Give Us Your Topic Suggestions

I’ve been writing scripts for our podcasts for over six years and I think it’s time to get your suggestions on new topics. We do get emails from listeners with suggestions, but it would be nice to share ideas here on the blog.

We have nine categories of regular podcasts that are released every Monday and Friday:

– Business
– Daily Life
– Dining
– Entertainment
– Health and Medicine
– Relationships
– Shopping
– Transportation
– Travel

Please give us your suggestions within these nine categories.  Within these categories, we try to select topics that are relevant (appropriate; of interest) for a large number of our listeners, and include vocabulary and language useful beyond just that one script and podcast.  If you’d like, you can do a quick search on our homepage (search for your topic suggestion under “Search Podcasts” on the left-hand side of the page) to see if we have already covered (included; used) that topic.

Your suggestions are very important to us and we always appreciate them.  Keep in mind, though, that with this post, we are only asking for topics for our regular podcast scripts/dialogues (not for the English Cafe, which we’ll ask about another time).  We can’t promise that all of your suggestion will be included in future podcasts, but we’ll do our best to include the most popular ones.  Let us hear from you!

~ Lucy

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39 Responses to Give Us Your Topic Suggestions

  1. nada says:

    hi,
    i really admire your work. i like all categories specially daily life.
    but if it is possible can we have songs section, where you choose one of the popular song and translate the vocabulary for us. i feel that my listening to conversations has improved but when i listen to song (specially the fast one) it is like if i don’t understand english.

    thank you very very much

  2. Fagner Geraldes Braga says:

    Hi,

    My name is Fagner, I’m 27 years old e I’m from Brazil.
    I would like to suggest a topic about mma (mixed martial arts) and the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship).
    I’m here to congratulate Jeff, Lucy and all ESLPOD staff’s for this amazing job that has been done for all these years, helping us to improve our English.

  3. Vadim says:

    Hi Jeff and Lucy!
    Nice to be one of those who listen to your ESL podcasts.
    Today many people learn not only English, but other languages. The suggestion is to cover the fact of learning several languages and to show how one can keep them together without mixing.
    Best regards!

  4. emiliano says:

    To me is so difficult the act of suggesting one topic, that is nearly impossible
    the idea of writing so much as you, Jeff and Warren have done along all these
    six years.
    I have read all the topics and I think I have written on every one of them, that
    is really easy, but the difficult is to start the topic.

    More topics?

    + Well, I think more comments about good books, music or movies.
    + Also art, new tendencies about theatre, dance or concerts.
    which is the best group in pop music? what is our taste about
    a new actor, singer, painter, etc.?
    Which kind of music do we like more
    The last music show in Broadway or London
    and so on.
    + It could be also interesting to talk a little more about
    folks culture, especially as representing the composite
    of social mores, customs, forms of behavior, etc., in a
    society so our blogers may talk also about their own
    culture, forms of life or even folklore or popular behaviours.
    + Even old movies could be a nice topic to talk about.
    The masters of the cinema like John Ford, Billy Wilder, or
    Fritz Lang, but also good old westers like “High Noon”, or
    “Rio Bravo” but Film Noir (Black Film) could be a good
    topic either.
    Frank Capra movies could be a good topic for this
    time of crisis.

    —-

    Thank you Lucy for all your efforts, it has to be so
    big task to write once and again looking for good
    topics that it is absolutely unimaginable to me.

    My real hearted thanks.

    emiliano

  5. Fouad Bounab says:

    Hi Jeff and Lucy!My name is Fouad Bounab from Algeria. I really enjoy your podcasts and i’m trying to improve my English gradually.i have listened to many categories of your podcasts i can tell that they were amazing,i think i suggest to speak or (to podcast) about social ills and Human Rights for example.i would like to thank you and doctor Lucy for your dedication.Best regards!

