Kind, Type and Species, Expressing surprise, Gift of the Magi

On the Podcast for Friday and Saturday, Caty Weaver and Mario Ritter, Jr. host the show. Caty tells listeners what they are going to hear.
(1:20) First, Andrew Smith again explains differences between two similar terms on Ask a Teacher. This week, Andrew answers a question from Ann in Vietnam about four words that help describe what group something belongs to. The words are “kind,” “type,” “species,” and “genre.” He notes that they are all synonyms, meaning they have very similar meanings. Andrew explains usage and gives examples. Terms like “species” and “genre” also have differences in pronunciation possibly because they are words that come to English from other languages. learningenglis...
(6:55) Then, John Russell, Ashley Thompson and Anna Matteo talk about the grammar of Christmas on Everyday Grammar. Christmas is full of pleasant surprises and surprising disappointments. Americans use certain words to show these emotions. Common examples include "even," "still," and "actually." John and Ashley explore how speakers use special words to show their surprise or expectations, often in a humorous or even in a mindful way. learningenglis...
(15:36) Finally, Shirley Griffith introduces this week’s American Story, “The Gift of the Magi” by O. Henry which is read by Shep O’Neal. This traditional American holiday story tells of a young couple trying to make their way in life. They struggle to find gifts for each other at Christmas time. What can they find to show their love for each other? Like other O. Henry stories, this one has a surprise ending. learningenglis...
Then, Caty and Mario sign off.
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