Vocabulary practice · Episode 27

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–B2Everyday EnglishAbout 9 min + dynamic ads5 PDF versions available
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  1. Choose one expression. Read its definition, nuance and examples.
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  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

impostor syndrome

the persistent feeling of being a fraud — believing that you do not deserve your success and fearing that others will discover you are not as capable as they think

Nuance: Impostor syndrome is almost universal among language learners: even when your English is genuinely good, you feel you are 'faking it'. Understanding the concept is the first step to defeating it.

Impostor syndrome told her she wasn't a real English speaker — but her conversations proved otherwise.

The more you learn about English, the more you may feel impostor syndrome — that's normal and it means you are growing.

Expression 2

to feel like a fraud

to believe secretly that you are not as qualified, capable, or authentic as others believe you to be

Nuance: Feeling like a fraud is the emotional core of impostor syndrome. It is almost always inaccurate — the people who feel like frauds tend to be the ones working hardest and most conscientiously.

She felt like a fraud every time she was called an advanced English speaker — but she had worked for years to earn it.

If you feel like a fraud in English, ask yourself: could a real fraud discuss what you just discussed?

Expression 3

to own your progress

to fully acknowledge and take pride in the progress you have made, without dismissing or minimising it

Nuance: Owning your progress is the direct antidote to impostor syndrome — instead of saying 'I got lucky' or 'it was easy', you say 'I worked hard and it paid off'. Crucial language for self-confidence.

Own your progress — you didn't get here by accident.

Every time you dismiss a compliment about your English, you fail to own your progress.

Expression 4

to compare yourself to others

to measure your own abilities, progress, or value against other people's, usually in a way that makes you feel inadequate

Nuance: Comparing yourself to others is one of the biggest obstacles in language learning — you compare your private struggle to others' public success. The only useful comparison is you today versus you yesterday.

Stop comparing yourself to others — you don't know how long they have been learning.

The moment she stopped comparing herself to native speakers, her confidence exploded.

Expression 5

to shrink back

to become smaller, quieter, or less confident — to retreat from a situation because of fear or self-doubt

Nuance: Shrink back is the physical and emotional response to intimidation. In an English conversation, shrinking back means going quiet, avoiding eye contact, or letting others speak for you. The opposite is stepping forward.

Don't shrink back when the conversation gets fast — take a breath and hold your ground.

She used to shrink back in meetings, but now she contributes confidently in English every time.

Expression 6

to give yourself credit

to acknowledge and accept your own achievements, strengths, or progress rather than dismissing them

Nuance: Giving yourself credit is the antidote to impostor syndrome — it means recognising what you have actually done, not minimising it. Most learners give themselves zero credit for their real progress.

Give yourself credit: speaking a second language at any level is an impressive achievement.

After the conversation, she gave herself credit for holding it together even when she did not know every word.

Expression 7

to step into your role

to accept and fully inhabit who you are becoming, rather than feeling unworthy of the position

Nuance: Stepping into your role is the positive move after recognising impostor syndrome — you accept the role that your work and progress have earned you. In language learning, it means behaving like the English speaker you are becoming.

Stop waiting to feel ready — step into your role as an English speaker and the confidence will follow.

It took him months to step into his role as team leader, but once he did, his English communication transformed.

Expression 8

to hold your head high

to remain confident and dignified in the face of difficulty, failure, or criticism — to refuse to be ashamed

Nuance: Hold your head high is about dignity and self-respect under pressure. After making a mistake in English in public, holding your head high means continuing without letting the embarrassment define you.

Even when the words came out wrong, she held her head high and kept the conversation going.

Hold your head high — you are learning a language, and that is one of the bravest things a person can do.

Expression 9

to embrace failure

to accept failure as a necessary and valuable part of the learning process, rather than something to be avoided

Nuance: Embracing failure means reframing it — failure is not the opposite of success, it is part of the route to success. Every English mistake you make and learn from is progress. Refusing to fail means refusing to try.

To speak English fluently, you must first be willing to embrace failure and speak badly for a while.

The best English speakers are the ones who embraced failure early and kept going anyway.

Expression 10

to own your journey

to fully accept and take pride in your own learning path, without comparing it to others

Nuance: Owning your journey means stopping the comparison game and recognising that your path is valid. Every English learner has a different starting point, pace, and goal. Owning yours is the foundation of sustainable progress.

Own your journey — your accent, your timeline, your wins. There is no other journey like yours.

She stopped looking at how quickly others were progressing and owned her journey completely.

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