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PoLoop Angielski

Jacek Olender

This is a podcast for intermediate learners of English, especially my students, current and those I taught in the past. Since most of them are Polish, it was originally designed with Polish learners in mind. However, with new technology and methods of communication, allowing me to work with students from various parts of the world, the podcast has quickly evolved, and is no longer aimed at one particular nationality. The majority of my listeners are not even my students. The original goal, however, remains the same: providing learners of English with advice and listening material that could help them on their way from the intermediate to the advanced level of English language competence - the route I followed too.

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  • S1 · E38
    Sep 24, 2023 · 12 min

    Episode 38. Feedback or Feedforward?

    Send us Fan Mail Giving employee feedback is becoming tricky with Gen Z's joining the workforce. Find out why, discover new ideas about performance reviews, and learn many expressions related to evaluating work and collocations with "feedback". Link to The Times article on the topic For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E37
    Jul 2, 2023 · 10 min

    Episode 37. A Tense Issue

    Send us Fan Mail Could there be a better way of teaching English tenses? Here is Jacek's ongoing journey and experimentation to answer this question, drawing on research on brain hemispheres, the lexical approach, the relationship between speech and movement, and insights from first language acquisition. If you are interested in taking part in Jacek's summer course "All Tenses in Four Weeks," you can find more details here. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E36
    Jun 11, 2023 · 12 min

    Episode 36. How to disagree politely

    Send us Fan Mail This episode highlights the cultural differences between non-native speakers and native speakers, particularly the British, when it comes to disagreeing. While non-native speakers tend to be more direct, native speakers prefer a more tentative and polite approach to disagreements. Listen and learn phrases and techniques that can be used to express disagreement in a respectful and nuanced manner. From softening statements with expressions like "I'm afraid" to indicating partial disagreement and understanding the other person's perspective, the episode provides listeners with practical examples of how to soften the impact of having a different opinion. If you are interested in Career Booster Course this summer, you can find more information at this link. Episode Transcript For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E35
    May 28, 2023 · 7 min

    Episodes 35. Who Owns English?

    Send us Fan Mail Drawing inspiration from an article published by The Economist, titled "As it spreads across the world, who owns English," this episode challenges the notion that languages exclusively belong to their country of origin. Link to The Economist article: As it spreads across the world, who owns English? Link to episode transcript. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E34
    May 14, 2023 · 13 min

    Episode 34. Why We Feel Burnt Out

    Send us Fan Mail Do you often feel exhausted? Are you trying to fit as many things into your busy schedule, desperately hoping to be left with some time for yourself? Are you worried that your life slips through your fingers? This episode discusses the recent report entitled "Burnt Out Britain" by British think-tank Onward, which challenges common myths about the reasons for our busyness and exhaustion and highlights how our time is consumed by family life and technology, leaving less time for self-care and leisure. Link to transcript Link to the report this podcast is based on: Burnt Out Britain - report by Onward For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E33
    Apr 2, 2023 · 22 min

    Episode 33. Third Conditional Fluency Practice

    Send us Fan Mail Speaking a language is more of a skill than a knowledge-based activity. In this respect, it is similar to dancing or doing sport. In this episode, we'll be developing fluency and confidence in using third-conditional sentences. You'll be guided through a series of exercises that break down the structure into smaller components and gradually put it all together. Link to the transcript. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E32
    Mar 26, 2023 · 11 min

    Episode 32. Learning from Chess Masters

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, we are looking at two studies on the psychology of playing chess. Can we use their findings about the thinking processes of chess masters to help us acquire a foreign language? Link to episode transcript. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E31
    Mar 19, 2023 · 10 min

    Episode 31: The Stigma of Eating Alone

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jacek explores the topic of dining alone and its associated stigma. He begins by sharing statistics that reveal how dining alone has become more popular in the UK. Then he retells an anecdote about British comedian Jack Whitehall, who experienced an embarrassing situation while eating on his own in America. Then you will hear the explanation of how the phrase "as such" could indicate a consequence or logical conclusion of something that has been mentioned earlier. Also, the episode provides listeners with examples of sentences in which other words and phrases convey the idea of cause and result in both written and spoken English. Link to episode transcript. Link to the article published in the Spectator on 18 March 2023 - The Art of Eating Alone. Link to the Youtube clip with Jack Whitehall telling the anecdote retold in the episode. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E30
    Mar 12, 2023 · 9 min

