Ask BBC Learning English
Intermediate level
Your English learning questions answered
Ask BBC Learning English / Present perfect simple vs Present perfect continuous
Episode 241025 / 25 Oct 2024
What's the difference between present perfect simple and present perfect continuous? That's what Juan wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How can I speak English more fluently?
Episode 241101 / 01 Nov 2024
How can I speak English more fluently? That's what Mary wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How can I use 'pop' in informal English?
Episode 241108 / 08 Nov 2024
How can I use 'pop' in informal English? That's what Joao wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How can I stop translating when speaking English?
Episode 241115 / 15 Nov 2024
How can I speak English without translating from my language? That's what Semsihan wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / 6 tips for learning new phrasal verbs
Episode 241122 / 22 Nov 2024
How can I learn new phrasal verbs? That's what Alejandra wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How can you get better at using the third conditional?
Episode 241129 / 29 Nov 2024
Why is using the third conditional so difficult? That's what Vitoria wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How to use prefer, would rather and prefer
Episode 241206 / 06 Dec 2024
What's the difference between 'I prefer', 'I would prefer' and 'I would rather'? That's what Maria wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / How can you identify words that sound the same but have different meanings?
Episode 241213 / 13 Dec 2024
How can I identify words that have the same pronunciation but different meaning? That's what Marta wants to know.
Ask BBC Learning English / Present perfect or past simple?
Episode 250424 / 24 Apr 2025
Present perfect or past simple? Maryam wants to find out about the differences. Sian has some answers!
Ask BBC Learning English / How can I improve my listening?
Episode 250502 / 02 May 2025
How to get better at listening? That's what Fatosh wants to know. Phil has some tips!
Ask BBC Learning English / Gerund or infinitive?
Episode 250508 / 08 May 2025
When do we use the English gerund (doing) - and when do we use the infinitive (to do)? Rafael wants to know. Sian has some answers!
Ask BBC Learning English / How to pronounce 'th' sounds
Episode 250515 / 15 May 2025
How can you get better at saying 'th' words? Let Phil help you out
Ask BBC Learning English / How to be polite in English
Episode 250522 / 22 May 2025
How can we be polite in English? Marta wants to know. Sian has some answers!
Ask BBC Learning English / What's the passive voice?
Episode 250529 / 29 May 2025
What's the passive voice? Viviana has a question. Phil has the answer
Ask BBC Learning English / Synonyms: How do I know which to choose?
Episode 250605 / 05 Jun 2025
Lots of English words have synonyms. Elie wants to know how to choose between them. Let Sian explain!
Ask BBC Learning English / Future perfect vs future perfect continuous
Episode 250612 / 12 Jun 2025
What's the difference between the future perfect and the future perfect continuous? That's Ali's question. Phil has the answer
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