An AI actress Tilly Norwood, the phrase "PURSUING AN ACTING CAREER," and 1.2K+

A plug-in from the admin here. Some of you remember, in July, I started resurrecting my old YouTube account (handle @ englishforimpact). The vide format is new for me, turned out veeeryyy ..hm.. demanding!

But I persisted, and my Shorts finally broke through a bit and started gaining 1k+ views organically. Some shares and even subs too! So I thought - who nows, you may like them too. Or get inspired to start creating your own content!

Here are my top 3 popular Shorts over 90 days
🫧I stood up for my values. A phrasal verb by Pavel Durov. 1.3K
🫧Thorough, Tenacious, Tangible. Pronunciation challenge. 1.2K
🫧2 cultures, 2 languages, 1 love. Viet collab. 1.6K

🪴 Do you have any blogs of your own, dear reader? Share them in comments, with a short description of who it is for in English
💓 Support me with your subscription on YouTube

You've got a 3hr commute on a language practice train ahead.

Passenger roll

A1 - Duolingo
Gamified app with bite-sized exercises for vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation practice
C1 - Babbel
An app with structured courses focused on practical conversational skills and real-world dialogues
D1 - YouTube
Free video lessons, pronunciation guides, and immersive content from native speakers
F1 - Chat GPT
AI conversation partner for practicing writing, getting explanations, and receiving corrections
B2 - Call a teacher
Speak with a teacher recommended by a friend, found on a marketplace platform (Profi) or on social media
E2 - Fluently
AI-powered speaking practice with real-time feedback on pronunciation and fluency
A3 - Netflix
Watching shows/movies in target language with subtitles for immersion and listening practice
C3 - Memrise
Spaced repetition flashcards and video clips with native speakers for vocabulary retention
D3 - Tandem
Language exchange community for practicing with native speakers via text, audio, and video
F3 - Italki
Marketplace for booking affordable one-on-one lessons with professional tutors and native speakers
B4 - Quizlet
Creating and studying custom flashcard sets for vocabulary, phrases, and exam prep
E4 - Preply
Platform for finding and scheduling private lessons with qualified language tutorsRetry
A5 - Read a book
It can be fiction or non fiction - up to you
C5 - Hello Talk
Language exchange app connecting learners with native speakers for text/voice chat practice
D5 - Other
We're sure you know more ways to boost your English
F5 - Chat on a dating app
Tinder, Bumble, Coffe & Bagel - you name it!

🪴 Which seat will you pick and why?

💷 Basic Income already here! Reddit reacts to "free" money

Ireland's Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) in a nutshell

The Basic Income for the Arts (BIA) pilot scheme provides €325 per week to 2,000 artists and creative arts workers, launched in 2022 and originally scheduled to run for three years until 2025. The scheme was extended by six months to February 2026, and in Budget 2026, Ireland committed to making the program permanent (4)

A cost-benefit analysis found that for every euro invested in the scheme, society received between €1.31 and €1.75 in return, with an overall return of €1.39 per euro invested. This return comes through increased wellbeing, higher public engagement with arts and culture, and gross income gains for artists.

This topic has been discussed by S2S (website) users this week. It has got sooo much positive feedback, that I want to remove paywall as an exception and share the Speaking plan on "Basic Income" with all of you. I hope it will help you find the words to express your nuanced thoughts on this topic. ENJOY

🪴 Speaking Plan [Notion link] overview

🫧Short text + Full reddit screenshots + audio
🫧10 phrases explained + audio
🫧A gap fill exercise for 10 phrases + clues
🫧Questions for discussion
🫧3 external resources to verify the info, learn more, and/or get engaged in a debate

🧛 You know who to share this with

How "pronunciation" kills people (Joke 3) 🫧4 morbid puns

Transcript
"I'm sorry to say that the operation has left you completely blind."

"Oh, I see."

"Oh, cool. Then forget I said anything."

---

"Hello. My wife is going into labor."

"Is this her first child?"

"No, this is her husband."

---

"I'm sorry, sir. Your dad was pronounced dead."

"Oh, I can't believe I've been pronouncing it wrong all this time."

---

"Hey, James. I've got your test results here."

"Did I pass?"

"You will."

💅

Breaking down the wordplay behind

Joke 1: The Blind Patient

The doctor tells the patient they're blind, and the patient responds "Oh, I see" (meaning "I understand"), which contradicts their medical condition. The doctor then panics, thinking he made a mistake.

