All Ears English Podcast: Episode 2469

Title: List Off These Phrasal Verbs on Your Way to Fluency
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Michelle Kaplan
Release Date: August 28, 2025

Episode Overview

This episode dives deep into the nuanced world of phrasal verbs around the word "list"—including make a list, list, list off, list out, and the special meaning of list in contexts like "Love It or List It." Lindsay and Michelle answer a long-time listener's question about how to use these phrases in natural American English, share American cultural attitudes toward lists, and provide practical usage examples and a role play. The conversation is lively and relatable, with both hosts sharing personal anecdotes and highlighting cultural insights.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal List-Making Habits (01:53–04:13)

• Michelle asks Lindsay about her non-work list-making habits, revealing both hosts are avid list-makers, using everything from pen and paper to digital tools like email and Monday.com.

  • "It's all written out, pen and paper. Old school, Michelle." — Lindsay (02:32)
  • Lindsay describes a chaotic system: half on Monday.com, half on paper.

• Discussion about the satisfaction of adding tasks to a list just to check them off, even if they weren't originally there.

  • "I was adding things to the list that I did that were never on the list just to make myself feel good." — Michelle (02:50)

2. Listener Question (03:23–05:04)

• Listener Lais Maria from Brazil, a loyal listener for 10 years, asks about the difference between "make a list" and "list," and expresses confusion about English usage in phrases like "Love It or List It."

  • "[You] are my best English learning tool since 2015… 10 years are not 10 days!" — Lais Maria (03:54)

• Both hosts reflect on how much life has changed over the decade and the sense of community that long-time listeners build with the podcast.

3. "Make a List" vs. "List" (06:11–11:27)

• "Make a list":

  • Focuses on the act of creating a list, often either spontaneous or intentional, typically written or typed.
  • Example: "Make a list of everyone you want to invite to the party and then send it to me." (06:42)
  • Cultural reflection: American culture is described as highly task-oriented and list-loving.
    • "We just kind of live and die by our lists here in the U.S, don't we? We're so task oriented." — Lindsay (07:07)

• "List":

  • Used for presenting or enumerating items, ideas, or reasons, either verbally or written.
  • Example: "Let's list our favorite movies. I'll go first." (09:26)
  • Slightly more formal or instructional when used in writing (e.g., "Please list everyone's phone numbers").
  • "I listed four good reasons why we should take our group trip to Myrtle Beach. But no one agreed with me. And that doesn't mean you wrote a report with a list. It means you just argued it verbally probably, right?" — Lindsay (10:35)

• Rule of Thumb:

  • If confused, using "make a list" is almost always safe. "List" can sound awkward in some situations if not used correctly.
    • "I don't think you can go wrong with make a list.” — Michelle (11:10)

4. Special Usage: 'List' in 'Love It or List It' (13:12–16:50)

• "Love It or List It" refers to a TV show where homeowners decide whether to keep (love) their renovated home or list it (put it on the market for sale).

  • "To list a house is just to put it on the market." — Lindsay (15:03)
  • The hosts discuss the universal curiosity about peeking inside others’ homes and how that factors into the show's popularity.
    • "There's something about the human brain that loves to see inside people's homes." — Lindsay (14:32)

• While "list it" in this context is show-specific, you could use it as a joke when selling other items, but not when simply discarding them.

5. Phrasal Verbs: 'List Off' & 'List Out' (16:50–18:40)

• "List off":

  • Means to casually rattle off items or suggestions.
  • Example: "I'm going to list off some ideas for takeout we could get." (17:01)

• "List out":

  • Implies a more methodical or numbered approach, sometimes with emotional weight (e.g., listing mistakes).
  • Example: "I'm going to list out all the reasons we shouldn't go. One, it's boring. Two, it's far away." (17:49)
  • "He listed out all my mistakes one by one. It was really demoralizing." — Lindsay (18:06)

• General Advice:

  • The differences are subtle and shouldn’t worry learners—native speakers use these fluidly.
    • "You could just m. Mix and match. I wouldn't put too much stress on yourself for this." — Michelle (17:26)

6. Role Play & Practical Recap (18:40–20:36)

• The hosts act out a party-planning conversation using all the discussed terms.
• Key takeaways:
  • "Make a list" is always clear and acceptable.
  • "List off" fits more spontaneous or brain-storming scenarios.
  • "List out" fits more organized, itemized situations.

7. Learning & Culture Tips (20:36–22:40)

• Don’t stress about mixing up these phrasal verbs—American English is forgiving about these.

  • "You can't really go wrong mixing these up… they're used so fluidly." — Michelle (21:31)

• The hosts express curiosity about the cultural role of lists in other countries and invite listeners to participate in a poll about list making in their own cultures.

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• "It's all written out, pen and paper. Old school, Michelle." — Lindsay (02:32)
• "You are my best English learning tool since 2015... 10 years are not 10 days!" — Lais Maria [Listener] (03:54)
• "We just kind of live and die by our lists here in the U.S., don't we? We're so task oriented." — Lindsay (07:07)
• "To list a house is just to put it on the market." — Lindsay (15:03)
• "He listed out all my mistakes one by one. It was really demoralizing." — Lindsay (18:06)
• "You can't really go wrong mixing these up… they're used so fluidly." — Michelle (21:31)
• "...Make a list. Try using that in most scenarios. You'll be okay. Then gradually listen for when someone decides to say list off, list out or list..." — Lindsay (21:03)

Key Segment Timestamps

• [01:53–04:13]: List-making habits and personal anecdotes
• [04:13–05:04]: Listener question and 10-year listener celebration
• [06:11–11:27]: Explaining "make a list" vs. "list"
• [13:12–16:50]: "Love It or List It" and listing houses for sale
• [16:50–18:40]: Phrasal verbs—"list off" and "list out"
• [18:40–20:36]: Practical role play with all terms
• [20:36–22:40]: Takeaways, tips, and cultural reflections

Conclusion & Takeaways

• When in doubt, "make a list" is your best bet—you’ll never be wrong using it.
• "List," "list off," and "list out" are used more flexibly and the differences are subtle; focus on listening to native usage and practice.
• Making lists is deeply embedded in American culture, reflecting a strong task-oriented mindset.
• Have fun with phrasal verbs! Native speakers are forgiving and fluid in their use.

For more practice, check out episode 2462 on intonation and participate in the episode's Spotify poll about list making in your culture.

Hosts' Parting Words:
"Thank you to our listener for the 10 years. Happy 10 years. And here's to…" — Michelle (22:33)
"Have a good day. Talk to you soon." — Lindsay (22:40)