus more modern ones written in English by writers from around the world. Some of these haikus are meditative, some are sad, some are funny and some find a way to capture feelings that are otherwise difficult to put into words.

Sherlock Holmes: The Adventure of the Engineer’s Thumb 👍🔪 (Learn English with a Short Story) [973]

Back by popular demand, here is another Sherlock Holmes short story on LEP. This one tells the suspenseful tale of a young engineer 👷 who accepts a well-paid but mysterious job. In classic horror movie style, he ignores so many red flags 🚩 and warnings ⚠️ and ends up paying the price for it! But, can Holmes and Watson make sure that justice is served? I tell the story and explain some details and words along the way. Story text and summaries available on the episode PDF.

Identity, Mindset, Accents & Learning English with Multilingual Actor Ivan Doan [972]

[972] I talk with multilingual actor Ivan Doan about his multicultural background, his learning of languages and his work as an actor. Ivan shares his insights and experiences of learning English, dealing with different accents in film & TV roles, and the importance of mindset and discipline in his life. There are plenty of language learning insights in this episode, which I summarise at the end. Full transcript available.

[Part 2] 9 Science-based Life Hacks to Improve your English Learning Potential in 2026 🧠 [971]

[971] Part 2 of 2. Here is the continuation of last week's episode about changes you can make to your lifestyle, mindset and habits in order to become a better learner of English in 2026. Each of these tips is backed up by scientific research from the fields of psychology and psycholinguistics, with insights into human behaviour and thinking processes that result in better learning. Full PDF available.

[Part 1] 9 Science-based Life Hacks to Improve your English Learning Potential in 2026 🧠 [970]

[970] Part 1 of 2. An English podcast about simple habits you can introduce in your life, to be in top condition for learning English all year long. This is all backed up by scientific research into how our brains work, how we learn language, and how little changes in our behaviour can help us perform better and achieve more in the time we are given. Includes top advice for preparing yourself to be a great learner of English in 2026. Part 2 will be available next week.

WORLD NEWS QUIZ 2025 🌍 with Stephen from SEND7 Podcast [969]

[969] It's time for the annual World News Quiz with 20 questions about some of the curious news stories of 2025. Stephen Devincenzi from the SEND7 podcast is the quizmaster. Can you I improve on my poor performance from last year? Can you beat me? Take a trip through some news highlights from this year. Full transcript available as usual.

The Words of the Year 2025 📖 with Amber & Paul [968]

[968] The Collins Dictionary Words of the Year is a list of 10 words which capture the cultural zeitgeist - the spirit of the times that we are living in now. These are new words, picked by Collins, which reflect big issues that people have been talking about over the last 12 months. In this conversation, Amber, Paul & I discuss the impact of AI, the ways social media is affecting people's behaviour, how people are using technology to control their health, the strange habits of tech leaders, and more. Pick up new words and listen to conversation about big issues in society. Full transcript available.

Robbing the Louvre 👑 Escaping to Nigeria 🏃‍♂️ with Amber & Paul [967] Catching Up #16

[967] A conversation in the podcastle with my pals Amber & Paul. In this one we chat about Paul's ambitious international marathon plans (what is he running from exactly?) what Amber knows about the famous robbery of the Louvre this year, and Paul's dramatic "Jason Bourne" situation which he faced in West Africa recently. Listen to some spontaneous conversation between friends in English. Full transcript available.

The Ramble Before Christmas 🎄 [966] Listen & Learn English with Luke

[966] Here is a super-long seasonal rambling episode, which you can listen to while wrapping presents, finishing some last-minute gift shopping, or (if you don't celebrate Christmas) just doing whatever you normally do in December. This is a long one, but the more you listen, the more it will help your English! 💪🎅

The Kit-Bag (Learn English with a Short Story) [965]

[965] It is traditional to tell a scary story at Christmas time, so here is one for this year's festive season. The Kit-Bag by Algernon Blackwood is a classic scary tale which will give you a chill, while you stay cosy and warm indoors this winter. Listen and I will explain a lot of vocabulary which comes up in the story.

A Cosy Rambling Episode at Home [964]

In this audio-only episode today you can join me at home as I potter around, and take time to relax while recording a rambling episode for you to enjoy. Enjoy the sounds of street noise outside, and my attempts to find the most comfortable spot in my flat where I can ramble about various things, including several robberies in Paris - one of which is the famous heist at the Louvre museum, where burglars broke in and stole precious jewels worth millions, in broad daylight. The other robbery was more painful - our own apartment, which was broken into earlier this year. Join me as I discuss all of these things and more. The video episode this week is a walk & talk in Paris.

