Short spoken forms

Short spoken forms

Author: BBC Radio July 28, 2025 Duration: 6:22

Gonna, wanna, dunno, whatcha… are these really English words? Who uses them and why?

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If you've ever felt stuck searching for the right word, Learning English Vocabulary from BBC Radio is a practical companion. This isn't about dry lists or grammar drills. Instead, each episode focuses on a specific, useful theme, breaking down the language you need for real situations. You'll hear how to describe changing weather, discuss different professions with confidence, and understand the subtle rules of adjective order, all through clear explanations and examples. The podcast also includes quicker segments, like English in a Minute, designed to deliver a compact and memorable tip in sixty seconds. It’s a straightforward way to gradually build a more robust and nuanced vocabulary, episode by episode. Tune in for a direct, focused approach to learning, where every topic is a step toward speaking and understanding English more naturally.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 391

Learning English Vocabulary
Podcast Episodes
Pronouncing words that start with ‘c’ [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:23
Listen out for words that begin with the /s/ sound but start with the letter 'c'. Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus WATCH THE PRONUNCIA…
English in a Minute: Phrases with 'bite' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06
If you've been procrastinating on your English study, it's time to bite the bullet and listen to this podcast! Learn four phrases with the word 'bite'TRANSCRIPT Find a free transcript for this episode and more programmes…
Phrasal verbs and context [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:35
Learn phrasal verbs in sentences to help understand their meanings. FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followus L…
English in a Minute: Phrases with 'bone' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:05
Learn 4 phrases with 'bone' here. It's only a minute long, so you don't have to work your fingers to the bone.TRANSCRIPT Find a free transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https…
Prefixes: re- pre- and pro- [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:12
We talk about words with the prefixes re, pre and pro. LISTEN TO REAL EASY ENGLISH: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learni…
English in a Minute: Phrases with 'cake' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06
Listening to this podcast is great, but using the phrases in real life is the icing on the cake. Learn four phrases with 'cake'.TRANSCRIPT Find a free transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your…
Silent letters [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:37
We talk about letters in English that we see in words but don’t actually pronounce.LISTEN TO REAL EASY ENGLISH: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-englishSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ h…
Onomatopoeia [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:31
Learn about words that sound like the thing they describe.SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersFIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE:Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learnin…
Multi-word verbs [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 6:22
Do you ever 'meet up with' your friend in the park? We talk about multi-word verbs.FIND BBC LEARNING ENGLISH HERE: Visit our website ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningengli…
English in a Minute: Phrases with 'lose' [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:09
Learn 4 phrases with 'lose' here. Don't lose your touch!TRANSCRIPT Find a free transcript for this episode and more programmes to help you with your English at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/s5en…