Wordplay/Pun (double meaning of "see")

Joke 2: The Labor Mix-Up

The receptionist asks if this is the wife's first child, but the husband misinterprets the question as asking who *he* is, so he clarifies he's the husband, not the child.

Type: Misunderstanding/Literal interpretation humor

Joke 3: "Pronounced" Dead

The doctor says the dad was "pronounced dead" (declared dead), but the son thinks they mean he's been saying "dad" with the wrong pronunciation his whole life.

Type: Wordplay/Double meaning of "pronounce" (serious vs. trivial interpretation)

Joke 4: The Test Results

James asks if he "passed" his medical test, and the ominous response "You will" implies he'll pass away soon (die), not that his results were good.

Type: Dark humor/Morbid implication

💅

Glossary

🫧

To pass

1. To pass a test - to get a good/satisfactory mark
2. To pass away - to die

🫧

To go into labour

To start giving birth to a child

🫧

To pronounce

1. To articulate, say something
2. To declare, announce: To pronounce dead

🫧

A pun

Wordplay, double meaning

IG reference ogmomothecat

🪴 Which expression did you like the most?
Let us know - your feedback gives birth to top relevant content

9 Book Recommendations by Admin

It's a rainy season time of the year where I am — a perfect excuse to let my introverted part take, avoid networking events, and double down on reading. Let me share what's on my Kindle to of the list now

1. "The Soul of Money: Transforming Your Relationship with Money and Life" by Lynne Twist, a global activist, fundraiser, founder of "Soul of Money" Institute.
First published in the USA, 2003.
305 pages for people wanting to transform their relationship with money from scarcity to sufficiency. Reading difficulty: 4/10
[Our stand alone post inspired by this book]

2. "AI Snake Oil: What Artificial Intelligence Can Do, What It Can't, and How to Tell the Difference" by Arvind Narayanan & Sayash Kapoor, Computer Science Professor & PhD candidate (Princeton).
First published in the USA, 2024.
360 pages for anyone wanting to separate AI hype from reality. Reading difficulty: 5/10

3. "The Art of War" by Sun Tzu (Sunzi), a military strategist and general.
First published in China, 5th century BC.
100 pages for leaders, strategists, and anyone interested in timeless principles of conflict, competition, and strategic thinking applicable beyond warfare. Reading difficulty: 5/10

4. "TED Talks: The Official TED Guide to Public Speaking" by Chris Anderson, TED curator, journalist, Oxford graduate.
First published in the USA and the UK, 2016.
270 pages for anyone who needs to give presentations and wants to get heard. Reading difficulty: 4/10

5. "The Creative Act: A Way of Being" by Rick Rubin, Nine-time Grammy-winning music producer.
First published in the USA, 2023.
432 pages for those seeking to unlock their creative potential. Reading difficulty: 5/10

6. "The Art of Loving" by Erich Fromm, PhD in Sociology, Psychoanalyst, Social philosopher.
First published in Germany, 1956.
180 pages for readers seeking to understand love as a practiced skill rather than a feeling. Reading difficulty: 7/10

7. "One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest" by Ken Kesey, a novelist, creative writing graduate (Stanford).
First published in the USA, 1962.
320 pages for readers interested in counter-cultural literature exploring themes of individuality, institutional authority, and the nature of sanity. Reading difficulty: 6/10

8. "The Mom Test: How to Talk to Customers & Learn If Your Business Is a Good Idea When Everyone Is Lying to You" by Rob Fitzpatrick, a serial entrepreneur, YCombinator alum, startup advisor.
First published in the USA and the UK, 2013.
138 pages for startup founders and entrepreneurs who need to validate business ideas through effective customer conversations without getting misleading feedback. Reading difficulty: 3/10

9. "Thought and Language" by Lev Vygotsky, a psychologist.
First published in the USSR, 1934.
390 pages for educators, psychologists, and students interested in understanding the relationship between language development and cognitive processes in children and adults. Reading difficulty: 8/10

🪴 What are you reading now? And in what language?

4 TOP Popular Posts of October

Bats, witches, and ghosts? Pfff, there's nothing that scares @ybeymlina more than not celebrating October's best moments at @englishforimpact

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Great for ambitious learners who want to speak English like stars and their friends. Enjoy and share!

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Great for getting out of your bubble. Thank you for connecting in comments!

💓TOP by reactions
@durov again! 5 Quotes and Phrases from @durov x @lexfridman Interview
Great for... Well, now you better tell me what's good about it!

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