What Are Your Plans for 2026 ｜English podcast for intermediate learners (B1-B2)

Описание: 🎙️ Welcome back to the English Time Podcast!

Can you believe 2026 is knocking on the door? 📅 With the New Year just around the corner, do you feel excited... or maybe a little bit nervous about making plans?

In this episode, Henry and Emma discuss why you don't need a perfect plan or a strict list of goals. We are ditching the pressure of "Resolutions" and talking about the power of "Intentions."

Join us for a relaxing conversation about how to talk about the future naturally. Learn how to sound less like a robot saying "I will" and more like a native speaker using softer, safer phrases. Let’s take some "Baby Steps" into the New Year together! 🎧

🔥 Episode Highlights
✅ Resolutions vs. Intentions: Why "strict rules" often fail and why setting a "gentle direction" is healthier for your mind. 🧠
✅ Don't Be a Robot: Henry explains why using "I will" for everything sounds too strong—and what to say instead to sound natural. 🤖
✅ The "Baby Steps" Theory: Why learning English (and life!) is not a marathon, but a series of tiny, wobbly steps. 👣
✅ Handling Uncertainty: Don't know your plans yet? Learn the beautiful idiom "Up in the air" to answer difficult questions gracefully. 🎈
✅ Habit Building: How to talk about starting new hobbies ("Take up") and stopping bad ones ("Cut down on").

📚 Key Vocabulary & Expressions 💡 Master these words to sound more natural and confident:

Resolution (n.) - A firm decision to do or not to do something (usually made on Jan 1st).

Example: "I don't make strict resolutions anymore; they feel like rules."

Intention (n.) - A gentle aim or plan; a direction you want to move in.

Example: "My intention for 2026 is to be kinder to myself."

Play it by ear (idiom) - To decide what to do as the situation develops, without a firm plan.

Example: "I don't have a plan for New Year's Eve; I'll just play it by ear."

Thinking of / Hoping to (phrase) - Soft ways to talk about future plans without promising.

Example: "I'm thinking of looking for a new apartment."

Baby Steps (n.) - Very small, easy actions toward a goal.

Example: "Don't rush. Just take baby steps."

Take up (phrasal verb) - To start a new activity or hobby.

Example: "I'm thinking of taking up photography this year."

Cut down on (phrasal verb) - To reduce the amount of something (not stop completely).

Example: "I need to cut down on screen time at night."

Up in the air (idiom) - When a decision has not been made yet; uncertain.

Example: "My travel plans are still up in the air."

💬 Question of the Day We talked about taking small actions instead of big, scary leaps. 👇 What is one very small "baby step" you are thinking of taking next week? 👇 (Maybe learning one new word? Walking for 10 minutes?) Let us know in the comments below! We love reading your plans.

📢 Support the Channel If you enjoyed hanging out with Henry and Emma today: 👍 Like this video to help other learners find us. 🔔 Subscribe and hit the bell so you don't miss our journey into 2026! 🚀 Share this with a friend who is learning English.

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