The English with Kirsty podcast is for anyone who wants to improve their English skills and particularly for freelancers and business owners or others who want to improve their spoken English. It’s also for those who are learning other languages – many of these tips can be applied to whichever language you want to learn!
Drawing on my experience both as a teacher of English and in the communications field, I enjoy working with people to help them communicate clearly and confidently in English. If you’d like to find out more about what I do, you can send me a message using the contact form to arrange an introduction meeting.
You can also come along to one of my conversation club events if you would like a chance to practise speaking English.
Subscribe to the English with Kirsty podcast
You can subscribe to the podcast on
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- Player FM
- Episode 319 – Coffee break thoughts – does your professional voice in your first language reflect who you are?
- Episode 318 – Board game localisation and how games can help us to learn languages 2/2
- Episode 317 – Board game localisation and how games can help us to learn languages 1/2
- Episode 316 – interpreting with Gabriela Paez
- Episode 315 – Is it good to post content in your additional languages?
- Episode 314 – Why language should not be a barrier to accessing health information with Silke Kogler
- Episode 313 – You don’t need to be loud in order to find clients – with Valentina Alia
- Episode 312 – Language identity coaching with Christina
- Episode 311 – I’ll do it when I feel ready
- Episode 310 – Combining a love of animals with a language career – with Jadwiga Ruchlewska
- Episode 309 – How a better understanding of culture is essential for language learners – with Cátia Lima
- Episode 308 – Self-care for freelancers with Katharina Weis
- Episode 307 – Client calls – the part that you can’t plann 100% in advance
- Episode 306 – Language stories – from Disney princesses to a year in Japan with Alejandra Escamilla Sanchez
- Episode 305 – Which path will you choose?
- Episode 304 – My thoughts on language conversation groups
- Episode 303 – How book clubs and conversation groups can help us to discover more about language and culture
- Episode 302 – Connect with your audience using your own voice with Jennifer Jones
- Episode 301 – Moving past our fears in additional languages with Roxana Popet
- Episode 300 – Combining language skills with a love of animals 1/2
- Episode 299 – My language homework – when we choose what’s easy instead of what’s needed
- Episode 298 – Legal translations with Graciela Darritchon
- Episode 297 – 2 extra events in January 2026
- Episode 296 – Get the content online – how to break the procrastination and perfectionism loop
- Episode 295 – What I learned in 2025 and what’s coming next
- Episode 294 – Networking and how freelancers can benefit from it with Katherina Weis
- Episode 293 – Advertising to direct clients with Sarah Silva
- Episode 292 – Inclusive language – panel episode
- Episode 291 – Learning through volunteering 3/3 with Colette Myler
- Episode 290 – Learning through volunteering 2/3 with Diana Franco Silva
- Episode 289 – Learning through volunteering with Sónia Rio and MIRIAM SANTOS FREIRE
- Episode 288 – Speak to your customers in their language with Laura Schartmann
- Episode 287 – What does it mean when we say we don’t have time?
- Episode 286 – 9/10 learning through podcasting
- Episode 285 – 8/10 Learning through conferences
- Episode 284 – Age inclusive language with Marina Gracen-Farrell
- Episode 283 – 7/10 Learning through mentoring (Women in Localization)
- Episode 282 – 6/10 Learning through music
- Episode 281 – Live episode from the podcast’s 10th birthday celebration
- Episode 280 – What happens when we are not ourselves in another language and what can we do to change this?
