Crosby's 9
Education & Explainer
About
English from all angles. A 9-minute unusual podcast to improve your English. Enlarge your vocabulary, practice phrasal verbs and learn expressions as you improve your listening and speaking skills.
Episodes
- It's Time to Take Profit. EP 183
English from all angles! You can invest money and you can invest in yourself. But in both cases, you need to know when to take profit. What does that really mean in everyday English? Tune in to discover new words and expressions, boost you…
- She Nailed It! EP 182
English from all angles! In this episode, learn why checks bounce, how to balance a checkbook, the balance beam with Nadia Comaneci, and what “that’s the way the ball bounces” and “no spring chicken” really mean.
- That's Life in the Big City! EP 181
English from all angles! Are you a Pacers fan? Are you going to stand under the mistletoe this holiday season? What LP did the Prince song “Kiss” appear on? Why so many questions? Because, there’s so much to learn! Don’t miss it.
- Frustration Fuels Motivation. EP 180
English from all angles! They’re selling headphones with cables again. Everything old is new again! Listen to this episode and you’ll learn this useful expression along with a lot more. Improve your listening comprehension, build your voca…
- Would You Ever Elope? EP 179
English from all angles! Over the years, many celebrities - including Lauren Bacall and Humphrey Bogart - have tried to escape the media spotlight by eloping. Also in this episode, test your knowledge of some new vocabulary and expressions…
- Hawking and Hucking in Seattle. EP 178
English from all angles! Quick question: How long does it take for fish (and guests) to stink? Answer: Three days. Do you agree? Tune in for more.
- Don't Overthink It. EP 177
English from all angles! As always, Drew takes you on a 9-minute journey that will improve your English. Along with overthinking, Drew discusses Chicago’s Loop (and the origin of the word), instant replay (is it a good idea in sports?) Ins…
- Let's Face It. EP 176
English from all angles! Is your English improving this summer? If not, you need to buckle down. Buckle down? Yes, it’s one of the useful phrasal verbs you’ll learn here. By the way, do you have the face you deserve? Find out!
- Good Food, Good Mood. EP 175
Along with discussing tasty, nutritious, well-made and comfort foods, Drew presents the musician known as the founding father of the New Orleans sound. And don’t miss the wit of George Bernard Shaw, as well as some Awesome Advice: Remember…
- What's Worth Owning? EP 174
What do you own? Why do you own it? Is it worth owning? Drew takes a look at this concept as he teaches you new words and expressions. Also, don’t miss this episode’s Remarkable Recording, you’re going to love it! All in just 9 minutes.
- Never Mind. EP 173
Paying compliments. When was the last time you paid somebody a compliment? How did it make your feel? When did you last tell a joke that bombed? Discover more in this episode! And, don’t miss the Cool Quote and Awesome Advice sections.&nbs…
- Hello Stranger! EP 172
Is truth stranger than fiction? Is it time to hit the road? Was the LP released to very little fanfare? Did the preacher hit the road? Tune in and find out!
- Out With the Old, In With the New. EP 171
In this episode, Drew bids farewell to 2024 and rings in 2025. You’ll learn these expressions along with many more. And how well do know question tags and the conditionals in English? Test yourself in this episode. Happy New Year everyone!!
- Fake It until You Make It. EP 170
In this episode, Drew looks at whether or not inauthenticity is a good thing. Faking it to make it may boost your self-esteem, but when it comes to knockoff products or counterfeit money, inauthenticity is damaging. Pretending to be real i…
- Things Are Falling into Place. EP 169
Before branching out into telephony, Nokia made paper. Before branching out into consumer electronics, LG made face cream. Before branching out into the energy industry, Shell sold…yep, decorative shells. There’s your new phrasal verb: bra…
- (Almost) Nothing Fazes Me. EP 168
In this episode, you’ll learn the word “rowdy” and the expression “off your game”. Crowds at sporting events can sometimes be disorderly and disruptive, in other words, rowdy. Rowdy crowds often put athletes off their game. Also, check out…
- Lucky You! EP 167
Is it fate? Is it destiny? Is it karma? Or is it simply luck? Do you believe in luck? What makes you lucky? Do have a lucky charm? What about jinxes? Are you really ready to improve your pronunciation? Well, then here we go….
