Learning a language is a big challenge and improving your English listening skills can be key to making rapid progress in your comprehension. Listening to these 5 free podcasts to practice English effectively exposes you to real language, diverse accents and allows you to learn anytime, anywhere. They are also one of the most recommended strategies for improving your English, whether you are just starting out or at an advanced level.
Today we bring you a list of the top five free podcasts to improve your listening comprehension in both American and British English, with options for different levels and areas of interest. If you are looking for the best free resources to learn English online, this list will be perfect for you.
1.- Coffee Break English
This free podcast is designed for beginner (A1) and intermediate (A2) level learners, ideal for those who are just starting their learning journey and are looking to maintain a short but steady learning routine.
Coffee Break English offers quick, practical lessons of varying lengths, from one minute to 20. They focus mainly on everyday American life situations, such as ordering food or interacting in a professional environment. Each episode is short, making it perfect for listening during your breaks.
You can find all their episodes on the YouTube channel Coffee Break English and also on their website coffee break languages.com, where they have all their episodes for free, but also other languages such as Portuguese, Spanish and French.
This is one of the 5 most recommended free podcasts to learn English and keep the habit of practicing it daily.
2.- LEP – Learn English Podcast
Thispodcast is a creation of the British organization British Council, the page offers a series of episodes divided into different sections, ranging from fictional dramas, jokes, holidays such as Halloween and tips for further learning such as watching movies in English.
Each episode comes with subtitles and extra resources that are placed in the episode description to help you supplement your learning, such as links to movie selection tips or other criteria related to the episode’s subject matter.
Its episodes are recommended for A2 (pre-intermediate) and B1 (intermediate) level students and are available for free on YouTube.
3. BBC Learning English
This is one of the most popular and recommended podcasts to improve your English. It has episodes of different lengths, from short ones of around three minutes, to six and ten minutes, and the longest ones of 17 minutes.
BBC Learning English focuses on British English and covers common expressions and current slang. Its publications are weekly and seek to share content to help with speaking, listening, vocabulary and pronunciation. In fact, the six-minute videos are specifically for increasing vocabulary and improvinglistening.
It is ideal for those looking to learn colloquial phrases used in everyday life in the UK. In addition, listening to these episodes helps you get used to the British accent and the speed of speech.
Their episodes are available on the BBC Learning English YouTube channel and although they have content for all levels, they focus more on students at A2 (pre-intermediate) and B1 (intermediate) levels.
4. Luke’s English Podcast
Aimed at intermediate (B2) and advanced (C1) level students, this award-winning podcast, which started in 2009, is directed by Luke Thompson, a British teacher with extensive experience in language teaching focused on foreigners. His conversational style makes him an excellent choice for learning British English in a fun and natural way.
Luke covers a variety of topics, from song analysis to current events, allowing listeners to practice with different types of content. In addition, he explains key words and phrases as he goes along, helping to better understand the context. Since it is for levels with high language proficiency, it does not display subtitles.
You can find the episodes on the YouTube channel Luke’s English Podcast, but also on his website, which has a paid version, but with extremely low amounts, 2 to 4 dollars a month.
5. All Ears English
This podcast created by two American English teachers is designed for intermediate (B2) and advanced (C1) level students. The main focus of All Ears English is to help you feel more confident in speaking and understanding English. With a refrain that focuses on connection rather than perfection, they seek to teach new vocabulary, expressions, idioms and other everyday aspects of American English, as well as corporate English, which is very important for business people looking to enter the American market.
Each episode features useful colloquial phrases and idioms that will help you sound more natural when communicating. The dynamic style of the presenters makes learning like chatting with friends. They also offer cultural tips, which are essential for getting by in specific situations. It should be noted that it does not show subtitles.
You can access their episodes on the YouTube channel All Ears English and also watch some episodes on their website and learn about the other resources they offer, although the latter are pay-per-view.
Tips to take advantage of the 5 free podcasts
To get the most out of it and really see results in your listening, after listening to a free podcast to practice English , it is recommended that you follow these tips:
- Listen actively: Concentrate on the content and take notes on new words and phrases.
- Repeat and pause: Don’t hesitate to pause and repeat parts you don’t understand. Also try to repeat aloud what you hear.
- Listen more than once: Repeating episodes helps you become familiar with accents and reinforces your vocabulary.
- Vary topics and accents: Broadening your exposure to different accents and topics prepares you to understand diverse situations.
- Be consistent: Listening to podcasts on a daily or weekly basis is key to making progress.
Podcasts are powerful tools for improving your English listening comprehension. Whether you choose a British program like The English We Speak or an American one like All Ears English, listening to these 5 free podcasts to practice English will help you improve exponentially. Incorporate this strategy into your daily routine and watch your level improve rapidly.
