AEE 2554: Don’t Dawdle With Your English Goals

Summary

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Podcast Summary: All Ears English Podcast – Episode 2554

Title: Don’t Dawdle With Your English Goals
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Aubrey Carter
Date: January 26, 2026
Duration: ~16 minutes

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Overview

In this lively episode, Aubrey Carter and Lindsay McMahon explore the theme of moving slowly—literal and metaphorical—delving into English vocabulary tied to “dawdling.” Through vivid examples, role plays, and personal stories, they teach intermediate-to-advanced learners how to use expressions such as “dawdle,” “mosey,” “amble,” and “take your sweet time.” The episode emphasizes boosting vocabulary for more natural-sounding English and using such phrases as meaningful tools for connection—not just communication.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

Introducing "Dawdle" and Its Cousins

• The episode is a follow-up to their earlier episode on the phrase "make a beeline."
• Main vocab focus: Words describing slow, leisurely movement—often in deliberate contrast to urgency.

What Does It Mean to "Dawdle"?

• Definition: To move or act slowly, without urgency.
• Aubrey: “I am not one to dawdle. I am one that makes a beeline for where I'm going. I think I'm a born New Yorker.” (02:13)
• Dawdling isn’t always negative—it depends on the context and personality.

Similar Words & Natural Usage

1. Mosey

• Meaning: Walk or move slowly, casually, in no particular hurry.
• More often used for walking pace, not for other activities.
• Example: “We mosey down the street, stopping to look in shop windows.” (06:14)

2. Amble

• Meaning: Walk slowly and in a relaxed manner; a bit more formal or literary.
• Example: “Tourists ambled along the beach at sunset.” (07:13)
• Used less frequently, but excellent for advanced learners, especially in exams like IELTS.

3. Take One's Sweet Time

• Meaning: Do something slowly, often frustrating others by not acting urgently.
• Can be playful or indicate annoyance, depending on context.
• Example: “I was frustrated when she took her sweet time replying to my urgent email.” (07:41)
• Aubrey explains: “There's a little bit of vitriol here... Clear frustration, clear annoyance. But not always.” (07:47)

Vocabulary and Personality Connections

• Discussed how walking style and pace can reflect personality—from the “beeline” New Yorker to the “dawdling” museum-goer.
  • Aubrey: “I struggle going to a museum with someone who likes to dawdle...” (03:39)
• “It's also like a deeper question about how are we living our lives? Not trying to get super deep here, but yeah, how are you living your life?” (14:47)

Cultural Observations

• Differences in walking styles between small towns and big cities like New York.
• Discussion about restaurant etiquette—many U.S. restaurants now require the whole party to be present before seating.
  • Aubrey: “Most restaurants now won't seat you until your entire party is there.” (11:45)
  • Lindsay: “There's all sorts of things going on with restaurants and reservations now that are changing.” (12:04)

Memorable Quotes & Moments

• Lindsay: On combining words—“I've been known to doddle. I've been known to waddle as well, which is a combination of running and walking.” (02:23)
• Aubrey: “My grandpa only moseyed. He was a farmer, and I never saw him walk quickly in my life.” (05:59)
• Aubrey: “Maybe I need to do that more often—kind of just slow down and enjoy how beautiful the light looks right now.” (15:29)

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Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• “I am not one to dawdle. I am one that makes a beeline for where I’m going.”
  — Aubrey (02:13)

• “We can't dawdle if we want to catch the last train.”
  — Aubrey (04:43)

• “He dawdled over his lunch instead of getting back to work.”
  — Lindsay (04:52)

• “My grandpa only moseyed. He was a farmer, and I never saw him walk quickly in my life.”
  — Aubrey (05:59)

• “When I really enjoy a book, I like to take my sweet time reading it.”
  — Aubrey (07:55)

• “You need to stop taking your sweet time.”
  — Aubrey, in role play (11:11)

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Role Play Segment (10:46–13:02)

Aubrey and Lindsay act as sisters preparing to meet friends:

• Aubrey, the responsible sister, urges Lindsay not to dawdle.
• Lindsay responds casually, suggesting they “mosey over” since it’s a nice evening.
• Aubrey insists, using “stop taking your sweet time,” to express urgency and mild annoyance.

Notable language constructions:

• “Don’t dawdle, would you?”
• “We can mosey over there…”
• “I like to amble when the weather’s good.”
• “Stop taking your sweet time.”

