Vocabulary practice · Episode 7

Review the useful expressions from the episode

Study the episode’s central expressions with English definitions, nuance and examples, plus reviewed support-language versions where available.

B1–B2ListeningAbout 21 min + dynamic ads5 PDF versions available
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A short study session

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  1. Choose one expression. Read its definition, nuance and examples.
  2. Make it yours. Write one true sentence from your own life.
  3. Return to the episode. Listen for the expression in its original context.

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Vocabulary from the episode

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Expression 1

step by step

little by little, calmly

Nuance: paints a picture: walking, moving forward, no rush.

Fluency is built step by step, not overnight.

I’m building my confidence step by step.

Expression 2

word by word

One word at a time, slowly and progressively.

Nuance: A fixed adverbial phrase used for gradual reading, speaking or learning.

Build the sentence word by word.

She translated the message word by word.

Expression 3

to pay attention

to focus your mind deliberately on something or someone, giving it your full concentration

Nuance: Pay attention is a fundamental phrase in English — used by teachers, parents, managers, and mindfulness practitioners. In language learning, paying attention is the difference between passive exposure and active acquisition. You cannot learn by accident.

Pay attention to the rhythm of the sentences — not just the meaning, but the music of the language.

She paid attention to every nuance in Peter's voice and noticed patterns she had never noticed before.

Expression 4

to pick something up

to learn a skill, language, or habit naturally over time, without formal study

Nuance: Pick up is the opposite of formal drilling — it describes the effortless absorption that happens through exposure, conversation, and experience.

She picked up French just by living in Paris for six months.

Children pick up their first language without any grammar lessons at all.

Expression 5

to put on

to organise and present a show, event, or performance

Nuance: Putting on a show involves everything invisible — lighting, sound, choreography, costumes, crew — not just the performance itself.

They put on the most spectacular show I have ever seen in my life.

Putting on a world tour costs millions and takes years to plan.

Expression 6

shadowing

a technique where you listen to speech and repeat it immediately, copying rhythm, melody, and timing

Nuance: Also called 'the mirror tool' in this episode; the goal is to copy the sound pattern, not just the words.

Shadowing helped Carlos stop freezing when native speakers talked fast.

Try shadowing a ten-second clip three times: slow, natural, then quicker.

Expression 7

to stretch

to extend your body, limbs, or muscles to their full length, especially after sleep or rest

Nuance: Morning stretching signals the body that the day is beginning — a gentle physical reset that improves blood flow and reduces stiffness.

I stretch my arms above my head the moment I wake up.

A five-minute stretch in the morning sets your body up for the whole day.

Expression 8

mindful

paying full, calm attention to the present moment without distraction or judgment

Nuance: Mindfulness is both a quality and a practice — being mindful means choosing to notice what is happening right now instead of running on autopilot.

Being mindful while brushing your teeth takes practice — your brain wants to plan the day instead.

A mindful morning routine means doing each task with full attention, not rushing.

Expression 9

to notice

To become aware of something or someone by seeing, hearing, or feeling them.

To pay attention to something or someone.

Nuance: 'To notice' implies a conscious act of becoming aware, often used in everyday contexts to describe the act of perceiving something that might not be immediately obvious.

Just noticing.

So two phrases here: "to notice", and "to flow".

Expression 10

relax

to make or become less tense or anxious

to rest or take it easy

Nuance: Relaxing is important for mental and physical well-being.

Relax your shoulders if you can.

Take a breath with me. Relax.

Expression 11

connect

to join or link together

to establish a relationship or bond

Nuance: Connecting with others is essential for building relationships.

It's about noticing the things people reveal without meaning to reveal them, not to judge, but to connect.

Empathy replaces distance with connection.

Expression 12

confidence

belief in your own ability; the feeling that you can do something well

Nuance: Confidence in language learning is built through repetition and small successes — it grows, not given. Speaking slowly and correctly builds more confidence than speaking fast and wrong.

Each time you shadow correctly, your confidence grows a little more.

Real confidence comes from preparing well, not from pretending to know more than you do.

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