Normally membership is through my website and is £30 per month, so by becoming a Founder member you save £110 per year.

You also have access to my 400 + Essential Phrasal Verbs Course

Alternative if you’d like to attend regularly, every Sunday at 1500 UK Time, and pay monthly (£30) you can join directly through my LearnWorlds page. Link below.

Chatterbox Zoom Workshops

More details below:

If you’ve ever wondered what our Chatterbox Zoom workshops are actually like, the video above is an older video (when we used to do more than one a week) offering little glimpse behind the scenes and the one below gives you another more recent insight into Sunday session,

You’ll hear some of our members chatting about their experiences of the workshops, what they’ve gained from them, and why they keep coming back each week.

There was no script and no sales pitch—just genuine conversations from advanced English learners who enjoy practising together in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere.

I’ve now been running these workshops for nearly four years, During that time, I’ve been pleased to see several members go on to pass the Cambridge Proficiency Exam (CPE)

Every Sunday at 3.00 pm (UK time) we spend around 2 hours working on natural, advanced English through discussion, lexical chunks, idioms, collocations, phrasal verbs and Cambridge-style speaking activities. Learners have the opportunity to work in groups and pairs (Zoom break-out rooms) for discussion and to complete exercises and tasks so benefit from being able to chat to learners from different countries,

The workshops are designed for ambitious learners around C1 and C2 level who want to sound more fluent and natural. But, let me hasten to add, the atmosphere is warm, friendly and welcoming. We like to have a laugh too!

I provide all learning resources including Cambridge Advanced and Proficiency Books, the Cambridge Advanced in Use series - Collocations, Phrasal Verbs, Idioms, Vocabulary and Grammar plus my own material.

We also have a WhatsApp group where I share resources and members are welcome to post too.

If you decide to become a founding member, please message me so I can welcome you personally and we can have a chat on Zoom,

As I said earlier, alternatively if you’d like to attend regularly, every Sunday at 1500 UK Time, and pay monthly (£30) you can join directly through my LearnWorlds page. Link below.

Chatterbox Zoom Workshops

Rather than listening to me talk, you’ll hear some of our members chatting about their experiences of the workshops, what they’ve gained from them, and why they keep coming back each week.

There’s no script and no sales pitch—just genuine conversations from advanced English learners who enjoy practising together in a relaxed, supportive atmosphere.

Every Sunday at 3.00 pm (UK time) we spend around 2 hours working on natural, advanced English through discussion, lexical chunks, idioms, collocations, phrasal verbs and Cambridge-style speaking activities. It’s designed for ambitious learners around C1 and C2 level who want to sound more fluent and natural.

Want to join us?

There are two ways:

Become a paid Substack subscriber and you’ll be able to participate in one Chatterbox workshop each month (Sunday 1500 UK Time) as part of your membership, together with exclusive articles, resources and other subscriber benefits.

To join our Chatterbox Zoom Workshops once a month become a paid subscriber.

Or, if you’d like to attend regularly, every Sunday at 1500 UK Time, , you can join directly through my LearnWorlds page. Link below.

Chatterbox Zoom Workshops

What does it really take to move from advanced English to genuine fluency?

Most learners assume the answer is grammar.

I don’t.

Grammar matters, of course, but by the time you’ve reached B2 level, you’ve already covered most of the major grammar structures. The real challenge is something else entirely:

Lexical chunks.

The phrases, expressions, collocations, phrasal verbs and idioms that native speakers use automatically every day.

A Quick Challenge

Before we go any further, see how much of this conversation you understand:

“I see Jack Grimshaw showing off, driving around in a brand new Mercedes and boasting about his new job. If this had been a few years ago, I’d have thought he’d nicked it. It looks like that spell inside has done him some good. Turned over a new leaf and all that.”

“You’ve got to give credit to him. He’s done well for himself considering his background.”

“Sarah’s had a big argument with her boss and told him what she thought of him in no uncertain terms...”

Could you follow it?

If not, don’t worry.

Most advanced learners struggle with exactly this kind of natural English.

The British English Insider is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Why Fluency Isn’t Just About Words

Many learners spend years collecting vocabulary.

Thousands of words.

The problem?

Native speakers don’t usually speak one word at a time.