Tips from Role Play Debrief

• The casual “Would you?” at the end of commands is very native, but best used among friends or family.
• Phrases expressing impatience (“stop taking your sweet time”) should be used carefully, due to their tone.
• Aubrey: “You have to make sure you’re giving this to the right person... Not really coworkers, not formal... casual, friendly, with implication of annoyance.” (12:56–13:13)

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Final Takeaways

• Expanding vocabulary with words like “dawdle,” “mosey,” and “amble” not only makes your English more colorful but also opens up deeper, more personal conversations.
• The pace at which you move (literally and figuratively) can be a tool for connection and self-reflection.
• Lindsay: “Maybe I won’t put my podcast in this morning. Maybe I’ll just kind of slow down and enjoy how beautiful the light looks right now.” (15:10)
• Listeners are encouraged to think about their own “walking style”—in English and in life—and bring that as a connection topic.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• Introduction to Topic & Word "Dawdle" – 02:09–04:41
• Vocabulary Deep Dive: Mosey & Amble – 05:32–07:13
• Take Your Sweet Time: Usage & Tone – 07:27–08:08
• Role Play: Practicing Vocabulary – 10:46–13:02
• Debrief on Language and Tone – 13:02–14:03
• Connection & Reflection: Pace of Life – 14:24–15:41

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Closing Thoughts

This episode blends language instruction with cultural and personal insight, making vocabulary memorable and practical. The natural, conversational tone—plus candid examples—offers both useful English and a reminder: Don’t always rush. Sometimes, ambling or moseying is exactly what you need, both in language-learning and in life.

As Aubrey puts it:
“...Just to ask them, you know, how do you experience a museum? Do you like to amble on a nice evening?... That's a good connection topic.” (14:44)

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End of Summary

Transcript

[A]

This is an Allers English podcast. Episode 25:54 don't dawdle with your English goals.

[B]

Welcome to the All Ears English Podcast, downloaded more than 200 million times. Are you feeling stuck with your English? We'll show you how to become fearless and fluent by focusing on connection, not perfection, with your American host, Aubrey Carter, the IELTS whiz and Lindsey McMahon, the English adventurer, coming to you from Arizona and Colorado, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe what is your walking style and what does it say about your personality and how you live your Life today? Get 4 Ways to say that you walk slower, slowly, and take in life around you. You already speak English, but does it sound the way you want it to? Do you understand conversations but hesitate when it's time to jump in? Do you know what to say, but the words don't come out naturally? Do fast conversations still make you feel a little unsure of yourself? If that sounds familiar, you may be stuck. This year it's time to upgrade your English from good enough to powerful. The Allers English B2C1 bundle helps you speak clearly, confidently and naturally in real conversations. Plus, you'll be invited to our weekly speaking club to put what you learn into action. You can save up to $200 this week only, but the offer ends soon. Go to allearsenglish.com B2C1 that's all earsenglish.com B number 2 C number 1 hey there, Aubry. What's going on today? I'm great.

[A]

How are you?

[B]

I'm really good. Yeah. Feeling good today. But I. I'm curious. I have a question. You ready?

[A]

Okay. Yes.

[B]

Aubrey, have you been known to dawdle?

[A]

Oh, I am not one to dawdle. I am one that makes a beeline for where I'm going. I think I'm a born New Yorker. I really belong there.

[B]

Still. I that I love that I've been known to doddle. I've been known to waddle as well, which is a combination of running and walking. I always say, like when I don't go to the gym, I'm just going to, you know, go for a jog around the park. But it's kind of more of a waddle, which is kind of like a. A jog and a. Like it's a walk and a run. Walk, sl. Run, a run, then walk. You know, lazy is what it is.

[A]

So funny. So I have to let listeners know this is. I feel like we should do a Follow up about the word waddle because I feel like there's a real negative connotation there. If someone was told, look like you're waddling, I would be like, how dare you?

[B]

It's hilarious. It's so funny. We'll cover that another day, guys. Hit the follow button if you want to hear more about this weird vocabulary. But today, what are we getting into? Aubrey?

[A]

Yeah, so we are talking about dole and other ways that we say this of kind of slowly meandering, getting our way somewhere. This came up in episode 2539, which was make a beeline for better English. You and Michelle mentioned that the phrases you were teaching were the opposite of dole.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Like we're doing a follow up now with all of these opposite meanings.

[B]

Ah, I love it. I love it. Perfect. So our listeners will have a very well rounded vocabulary. So, yeah, these are also just weird words. Right. Especially the first one, dole. Very strange.

