Today’s episode is all about The Moon. You’ll learn useful vocabulary, common collocations, simple expressions, and a few easy idioms.
You will hear phrases like “once in a blue moon” and “shoot for the moon,” and learn how to use them in everyday English.
Voice message from Maria from Cantabria
How to pronounce the /s/ sound. Unvoiced – no vibration in the vocal chords. Teeth closed, tongue going up. Sun, snake,
/z/ is voiced – vibration in the vocal chords (zoo, is, goes)
English Pronunciation in Use
Many thanks to Carmen from Málaga who suggested the topic for today’s podcast.
Vocabulary and collocation
Phases of the moon:
new moon
first quarter
full moon
third (or last) quarter
waxing moon (getting bigger)
waning moon (getting smaller) – “His enthusiasm for learning English began to wane”
crescent moon
The Moon is always half-lit by the Sun. What changes is the angle between the Sun, Earth, and Moon.
As that angle shifts, we see more or less of the illuminated half.
We never see the Moon change shape—it’s simply the lighting that changes. This creates the familiar phases.
Vocabulary and collocation
a pale moon
a bright full moon
a moonlit night
moonlight streaming through the window
the man in the moon
a face in the moon
Monday = Moon + day (In Old English, it was Mōnandæg)
lunar surface
lunacy: the word “lunatic” comes from Luna (the Roman moon goddess) because people used to believe the full moon caused temporary insanity.
Do you feel different during a full moon?
high tide vs. low tide: “The tide is turning in our favor.”
biological rhythms: the link between the lunar cycle and the menstrual cycle (both roughly 28 days).
“to be moonstruck” (to be romantically dazed).
Why do we associate the moon with romance?
Interesting facts
There is no “dark side” of the Moon: Both sides receive sunlight; we simply never see the far side because the Moon rotates at the same rate that it orbits Earth.
The Moon helps stabilize Earth’s climate : Its gravitational pull keeps Earth’s axial tilt relatively steady, which moderates long‑term climate patterns.
There’s water on the Moon: Ice exists in permanently shadowed craters near the poles, and tiny amounts of water molecules are mixed into lunar soil.
Idioms
Over the moon – extremely happy
Craig was over the moon when Reza opened the chocolate biscuits.
Once in a blue moon – very rarely
I only eat fast food once in a blue moon.
Many moons ago – a long time ago
I studied French many moons ago.
Shoot for the moon – aim very high
Shoot for the moon—even if you miss, you’ll improve.
If humans established a permanent settlement on the Moon, what challenges might arise (apart from breathing!)?
Have you ever “pulled a moon/done a moonie” or mooned out of a window? What were the consequences, pray tell?
Hey diddle diddle, the cat and the fiddle,
The cow jumped over the moon.
The little dog laughed to see such fun
And the dish ran away with the spoon!
…and now it’s your turn to practise your English.
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The music in this podcast is by Pitx. The track is called ‘See You Later’