We speak in ready-made chunks.

Think about expressions such as:

* turn over a new leaf

* do well for yourself

* in no uncertain terms

* touch and go

* keep your mouth shut

* speak your mind

These aren’t individual words.

They’re building blocks.

And they’re one of the secrets to sounding natural.

What Is The Lexical Approach?

The ideas behind this podcast are heavily influenced by the work of Michael Lewis.

His famous argument was:

“Language consists of grammaticalised lexis, not lexicalised grammar.”

In plain English:

Vocabulary drives communication. Grammar helps organise it.

That doesn’t mean grammar isn’t important.

Far from it.

But if you want to sound fluent, you need far more than correct grammar.

You need a large stock of useful chunks ready to use at a moment’s notice.

Some Expressions From This Episode

Here are just a few that appeared in the podcast:

Knocking on a bit

Getting older.

“I’m nearly eighty now. I’m knocking on a bit.”

No spring chicken

Not young anymore.

“I’m no spring chicken, but I still enjoy learning new things.”

Have a bee in your bonnet

To be obsessed with something.

“I’ve always had a bee in my bonnet about language learning.”

Talk down to someone

To speak to someone as if they’re less intelligent.

“I never want to talk down to learners.”

Get by

To manage successfully.

“At C1 level, you’ll get by perfectly well in most situations.”

Spot on

Exactly right.

“Her grammar was spot on.”

The British English Insider is a reader-supported publication. To receive new posts and support my work, consider becoming a free or paid subscriber.

Why Advanced Learners Differ

One thing I’ve learned after many years of teaching is that no two advanced learners are the same.

Some speak fluently but make grammatical mistakes.

Others know the grammar perfectly but hesitate when speaking.

Most fall somewhere in between.

That’s why there is no single route to C1 or C2.

Your journey will be different from everybody else’s.

The Problem With Learning Lists

One thing I’ve never liked is memorising endless lists.

I hated it when learning French at school and I still dislike it today.

You know the sort of thing:

FrenchEnglish............

Cover one side.

Test yourself.

Repeat.

It rarely sticks.

Language needs context.

You need to hear expressions being used naturally.

You need to encounter them repeatedly.

Most importantly:

You need to use them yourself.

The Aim Of This Podcast

The goal isn’t simply to teach vocabulary.

It’s to help you notice how English is actually used by native speakers.

That means:

✅ Collocations✅ Phrasal verbs✅ Idioms✅ Fixed expressions✅ Natural conversations✅ Listening practice✅ Real-world English

And hopefully a few laughs along the way.

A Favourite Quote

“Fluency doesn’t come from knowing more grammar rules. It comes from having more language ready when you need it.”

Interested in Taking Your English Further?

Every Sunday I host my Chatterbox Workshops for advanced learners.

We spend two hours discussing real topics, exploring vocabulary, collocations, phrasal verbs and idiomatic English in a relaxed, friendly atmosphere.

No pressure.

Just lots of English.

You can join here:

https://highflyerenglish.learnworlds.com/

Or click the link below:

Zoom Workshops

If you’d like to have a chat on Zoom to discuss if they’re right for you, do please get in touch. :-)

Thanks for reading The British English Insider! This post is public so feel free to share it.

✍️ INTRODUCTION

If your English is already quite strong, but still doesn’t feel completely natural, you’re not alone.

Many advanced learners reach B2 or even C1 level and realise that although their grammar is accurate, something is missing.

That “something” is often lexical chunks — collocations, idioms, phrasal verbs, and fixed expressions that native speakers use automatically.

In this post, you’ll find:

* 🎧 a podcast episode

* 📄 a full transcript (edited for clarity)

* 🔍 explanations of key expressions from real conversations

* 🧠 lexical chunks highlighted throughout

👉 There is a key at the end explaining the different types of lexical chunks.

FULL TRANSCRIPT (EDITED FOR CLARITY)

🔹 Opening

Welcome to High Flyer English. Chill out with me, Steve Ellis.

Why chill out? Well, I want to help you improve your English fluency in a relaxed, non-pressurised way. Call it laid-back if you like. That’s not to say that the content isn’t valuable or rewarding, but I don’t want it to feel intense in a way that’s off-putting.

