Learning English doesn’t have to be dry or boring. At Lending Language Lab, we believe your learning experience should be fun, relatable, and a little messy—just like real life. So instead of giving you another generic list, we’re sharing our real faves: shows we watch, podcasts we love, websites we actually use, and content that reflects our unique vibe.

Whether you’re into reality TV drama or childhood adventure novels, there’s something here to help you learn your way.

📺 Popular Shows That Are Great for Learners

These are commonly recommended—and for good reason. They’re clear, entertaining, and packed with everyday English.

• Friends
  Okay, it’s not our personal favourite, but we’ve gotta admit—it’s excellent for English learners. Simple dialogue, everyday expressions, and lots of humour. Several of our students said they learned English just by watching this.
• Extra English (YouTube)
  A learner classic. It’s a bit cheesy, but super helpful for beginners who want slow-paced conversation with clear vocabulary.
• Modern Family
  A go-to for learning different accents and casual English. Great for picking up phrases about family, work, and life.
• The Great British Bake Off
  Want polite expressions, food vocabulary, and gentle British humour? This one’s perfect for cozy language learning.

🔥 What We Actually Watch (and Talk About on the Pod)

If you’ve tuned into Tea Time or Reality English, you know we love our reality TV and fandom favourites. These picks are fun, full of real-world slang, and honestly, more reflective of how people talk every day.

• Love Island (UK & USA)
  We watch both versions! If you’re into slang, flirting, and fast-paced convo, this is gold. UK = British accents/slang. US = American dialect and culture. Both are chaotic, but SO good for learning informal speech.
• Real Housewives of Atlanta / Married to Medicine / Love & Hip Hop
  This is peak drama—and peak English learning! These shows give you high emotions, fast dialogue, cultural references, and expressive tone. Great for picking up social English and emotional nuance.
• Sister Wives (and other Mormon reality shows)
  In an upcoming Tea Time episode, we’re actually talking about The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives. But we have watched these Mormon reality shows that are slower paced, full of family vocabulary, and religious/cultural language. These types of shows are great for learners who want a different slice of American life.
• Love Is Blind
  We’ve also talked about this one in a past episode. Check it out here! It’s perfect for practicing listening skills, learning dating vocabulary, and following emotional conversations without needing tons of context.
• 90 Day Fiancé
  A great resource for hearing unscripted English in international relationships. Expect everyday vocabulary, misunderstandings, culture shocks, and tons of drama.

🎬 Movies That Hit (and Help You Learn)

We’re big fans of movies you can watch again and again—and still pick up new vocabulary every time. Whether you’re here for action, drama, or just clear conversation, these movies can boost your listening skills and cultural knowledge.

• Marvel Movies (MCU)
  Yep, we’re Marvel fans. Fast-paced and full of pop culture references, these movies are great for intermediate to advanced learners. Try Spider-Man: Homecoming or Black Panther for a mix of action and everyday English.
• Forrest Gump
  A storytelling classic. Great for learning American history references, idioms, and Southern U.S. accents.
• The Devil Wears Prada
  Office politics, fashion terms, fast dialogue—plus tons of sarcasm and expressive language.
• Hidden Figures
  Educational and empowering, this film is great for science vocabulary, teamwork expressions, and American history.
• Animated Films (like Finding Nemo, Shark Tale, or The Wild Robot)
  Don’t sleep on animated movies! They often use simple, clear English and repeat key vocabulary. Great for learners of all levels.

🎧 Podcasts We Recommend (That Won’t Bore You)

• The English We Speak (BBC Learning English)
  Bite-sized and focused on useful idioms you’ll actually hear in conversations.
• All Ears English
  Energetic hosts, real-life topics, and solid tips on pronunciation and culture.
• ESL Pod / EnglishClass101
  Especially great for beginners. Clear breakdowns, slow speech, and solid grammar explanations.
• Lending Language Podcast 😉
  That’s us! If you’re new here, don’t miss our segments:

• Tea Time (when we sip and break down wild reality TV moments)
• Reddit Wine Down (our favourite Reddit threads, but make it English learning)
• Book Corner (great for vocabulary from banned novels to fan favourites)
• Reality English (a social media series where we explain slang, shade, and all things dramatic—not part of the podcast!)

💻 Websites We Actually Use and Recommend

• BBC Learning English
  Still the GOAT. Great for grammar, idioms, pronunciation, and videos.
• Elllo.org
  Real people. Real accents. Real practice.
• Duolingo Stories & Podcasts
  Fun short stories with audio and translations. Extra helpful if you’re already using the app.
• LendingLanguageLab.com
  Our home base! We post monthly blog updates with learning tips, culture insights, and real-life English. Check out recent blogs like our vocabulary guides, or what English you can learn from reality shows.

(Note: Memberships are currently closed, but stay tuned—we’re cooking up new ways to support your learning soon! 👀)

📚 Books That Help (and Are Actually Fun)

• Graded Readers
  These are simplified versions of famous books made just for learners. Great for building reading confidence.
• Harry Potter (Books)
  If you love fantasy, the books are even better than the movies. More dialogue, more vocab, and deeper language immersion.
• Young Adult Novels (like The Hunger Games, Percy Jackson)
  They’re written in simpler English and full of action, emotion, and easy-to-follow storylines. Percy Jackson in particular is one of our faves—it’s fast-paced, funny, and full of clear, modern English. Plus, the reboot means it’s trending again!
• A Series of Unfortunate Events
  A childhood classic. The writing style is rich and clever, with a narrator who explains difficult vocabulary along the way. Great for learners ready to level up.
• Comics & Graphic Novels (in English)
  Short text + visuals = win-win. Try Marvel, manga in English, or slice-of-life comics to build vocab.
• Long-Running Book Series
  Following a full series—like Percy Jackson, Harry Potter, or A Series of Unfortunate Events—gives you repetition, character development, and consistent vocabulary. It’s like binge-watching for books, and it’s one of the best ways to improve reading fluency.

✅ Quick Tips to Get the Most Out of These
These aren’t just fun to watch or read—they’re tools to supercharge your English. Here’s how to make them work for you:

• 📺 Watch with English subtitles to connect what you hear with how it’s spelled.
• 🗣️ Say it out loud! Repeat fun phrases or slang you hear. (Yes, even the dramatic ones.)
• 📝 Keep a word list—add 5–10 new expressions each week.
• ❤️ Lean into what you love. Drama, baking, wizards, or dating shows? That’s your classroom now.
• 🔁 Switch it up. Watch, listen, read—mix formats to keep things fresh and reinforce what you learn.

The more fun you’re having, the more you’ll stick with it.

🧠 Want More Personalized Tips Like This?
We update our blog monthly with real-world English learning, cultural tips, and recommendations that reflect your interests—not just textbook rules.

🎙️ Check out the Lending Language Podcast wherever you listen!

Stay curious, stay messy, and keep learning! 💬💻

— The Lending Language Lab Team