  6. Peter says:

    Good idea !
    Lucy , I have another one for you.
    How about we come up with script
    If you
    Like it run it
    If you don’t like it
    Discard it
    How about it

  7. Sergio says:

    Dear Lucy,
    in the recent past I really appreciate on the ESL podcast the topics about Edison (science and technology)
    and Eliot (literature and poetry)…
    So I would like to see of course more about that. You’re absolutely terrific treating serious topics slightly too!
    Furthermore, for example, yestserday I read a Los Angeles Times article (on my kindle) very funny about cycling in your city:
    so, I think it’s interesting knowing your way of daily life over there in your… beautiful California!
    In any case, you know, you and Jeff are already… perfect!
    Sergio

  8. Peter says:

    I stand corrected.
    Seems like Lucy had sth up her sleeve for us ,not Jeff;)))
    Lucy,
    Seems like everybody collectively psyched about your new announcement.

    Cool.

    So , let me come up with some suggestion in regards the new plan you have just cooked:)))

    How about an script on “eslpod” itself.
    I mean about the studio at which Jeff talk to us . I mean all the equipment and more
    I bet , you never talk about them
    About how you guys do the whole thing anyway
    How about a note on that .

  9. Xianfei says:

    Dear Lucy and Jeff,

    This is Xianfei from China.

    Thank you for contributing such a wonderful learning podcast. I am your audience for several years. Especially, I like your American history related topics very much, such as Famous American Presidents.

    My suggestion is that maybe you can let us know about Famous American Cities, such your beautiful place California, New York, and so on in ESL coffee sessions. For dialog sessions, I would like to know some vocabularies related to shopping since Christmas shopping season is here.

    I really appreciate you that you provide us an English listening and learning environment every day and get us to know interesting things in US. I like your podcast so much.

    Regards,
    Xianfei

  10. Peter says:

    Lucy,
    My lasts proposal
    How about talking about a setting not in a theater but a shooting set like
    Extras
    And all the lightening
    Scenery
    Side effects
    Last one

  11. yankees11@aol.com says:

    Why is Sports none one of your top categories? These are relevant for large audience and useful in life.

  12. Betty says:

    Dear Lucy

    It is very kind of you to ask us what we would like to learn. It is like Father Christmas asking what we would like to have this Christmas.

    I have been thinking about my wish list since this morning but I cannot think of what to wish for.

    Might be because I have not been here since the beginning of this website, I still have not finished learning all the episodes from 22 July 2005 and I am still very contented.

    I enjoy every one of the episodes, I know that you always have good topics to give us, so I am afraid I do not have any suggestion this time.

    I would, however, like to ‘listen’ to more grammar lessons like those Jeff includes at the end of every English Café. I am able to find many written “English grammar” lessons online but there are hardly any good spoken ones like what Jeff provides.

    Many of our friends here might be booing already. English Grammar?!! So boring!! Go away!

    I know it is a very boring topic, but Jeff has made it very interesting to listen to.

    English grammar has changed a lot since I learned it in school decades ago. I have started learning modern English grammar only recently. It was scary for me to find that a lot of the English I used were very ancient. If I do not work hard to learn modern English here, people listening to or reading my English would wonder which century I belonged to. So, some more modern English grammar from Jeff would be nice. 😉

    Never mind, please just ignore me if it is not what on everyone’s wish list. 🙁

    Many thanks 🙂
    Betty

  13. sara says:

    Dear lucy
    me too suggest ones almost same as Emiliano & Betty:
    “NEWS topic”(I am specially interested in business & IT ones)
    “Good books”
    “Good movies”
    and also
    “Modern Crammer”.I really appreciate it ,if you can have this section in learning guide or anywhere else that you think would be better. it can also be in your premium courses.
    thanks for asking us.

  14. Luigi says:

    Hello Lucy,
    it’s very kind of you to ask us for our opinions.
    You’ve been doing such a good job that is almost impossible to improve them.
    Anyway, for me an idea could be to mix two o more different topics in a single script.
    I’d like to listen a script with not so many difficult words or slangs expressions
    because it’s hard to memorize and remember all of them in a single script.
    I also would like to listen more topics related to modern technology, science, business
    and American culture.
    I’d like to thank Jeff for his wonderful job in English Cafe series.
    Luigi

  15. Dan says:

    Hello to everyone,

    Well Lucy, with that question you have put me in the corner, my brain got freeze/stuck
    I sometimes ask to myself were on hearth do you get inspired of for all the stuff you write about every week, that’s non easy!

