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Real Easy English

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Talking about your year

Episode 251226 / 26 Dec 2025

(Photo: Getty)

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Introduction

Neil and Georgie have a real conversation in easy English about the highlights of 2025. Learn to talk about what you are proud of, and what you regret, this year.

Vocabulary

highlight
the best, most important or most interesting part of something

proud of
feel good about something you've done or that someone else has done

regret
feel sad about, and wish you had done something differently

Transcript

Neil
Hello and welcome to Real Easy English, the podcast where we have real conversations in easy English to help you learn. I'm Neil.

Georgie
And I'm Georgie. You can watch this podcast with subtitles on our website, bbclearningenglish.com, where you can also find a free worksheet.

Neil
Hi, Georgie.

Georgie
Hello, Neil.

Neil
It's getting towards the end of the year.

Georgie
It is.

Neil
How are you feeling about that?

Georgie
Um, well, there's a few things that I wanted to achieve that I haven't, so I don't feel good about that, but I'm feeling quite festive and ready for those celebrations. What about you?

Neil
Yeah. Time, time flies, as we say. It's the end of the year again. And that is what we're talking about today in this episode of Real Easy English. Shall we start?

Georgie
Yes.

Neil
Have you had a good year, Georgie?

Georgie
Yes, Neil. I've had a great year. Um, I've been very busy. I've had a few trips and I've also turned 30, so I've had a big birthday. What about you? How has your year been?

Neil
Yeah, it's been pretty good. I went to your 30th birthday party.

Georgie
You did.

Neil
That was definitely one of my highlights.

Georgie
Was it?

Neil
Talking of highlights, now highlights are the most important or interesting thing. What have your highlights been this year?

Georgie
Well, my 30th birthday was probably one of my highlights because I had friends and family from all over. I basically invited everyone I knew, which is why you got the invite. Um, and yeah, that was something that I was quite proud of because I am not a very organised person. And with this I was very organised.

What's been the highlight of your year, Neil?

Neil
Oh, well, that's a tricky question, but I did go on a fantastic holiday with my family. We went to Sicily.

Georgie
Wow.

Neil
And it's so beautiful. And the food was amazing.

Georgie
And is there anything you're proud of this year?

Neil
Proud of? Yeah, I'm always proud of my kids.

Georgie
Aww.

Neil
They make me feel proud. Um, yes, they they had a good, they had a good year. And, um, yeah, they both they both did well in their own way at school.

Georgie
Oh. That's nice.

Neil
And how about you?

Georgie
Well, I talked about being proud of my 30th birthday party, but I also, um, performed at the Royal Albert Hall, which is a big, famous, um, music hall in the UK, in London. Um, I didn't sing as a soloist. I sang with my choir, um, at the BBC Proms, which is a big music festival.

Neil
Wow. How did it feel to sing in front of all those people in that incredible setting?

Georgie
It felt incredible. And I had lots of people I knew in the audience. Actually, some of our colleagues came.

Neil
Yeah.

Georgie
Um, it was, the atmosphere was incredible, and I'll never forget it.

Neil
Wow. So, Georgie, is there anything that you didn't do this year that you wanted to do?

Georgie
Yes. Lots. Um, I had lots of plans at the beginning of the year. Um, lots of New Year's resolutions. Like, uh, running. I wanted to run more. I have not been running very much. Um, so I regret not doing more running.

And also my sugar intake. We all know that I eat too much sugar, and I wanted to reduce my sugar intake, but I find it too difficult, so I regret not, um, reducing my sugar intake.

Neil
Well, you stopped having sugar in your coffee at least.

Georgie
That's true. What about you, Neil?

Neil
Well, a bit like you, um, I wanted to do lots of running. Actually, I wanted to get really fit this year, and I haven't because I hurt my ankle and I can't run. And running is my main way of keeping fit, so I need to find something else to do.

Georgie
Yeah.

Neil
Time now to recap some of the vocabulary we've heard in this episode, starting with highlight. And a highlight is the best bit of something. So the highlight of my year, Georgie, was my trip to Sicily. Or was it your 30th birthday?

Georgie
If you are proud of something, it means you feel good about something you've done. You can also be proud of someone else. For example, Neil is proud of his kids.

Neil
And if you regret something, you feel sad about it and wish that you had done it differently. For example, I regret not running more. I'm not very fit.

Georgie
That's it for this episode of Real Easy English. Try the worksheet to test what you've learnt at bbclearningenglish.com.

Neil
We'll be back in the new year for more real conversations in easy English to help you learn. Have a really great end to 2025.

Georgie
Happy New Year!

 

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