- Episode 279 – 10 things I’ve learned through 10 years of podcasting
- Episode 278 – Sharing what you know – newsletter for translators with Kimberly Martinez
- Episode 277 – 5/10 Learning by trying new things – with a group of my business owner friends
- Episode 276 – audio description – a pannel discussion
- Episode 275 – 4/10 learning through business adventures with Jane Eggers
- Episode 274 – 3/10 Learning through community with Team Translator
- Episode 273 – Accessible communication with Josélia Neves
- Episode 272 – 2/10 – learning through events – LocLunch edition
- Episode 271 – Keeping multiple additional languages up-to-date with Tania Lines
- Episode 270 – 1/10 – learning through courses with Alfonso González Bartolessis
- Episode 269 – Our brain, emotions, and language learning with Alice Mansaud
- Episode 268 – What I learned about my language skills when I attended a webinar in German
- Episode 267 – Megan Miller and I talk about having a mindful start to the new year
- Episode 266 – What’s coming up at English with Kirsty?
- 31 ways to improve your English – January 2025 challenge
- Episode 264 – Dolores Rojo Guiñazú on podcasting in two languages
- Episode 263 – Interactive workshop for advanced language learners
- Episode 262 – Finding accessible language courses as a learner who uses access technology
- Episode 261 – Finding good resources to help with business English
- Episode 260 – Maria Virginia Barros on how a love of writing can improve your language skills
- Episode 259 – 8 things that prevent us from starting new things and what we can do about them
- Episode 258 – Learner Stories: Helen – you don’t have to love learning languages to develop your skills
- Episode 257 – podcast survey and online meet-up
- Episode 256 – Inês Moura from “Your voice matters”
- Episode 255 – Language stories: why do I do what I do?
- Episode 254 -Adrian Probst on creating content in an additional language
- Episode 253 -Language tip – why it’s sometimes easier to speak with new people than people whom we already know
- Episode 252 -Anja Lordanić Mustać on podcasting in an additional language
- Episode 251 – Language tip – 100 words a day
- Episode 250 – celebrating 250 episodes – I’m the interview guest this time
- Episode 249 – Julia Michelle on brand voice
- Episode 248 – Discover your voice in English – how much of your personality comes through when you’re speaking English?
- Episode 247 – Sion Dayson on voice acting, language learning, and discovering new cultures
- Episode 246 – Marta Pagans on how to overcome our prfectionism in language learning
- Episode 245 – Joana Lisboa on the power of your voice
- Episode 244 – 5 members of the conversation club for freelancers and business owners share their experiences
- Episode 243 – Rita Menezes on subtitles and how they are a good resorce for language learners
- Episode 242 – Olivia Segal on how podcasts an language exchanges have helped her
- Episode 241 – Diego Perez on how video games helped him to learn English
- Episode 240 – Megan Miller on
language habits and routines and Megan’s podcast for Spanish learners
- Episode 239 – Craig Wealand on the Cambridge speaking exam and his podcast for learners of English
- Episode 238 – Renata Fernandes on inclusive communication
- Episode 237 – How volunteering can help you to become more proficient in another language
- Episode 236 – Nick Nasev on Australian English
- Episode 235 – 3 members share their experiences of my conversation club for general conversation
- Episode 234 – Christine Konstantinidis on how mind maps can help you to develop your language skills
- Episode 233 – My interactive workshop about how you can use podcasts to improve your language skills
- Episode 232 – Mónia Filipe on how working abroad can help with your language skills
- Episode 231 – Which words do you want to delete from your active vocabulary?
- Episode 230 – Alice MANSAUD on being yourself and how podcasts can help us to learn
- Episode 229 – What is my conversation club and how can it help you?
- Episode 228 – How friends can help you to learn another language
- Episode 227 – Rita and Kirsty on podcasting, how languages open doors for us, and our events for language professionals
- Episode 226 – Lynne Swain on what happens in our brains when we are nervous and what we can do instead
- Episode 225 – Marta Pagans on the power of saying “no” as freelancers and when we’re using another language
- Episode 224 – Leda shares how reading can help you to develop your vocabulary and broaden your perspective
- Episode 223 – Isabelle Cottenet on pronunciation tips and the use of music in language learning
- Episode 222 – Rita Gonçalves and Kirsty on learning languages as an adult
- Episode 221 – Mira Rutter – how emersion helps when you’re learning a new language
- Episode 220 – doing something fun – I put my new Romanian skills to good use
- Episode 219 – Diana Silva Franco – learning languages needs to be fun!