    It’s really hard to come up with new Ideas , since you are doing such a good job here.
    You already have well covered most of one’s daily life with your nine categories.

    What about: Sports
    Politics (so maybe you can explain to us what a loophole is related to laws since i heard often that term from pundits on TV)
    Sex
    Science and Technology

    Is this a post to make us understand how hard is to get ispiration for new arguments? if it is you succeded.

    Thanks Lucy

  16. emiliano says:

    Well, I think Sergio´s idea is good and interesting.
    We would like to know how life is in California or
    in the different cities of EE.UU. like L.A., S Francisco
    Boston, and so on.
    Which kind of peculiar habits may have the different
    States of the USA country, depending if life is in
    the deep country or the big cities.
    How about the coast or wild natura life is or even
    repeating topics about some of the cities and how
    life is living in these cities, as Xianfei said.

    My brain is hot thinking about some other
    topics.

    emiliano

  17. Myo ko ko says:

    Lucy,
    How about “sports”?
    For instance, in a football match, there would be a great deal of words for us to know.
    The next thing,
    How about discussion on an article, from a daily newspaper such as, from Los Angeles Times,
    New York Times, and words and phrases contained in that article,
    This discussion will enable us to keep up with up-to-date news and senses of new expression in English.
    I know my suggestion goes a little beyond the format you run for regular podcasts.

  18. Denis Rysev says:

    Hi Lucy and Jeff!

    I do like your podcast. I am mad about your voice, topics, explanations and of course humor. Everithing is best.
    But all in our world could be improved! It is greate idea to ask us, your listeners, about new topics.
    I support suggestions above about vocabulary of famous songs, about good books and about kinds of sport.

    And what about contries? Why you talk usually about US? There a lot of English speaking countries. Arent there? I’d like to find out more about The World. Spead our mind!

    Thank you for your job a lot.
    Denis.

  19. Peter says:

    Guys,
    Swear to my soul
    All I m saying is not a made-up story
    It is not a make believe either.
    I just ran into an old friend of mine in the hallway of college. I had seen him for,6, 7 years. We used to hang out like all the time. He is from Ukrain, a nice fellow.
    How ever ,it is not the point.
    The point I m trying to make here is
    We talk for quite a bit and then he turns back and says” holy sh.t Peter , your English has improved like sh.t ,you totally nailed it,”
    I said all about the Ealpod and he said he was looking for some source he could improve his working English command because he has this constant language problem both at work at school.
    I said Eslpod would do it for you. You should commute yourself.
    I do all my essays using Jeff’s sentence structure .listen to Jeff’s English caffe and you are set for essay and report writing.
    He listened to the latest English coffe using my iPod and said,” it is a real Sh.t”(sorry his exact word ,seems like it is the only word he has learned)

    He is getting to it

    Thanks

  20. Talal says:

    Hi Dr.Lucy, I am 20 years old college student from Libya, I am impressed about ur creative ideas and topics that are incorporated in ur scripts,… whats my topic that i wish u mention in the podcasts ? ???? hmmm, i dont have one in mind right now, but , right off the bat, I suggest considering all the above ideas especially Seirgo and Emilianos ideas , I completely agree with them !!!
    oh and dear Betty’s suggestion !!

  21. Penny Zhang says:

    Hello Dr. Jeff and Lucy,

    I really appreciate your work which helps people around the world to listen and study English in a amazing way. Thank you so much for your great work. I am very interested in the rules of different kind of sport games. Like tennis ball and badminton. Because I like travelling, I want to hear such topic about planning, on trip, talking about different custom and cultures in different countries, different holidays and how people celebrate them.

