Englishland with Leslie

Leslie
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Englishland is a podcast devoted entirely to English language learning and listening practice. It is focused on comprehensible input and engaging topics to help intermediate and advanced English learners train their ears to understand spoken English, learn about life and culture in the United States, and gain the confidence to speak with native English speakers. As a student of Spanish, I benefitted greatly from the many Spanish podcasts available and decided to pay it forward by creating my own podcast. 

Episodes

  1. 1d ago

    Learn English with the history of Women's Rights in the US

    Women’s Rights in the United States: History, Progress, and What’s Next | EnglishLand Podcast Leslie explores the history and current realities of women in the United States from a mostly federal perspective. She traces women’s fight for equality from the 1848 Seneca Falls Convention and the Declaration of Sentiments to the 1920 ratification of the 19th Amendment, while noting that many basic rights and protections came much later, including access to credit (1974), pregnancy discrimination changes (1978), and marital rape laws (1993). The episode outlines past restrictions on education, work, property, and family rights, and discusses ongoing issues such as reproductive rights after Roe v. Wade was overturned in 2022, pay gaps, underrepresentation in government, lack of guaranteed family leave, maternal mortality disparities, gender-based violence, workplace bias and harassment, health-care inequities, and broader cultural and economic impacts. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:34 Why Women’s History Matters 01:41 Early Suffrage Movement 02:22 Life Before Equal Rights 04:21 Marriage Divorce and Abuse 06:17 Roots of Women’s Activism 07:03 After 1920 Progress and Gaps 07:19 Modern Rights and Roe Overturn 07:50 Pay Gap and Representation 08:38 Caregiving Leave and Poverty 09:38 Maternal Health Crisis 10:21 Violence Harassment and Bias 11:00 Everyday Inequality and Design 13:34 Media Sports and Sex Ed 15:12 Closing Thoughts and Next Topics

  2. 2d ago

    Everyday Expressions in the US: part 2

    13 Common American English Expressions  (Part 2) | EnglishLand Podcast Leslie welcomes listeners to the EnglishLand Podcast and teaches part two of common English expressions used in the United States, focusing on situations when things go wrong, choices are difficult, or people move too fast. She explains and gives examples for “don’t cry over spilled milk,” “face the music,” “going south,” and “leave a bad taste in my mouth,” then covers decision-making phrases “on the fence,” “between a rock and a hard place,” “in good hands,” and “a means to an end.” In a final section on unfamiliar or risky situations, she introduces “not in Kansas anymore,” “don’t put all your eggs in one basket,” “putting the cart before the horse,” and “jumping the gun,” and ends with practice questions and a call to comment, share, like, subscribe, and watch part one. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:26 Episode Overview 01:02 Dont Cry Over Spilled Milk 01:31 Face the Music 02:06 When Things Go South 02:59 Bad Taste in Mouth 03:50 Hard Choices Ahead 03:55 On the Fence 04:35 Rock and Hard Place 05:46 Its in Good Hands 06:35 Means to an End 07:01 Not in Kansas Anymore 07:55 Eggs in One Basket 08:40 Cart Before Horse 09:02 Jumping the Gun 09:13 Quick Review Quiz 10:20 Wrap Up and Next Steps

    Everyday Expressions in the US: part 2

  3. 3d ago

    12 Everyday US Expressions Explained: Part 1

    12 Common English Idioms Explained (Surprise, Relationships & Secrets) | EnglishLand Podcast Leslie introduces the EnglishLand Podcast for English learners and teaches 12 everyday U.S. English expressions she heard recently, emphasizing they’re commonly used in real life. She explains and quizzes listeners on surprise idioms (“it hit me like a ton of bricks,” “out of the blue,” “caught off guard,” “blindsided”), relationship and emotion phrases (“cold feet,” “cold shoulder,” “in the doghouse”), and personality/behavior expressions (“make a mountain out of a molehill,” “true colors,” “wear your heart on your sleeve”). She then covers secret-related idioms (“bite your tongue,” “spill the beans”) and ends with a practice quiz using these expressions, inviting comments, promoting part two, and encouraging viewers to share and follow. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:26 Everyday Idioms Preview 01:19 Surprise Idioms 05:31 Relationships and Feelings 07:04 Personality and Behavior 09:02 Keeping and Sharing Secrets 09:58 Final Review Quiz 11:32 Wrap Up and Next Episode

    12 Everyday US Expressions Explained: Part 1

  4. Sep 11

    9/11 Explained for English Learners | What Happened, Why It Happened, and How It Changed the U.S.