- Episode 218 – Creating written or spoken content in another language
- Episode 217 – Antoni Moroto, the Medical Communicator
- Episode 216 – Sancha Moran on working with multiple languages and bringing children up multilingually
- Episode 215 – my conversation with my good friend Rita Prazeres Gonçalves on languages, why they are so important to us, and how we help others to learn
- Episode 214 – Nadezhda Chalykh on intercultural communication
- Episode 213 – Leanna Lee on learning new languages independently as an adult
- Episode 212 – Maribel Aburto on founding a new business and using language skills to reach new clients
- Episode 211 – 5 things to think about when learning a new language independently
- Episode 210 – Bogdana Teglas – why you need a plan in business and language learning
- Episode 209 – Sorina Dascal – if you don’t know something, ask
- Episode 208 – Focus on your message – 5 things to think about
- Episode 206 – Jane Eggers – From online to offline – how real life conversations help you build your network
- Episode 206 – 8 ways to improve your active language skills
- Episode 205 – Don’t use automatic translation sites for your emails in English
- Episode 204 – Happy New Year (time sensitive offer)
- Episode 203 Anja Rhode on learning German, practical tips for language learners, and a project for people who want to work in Germany
- Episode 202 – Carol Constant interviews me!
- Episode 201 – Alina Bota on marketing coaching and developing your brand voice in another language
- Episode 200 – Be in the right mindset before you attend meetings in another language
- Episode 199 – Carol Constant on brain training and remembering new words
- Episode 198 – Things I want to continue and things that don’t work – what I’ve learned from my language discovery journey so far
- Episode 197 – Ana Mihaela on making a good impression and tips to improve your LinkedIn Profile
- Episode 196 – German speakers – are you using these terms and phrases that sound like English, but which might be confusing for other English speakers?
- Episode 195 – 3 things that we need to do less as our language skills improve
- Episode 194 – Better business networking in English – with news about my new course to help people feel more comfortable when networking in English.
- Episode 193 – Interview with Nicole Hynec about learning additional languages as an adult
- Episode 192 – Interview with Jennie Eriksen with tips for being authentic at online networking and looking after your voice
- Episode 191 – The importance of listening … to yourself speaking English
- Episode 190 – Interview with Nic Călinoiu about his experiences of learning multiple languages and moving internationally for work
- Episode 189 – Interview with Eva Tunez Salvador about translation and localisation
- Episode 188 – Interview with Kathryn and Zanne from Acrobat Global about how communication is everyone’s responsibility – including native speakers
- Episode 187 – How to become a better listener
- Episode 186 – Interview with Craig Smith about proofreaders, editers, and tips for checking your own writing
- Episode 185 – Supporting staff to find the right language training and use their new knowledge at work
- Episode 184 – Rachel Surtees on the stories we tell ourselves and others
- Episode 183 – Communicating with difficult colleagues
- Episode 182 – Janina Neumann on being bilingual and communicating effectively across different cultures
- Episode 181 – Lauryn Bradley’s tips on communicating well to make a good impression and build strong business relationships with customers
- Episode 180 – 8 tips for better online meetings
- Episode 179 – Writing your first book, and online writing retreat – interview with Jennifer Jones
- Episode 178 – materials – interview with Cara Leopold
- Episode 177 – Using apps for language learning – my experience using Duolingo
- Episode 176 – Interview with Gabriel Clark – part 2
- Episode 175 – Interview with Gabriel Clark – part 1
- Episode 174 – Our new coffee and conversation club for learners of English
- Episode 173 – 8 things you shouldn’t do if you’re preparing for exams
- Episode 172 – Get back on the horse – even experienced language learners get it wrong sometimes
- Episode 171 – 12 things I’ve learned during 8 years of working from home full-time
- Episode 170 – Interview with Jane Eggers on using a second language at work
- Episode 169 – Some challenges and solutions I’ve encountered as I use my second language at work
- Episode 168 – New year, no more wasted opportunities
- Episode 167 – 9 problems and solutions for talking about your job in English
- Episode 166 – Getting the most out of social situations – part 1
- Episode 165 – Taking calls in another language – unexpected questions
- Episode 164 – New site for additional services, new 30-day language challenge, and new language practice clubs
- Episode 163 – English practice for those who are not looking for a teacher
- Episode 162 – How practising with others can help you, and my new conversation groups for adult language learners
- Episode 161 – Experienced language learners – you can still find a new challenge today!