You learn best when the content is enjoyable. So chill, listen, and take it at the pace that suits you.

The main focus will be on helping you learn vocabulary — not just individual words, but words which go together in blocks, in chunks. We call them lexical chunks. Below are two conversations containing lexical chunks with explanations beneath,

By the way You’ll notice that lexical chunks are not only used in these conversations (the images) — they appear constantly in the narration itself. You will find a key to them at the botton of the post,

🔹 First Conversation

“I see Jack Grimshaw showing off, driving around in a brand new Mercedes and boasting about his new job. If this had been a few years ago, I’d have thought he’d nicked it. It looks like that spelling side has done him some good — turned over a new leaf and all that.”

“You’ve got to give credit to him. He’s done well for himself, considering his background.”

🔍 Explanation (Conversation 1)

* showing off (phrasal verb) → trying to impress others

* boasting about (collocation) → speaking proudly

* nicked it (idiom / slang) → stole it

* turned over a new leaf (idiom) → changed behaviour positively

* give credit (collocation) → recognise effort

* done well for himself (fixed expression) → become successful

🔹 Second Conversation

“Sorry, what were you saying? I was miles away.

“Sarah’s had a big argument with her boss and told him what she thought of him in no uncertain terms. Looked like her job might be on the line. She’s on a warning now, but I think it’s touch and go whether they’ll keep her on.”

“Why can’t she ever keep her mouth shut and not let fly? She takes after you. You’ve always been one to speak your mind.

🔍 Explanation (Conversation 2)

* miles away (idiom) → not paying attention

* had a big argument (collocation)

* told him what she thought of him (fixed expression) → spoke bluntly

* in no uncertain terms (idiom) → very clearly

* on the line (idiom) → at risk

* touch and go (idiom) → uncertain

* keep her on (phrasal verb) → continue employing

* keep her mouth shut (idiom) → stay quiet

* let fly (phrasal verb) → speak angrily

* takes after (phrasal verb) → resemble

* speak your mind (idiom) → say exactly what you think

* I beg your pardon (fixed expression) → can be used to ask for clarification, but also can be used when offended by what someone has said. In this instance she is using it humorously.in mock indignation (this is where tone of voice matters(.

🔹 Main Talk

Understand it all? If you did, you must already be at C2 level — maybe you should switch this off and go and watch Netflix. I’m kidding.

But seriously, this isn’t easy. Even with captions, many learners struggle — and that’s perfectly normal.

That’s the kind of language you can expect here: not just individual words, but collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms, and what I call fixed expressions.

I don’t want to talk down to you. I’m not going to simplify the way I speak. I’m going to speak naturally.

Some things may go over your head, but that’s part of the process. You’ll have the transcript to go through, and gradually the language will sink in.

🔹 About Me (selected section)

I’m British. I live in England. I’ve been speaking English all my life.

I’m knocking on a bit — I’m no spring chicken — and yes, I’m throwing you in at the deep end.

That means I’m using language you may not fully understand yet — but that’s deliberate.

I’ve got a bee in my bonnet about English. I’m passionate about it — about understanding it and teaching it properly.

🔹 Advanced Learners

At C1 level, you can get by in most situations. You can deal with everyday communication and express yourself clearly.

But moving to C2 requires more — especially a much richer stock of phrases.

Grammar is important, but at this level, it’s often just the icing on the cake.

The real focus is lexis.

🔹 Teaching Insight

Some learners are spot on with grammar but struggle to speak naturally.

Others can get their ideas across, but lack accuracy.

So it’s a bit of a mixed picture — and that puts teachers in a dilemma about what to focus on.

🔹 Second Conversation Section

“Why does your mother have to have a go at me about being out of work? It’s not as if I haven’t tried, for heaven’s sake.She thinks I sit on my arse all day watching Netflix. I’ve lost count of the number of applications I’ve sent out.And then, to cap it all, she says I drink too much. As if! You knock down more wine than I do.”

“Stop getting your knickers in a twist and don’t take any notice of her.”