Talking Therapy, Mental Health & Counselling with Emma Camara Ortega [963]

[963] Emma Camara Ortega and I worked together as English teachers years ago, but since then Emma has become a licensed counsellor and therapist - helping people with their mental health. In this episode, Emma talks to me about what is involved in counselling, and we discuss some everyday habits to promote good mental health. This should be full of interesting insights and helpful tips for mental wellbeing, which is so vital for our general lives but also to help us learn as effectively as possible. Full transcript and vocabulary list available.

The Door in the Wall 🚪 (Learn English with a Short Story) [962]

[962] Time for another short story on LEP. This one is about a man who has a wondrous experience as a child, which then haunts him for the rest of his adult life. Listen as I read the story to you, and then ramble about its meaning, interpretations and how it evoked some strong memories and strange feelings in me. Then there is a vocabulary review which will continue in an upcoming premium series.

Emma from MmmEnglish and Hey Lady! [961]

[961] Emma Jakobi is the host of MmmEnglish on YouTube, and now the online community Hey Lady! In this episode Emma joins me for a chat about living on the remote Western coast of Australia, "blowing up" on YouTube, her decision to step away from MmmEnglish to focus on Hey Lady! Also, her thoughts on the rise of AI, and some fun facts about singing in the shower, her vintage Lexus car and her phobias of public speaking (surprising) and leeches (understandable). Full transcript available.

Fine Distinctions & Subtle Shades of Meaning 📖 (with Eli Burnstein) [960]

A particularly useful and interesting episode for you today - a conversation about English words which are very similar, but crucially, not the same. My guest Eli Burnstein is the author of “Dictionary of Fine Distinctions” - a book which aims to bring clarity to English words. Expect a funny discussion about subtle shades of meaning between words like poison & venom, accuracy & precision, envy & jealousy and many others. Eli is Canadian, now living in London and so he also shares some key features of Canadian English. 

How to Learn English with my podcast 🎧 [959]

People keep asking me in comments, "How can I learn English with your podcast?" so in this episode I am answering that question as simply, directly and efficiently as possible. Expect advice about improving your English across the 4 skills of listening, reading, speaking and writing, and the language systems of grammar, vocabulary, pronunciation and discourse management. PDF available.

A Free Sample of LEP Premium Series 71 🏆 Vocabulary & Pronunciation [958]

More Questions of English & Listener Comments 🙋🏽‍♀️ Bits & Bobs 5 [957]

How many words are there in English? How many do you really need to know? And how many words have I spoken on this podcast? 🧐 Also, what is shadowing, and how should you do it? Can you do episodes about different English accents? What are your top 10 countries for this podcast? In this episode of Luke’s English Podcast, I answer listener questions about vocabulary size, English accents, the shadowing technique and more. PDF available with transcript and vocabulary list.

Thompson Originals 💿 (A Chat with My Brother) [956]

My brother James joins me again on the podcast for a rambling chat about diverse topics such as: trousers 👖 sandwiches 🥪 gangster films 🍿 the work of Edgar Allan Poe 📖 vinyl and cassettes 🎵 memories of living together 🎮 annoying behaviour 😤 and English words and grammar that irritate people 😠 plus James has a new vinyl EP out now on Ooz records. Transcript available 📄.

Let’s do a REAL C1 English Test! 🙇‍♂️ (CAE Use of English) [955]

In episode 949 I did an online test which claimed to be for C1 level, but let's be honest - it was more like an intermediate level, the questions were rubbish and it was ultimately a useless scam. This time I'm taking a proper C1 English test - the Use of English section from a Cambridge CAE exam. Let's see what is required to pass this, and what bits of English you can learn from it.

Holiday Hell 🔥 Serious Sandcastles 🏰 & AI Inbreeding 🤖 with Amber & Paul [954] Catching Up #15

The Pod-Pals are back on the podcast for another catching up session! Recorded just after the summer holidays, there is talk of Paul's hatred of the beach 🏖️, the English tradition of building epic sandcastles 🏰, other famous people with our names (including an "evil" teacherluke 👿) and what AI gets completely wrong about us 🤦. PDF transcript available. (a.k.a Catching Up with Amber & Paul #15)

A game of “Would You Rather?” with my daughter 👧 [953]

My 7-year-old daughter joins me again as co-host in this fun episode. We play "Would you rather?", a conversation game in which we ask each other ridiculous questions about various hypothetical situations. Enjoy listening to another cute and funny chat with my daughter, which covers topics such as food, world peace, wealth, fame, success and Inspector Gadget.

