What's in a footballer's brain?

Football players are faster than ever before. But in a game where every tiny decision counts, elite clubs are turning to neuroscience to understand how players can think, decide and perform even faster. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260716Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSubscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

When did you learn to ride a bike? Perhaps you learnt as a child and have not cycled for a long time. Well don't worry, you can pick it up again quickly – it's just like riding a bike! And if you have never cycled, it's not too late to start. With new cycle tracks and electric bikes, cycling is becoming more and more accessible. Neil and Becca discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260709Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSubscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What is the rudest email you have ever received? We all deal with emails on a daily basis, but sometimes people can write them too quickly, without thinking enough about how it makes the other person feel. Is there anything that people write in emails which you find impolite? And have you ever sent a rude email yourself...? Phil and Becca discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260702Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSubscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Are you a fussy eater? Many of us remember foods that we used to hate as children – some of us still do hate those foods! But what can parents do to help encourage their children to eat a healthy diet, without turning every dinner into disaster? Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260625Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSubscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

Many parents worry that their children spend too much time on screens. Governments around the world, such as in the UK, Australia and China, are introducing online safety measures to limit the amount of screen time for children or prevent them accessing social media. Neil and Becca talk about their own screen time and teach you some new vocabulary.Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260618Practise your listening with The Listening Room here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/the_listening_roomSubscribe to our newsletters here: https://www.bbc.co.uk/send/u178220599

What was the last thing you bought? And can you remember why you bought that particular thing, rather than something else? We all like to think we make rational, independent choices when we buy things, but advertisers are constantly trying different strategies to influence us to behave differently. Pippa and Phil discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-englishLearn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260611

Do you like to read poetry? When was the last time you heard someone recite a poem? Some people may just think of poetry as something they studied at school, but for many people it has a powerful presence in their lives. Poetry can help you connect with others, come to terms with personal emotions, or even spread the word about important global events. If you think poetry is not for you, perhaps you just haven't found the right poem yet! Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Listen to natural English conversations with Real Easy English: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-englishLearn English from the news: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026Get a free worksheet, quiz and transcript for this episode: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260604

Many people have to borrow money to make big purchases, like buying a house or a car. When you do this, you have to pay the money back over time – the money you owe is a debt. With the current cost of living getting increasingly high, some people are having to borrow money even for everyday purchases like bills and food. Sometimes this debt can get out of control, which causes anxiety and stress. Neil and Pippa discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260528Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

What do you prefer – the sounds of birdsong and wind rustling in the trees, or the hum of traffic and chatter of people passing by? Some people like the quiet of the countryside and others love the noise of the city, but did you know that constant exposure to loud noise has been found to increase anxiety? That's why some people have been trying to find ways to make our cities feel quieter. Neil and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary. Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260521Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com

Do you remember what it was like before you learnt to read? It's hard to think back that far! Scientific research has shown that learning to read changes the way our brains work. Not only that, but depending on the language you are reading, your brain changes in different ways. Becca and Georgie discuss this and teach you some new vocabulary.Find a transcript and worksheet at: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/6-minute-english_2026/ep-260514Got another 6 Minutes? Try Real Easy English to learn from natural English conversations: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/real-easy-english/ Learn English from the biggest news stories from around the world: https://www.bbc.co.uk/learningenglish/english/features/learning-english-from-the-news_2026Search 'BBC Learning English' in your podcast app to find our other programmes or visit bbclearningenglish.com