- Episode 160 – Why exam grades are not always a reflection of your language skills
- Episode 159 – Interview with Corinne Wilhelm from Byte-sized English
- Episode 158 – Answers from the wise old owl – why is it “a reply” but not “an information” or “a feedback”?
- Episode 157 – 10 time management tips for studying English
- Episode 156 – You don’t have to understand everything in order to learn something
- Episode 155 – What is your ideal working environment?
- Episode 154 – 10 questions interviewers might be asking themselves at your job interview
- Episode 153 – Recognising your bad habits can help you to become better at writing because you know what to look out for
- Episode 152 – 10 things that I don’t want to do at the beginning of this new year
- Episode 151 – The ED sound at the end of words
- Episode 150 – What can I do to improve my English this Christmas time?
- Episode 149 – When the language is fine, but it’s still a bad email
- Episode 148 – Lessons from a learner – what to do when you don’t understand something
- Episode 147 – Choosing the right podcast to help you to learn
- Episode 146 – Wise old owl – recommend and suggest
- Episode 145 – When using the telephone isn’t the best way to get the job done
- Episode 144 – Don’t do these annoying things on social media
- Episode 143 – Feel, look, and taste – when verbs can be followed by adjectives
- Episode 142 – Tips to help you overcome your fear of public speaking
- Episode 141 – Is it good if an English teacher speaks your native language?
- Episode 140 – 11 tips for giving a presentation as part of a job interview
- Episode 139 – Wise old owl – below, beneath, under, or underneath?
- Episode 138 – 20 things you shouldn’t do if you want to win an argument
- Episode 137 – Even advanced learners should never stop learning
- Episode 135 – Filler words and when they can become a problem
- Episode 135 – Pronouncing the TH sound
- Episode 134 – Better English in 2018 – summing up
- Episode 133 – The silent T
- Episode 132 – Better English in 2018 – learning new vocabulary
- Episode 131 – How thinking differently about grammar can improve your language skills
- Episode 130 – Better English in 2018 – listening skills
- Episode 129 – 5 things that could derail your language learning progress
- Episode 128 – Better English in 2018 – speaking skills
- Episode 127 – Saying that you think something is a bad idea
- Episode 126 – Better English in 2018 – how can other people help you?
- Episode 125 – Pronunciation – the silent L
- Episode 124 – Better English in 2018 – improving your writing skills
- Episode 123 – Words and how they sound in spoken English
- Episode 122 – Better English in 2018 – reading
- Episode 121 – Why speaking less in meetings could be good for you
- Episode 120 – Better English in 2018 – what’s getting in your way?
- Episode 119 – Dietary requirements and planning meetings
- Episode 118 – Better English in 2018 – how will you do it?
- Episode 117 – Better English in 2018 – what’s your plan?
