Every US bill is the same size, from one dollar to one hundred. Find out why all dollar bills are the same size and color, and how blind people tell money apart when every bill feels the same. You’ll also learn about the court case that is slowly changing American money.

Long sentences can be hard to follow, even when you know every word. Learn how to understand long sentences in English by listening for just two things: the subject and the main verb. You'll also find out why English depends so much on word order.

Someone at dinner says they just "let the cat out of the bag," but there's no cat, and there's no bag. This episode walks through six animal idioms English speakers use every day: what each one means, who says it, and when it sounds natural. Plus, how other languages use completely different animals for the same ideas, and one famous idiom you probably don't need.

You pick up an item in a US store, check the price tag, and pay more than that at the register. This episode looks at why, and it comes down to sales tax: there's no single national rate, and the exact amount can change from one state, county, or even city to the next.

Every language learner hits it eventually: the intermediate plateau. You work hard, you make real progress, and then it just... stops feeling like progress. In this episode, Christopher shares his own experience getting stuck at the intermediate level in French, and the one change that helped most: using English for a subject you already care about, instead of studying English as its own thing. Plus, a big announcement about this show's new home, with full transcripts for every episode.

You've probably seen it: a Texas flag on a t-shirt, a hat, a bag, somewhere that has nothing to do with Texas at all. This episode looks at why, the real history behind the flag, an independent streak that still shapes the state today, and the true origin of "Don't Mess With Texas."

Every October, a few unpredictable weeks decide whether New England's small towns have a good year or a bad one, and it all comes down to a color scientists still can't fully explain.

Curious about Las Vegas, or wondering why it feels so different from anywhere else? In this episode of English, please, hear about the city's fake landmarks, casino culture, and the real people who live behind the lights.

Ever stop mid-sentence to translate a word you don't know? We break down three stages of reading English without constant dictionary checks, including a simple trick that lets the rest of the sentence do the work for you.

Ever felt lost listening to a podcast without a transcript in front of you? We break down the difference between single speaker shows and fast group conversations, plus a few signals that make either one easier to follow.

For, since, tell, say, lend, borrow. In this episode we quiz you on the trickiest word pairs in English, with the rules that make most of them stick for good.

Palm trees and sunshine are only part of the story. We look at the strange contradictions underneath Los Angeles, from the fault line beneath the postcard views to a city built on make-believe.