    9/11 Explained for English Learners | What Happened, Why It Happened, and How It Changed the U.S. Leslie shares an emotional episode about September 11, 2001, describing where she was that morning and explaining the attacks by 19 Al-Qaeda terrorists led by Osama bin Laden. She recounts the four hijacked flights: the strikes on the Twin Towers, the Pentagon attack, and Flight 93’s passenger revolt, including farewell messages and Todd Beamer’s “Let’s roll.” She outlines the scale of loss, including children affected, first responders, and thousands of later deaths from toxic exposure during recovery. Leslie discusses Al-Qaeda’s stated motivations, highlights her 2025 World Trade Center Memorial tour (the Oculus, reflecting pools, museum, survivor tree, and the 9/11 boat lift), and reviews major post-9/11 changes such as the War on Terror, Homeland Security, airport security rules, and increased discrimination, ending with a call for kindness and unity. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:34 Introducing the 9/11 Topic 02:57 What Happened That Morning 04:14 Leslie’s 9/11 Memory 06:13 Towers Collapse and Chaos 07:25 Pentagon and Flight 93 09:26 Final Calls and Let’s Roll 14:27 Witnessing the Horror 15:30 Why the Attacks Happened 17:34 Long-Term Health Toll 19:14 Firefighters and Station 10 20:06 Visiting the Memorial 23:54 Oculus and Reflecting Pools 26:40 Boat Lift and Unity 27:46 Aftermath and Policy Changes 28:43 Personal Reflection and Kindness 30:54 Closing Thanks

    9/11 Explained for English Learners | What Happened, Why It Happened, and How It Changed the U.S.

  5. Sep 4

    American Weddings explained: from proposals to honeymoons. Learn English through US culture

    American Weddings Explained: Proposals, Bridal Showers, Bachelor(ette) Parties & Traditions | EnglishLand Podcast Leslie explains what weddings are like in the United States, highlighting common customs while noting wide cultural variation. She covers how couples typically meet, average marriage ages, divorce and remarriage, and proposal traditions including asking a bride’s parents, different proposal styles, and ring preferences. She outlines wedding planning realities such as timelines, costs, and stress, then describes bridal showers, groomsmen and bridesmaids roles, gift registries, honeydews and couple showers, and bachelor/bachelorette parties. The episode also explains the rehearsal dinner, ceremony and reception traditions like cake, dances, attire, flower girls and ring bearers, exits and car decorating, destination weddings, and honeymoons, noting that traditions are often adapted for same-sex couples. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:39 US Weddings Overview 01:13 How Couples Meet 02:08 The Proposal and Rings 03:42 Wedding Planning Costs 04:29 Wedding Stress and Roles 05:33 Bridal Showers Explained 06:51 Groomsmen and Registries 08:24 Bachelor and Bachelorette 09:05 Rehearsal Dinner Traditions 09:54 Ceremony and Reception 10:53 Cake Dances and Sendoff 13:11 Dress Code and Kids 13:52 Destination and Honeymoon 14:46 Same Sex Weddings and Wrap

    American Weddings explained: from proposals to honeymoons. Learn English through US culture

  6. Aug 28

    Learn English while learning how the US Government actually works.

    US Government 101 for English Learners: Branches, Elections, States’ Rights & Controversies Leslie presents “US Government 101,” explaining the three branches of the US government: Congress (House and Senate, terms, and constitutional powers), the President (roles, eligibility, term limits, and elections), and the courts (Supreme Court and lower federal courts, appointments, and lifetime terms). The episode covers how bills become laws and the role of lobbying, then explains the Electoral College (538 electors, 270 to win), how most states allocate votes, why it’s controversial, and how swing states influence outcomes, citing 2000, 2016, and 2020 examples and Pew 2024 opinion data. It compares Republicans and Democrats, discusses federalism and state-by-state law differences (guns, death penalty, marijuana), highlights key amendments and cases (14th Amendment, Brown v. Board, Roe v. Wade), critiques bail and unequal legal outcomes, and ends with humorous outdated federal and state laws. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:33 US Government 101 01:09 Congress Explained 02:36 Lobbying and Influence 03:45 The President Role 05:15 Courts and Supreme Court 06:32 Electoral College Debate 08:44 Swing States and Parties 10:27 States Rights vs Federal 12:10 Amendments and Roe 14:03 Bail and Justice Issues 16:23 Weird Laws and Wrap Up

    Learn English while learning how the US Government actually works.

  7. Aug 21

    The most useful and confusing verb in English: 'Get' Explained

    10 Common Uses of “Get” in English (Plus Everyday Expressions) | EnglishLand Podcast In this EnglishLand Podcast episode, Leslie explains why “get” is one of the most useful and commonly used English verbs and encourages learners to focus on a few key meanings at a time and revisit the lesson as needed. She teaches 10 practical uses of “get” with examples: to become (temporary emotional/physical states), to buy, to receive or earn, to do a physical action/command, to arrive, to obtain or catch, to take transportation, to contract an illness, to retrieve, and to understand (“Do you get it?”). She also covers common expressions including “get along,” “get by,” “that really gets me,” and supportive phrases like “You’ve got this” and “I’ve got you,” then closes with a reminder to like/subscribe and to be kind. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:36 Why Get Matters 01:21 How to Study Get 02:29 Get Meaning Become 03:14 Get Meaning Buy 03:55 Get Meaning Receive 04:43 Get Meaning Actions 05:10 Get Meaning Arrive 05:39 Get Meaning Obtain 06:03 Get Meaning Take Transport 06:23 Get Meaning Illness 06:58 Get Meaning Retrieve 07:12 Get Meaning Understand 07:57 Common Get Expressions 09:43 Wrap Up and Goodbye