🔍 Explanation (Conversation 3)

* have a go at (phrasal verb) → criticise

* for heaven’s sake (fixed expression) → frustration

* sit on my arse all day (idiom) → do nothing

* lost count of (fixed expression) → too many to track

* to cap it all (idiom) → making it worse

* as if! (fixed expression) → disbelief

* knock down (phrasal verb) → drink quickly

* get your knickers in a twist (idiom) → get upset

* take no notice (fixed expression) → ignore

🔹 Final Section

Lists don’t work on their own — you need context for language to sink in.

Otherwise, it goes right over your head.

Real conversations are not a string of idioms — they’re a mix.

So don’t worry if everything doesn’t make sense straight away.

🔹 Closing

That’s your lot for now.

I’m off now — see you next time.

See you later, alligator.In a while, crocodile.

📘 TYPES OF LEXICAL CHUNKS

CollocationWords that naturally go together→ have an argument, give credit, weak spots

Phrasal verbVerb + particle→ show off, keep on, deal with

IdiomsFigurative meaning→ turn over a new leaf, touch and go, icing on the cake

Fixed expressionsCommon set phrases→ at the end of the day, that’s your lot

Semi-fixed expressionsFlexible patterns→ at the pace that suits you, to some extent

📘 Explanations of chunks used in my narrative

talk down to (someone) (phrasal verb)

→ speak to someone as if they are less intelligent or less important“I don’t like the way he talks down to his colleagues.”

go over your head (idiom)

→ be too difficult to understand“A lot of the technical explanation went over my head.”

sink in (phrasal verb)

→ be fully understood or absorbed“It took a while for the news to sink in.”

knocking on a bit (idiom, informal British)

→ getting older“I’m knocking on a bit now, so I don’t go out as much.”

no spring chicken (idiom)

→ not young anymore“I’m no spring chicken, but I still enjoy travelling.”

throw (someone) in at the deep end (idiom)

→ put someone in a difficult situation without preparation“They threw me in at the deep end on my first day at work.”

a bee in your bonnet (about something) (idiom)

→ be obsessed with something“He’s got a bee in his bonnet about grammar mistakes.”

talk down (to someone) (phrasal verb)

→ simplify too much in a patronising way(Note: appears twice conceptually — you can keep one entry or merge)

get by (phrasal verb)

→ manage at a basic level“My Spanish isn’t great, but I can get by.”

deal with (phrasal verb)

→ handle a situation“She deals with difficult clients very well.”

icing on the cake (idiom)

→ something extra that improves an already good situation“The bonus was the icing on the cake.”

spot on (idiom, informal British)

→ exactly right“Your answer was spot on.”

get your ideas across (fixed expression)

→ communicate clearly“He struggled to get his ideas across in meetings.”

a mixed picture (collocation)

→ a situation with both positive and negative aspects“The results show a mixed picture overall.”

in a dilemma (collocation)

→ in a difficult situation requiring a decision“She’s in a dilemma about whether to accept the offer.”

right over your head (idiom)

→ completely not understood“The joke went right over my head.”

a string of (idioms / something) (collocation)

→ a series of things in sequence“The speech was full of a string of clichés.”

your lot (for now) (fixed expression, informal British)

→ that’s all for now“Right, that’s your lot for today.”

I’m off (fixed expression) - → I’m leaving

“Right, I’m off — see you later.”

At the end of the video, I mention our “Chatterbox” Zoom Workshops. If you are B2 Intermediate level or C1 Advanced/C2 Proficiency, they are an ideal way to develop your English fluency by speaking with me and other learners from around the world. The atmosphere is very relaxed and friendly, I provide resources including PDF books and videos, we discuss vocabulary, including lexical chunks - collocations, phrasal verbs, idioms and fixed expressions all together - and then I split you into breakout rooms where you have the opportunity to do exercises or practise using the expressions in pairs or groups.

If you are interested in joining us, please contact me on Substack or email me at: steve@highflyerenglish.com and I can tell you more. I’m also happy to have a chat with you on Zoom! :-)

I keep asking her not to park there but it's like banging your head against a brick wall.

Tying to get her to understand is like banging my head against a brick wall.

Discover the power of acting swiftly on opportunities with these insightful conversations. Join Emma and Mark as they discuss seizing a potential client deal, and witness Sophia and Liam's conversation about making the most of a talent show audition.

Learn the importance of taking immediate action when the conditions are favourable.

Like using Substack! :-)