- Butterflies Are Free to Fly. EP 166
Why am I asking you to repeat this? Because by doing so you’ll improve your grammar, listening comprehension and pronunciation. Give it a shot.
- It's Time for Action. EP 165
It’s time for action, as opposed to lounging around. It’s time for action, as opposed to loafing around. It’s time for action, as opposed to lazing around. You get the idea: “as opposed to” means “rather than” and we use it a lot in Englis…
- The Simple 70's. EP 164
With fewer complications and less distraction, the 70’s were pretty simple, weren’t they? Are they coming back? Tune in to find out more while you improve your English.
- Time for Spring-Cleaning! EP 163
Spring-cleaning means deep cleaning those areas that you don’t clean on a regular basis. Hard-to-reach areas. Under the carpets. Beneath the couch. And now is the time to do it. As usual, in this podcast you’ll learn tons…expressions, pron…
- A Leap (Year) of Faith. EP 162
It’s February, the month of love, and this year it has 29 days, making it a leap year. In this episode, Drew discusses silent letters, steak doneness (yes, “doneness” is a word!) and taking leaps of faith.
- Taking the First Step. EP 161
When it comes to expressions and new vocabulary, this episode is chock-full. You’ll learn “step up to the plate,” “taunting,” “go out on a limb”, “ill will”… And as regular listeners know, the key to speaking English better is by imitating…
- Decorations: Putting Them Up and Taking Them Down. EP 160
Are you ready to improve your speaking and pronunciation? All you have to do is imitate Drew. Try it and you’ll see – it really does work! In this episode, Drew discusses one of his favorite Christmas decorations: popcorn garland.
- Telling Time. EP 159
The economy isn’t creating any new jobs because consumers aren’t spending any money. Consumers aren’t spending any money because the economy isn’t creating any new jobs. Ah, the vicious circle. Tune in for more! Also, how easy is it for yo…
- Making off with What? Money? EP 158
Dough, through, rough, tough…Check your pronunciation of these words and include a new one into your vocabulary arsenal: trough. We also review “would” and “used to” for describing repeated actions in the past. Don’t miss it!
- America's Route 66 (4). EP 157
Hundreds of thousands of people affected by the Great Depression and the Dust Bowl left their homes in search of a better life, and Route 66 promised to take them to a land of opportunity and prosperity. Learn about the Mother Road that ru…
- America's Route 66 (3). EP 156
What are the top 10 must-see movies? Well, that’s very subjective, but Drew gives you Roger Ebert’s version right here. Check it out. Are you a big Breaking Bad fan? What are some of the series’ iconic sites in Albuquerque? You’ll find out…
- America's Route 66 (2). EP 155
Are you ready to put your listening comprehension into high gear? If so, tune in to hear more about Drew’s Route 66 adventure. Lafayette Square in St. Louis, the Cherokee Nation in Vinita, coffee beans in Clinton, barbecue in A…
- America's Route 66 (1). EP 154
Stops along Drew’s Route 66 trip included: Chicago, St. Louis, Joplin, Clinton, Tucumcari, Albuquerque, Flagstaff, Kingman, Las Vegas and Santa Monica. In this episode, he shares highlights from his road trip from beginning to end. So, get…
- Two Hearts Are Better Than One. EP 153
Your English will get much better if you listen to Crosby’s 9. Let that sink in. Wait! What does “let that sink in” mean? Tune in and find out. By the way, what is “sync” short for? What is “decaf” short for? And “info”? What does NASA sta…
- Food for Thought. EP 152
Here’s a phrasal verb you need to start using: to cut out. Question: What would happen if you cut out sugar? What would the consequences be? Tune in and find out! Drew also explains the expression, “no shirt, no shoes, no service,” among o…
- The Tables Have Turned. EP 151
By now, you’re surely good at recognizing all the “difficult” letters in English. Listen to this podcast and test yourself. Also, tune in for a simple tip on how to sound more like a native English speaker by using the interrogative struct…
- Peace of Mind. EP 150
How well can you master the most important verb in the English language, to be? Drew offers a quick reminder and exercise. He also takes you through a quick review of the conditionals and teaches several useful expressions that you can sta…
- Certain Rules Rule. EP 149
Quick question: what’s a “pet peeve”? Do you have any? Drew mentions a couple of his in this episode. Also, how familiar are you with the structure “there + to be” in English? Drew reminds you how important it is so…don’t forget to practic…
- Expecting the Inevitable. EP 148
Is increased crime driving away local investment? Are higher taxes driving away local residents? Learn how to use this key phrasal verb in this episode. And for the umpteenth time, Drew reminds you: imitate him and you’ll improve your spea…
- Rise and Shine! EP 147
In this episode you’ll continue to improve your listening comprehension by listening to Drew speak naturally spoken English. And there’s another million-dollar question as well. Will you get it right?