The Trip to Norway 🇳🇴 Learn Vocabulary in Context [952]

A description of my recent family holiday to Norway 🇳🇴 including rambling about how I can't stand beach holidays 🏖️, chasing my son around different international airports 🏃, visiting Oslo ⛴️, Bergen 🏠, fjords 🚤 and mountains 🏔️. Edward Munch's The Scream 😱, staying in a cabin with no hot water, shower or washing machine, swimming in a freezing lake 🥶, catching a trout 🎣 and driving an electric Jaguar 🐆(that's a car). Includes a PDF with vocabulary in context, definitions, full transcript, and vocabulary quiz.

Questions of English & Listener Comments 🙋Bits & Bobs 4 [951]

Dealing with some questions from listeners about pronunciation, grammar and vocabulary, namely how to know when 'd is had or would (in writing and pronunciation), the curious origins of the word podcast and a vocabulary lesson about the word cast including various collocations and phrases which include this morpheme (that means a part of a word, not some kind of shape-shifting alien). More groundbreaking and genre-defying content to grace your earphones, and not boring grammar stuff at all, not even a little bit, no, no way, not here.

The Flatmate from Japan Returns🚶‍♂️Travelling Tales & More [950]

Peter, my old flatmate from Japan, is back on the podcast after his previous appearance 11 years ago! We chat about travelling experiences, teaching English in Malaysia and Japan, dealing with jet lag and culture shock, doing stand-up comedy abroad, and some of the funny, strange, and even weird experiences we’ve had while travelling. A relaxed, wide-ranging conversation full of stories, laughs, and cultural insights.

Let’s Take a C1 Grammar Test 📋 and critique it [949]

In this episode I take a typical multiple choice grammar test that you can find online, explain the answer to each question and give mini grammar lessons along the way. I also discuss what makes a good test of your English, and what good and bad level tests do. Learn more about grammar, and about how to check your language level.

Workplace Scenarios 👷 Role Plays for Practical English [948]

In this fun and practical episode I dive into realistic workplace English through improvised role-play conversations. Designed to help you boost your vocabulary, listening skills, and confidence in professional settings, this episode features six humorous and educational role-play scenarios in workplaces like a factory, office, supermarket, and a shop. Listen to me improvising with ChatGPT and see if it can keep up with some ridiculous ideas, and learn some useful practical English in the process.

Technology in Everyday Life [Part 2] 👨‍💻 The Choices We Make / Topic Discussion & Vocabulary [947]

This episode is all about choices we have to make relating to technology in our everyday lives, and the vocabulary of technology today. This episode focuses on issues such as information quality & fact checking, digital sustainability, AI and automation, security, surveillance and privacy, tech company ethics, & tech and well-being. All important topics which you should be able to talk about in English! PDF available. Part 2 of 2.

Technology in Everyday Life [Part 1] 👨‍💻 The Choices We Make / Topic Discussion & Vocabulary

This episode is all about choices we have to make relating to technology in our everyday lives. I'll be discussing contemporary tech-related issues such as privacy vs. convenience, data sharing, digital, detox, online behaviour, digital legacy, tech addiction, tech for children. It includes loads of vocabulary and will give you the chance not only to listen to me talking, but also to practise your speaking on this subject too. PDF available. Part 1 of 2.

Funny English Errors, Corrected ✍️ [945]

Sometimes it is fine to laugh at the mistakes that we make in English (I do it in French) and so in this episode let's look at some English errors that are unintentionally hilarious. I will correct the errors, explain what is funny, and there is a lot of vocabulary to learn in the process. PDF available with vocabulary list and memory questions.

Listen & Learn English with Luke 🎧 This is SOMETHING! [944]

In this episode I take you on a big rambling journey through all sorts of English-learning goodness (and nonsense). We start by pondering what makes a good podcast title — is it clever, clickbait, or just clear? I reveal a monumental tectonic shift in the way I am titling my episodes. Then it’s into the Grammar Zone, with an in-depth look at English narrative tenses. Then I reveal LukeGlish.com, a custom search tool that lets you explore my entire podcast content by words and phrases. And, there’s the Comedy Corner, where I break down some English jokes and wordplay, dissecting the frog.