    Penny Zhang (China)

  22. Lotfollah says:

    Dear Eslpod crew,
    I would like to thank all you for the wonderful job you are doing.I have been listening to your podcasts for over three years and have made great progress.Moreover,following are the topics you may find worthy of attention:
    1-classroom management language(a teacher may use some unique expressions to control the class).
    2-Brain drain issue.
    3-Global warming and some solutions.
    4-Isms(such as Capitalism,Marxism).
    5-Esl crew’s podcast production procedures(stages of a podcast production).
    6-ntercultural understanding.
    7-what are the characteristics of a good language learner?(what is a good language learner like?)
    8.role of motivation in language learning.
    9-learning collocations.
    10-mid-life crisis.
    I hope you find the above-mentioned topics interesting.
    Truly Yours
    Lotfollah Akbari
    I.R.of Iran

  23. Kaleem says:

    It would be my pleasure. Love you Both Sir Jeff and Ms. Lucy. You have done an amazing thing for my English and believe it or not I am an ESL trainer here in my country just because of your podcast listening. I wish if I could meet both of you.

  24. Peter says:

    Fellow citizen of Eslpod:)
    There is this umbridge biograph audio book on Steve Jobs on ITunes store. It is amazing ,English wise.
    It is significantly helpfull,in terms of comprehension,listening ,and common terms.
    The audio book is not too wordy. The flow of the book and the wording favours the grassroot Which amazingly works to our benefit. Since, We are all about learning the modern ,current English. Right?
    The price is a bit steep ,though,29.95 ,but it is totally worth it.
    It is amazing in terms of learning English.
    It is like 100 English lessons combined
    Just go for it ,and you will thank me later.
    The application’s image is a mug-shot of steve Jobs ,an exceptional man who totally changed the outlook of 4 industries.
    A man known as “Edison the second”

    By know,

  25. emiliano says:

    Nice advice Peter.

    I have it already in my Kindle.
    It costed me $ 17,81 only as the kindle´s ebooks
    are cheaper.
    Yes, I am very interested in read the life of this incredible man
    who was absolutely peculiar, has an intelligent creative mind
    that changed someway our form of living.
    You may have the kindle by free application in your iphone
    mac or pc. also and read the book everywhere in the IPhone
    or IPad.
    —–
    Lotfollah Akbari of I.R.of Iran, good, a lot of suggestions.

    I think Lucy has to be pleased.
    emiliano

  26. HeinzEric says:

    Hi Lucy,

    I guess I’ve listened rather to all of your podcasts (except the first 12) but to read all postings above might last longer. So I don’t know what other listeners did almost suggest, but I would love to hear ones more about terms related to wedding. Especially those related to the administrative part like marriage licence, marriage certificate and other ones. Do simply imagine that an ESL couple want be a legal couple in beautiful L…, you know. 🙂

    In behalf (I assume) of all your listeners: Lucy and Jeff for Oscar!!! One for the best short script writer and one for the best short story teller. And two for the best Podcaster’s since ever!

    Thank you both!

    HeinzEric (Germany)

  27. Michel says:

    Hi Jeff and all the team.
    There are so many interesting topics.
    One could be “the space conquest” why not…..
    An other one: The most famous scientifics in us and their inventions……
    What else……..People like Luther king, joan baez….Emmilou Harris…
    People who are very important for the american history.
    (Women, men)

    I am going to think about that
    Thank you for you job. It’s a high quality job
    Michel

  28. rosangelo says:

    I WOULD LIKE YOU TALK A LITTLE ABOUT THE DIFFERENTS ACCENTS IN THE USA.

  29. Ferdie says:

    Hi Jeff, Lucy and ESLPOD Team,

    My name is Ferdie and I would like to suggest some topics about job interviews. I know that we have “Interview Questions Answered” course but it would be great if you could make some more that is slightly different from it.

    Thank you so much. I really appreciate your effort.

  30. Kayo says:

    Lucy,

    Please write about Koki frog. It is a frog that came to Hawaii several years ago and expanded rapidly. Local people didn’t like their sound and tried to kill them all. But I thought the sound was OK, I even liked it. The frog was also an enemy of Local Hero, Mountain Apple Man. It was funny but koki was too poor.

  31. Cristina says:

    Hi! I suggest “How important is physical appearance when it comes to achieving success in life?”. That’s an interesting topic!

  32. Deepak says:

    Hi Lucy & Jeff,

    I really appreciate and salute your endeavor in bringing such a wonderful concept of learning english through ESL Podcast.
    It has always been a pleasure listening to your Podcasts which gives us immense opportunity to learn and work upon our english speaking.I am falling short of words to describe my experiences in learning and improving my english language with the help of ESL Podcast.Kudos to you and your team.