- Episode 116 – Staying safe on business travel
- Episode 115 – Ending calls with people who won’t stop talking
- Episode 114 -New Year celebrations in the UK
- Episode 113 – Bonfire Night – November 5th
- Episode 112 – Being unwell
- Episode 111 – 11 things that you should avoid when selling products or pitching ideas
- Episode 110 – Language that you shouldn’t copy from native speakers
- Episode 109 – Answers from the wise old owl
- Episode 108 – Dealing with difficult colleagues
- – Episode 107 – Business English vocabulary quiz
- – Episode 106 – UK Bank Holidays
- – Episode 105 – 10 foods that you may be offered in the UK
- – Episode 104 – Tips for situations at work in which you’re the only non-native speaker
- – Episode 103 – 7 things that you can do on holiday to practice your English
- – Episode 102 – Adjective order – how to decide which word goes first when you’re describing something
- – Episode 101 – Speaking skills – when did I stop being afraid to speak German?
- – Episode 100 – 100th episode celebration
- – Episode 99 – Place names in the UK
- – Episode 98 – I’m worried that I won’t understand what people say to me in English
- – Episode 97 – Make listening a habit
- – Episode 96 – Why don’t people do what I ask them to do?
- – Episode 95 – Dog idioms
- – Episode 94 – Improving your English whilst studying in the UK
- – Episode 93 – Is your writing style appropriate for your audience?
- – Episode 92 – Summer weather idioms
- – Episode 91 – 10 ways in which taking part in conversations can help you to become a better listener
- – Episode 90 – 8 reasons why students don’t like to speak in language lessons and what can be done to solve the problems
- – Episode 89 – 5 important language learner lessons
- – Episode 88 – Preparing to present in English – getting ready for your question and answer session
- – Episode 87 – If something goes wrong, don’t make things worse!
- – Episode 86 – Find out what really works for you!
- – Episode 85 – 10 words that can follow the word “look”
- – Episode 84 – 10 mistakes that people make with language exchanges
- – Episode 83 – Reading tips – what you should and shouldn’t do
- – Episode 82 – The Sunday roast
- – Episode 81 – If you want to improve your listening skills, be a good listener in your native language too
- – Episode 80 – Things to consider when presenting information online
- – Episode 79 – Audio books – the forgotten resource for listening skills
- – Episode 78 – 10 vocabulary tips
- – Episode 77 – Idioms about hands, fingers and thumbs
- – Episode 76 – Don’t make these mistakes in your out of office reply!
- – Episode 75 – Why pay for language training when there is so much free material online?
- – Episode 74 – Mistakes to avoid with dates and times
- – Episode 73 – Learning tips for introverts
- – Episode 72 – What do people from the UK think about Christmas in other parts of Europe?
- – Episode 71 – What do people from other parts of Europe think about Christmas in the UK?
- – Episode 70 – What activities did I do with my language exchange partners?
- – Episode 69 – English for Greek speakers
- – Episode 68 – The importance of listening to customers
- – Episode 68 – The small things count – customer service and showing that you’re interested
- – Episode 66 – Questions for the wise old owl
- – Episode 65 – What to do if people are unkind about your English
- – Episode 64 – CVs and job applications – interview with Andrea Hartenfeller
- – Episode 63 – 7 problems with English texts that could cause people to leave your website
- – Episode 62 – Language tandems – interview with Christine Konstantinidis
- – Episode 61 – Questions that you shouldn’t ask at a job interview
- – Episode 60 – English for French speakers – interview with Cara Leopold
- – Episode 59 – Animal names that can also be verbs
- – Episode 58 – Interview with Shannon Kennedy – language emersion
- – Episode 57 – How podcasts can help you to improve your English
- – Episode 56 – English for Romanian speakers
- – Episode 55 – Advantages of learning English as part of a group
- – Episode 54 – How can you persuade customers to trust you?
- – Episode 53 – It’s hard to understand English-speaking customers and colleagues
- – Episode 52 – Are you annoying your readers?
- – Episode 51 – Went, was, been, and gone.