    Episode 30. Toadies

    Send us Fan Mail In today's episode, you will learn about toadies a.k.a. suck-ups, brown-nosers, and apple polishers. Toadies are not the slimy creatures that hang out in ponds or feature on a fancy French menu. Toadies are the people who are always kissing up to their bosses. We'll be digging into some fun and colourful terms to describe those suckers and even share a study that claims having a toady in your team can actually be beneficial! So sit back, relax, and get ready to learn some new vocab to add to your arsenal of workplace insults. Link to episode transcript For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E29
    Mar 5, 2023 · 9 min

    Episode 29. Learn What's Relevant

    Send us Fan Mail This time Jacek talks about his "relevant today" posts on Instagram, in which he presents expressions related to current news stories. He explains what makes these posts useful and shares some examples of his recent posts. Link to PoLoop Angielski Instagram Profile Link to episode transcript For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E28
    Feb 26, 2023 · 11 min

    Episode 28. Banned Words

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of the Poloop Angielski Podcast is about banning some words and phrases because they are seen as discriminatory, offensive, or inappropriate. Jacek presents a list of expressions, such as "ballsy," "crazy," "freshman," or "manpower", which to some could be exclusionary or derogative. Does banning words make us more inclusive and respectful or less effective in communication? Link to episode transcript For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E27
    Feb 19, 2023 · 8 min

    Episode 27. Fashion for Passion

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode of PoLoop Angielski Podcast, Jacek discusses an article from The Economist titled "The Pitfalls of Loving Your Job a Little Too Much". The podcast explores the positive and negative effects of having a passion for work and shares findings from a study by Harvard Business School which reveals that the importance of passion in the workplace has increased in recent years. However, having an all-consuming passion for what you do can have adverse effects too. One problem is that companies may reward commitment over ability, and employees obsessed with their passion often lose control of their behaviour. The episode features a real-life story of a student who got carried away by his passion for cooking and suffered burnout. Conclusion: passion can be a double-edged sword, something that has both advantages and disadvantages. As always, the episode is full of interesting expressions. Here are some of them in alphabetical order: Adverse effects - negative consequences or outcomes Double-edged sword - something that has both advantages and disadvantages Get ahead in your career - to make progress and succeed in your career Get carried away - to become too excited or enthusiastic about something and lose control of one's behaviour In one's element - to feel most comfortable and confident when doing something Land the dream job - to get the job that one has always wanted Live and breathe something - to be passionate about something and have it as an integral part of one's life Lose track of time - to become unaware of how much time has passed Pitfalls - problems or difficulties that are likely to happen in a process, job or activity Throw oneself into something - to begin to do something with energy and enthusiasm The full transcript of the recording is available here. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E26
    Feb 12, 2023 · 8 min

    Episode 26. Blame Game

    Send us Fan Mail This episode of the Poloop Angielski Podcast focuses on the topic of blaming people for their mistakes. Jacek discusses a recent article from the Economist titled "Faulty Reasoning" about the adverse effects of blaming people in a work environment. The discussion provides a good source of business vocabulary and expressions related to blaming people, including phrasal verbs such as "follow up on sth" and "own up to sth". Link to episode transcript. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E25
    Feb 5, 2023 · 9 min

    Episode 25. Anti-advice Advice

    Send us Fan Mail What trap do polyglots and teachers of foreign languages fall into when advising learners? Should you listen to the advice of those who've mastered a foreign language? What is the right approach when choosing suitable methods of learning? In this episode, I tackle these questions using some insights from Rory Sutherland's book "Alchemy". You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E24
    Jan 29, 2023 · 9 min