    The most useful and confusing verb in English: 'Get' Explained

  8. Aug 16

    Obesity in the US: learn English with real topics

    Obesity in the United States: Data, Causes, Costs, Food Policy, and GLP-1s | EnglishLand Podcast Leslie welcomes listeners to EnglishLand Podcast and discusses obesity in the United States, urging compassion over judgment while reviewing data and contributing factors. The episode notes that about 40% of Americans have obesity (with severe obesity affecting about 18%), with higher rates in the Midwest and South, increases since the 1960s, and differences by age, race, and education. Leslie explains drivers such as metabolic and lifestyle changes in middle age, food deserts, transportation barriers, work demands, low wages, and the addictive design of processed foods. The episode outlines health risks, economic costs, and public health efforts, while highlighting how economic hardship and industry lobbying can undermine progress, including controversies around federal dietary guidelines influenced by meat and dairy interests. Finally, Leslie discusses rising use of GLP-1 drugs, recent declines in obesity rates, Medicare coverage, and ongoing questions about side effects and long-term impact. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:42 Obesity Topic and Compassion 01:32 US Obesity Statistics 02:56 Age and Demographic Drivers 03:49 Food Deserts and Access 04:36 Work Culture and Processed Food 05:56 Health and Economic Impacts 07:31 Limits of Public Health Efforts 08:13 Lobbying and Food Guidelines 10:00 GLP-1 Weight Loss Drugs 11:17 Wrap Up and Viewer Questions

    Obesity in the US: learn English with real topics

  9. Aug 15

    Stop using Double Negatives in English- Common mistake for English learners

    Stop Using Double Negatives in English: Common Mistakes and Easy Fixes In this EnglishLand Podcast episode, Leslie explains the double negative—using two or more negative words (no, not, never, nobody, nothing) in one sentence—and why it is a common mistake among both English learners and native speakers, sometimes sounding uneducated and often reversing the intended meaning. She shows how sentences like “I didn’t do nothing,” “I don’t have no time,” and “He never says nothing” technically become positive, then offers a simple rule: use only one negative per sentence. Leslie corrects each example with alternatives like “I didn’t do anything / I did nothing,” “I don’t have any money / I have no money,” and “He never says anything,” and discusses why Spanish speakers often make this error since double negatives are required in Spanish, noting they may be used intentionally for sarcasm in informal settings. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:43 Double Negatives Intro 00:59 What Is a Double Negative 02:04 Common Examples Explained 03:09 Fixing Double Negatives 04:19 Will You Hear Them 04:54 Why Spanish Speakers Struggle 05:24 Intentional Sarcasm and Wrap Up

    Stop using Double Negatives in English- Common mistake for English learners

  10. Aug 14

    Learn English with timeless nursery rhymes & children's stories

    Classic English Nursery Rhymes, Kids’ Songs & Stories (Mother Goose, Humpty Dumpty, Old MacDonald, and More!) In this EnglishLand Podcast episode, Leslie takes English learners on a nostalgic tour of classic English nursery rhymes, children’s songs, and stories, exploring how many have deep roots and versions across English-speaking countries. She introduces Mother Goose and her literary origins, then shares and discusses the history and interpretations of “Jack and Jill,” “Little Miss Muffet,” and “Humpty Dumpty.” Leslie also covers two staple children’s songs—“Old MacDonald Had a Farm” and “Itsy Bitsy Spider” (with its regional name variations)—and suggests other favorites to explore. The episode ends with a retelling of “The Three Little Pigs,” highlighting its moral about hard work, preparation, and resourcefulness, and invites listeners to share childhood rhymes, songs, and stories from their own cultures. 00:00 Welcome to EnglishLand 00:39 Memory Lane Setup 01:41 Mother Goose Origins 03:42 Jack and Jill History 04:58 Little Miss Muffet Explained 06:51 Humpty Dumpty Legacy 08:07 Old MacDonald Singalong 10:00 Itsy Bitsy Spider Variations 11:33 Three Little Pigs Storytime 13:52 Lessons and Farewell

    Learn English with timeless nursery rhymes & children's stories

  11. Aug 13

    Intro to Englishland

    Englishland has arrived. Tune in every week for an episode about life, culture or engaging stories about the United States. Build your English vocabulary, train your ears to understand native English speakers and gain confidence to speak.

  • 11 Episodes

About

Englishland is a podcast devoted entirely to English language learning and listening practice. It is focused on comprehensible input and engaging topics to help intermediate and advanced English learners train their ears to understand spoken English, learn about life and culture in the United States, and gain the confidence to speak with native English speakers. As a student of Spanish, I benefitted greatly from the many Spanish podcasts available and decided to pay it forward by creating my own podcast. 

Information

  • Creator
    Leslie
  • Years Active
    2026
  • Episodes
    11
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Englishland with Leslie
  • Show Website
    Englishland with Leslie