[A]

It is. And it's spelled strangely. D A W, D, L, E. Yeah, yeah, it is strange. It kind of just means to move or act slowly and definitely without urgency. I struggle going to a museum with someone who likes to doddle because I'm much like making my way through. I want to see everything. And a lot of people will want to dawdle and really take more time at one painting. So I'll be like, let's split up. I'll meet you at the cafe in two hours.

[B]

No, it's true. There are people that really. We have a family member we've traveled with in the past internationally, and she's a dor. She loves to go into, like, souvenir shops and we don't like to do that same. But, you know, she's great, she's fun. She makes up for it in other ways. Loves to, to just celebrate and enjoy life. But she's a dawdler. So how do you deal with that personality clash? Sometimes.

[A]

So tricky. Yeah. You. You say, I'll meet you.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Outside when you're done. Take your daughter's time.

[B]

I'm gonna go over to the brewery across the street.

[A]

Right, Exactly.

[B]

Yeah, yeah.

[A]

So here's a couple examples. You know, we can't dawdle if we want to catch the last train. So that's me being like, we need to pick up the pace. We can't just walk slowly.

[B]

Yep. Or he dawdled over his lunch instead of getting back to work. So it's not just, you know, the way you're physically walking, although it often is. It could also just Be like, you're going. Eating slowly. Oh, my gosh.

[A]

Just like on your phone.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Eating slowly. You could also call that dawdling.

[B]

Sure. Yeah. I had an aunt that used to eat so slowly, it drove me nuts when she would come and visit us. She would take an extra hour to eat her dinner, and she was just so slow. Oh, my gosh. It drove us all crazy.

[A]

That's so interesting. Maybe like enjoying the conversation station or just eating slowly whether anyone's there.

[B]

Literally everything was in slow motion. It was funny. Okay. Mosi's another good one.

[A]

And I use this and hear it much more for just like walking pace. Right. I wouldn't say someone's moseying about how they're eating. It's really about how quickly someone's walking.

[B]

Right. So this is again, to walk or move slowly and casually in no particular hurry. And you will see, if you go to cities like, you lived in New York. Right. And I did, too. You go to a small town, especially if you're living in a place like New York, you'll notice the difference right away.

[A]

Absolutely. My grandpa only moseyed. He was a farmer, and I never saw him walk quickly in my life. Sure. Yeah. Just with bozy grains of straw as he walked.

[B]

Sounds like a good lifestyle to me right now.

[A]

I don't know. To not be hurried.

[B]

Yeah, it sounds good. So, for example, we mosey down the street, stopping to look in shop windows. A good example. Is there another one?

[A]

And this.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

This can even happen in New York. Right. When they're the beautiful Christmas windows. You might just mosey around. You're not always in a hurry, wherever you are. Another example, after dinner, they moseyed over to the cafe for dessert.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

So no hurry.

[B]

So New Yorkers will mosey if they plan to mosey.

[A]

Right.

[B]

Maybe they'll get a hot chocolate and.

[A]

Make it like a date or something through Central Park.

[B]

Sure. If. But they have to plan to mosey. To mosey.

[A]

Exactly. And I will. I can mosey if I have nowhere to be. Yeah.

[B]

And then amble is good. This one's a little more rare. So for our I candidates, I mean, winning word. Right. What does this mean?

[A]

Absolutely. All of These are band 9i words. Means again, to walk slowly and in a relaxed manner. Right. An easy, unhurried way. You might say we ambled through the park, enjoying the spring weather. Very much the same meaning as Mosi.

[B]

Yep. Or Taurus ambled along the beach at sunset. That's another scenario where you. Yeah. You might amble.

[A]

Right.

[B]

You're not gonna rush through your sunset walk.

[A]

Right?

[B]

Right.

[A]

You want to take your time and enjoy it. That's a good time to amble and.

[B]

Then take one sweet time. This can be used as kind of a way to poke at someone too, in a fun way. Right. This is how we do something slowly without concern for rushing. It can frustrate other other people.

[A]

Right.

[B]

For example, I was frustrated when she took her sweet time replying to my urgent email.

[A]

Yeah. So this is interesting. Sometimes there's a little bit of vitriol here. Right? You're like, stop taking your sweet time or she's taking her sweet time. If there's clear frustration, clear annoyance. But not always. Right. You might just say, when I really enjoy a book, I like to take my sweet time reading it. And then I just mean I like to take my time and enjoy it.

[B]

Exactly. And yeah, I love this if our listeners. Guys, if you can add this into your daily vocabulary, I mean, you're just adding color, you're adding life commentary on life. Really powerful for connection, don't you think? Aubry?

[A]

Absolutely.

