Podcast #41 - Larry The Loser

The Mr Vocab Podcast is available on Amazon Android, Google Play and iTunes App Store.

Larry The Loser

Larry Smith was the laughing stock of the whole village. When he was at school, all the other students thought he was a loser. After school, nothing changed. Larry got a job at the post office and all his colleagues thought he was a loser as well.

Larry was in between a rock and a hard place. He knew one option was to move to a new town, but if he moved he would lose his job. Instead, Larry decided to try his hand at being a part time police officer. He thought that being a police officer would win him respect in the village. Unfortunately, things went from bad to worse.

One afternoon, Larry spotted a group of teenagers smoking at the bus stop. He decided to tell them off.

“Why aren’t you in school?”

The teenagers stared at Larry. After a few moments they were in hysterics.

“Look at this loser,” said the biggest teenager. “He thinks he’s a police officer.”

The teenagers started throwing their beer cans at Larry, and calling him a loser. Larry ran away. He was still the biggest loser in the village.

Further examples:

  • I’m the laughing stock of this company, nobody takes me seriously!

  • I’m in between a rock and a hard place. I don’t want to go to Meg’s party tonight, but if I stay at home I’ll have to talk to Ben all evening and he’s so boring!

  • Why don’t you try your hand at cross-fit? I think you’ll really like it.

  • I thought losing my job was my only problem, but things have really gone from bad to worse. My girlfriend decided to take a new job in another country!

  • Did you spot any good discounts at the supermarket? I don’t have a lot of money.

  • My Mum always tells me off when I don’t clean my bedroom.

  • I was in hysterics watching that comedy, it’s so good.


Podcast #32 Frankie Goes To Brighton

The Mr Vocab Podcast is available on Amazon Android, Google Play and iTunes App Store.

Frankie Goes To Brighton

Frankie and his best friend Sally lived and worked in London. One weekend, they decided to visit Brighton. On the train, Sally tried to educate Frankie about the difference between London and Brighton.

“Listen Frankie,” she said. “I don’t want you to start being all judgemental when we get there. You have to remember that the pace of life is very different in Brighton.”

“Is that a polite way of telling me they’re a bunch of dossers?” replied Frankie

“You are such a snob,” said Sally. “You’ve never left London, it’s time for you to broaden your horizons and see how other places work.”

Frankie laughed. “Work? That’s a funny word to associate with Brighton, I thought everyone just bummed around and got drunk.”

Sally ignored Frankie for the rest of the journey. When they arrived, Frankie took a deep breath of the fresh air coming up from the sea.

“Well I must admit, it’s nice to be out of the hustle and bustle for an afternoon. Come on, let’s go to the beach.”

“Wait,” said Sally. “We can’t go that way, there’s a man with blue hair vomiting in the road. And we can’t take that street, it’s blocked by that group yoga class.”

Frankie and Sally decided to take a taxi. Five minutes later, the taxi was stuck in a huge traffic jam. Hundreds of angry protestors were shouting and waving signs in the middle of the road.

“Oh no, another vegan protest,” said the taxi driver. “Where do you want me to go, I can’t get to the beach.”

“I’ll give you a grand to take us back to the big smoke,” said Frankie. “This has been wonderful Sally, but this place is bonkers.”

Further examples:

  • I wish I wasn’t so judgemental, it’s my worst character flaw!

  • I want to move to Sicily, they enjoy a much slower pace of life and the scenery is stunning.

  • James is such a dosser, why doesn’t he just get a job?

  • Brenda is a real snob, she only eats at the most expensive restaurants and she refuses to talk to anyone who didn’t go to a private school.

  • I think travelling is the best way to broaden your horizons. You can learn so much from meeting people and learning a new culture. Sadly, some people just want to bum around when they travel, they only want to get drunk and party.

  • I was sick of the hustle and bustle of New York so I moved to Texas to enjoy a slower pace of life.

  • Can you believe this traffic jam? We’ll be here all evening at this rate!

  • Tom is completely bonkers. He paid a grand for a pair of jeans yesterday because someone told him they were really fashionable!