- – Episode 50 – Celebrating success
- – Episode 49 – Food idioms
- – Episode 48 – Keep yourself accountable
- – Episode 47 – What to do when you lose your motivation
- – Episode 46 – advantages and concerns about online learning
- – Episode 45 – Sentences with give, take, do and make
- Episode 44 – Why learning individual words isn’t enough
- Episode 43 – How Facebook groups can help you with language learning
- Episode 42 – Idioms – parts of the body
- Episode 41 – The wise old owl answers your questions
- Episode 40 – Learn a language in your lunch break
- Episode 39 – What English people say and what they really mean
- Episode 38 – Is it good to learn English idioms?
- Episode 37 – Nic helps us to prepare for job interviews
- Episode 36 – Ask the wise old owl
- Episode 35 – What are the advantages of attending a language course?
- Episode 34 – I’m worried about my pronunciation
- Episode 33 – idioms about horses
- Episode 32 – Don’t confuse your readers + my new book is available
- Episode 31 – common mistakes part two and CV/interview training prize draw
- Episode 30 – common mistakes and CV/interview training prize draw
- Episode 29 – Germans in the UK
- Episode 28 – I’ll do it myself
- Episode 27 – Getting your voice heard in meetings
- Episode 26 – The apostrophe
- Episode 25 – Learn while you cook and learners helping learners
- Episode 24 – English Christmas traditions
- Episode 23 – Just say “no”!
- Episode 22 – Wintry weather idioms
- Episode 21 – Mistakes that I have made as a language learner and how you can avoid making them
- Episode 20 – How to get the best out of language exchanges
- Episode 19 -Conversation with Natasha Reddrop from Grammar Debugged about job interviews
- Episode 18 -Heteronyms – same spelling, different pronunciation
- Episode 17 – Do you want to write a good CV and come across well in interviews?
- Episode 16 -Interview about English and German with Jane Eggers from Jane Eggers Translations
- Episode 15 -Keeping conversations going and avoiding awkward silences – 3
- Episode 14 -Keeping conversations going and avoiding awkward silences – 2
- Episode 13 -Keeping conversations going and avoiding awkward silences – 1
- Episode 12 -What is a personal learning network and why do I need one?
- Episode 11 – Homophones – same sound, different spelling and meaning
- Episode 10 – 10 common mistakes made by German speakers who are learning English.
- Episode 9 – Talking about training and development.
- Episode 8 – What prevents us from speaking and what can we do about it?
- Episode 7 – 10 tips for effective communication on the telephone 3/3
- Episode 6 – 10 tips for effective communication on the telephone 2/3
- Episode 5 – 10 tips for effective communication on the telephone 1/3
- Episode 4 -“I don’t know!”.
- Episode 3 – learning with people who don’t speak your language
- Episode 2 – using your journey to work for language learning
- Episode 1 – introduction
The podcast’s RSS feed is:
http://englishwithkirsty.podomatic.com/rss2.xml
You can also sign up for my newsletter, where I post a round-up of the previous month’s episodes so that you can click straight through to the individual shows.
I hope you enjoy the podcast and I look forward to hearing from you.
English with Kirsty News contains articles and other information about improving English as well as the latest news an eventsfrom English with Kirsty.
Episode list
You can read the show notes and listen to each episode by clicking on the links below.
“Kirsty ist toll! Ich bin so froh, dass ich sie gefunden habe: Ihr Englischkurs ist nur für mich. Im Einzelunterricht, noch dazu mit einer Muttersprachlerin, lerne ich viel mehr als in anderen Kursen. Weil ich einfach mal frei sprechen kann. Kirsty und ich besprechen ausführlich alle meine Fragen, ohne dabei andere SchülerInnen zu langweilen. Aussprache, Grammatik, Kommasetzung – nichts kommt zu kurz. Dabei ist Kirsty immer wertschätzend, was ich sehr genieße. Unsere Gespräche über Gott und die Welt sind außerdem sehr bereichernd. Ich bin absoluter Fan von Kirsty und will nie wieder aufhören. Danke, Kirsty!”
Birgit Weber
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