    Your idea behind coceiving the categories and coming up with related topics are commendable.It clearly shows how you rack your brain in doing these events possible for us.
    I dont find myself adept at suggesting you topics , however I feel that following topics can be considered in upcoming Podcasts.

    Categories Topics
    Business *Starting Export-Import business.
    *Recruiting employees for business.
    *Competing with business rivals.
    *Surviving business in economic downturn or bad economy.

    Health and Medicine * Getting a blood test / Fear of blood test.
    * Visiting a nutritionist / psychiatrist / physiotherapist….etc
    * Fear of hospitalisation.
    * Giving CPR.

    Relationships * Attending Ex marriage.
    * Marrying a widow.
    * Declining marriage proposal.
    * Adopting a child.

    Daily Life * Taking an examination.
    * Fear of examination.
    * Commuting to work.
    * Visiting police sation to lodge a complain.
    * Using public transport.
    * Getting theft in the market / new city.

    I am not sure if any of these topics are suitable to be picked for your esteemed Podcast.However , I have tried to respond to your blog , I am not sure if I deserve to ask you to let me know if I can suggest you more in the furture.

    ( P.S : Your Podcast has worked a lot for me and if you see above I have used two expressions ( To rack your brain , To be adept at something) from your Podcasts.

    Thank you so much for all your efforts towards improving our life.

    Deepak
    India.

  33. MARTIN says:

    Hi Lucy

    Thanks for your great works.
    I suggest a talk about “Cheese and wine tasting”.

    Chavignol
    France

  34. magda says:

    Hi,
    I listen to podcasts of all categories but I especially like Business, Health and Relationships.
    How about more legal topics, such as in Podcast 718 – Serving on a Jury?

    Thank you for all as yet podcasts. It’s a big deal.
    Best regards.

    Magda
    Poland

  35. Paul De Smet, Belguim. says:

    Dear Sir and Madame,

    Always been a faithful listener, for which I’m grateful. Your podcast are highly recognisable for Dutch speakers, we share quite a lot on linguistic point of view.
    Nowadays I spend a lot of time on ‘Babbel-English Business course’ in the hope to increase vocabulary in this way.

    Some suggestions;

    If you have finished parts of Babbel’s business course, they’ll hand out a certification which is based on an European level B2/C1. (Pre-intermediate – and intermediate level.)

    For myself, should also start with the study (mostly reading) of standard English Grammar, or Cambridge Grammar Of English.

    Kind regards,

  36. Betty says:

    Dear Lucy

    I had a quick search on the Podcasts but cannot find the song “San Francisco (Be Sure to Wear Flowers in Your Hair)”.

    Do you think Jeff can sing it for us?

    Thanks

    ATB

    Betty 🙂

  37. emiliano says:

    Good, a very good idea Betty.
    I love the song.

    It was a song Cuca and me heard when we were young and we were dating, in fact the vinilous was
    a present I gave her by that time because we talked a lot about the hippies.

    Go ahead Jeff, your voice is perfect.

  38. Sanaz says:

    Dear Lucy,

    First of all, I really appreciate what you do here and thank you all so much.
    Second, the topics for podcast scripts, I really like the “health and medication” section since it’s related to my career, as a pharmacist. So I’d like you to have more podcasts about the conversations between a pharmacist and a person who comes to a pharmacy. If s/he wants to fill his/her prescription, or have some health problems, that could be vary from rash to dryness of eyes etc., or have some questions about the over-the -counter medicines and so forth.
    I also interested in Art and all topics related to it. It would be useful to know about expressions and vocabs.
    I know you released some podcasts about cooking but it would be great, if you could have some others about ingredients and appliances which are mostly used in our routine life.
    It also would be useful to know more about law subjects.
    Thanks in advance, send my best regards to all of eslpod members.

  39. Gabriela says:

    Hi 🙂
    I am from Brazil, and i love your podcasts!! and JEFF YOU ARE SO FUNNY 🙂 I’d like to listening some podcast about THE CULTURE of countries!!
    Jeff your voice is wonderful 🙂

    Kisses!

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