  • We enjoyed our holiday, but returning to The Big Smoke wasn’t so bad. We’ve always loved London.

Podcast #4 - Bigger Fish To Fry

The Mr Vocab Podcast is available on Amazon Android, Google Play and iTunes App Store.

Bigger Fish To Fry

Why am I not upset about my neighbour playing loud music? Because I’ve got bigger fish to fry. I’m currently locking horns with my internet provider, and trying to leave them. But it’s not that easy. It never is.

Some customer service operations are designed to keep you disorientated. They hope that after trying one or two phone calls, you will eventually throw in the towel. Not me though, I smell blood. I know I have the stamina to make it happen.

What about you? Are you upset about something today? Maybe a rude client at work? Or, have you got bigger fish to fry?

Further examples:

  • I don’t think the Prime Minister is worried about 5 protestors outside his office, he’s got bigger fish to fry.

  • Next weekend will be a fascinating match, as Manchester City prepare to lock horns with Real Madrid.

  • I woke up at 3 am feeling completely disorientated, I couldn’t remember where I was!

  • I’ve failed my driving test three times, but I’m not going to throw in the towel. I’m determined to get my driving license.

  • Ben is a very experienced and aggressive divorce lawyer. When he smells blood he doesn’t stop until he gets everything possible for his client!


What Is Naked Idioms?

Naked Idioms is a book for students who want to learn common ESL idioms. It is unique. You will not find any other ESL book like Naked Idioms.

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The book features 35 illustrations, 10 stories and a quiz. Here are some common questions about Naked Idioms, with our answers.

Why are the people naked?

Because naked people are funny.

Why did you decide to do a book like Naked Idioms?

We wanted to create something that is 100% original, fun and therefore easy to remember for the student.


Will all your books feature naked people?

We haven’t decided yet.


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How can I buy a copy of Naked Idioms?


If you would like to start your naked adventure and learn some ESL idiom, then you can buy a copy using these links. We recommend using the Amazon.com link if you live outside of the UK.


Italian residents can use Amazon Italia without any problems.


Amazon Italia: https://tinyurl.com/n25yjaa3


Amazon.com : https://tinyurl.com/vthdp7ys


Amazon.co.uk: https://tinyurl.com/rfszz97u




3 Creative Ways To Practice English


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In this post we will look at 3 very simple and creative ideas to help you practice English. Remember, the only limit is your own imagination, so if you can improve on these ideas then please do!

3 Creative Ways To Practice English


Idiom / Phrasal Verb Stories (recommended for level B1 / B2 and above)

Select any idioms or phrasal verbs you would like to master. Don’t choose too many, as it will make your story a bit too difficult. A sensible number would be anything between three and six.

Keep your story short. This will help you to be concise, and avoid rambling. Remember, your focus is on using the idioms or phrasal verbs correctly.

This is a fun activity, because you’re free to use your own imagination and have fun. Here are some examples of Mr Vocab’s idiom stories:

The First Date

The Bag Of Bananas


Netflix with a difference (recommended for level A2 and above)

A lot of students simply watch English movies and TV shows assuming the language will magically sink deep into their brains. While there’s definitely no harm in watching things in English, it’s better if you set yourself a challenge.

Try watching 10-15 mins of a show, such as Friends (this is good due to the everyday language and situations). Note down any new phrases or words that you hear. When you have finished, try writing or simply speaking example sentences with your new words.

Alternatively, simply watch one small conversation or speech on the show, and press pause. Now stand up and try and repeat what you just heard.

Narrate your day (recommended for all levels)

If you have some privacy, try narrating everything that you do. For example if you are a lower level student you could simply describe your actions with simple sentences:

I am taking a shower

I am turning off the shower

I am brushing my teeth


If you’re a more advanced learner, you could have some fun and narrate your actions in real time (as you’re doing things).

While taking a shower, I noticed that I was narrating my day. This was strange. I turned off the shower, and grabbed a towel, thinking about my day ahead. After drying myself, I decided to make a coffee and check the news online.