Practising English
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© 2026 M. A. Bilbrough
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Listening practice for learners of B1 intermediate and B2 upper-intermediate levels of British English. Learn British English by listening to stories. Original and exciting stories written for learners and students of British English. Practise and prepare for Cambridge: B1 PET Preliminary and FCE First Certificate exams. IELTS: level 4, level 5 and level 6. Includes English grammar explanations and practice exercises, examples of vocabulary use, phrasal verbs and collocations help, British English pronunciation practice, advice and help for passing B1 and B2 English examinations: Cambridge, IELTS and Trinity. Start practising and improving your British English listening, vocabulary and speaking levels today!
300 Episodes
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The Visitors This is the full version of my story The Visitors recorded in October of last year. The level is B2, but my B1 students are also invited, of course! ;-) These are the comprehension questions: (the answers are further down - but don't look at those yet!! 1) Who said he didn't want to be rescued and why? 2) What is the bridge of a ship, and why did the scientists and naval officers all go there? 3) Where was the alien ship when the ship's crew first detected it? 4) Why did ...
These are the words we'll be studying in this B1 podcast today. To see the full audioscript of the story, you can go to my website at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-300.htm · Set off – We set off early in the morning to start our trip to the mountains. · Join in – Everyone was dancing, so I decided to join in and have fun. · Reliable and efficient – Our new computer system is reliable and efficient, so we finish work faster.&nb...
These are the B2 words we'll study today. You can also find the story transcript with B2 words highligted at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-299.htm · in amusement She laughed in amusement when she saw the puppy trying to catch its own tail. · boast He likes to boast about his achievements, even when no one asks him about them. · deliberately She deliberately ignored his message because she was still upset with hi...
Here is the B1 vocabulary for today's Treasure Island chapter: 1) close up 2) show somebody in 3) have one’s doubts 4) keen on / fond of 5) dislike 6) not be convinced 7) give somebody a hand The Hispaniola was waiting out at sea, not near the land but a little way out. We rowed out in a small boat among many big ships. Their ropes hung down in the water, ...
The vocabulary and story transcript to today's B2 story: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-297.htm 1. define It is sometimes difficult to define success, because it means different things to different people. 2. an act of will Finishing the marathon after injuring his ankle was purely an act of will. 3. upside down When I turned the map upside down, I finally realized I had been...
These are the words I'll be studying today: Transcript at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-296.htm treasure to sail crew sailor the docks ship telescope crutch pirate the squire All hands on board! aye, aye, sir! a schooner Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Student...
You can read the transcript here at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-295.htm The B2 words I study today are these: · without hesitation She accepted the job offer without hesitation because it matched her skills perfectly. · take pride in something He takes pride in his work and always tries to do his best, even under pressure. · talk this over Let’s talk this over tomorrow when we’re both calmer and hav...
These are the questions for the story today. You can see the complete audioscript for the story at my website: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-294.htm 1) Why wouldn't the people from the village help Jim and his mother? 2) How much money did Jim's mother take from the chest (box)? 3) How did the blind man and his men get into the inn? 4) What was inside the packet that Jim found inside the chest? Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising Engli...
These are the 7 B2 words I discuss during the podcast: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-293.htm 1) rolled 2) feared 3) shade 4) dragged 5) unwilling 6) endless 7) uneasy Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the ...
For the full transcript of the story go to: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-292.htm These are the phrases I study from the B1 story today: get rid of – I want to get rid of these old clothes because I never wear them. run (a business) – She runs a small business with her sister. unpleasant – The weather was cold and unpleasant all day. set the table – Can you help me set the table before dinner? unfriendly – The waiter was unfriendly and didn’t smile at all.&...
1The second and final part of my B2-level adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's The Black Cat: The B2 phrases studied are: The Black Cat (B2-Level- Part 2) · fall into hopeless despair After losing his job and the apartment in the same week, he fell into hopeless despair. · draw their attention to The teacher pointed at the board to draw the students’ attention to the maths problem solution. · fill somebody with shock and terror Th...
Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson. My B1-level version. Chapter 1 Squire Trelawney, Dr. Livesey, and some other gentlemen asked me to write down the whole story of Treasure Island, from the beginning to the end . I must leave out only the exact position of the island, because there is still treasure there... https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-290.htm Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish...
First part of my B2 version of The Black Cat by Edgar Allan Poe: For the most strange, yet also ordinary, story that I am about to write, I do not expect belief, nor do I ask for it. To tell the truth, I would be foolish to expect anyone to believe me... Read story transcript with B2 words in bold: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-289.htm Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact...
You can find the audioscript to the B2 story today just here: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-288.htm The Lost Ring Mary Grams, a woman from Alberta, Canada, lost her diamond engagement ring in 2004 while she was working in her garden. The ring slipped off her finger, but although she made a long search for it, in the end, she believed it had gone missing forever. Mary was very disappointed about the disappearance of her ring, but she did not want to worry her husband. Instead of te...
This is the audioscript for today's B1-level dialogue: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-287.htm That's Life! Mary: 'Morning, Anna. You don't look very well today. Are you sick? Anna: 'Morning, Mary. Oh, yes. I feel terrible. I'm suffering from this backache and my head hurts. I think it's an illness caused by this awful, cold weather. Mary: Oh dear. I've got problems too. I can't breathe properly, and I have to blow my nose all the time. I know I'm always complaining of my poor healt...
This is the audioscript for this B2 story (part 2) of The Hole: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-286.htm The Hole (Part 2) I hurriedly set up the equipment from out of my bags. 'Can I help, señor?' Pedro stepped forwards. 'Please. Undo these two ropes. One has a harness and the other is fixed to this small sack, while I set up the laptop and monitor.' I then had to think fast. After I had the computer equipment ready, I knelt down at the side of the borehole and felt the walls. Cemen...
This is the audioscript for today's B2 story: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-285.htm The Hole 'We're arriving, señor,' said the helicopter pilot. 'It's down there, by that hill. I'll land as close as I can get. Time is going to be crucial.' The helicopter dropped down vertically and bounced once before finally settling on the grassy slope. There were a number of people gathered about fifty metres further up the hill, and several vehicles: cars, police vehicles, two ambulances and a...
This is the story text for the B2 story today: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-283.htm The song in today's podcast is an arrangement by Dmitry Taras - check it out at Pixabay. The Christmas Festival 'So, Miss Jenkins,' said the mayor. 'As the town's new Councillor for cultural events, it'll be your turn this year to organise the Christmas town festival.' 'Yes, Mr Mayor. I'm aware of that,' Jenny Jenkins answered. 'Councillor David did a marvellous job last year. A difficult act to f...
This is the audioscript for today's story and the B1 words studied: Scrooge and the Turkey Scrooge ran to the window, opened it, and put his head outside. There was no fog or mist. The air was clear, bright, and cold. The sun was shining, the sky was blue, and the bells were ringing happily. 'Oh, how absolutely wonderful!' cried Scrooge in a cheerful voice. 'What day is it?' he shouted down to a boy wearing his Sunday clothes, who was standing in the street. 'Eh?' said the boy, very surprised...
Not able to bring my new B2 podcast today so I'm leaving you with an older Christmas story (repeat). Audioscript at: https://www.practisingenglish.com/podcast-70.htm Contact Mike Bilbrough with a question or enquiry about advertising on Practising English Podcasts: https://www.practisingenglish.com/contact.htm My NEW book: "B1 English Vocabulary Builder - 22 Short Stories for Learning the Words and Phrases Students Need to Pass the B1 Exam" is now available! This book gives the learner enoug...
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Glad to find these podcasts 🙌 really useful for me 🙏
Really helpful 👌 thanks
I will listen to all episodes
you are amazing 👏 🤩
Thank you. I really enjoy and like your podcast.
It was soooo practical.👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 Please keep going!🙏🏻❤❤
It was a great story. I enjoyed it a lot. I hope there is a second book in the future. I'm keen to hear the rest of it.