The power of poetry

Limiting screen time for children

Many parents worry that their children spend too much time on screens. Governments around the world, such as in the UK, Australia and China, are introducing online safety measures to limit the amount of screen time for children or prevent them accessing social media. Neil and Becca talk about their own screen time and teach you some new vocabulary. Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260618 Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_room Subscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

How advertisers make us spend money

What was the last thing you bought? And can you remember why you bought that particular thing, rather than something else? We all like to think we make rational, independent choices when we buy things, but advertisers are constantly trying different strategies to influence us to behave differently. Pippa and Phil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english Learn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260611

The power of poetry

Do you like to read poetry? When was the last time you heard someone recite a poem? Some people may just think of poetry as something they studied at school, but for many people it has a powerful presence in their lives. Poetry can help you connect with others, come to terms with personal emotions, or even spread the word about important global events. If you think poetry is not for you, perhaps you just haven't found the right poem yet! Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english Learn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260604

Living with debt

Many people have to borrow money to make big purchases, like buying a house or a car. When you do this, you have to pay the money back over time – the money you owe is a debt. With the current cost of living getting increasingly high, some people are having to borrow money even for everyday purchases like bills and food. Sometimes this debt can get out of control, which causes anxiety and stress. Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260528 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

Making cities feel quieter

What do you prefer – the sounds of birdsong and wind rustling in the trees, or the hum of traffic and chatter of people passing by? Some people like the quiet of the countryside and others love the noise of the city, but did you know that constant exposure to loud noise has been found to increase anxiety? That's why some people have been trying to find ways to make our cities feel quieter. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260521 Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026 Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com