- I Miss You. EP 146
Do you share strong ties with every friend you have? Do you have friendships based on weak ties? Do any spring to mind? Do you make small talk with them? Tune in and learn more! (Yes, you’ll learn the expression, “spring to mind”…).
- Seeing Is Believing. EP 145
Are you ready to take your English to the next level? BTW, how do you pronounce the contraction, “I will”? There are more pronunciation tips here, so don’t miss out! Like “ghosts.” Hmmm, that sounds scary…
- Shop till You Drop. EP 144
In this episode, you’ll review your knowledge of question tags while you window shop. And there’s a quick test on the most famous verb of all: to be. Give it a shot!
- Peanuts! EP 143
Do you work for peanuts? Did you shell out on Christmas presents? Michael Jordan was a basketball player par excellence. Do you understand these questions? If not, you will after you listen to this episode. And remember, imitate and improv…
- Argentina, World Champions. EP 142
Your English will quickly and easily get better by simply listening to Crosby’s 9. In this episode, Drew discusses the words “hat trick”, (Mbappé scored one), “manage”, (France managed to tie the match) and “penalty shootout” (After overti…
- The 12 Days of Christmas. EP 141
How do you pronounce “Christmas”? Are you pronouncing it properly? Tune in to find out. And as usual, you’ll improve your English speaking and pronunciation by simply imitating Drew. For example: Perhaps partridges prefer to perch on pair…
- Gratitude. EP 140
You’ll learn tons of expressions in the episode, such as “after all,” “wishful thinking,” “how about,” and a lot more. If you tune in and actively listen, you’ll be surprised by how easily your English improves.
- Windfall. EP 139
As always, you’ll repeat, imitate and put into practice what you learn in the podcast. It’s a super easy way to improve your English. Give it a shot!
- Nothing to Lose. EP 138
Also, you’ll work on your listening comprehension -particularly using letters- and you’ll learn two super useful expressions: “it’s all in your head” and “I’ll let it slide.” Don’t miss it!
- Ticky-Tacky. EP 137
Does shoddy workmanship bother you? Some people really can’t stand it. What about you? (Clue: shoddy = inferior). Drew delves into this topic in this episode, so tune in and not only practice your English, but IMPROVE your English! You’ll…
- Back to the Grindstone. EP 136
Question: Do you need to grind ground coffee? Not sure? Tune in! And regarding letters, don’t confuse the “g” with the “j.” Also, Drew reminds you how to improve your pronunciation of the letter “s.”
- Making Waves. EP 135
Once again, Drew gives you the key to becoming a better English speaker: imitate him. Here, he discusses the business concepts of creative destruction and disruption through the use of two common expressions: making waves and rocking the b…
- Winging It. EP 134
Some people believe that achieving success through hard work is for losers. Intuition, they argue - or winging it - is the key to success. Have we reached the point where success through hard work is looked down upon? Also, get ready to RE…