    Episode 24. Stress in Three-part Phrasal Verbs

    Send us Fan Mail This episode is the continuation of the topic of stress in Phrasal Verbs, so it might be a good idea to listen to Episode 23 first. You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. Phrasal Verbs used in this recording: put sth on: start wearing something burn down: get destroyed by fire take after sb: look or behave like an older member of the family come down with sth: become ill with a disease, usually not serious cheat sb out of sth: prevent someone from having something in a dishonest way feel up to sth: feel that you are strong or healthy enough to do something come up with sth: find or produce an answer, plan, or solution to a problem get around to sth: find time and opportunity to do something go back on sth: fail to do something that you've promised or agreed to do go through with sth: do something that you've planned or agreed to do, especially if it is difficult or unpleasant look forward to sth: feel happy and excited about something that is going to happen put up with sth: accept something unpleasant or annoying without complaining get away with sth: do something wrong and not be properly punished for it For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E23
    Jan 22, 2023 · 11 min

    Episode 23. Stress in Two-part Phrasal Verbs

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode you will learn about three kinds of two-part Phrasal Verbs (transitive, separable PVs, transitive, inseparable PVs, and intransitive PVs), and how the type influences the position of stress in the phrase. You will also hear examples of many Phrasal Verbs connected with business meetings. You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. Transitive, separable Phrasal Verbs used in the examples: set sth up: organise and plan something bring sth forward: change the date or time of an event so it happens earlier call sth off: cancel something put sth off: change the date or time of an event so it happens later wind sth up: end something Transitive, inseparable Phrasal Verbs used in the examples: go over sth: check something carefully do without sth: succeed without something touch on sth: mention something when are talking or writing go for sth: choose something bear on sth: be connected with something or influence something Intransitive Phrasal Verbs used in the examples: break down: stop working doze off: fall asleep especially during the day without intending to do so go ahead: start or continue to do something, especially after waiting for permission go around: be enough for everybody drop in: make a short visit somewhere For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E22
    Jan 15, 2023 · 7 min

    Episode 22. Chatting Pays Off!

    Send us Fan Mail In this episode you'll find out how chatting with the big guys in the tech industry will soon make me a proud owner of a brand new Tesla! You might also discover a great way to practise English. You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. Some words and phrases used in the recording (in alphabetical order): awkward: making you feel embarrassed bot: a computer program to catch up on sth: to spend time doing things you haven't done earlier curiosity: a strong desire to know about something to feed (an AI language model): to give information to an AI language model firsthand: from my own experience to get in the way of sb doing sth: prevent somebody from doing something to get the better of sb: to be stronger than somebody to get in touch with sb / to touch base with sb: to make contact with somebody a hassle: a situation that is annoying because it needs a lot of effort to make ends meet: to earn enough money to be able to buy what you need mere: just, only (used when you want to stress how small something is) a pay cut: a reduction in someone's salary a tipple: an alcoholic drink to rush: to move somewhere in a hurry supply chain problems: problems with getting parts needed to produce a final product sympathy: the feeling of being sorry for somebody worth a shot: worth trying Link to Character.AI website For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E21
    Jan 7, 2023 · 10 min

    Episode 21. Are you a Lumper or a Splitter?

    Send us Fan Mail When it comes to learning a language, are you a lumper or a splitter? Which approach is better for learners of a foreign language? You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. Key terms used in the recording: to lump: to put things together in the same group and consider them as the same even though there are differences between them to split: to put similar things in different categories; to focus on differences between things rather than similarities Other words and phrases used in the recording (in alphabetical order): armoury: skills or powers that are available for someone if they need to use it continual: continuing without stopping or happening again and again, often in an annoying way to convey a meaning: to communicate an idea to do justice to something: to represent something fairly, especially in a way that shows how good or attractive something is a fossilised error: an error that is fixed and difficult to get rid of a groundbreaking theory: a theory that changes the way we understand things; theory that leads to new discoveries to feel superior: to feel better than someone else hair-splitting: arguing about unimportant details or differences insight: a deeper understanding of what something is like inquisitively: showing interest; wanting to learn things the latter: the second of the two things that have just been mentioned to mansplain something: When a man mansplains something, he explains it to a woman in a way that shows he knows more about it than she does. matter-of-fact: said or done without showing emotion a merger of two words: a word created from combining two separate words minutiae: very small or unimportant details a nitpicking perfectionist: a person who focuses on small unimportant details trying to do things perfectly misinterpretation: a wrong way of understanding of a message nuanced: taking account of small but important differences to overthink something: to think about something too much to pay off: to bring some benefit; to be advantageous peckish: a little bit hungry to ponder something: to think carefully about something for a long time to reason with sb: to talk to someone trying to convince them or persuade them to do something to retaliate: to attack someone because they've attacked you first a shift: a change in something, for example in someone's ideas or methods to tell something apart: to see the difference between two things that are very similar trout: a fish that lives in rivers and lakes turquoise: bright green-blue in colour the upper hand: an advantage over someone or something For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E20
    Jan 1, 2023 · 10 min

