Stray Russian words and made-up style rules, ...

1218. This week, we look at "dog-directed speech" — the high-pitched, sing-songy register people love to use with dogs — and what the research says about whether dogs actually like it. Then we look at why it's "bated breath" and not "baited breath," and how Shakespeare used the p ...  Show more

1217. This week, we talk to Florence Hazrat, author of "On the Mark," about how punctuation evolved over 2,000 years. We look at why ancient Greek and Roman writing had no spaces between words, how a librarian in Alexandria introduced the first marks to help readers, and why the ...  Show more

Subscribe to the transcripts Native English speakers don't always use complete sentences or words! Today learn about some hip acronym slang as Lindsay and Michelle discuss "Fear of Missing Out." Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices 

What's the connection between a teacher, a driver or a presenter? Visit our website ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish Follow us ✔️ https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/followusSUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/newslettersLIKE PODCASTS? Try ...  Show more

Subscribe to the transcripts at https://www.allearsenglish.com/subscribe   When people are sharing stories and the group goes off on a tangent, how can you stay flexible, add to the conversation and know when to bring it back to the main topic? Build these connection skills in En ...  Show more

Up for a challenge? See if you get these when to use these common words under your belt. Want more content? Interested in fun podcast quizzes, transcripts, activities, and lessons?! Check out https://www.sp ...