BOXCAR ENGLISH

One of the best and most pleasant ways to learn English, Boxcar English is a podcast for English learner spoken in warm, relaxed voice with a vocabulary range carefully chosen for English learners. A positive, uplifting podcast full of good energy and human experiences.

The series are designed for different levels of English learners. The podcast focuses on stories that are interesting, funny, sometimes beautiful, sometimes strange, so the listener engages with the meaning, rather than the surface level of the language. The “For beginners” podcast focus on basic phrases and vocabulary.

The philosophy of the podcast is to provide the good, positive energy needed for learning a new language, with much of the content for free or low cost, and for all of it to be made by a human, and not impersonal AI-based creation.

It’s based on the language-learning theory of “Comprehensible and Compelling input,” which says that you should listen and read to a lot of materials that are 1) Easy to understand (you know 95% of the vocabulary), and 2) Interesting to listen to. Boxcar English is designed to be fun, welcoming, & refreshing to different levels of learners.

At Boxcar English, there’s always room for you!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    042: November Wednesday
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    On the Wednesday before Thanksgiving, school ends at 12 noon, and that gives an interesting feeling to the day.

    On this day, I felt like I did when I was a kid, and as I was cleaning up, I found a green magic marker. It made me really want to draw with markers like that…

    I’ll let you find out the rest by listening along…

    If it helps you to read along to the words, you can do that. I make a transcript for every episode and you can get those by supporting the podcast on Patreon for as little as 3 dollars a month. Check out my page at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

    And go to boxcarenglish.com to book a lesson with me.

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    041: Grandmother in the hospital
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    Have you ever gotten a surprise call?

    I got one when I was at work telling me my Grandmother was in the hospital.

    I had to ask my boss to leave work to see her. She understood, and let me go.

    This is the story of what happened that day.

    It was almost like a dream, but there I was, in reality.

    Please visit boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts and lessons, and support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast for more human-centered, AI-free, gentle, supportive, and effective English-learning entertainment!

    Write to me at karl@boxcarenglish.com – I’d love to read some of your letters in a future episode.

    Karl

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    040: The Election
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    There’s an election, and the voting happened at the school where I work.

    This is about how I went to vote and what happened that day and the day after.

    Please check out our page at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

    And do leave us a review on the podcasting service you use.

    Send me an email at karl@boxcarenglish.com

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    039: Sunglasses
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    I found some sunglasses on a sunny day… and they made me think.

    Go to Patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast to support us.

    And Boxcarenglish.com for more!

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    038: Grandpa in Haytown (Part 3)
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    The final installment of grandpa’s visit to Haytown.

    An ending, but a new beginning as well.

    Thanks for listening! Let me know how your English is coming.

    Check out the website for more: boxcarenglish.com


    Join our Patreon to chat with me and get transcripts: patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    037: Grandpa in Haytown (Part 2, Fortune Cookies)
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    The weekend is here!

    I take my Grandpa to a Chinese restaurant to celebrate.

    Visit boxcarenglish.com for more podcasts and lessons

    Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    036: Grandpa in Haytown (Part 1)
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    This story is about my Grandpa visiting my house.

    My grandpa has a lot of dogs and cats, and he brought them all to my house — including a tiny kitten!

    Sometimes English learners get confused by the words “fun” and “funny.” This episode can help you out. Read this: “I noticed that Shelby was acting funny. That’s my dog. Shelby is her name. She was acting funny. I mean, she wasn’t acting normally.”

    This type of language is easiest to learn through stories like the ones you hear in Boxcar English. I hope it’s useful to you!

    Please find more episodes at boxcarenglish.com!


    Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast (you get all the transcripts plus you can chat with me… ask questions, etc.)

    I also give lessons! See boxcarenglish.com for more information.

  • Boxcar English
    Boxcar English
    035: Country Drive
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    A drive in the country.

    Let’s take a look at three of the natural, American-style phrasings used in this episode:

    1–“It sounded like they hadn’t had a chance to speak in a long time”

      You can say “it sounds like” in the same way as “it looks like” or “it appears”!

      “to have a chance” – to have an opportunity

      “to speak” in this case means the birds haven’t had a chance to speak to each other!


      2. “We drove off” — we drove off? That means we started driving, and sounds like the drive will go a long way!

      3. “I just listened to my feelings the best I could.“

      “The best I could” means “to the best of my abilities!” Note that this is used in the past tense. If used in the present/future you’ll use “can” — for example: “I’m doing the best I can” / “I will do the best I can”

      Enjoy listening and check out boxcarenglish.com to take lessons to develop your English into a natural and authentic phrasing over time.


      Also, support the podcast on Patreon to unlock the transcripts and real-time chat with me!

    1. Boxcar English
      Boxcar English
      034: Username, Password, Tears
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      I could not find my username.

      I could not find my password.

      And, I admit it, I cried.

      Support the podcast at patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast and get some bonus stuff!

      Find more and take lessons with me at boxcarenglish.com

    2. Boxcar English
      Boxcar English
      033: A star in a hole in the clouds
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      This episode is about how our lives are full of magic.


      I saw a star in the hole in the clouds, and it seemed to want to say: “Hey Karl, don’t forget that your life is full of magic.”

      I want to hear from you: what’s an experience you’ve had of the magic of life?

      Join me at Patreon.com/boxcarenglishpodcast, and help build a community of people who want to improve their English in a human, creative, community-forward way.

      You can see more at boxcarenglish.com.