    Episode 20. New Year's Resolutions

    Send us Fan Mail Let's kick off the new year with a few pieces of advice about the New Year's resolutions. You can download the complete transcript of this episode here. Words and phrases connected to the topic of New Year's resolutions: A FIRM RESOLUTION : a resolution that is not likely to change TO MAKE A RESOLUTION : to decide to try very hard to do something TO KEEP A RESOLUTION / TO STICK TO A RESOLUTION : to continue trying very hard to do something TO FAIL ON A RESOLUTION : to stop trying very hard to do something Interesting words and expressions used in the recording: to be buzzing: to be full of energy just a tad: just a little bit to have one too many: to drink too much alcohol hangover: headache and sick feeling that you have the day after drinking too much alcohol It dawned on you: You suddenly realised something to take stock of your life: to stop and think carefully about your life so far, in order to decide what to do next to give up / quit booze: to stop drinking alcohol the festive season: Christmas and New Year to be fed up with sth: bored and unhappy because something has continued for too long to dampen someone's spirtis: to make someone feel less determined or enthusiastic to piggyback on sth: to use something that already do as a support for something you want to do to give someone a piggyback: to give someone a ride on your back "the valley of disappointment" - the term James Clear uses to describe the initial period during which your hard effort doesn't bring the expected results to overcome difficulties: to successfully deal with difficulties a cue: a thing that is a signal for somebody to do something to bundle something together: to group separate things together bits and bobs: small items of various kinds This episode is based on insights from James Clear's book 'The Atomic Habits'. Takeaways: Tip 1: Set realistic goals. Tip 2: Combine the existing habit with a new one that brings you closer to achieving your goal. Tip 3: Join a group whose members pursue the same goal. Tip 4: Expect difficulties. Tip 5: Create the right environment, which will make it easier for you to stick to your resolution. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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  • S1 · E19
    Dec 18, 2022 · 10 min

    Episode 19. Gerunds with Phrasal Verbs

    Send us Fan Mail Verbs sometimes want to act like adjectives or nouns. In order to take on their new role they need the -ing ending. In this episode I expose their clever trick :-) You can download the transcript of this episode here. Phrasal Verbs used in the recording: FEEL UP TO sth/doing sth : When you don't feel up to something, you don't have enough strength or energy to do it or deal with it. GIVE something UP : If you give up something, you stop doing it or having it. COUNT ON something: If you count on something, you are sure something will happen. REIN something IN : If you rein something in, you start to control something. LAY somebody OFF : If a company lays off employees, it stops employing them because there is not enough. work for them to do. Other interesting words and expressions used in the recording: worthwhile: If something is worthwhile, it is important or enjoyable enough to spend time, money or effort on a pint: a pint of beer Pegasus: a horse with wings from Ancient Greek and Roman stories to give somebody a headache: to be a source of pain but also to annoy someone to browse through the news: to look through the news stories to rob somebody of something: to steal money or property from someone to get into the swing of doing something: to get fully involved in an activity Takeaway 1: Verb+ing can form continuous tenses, or function like an adjective or a noun in a sentence. In this role, it is known as a gerund. Takeaway 2: After prepositions we generally use gerunds, and since Phrasal Verbs often end with prepositions, we use gerunds after them too. You can find Relevant Today phrases mentioned in the recording on my Instagram Profile. For more, visit: PoLoop Angielski Blog Drop me a line: jacek@poloopangielski.pl And join us on social media: Instagram and Facebook Would you like me to help you master your English? You can find out more about my courses here.

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