[B]

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[A]

Yes. And you can leave us comments there. Leave a comment with a question for an episode or let us know if ever you know what something is like in your culture. We read those. We are interested, definitely, to know what you think about the episode.

[B]

Yeah. Or you can. You can ask your episode idea in the comments. Our team's in there every day reading your comments, responding to you. So come check us out on YouTube in 2026. All right.

[A]

Definitely. All right. In this role play, Lindsay and I are sisters. We are getting ready to go meet up with friends, and Lindsay's dawdling a bit.

[B]

Maybe I like the younger sister or something.

[A]

Right? Yes. Right.

[B]

Maybe.

[A]

Okay, I'll start us out. Hey, don't dawdle, would you? We're going to be late if we don't leave soon.

[B]

Relax. It's a casual dinner, not a job interview. We can mosey over there. It's only a few. A few blocks away.

[A]

That's what you said last time. And we ended up stopping to look in every window along the way.

[B]

Well, it's a nice evening. I like to amble when the weather's good. No need to rush.

[A]

But Margaret texted that they're already seated, so you need to stop taking your sweet time.

[B]

Oh, embarrassing. You don't want to arrive late, right?

[A]

Oh, right. They're seated. We have to go. This is so me. I'm like the responsible sister that's like, I want to be on time. Let's go.

[B]

No. Yeah, for sure. It is kind of awkward walking into a dinner late, Right? Especially if it's a dinner where everyone's seated.

[A]

Right? Yeah. And I just feel bad making people wait. And often I don't know how this is in other countries. And let me know if it's the same in Denver, but here in Arizona, most restaurants now won't seat you until your entire party is there.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Which makes sense. Right? But so then people are just waiting, standing in the entry, because they won't let them be seated.

[B]

Yeah. It started happening here, too. I kind of makes sense, but I kind of disagree sometimes. I mean, maybe someone's just running late from work. They are coming. They do need a seat, but they'll.

[A]

Be 15 minutes late and have a drink while I wait. Like, what's real.

[B]

Yeah. There's all sorts of things going on with restaurants and reservations now that are Changing. Yeah, it's true.

[A]

If they're busy, if they have a wait list, then they're often going to do that. Like, you can have a drink at the bar and we'll seat you when your party is here.

[B]

Yeah. And I want to call out as we go back into this role play. The first line is interesting. The construction. You said, hey, don't dole, would you? Right. So you're kind of like asking me not to doddle, but in a very natural, native way.

[A]

Yes. Very sisterly casual. Informally. Right. And I use this a lot. I'll what it is I want and then the will. Donald, would you.

[B]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, sure. Yeah. I think I say that too, sometimes. Or will you. That could be an episode. I think that could be another episode for 2026 that we should go into. Yeah, yeah.

[A]

Be on time, will you? Or would you.

[B]

You have to make sure you're giving this to the right person, though, because I wouldn't say this. It's really casual, so I would be careful.

[A]

Right, right. Friends. Close friends. Sisters. Not really co workers. Not formal at also is. There's this little bit of implication of annoyance. Usually when we're saying that.

[B]

Yeah. Stop doing that, would you? Right. It's. It's annoyance. Yeah. And then I said, mosey. So it's a casual dinner. We can mosey over there. It's only a few blocks away. Right.

[A]

So you're in no hurry. Right. But you probably don't know that our friends have been seated. So I let you know this and you're like, oh, it's a nice evening. I like to amble when the weather is good. And I do, too. Right. If I have nowhere to be, I'm not in a hurry. I don't mind just ambling when it's a nice night out, but not if people are waiting for me. No.

[B]

And in your opinion, that's not the situation. The situation we're in.

[A]

Right.

[B]

So you said Margaret texted, they're seated. So you need to stop taking your sweet time. This definitely is a tone you'd hear between sisters, right?

[A]

Absolutely. And there's definitely that implication of frustration, annoyance. You need to stop taking your sweet time. I'm clearly annoyed.

[B]

Again, you wouldn't say that to a co worker. Definitely not. But good stuff. Guys, go and check out episode 25. 551. Embrace both meanings of this useful English word. Go check out what that one's all about.

[A]

Yes. Embrace has some very. A lot of meanings, actually. Go check it out.

[B]

We're gonna clear it up for you, Aubrey, what's our final takeaway for today?

[A]

Yeah, this is really interesting to think about you, the, the aspects of your personality and what this says. If you like to amble, if you like to doddle. And that's an interesting to thing to talk to people about. Right. Just to ask them, you know, how do you experience a museum? Do you like to amble on a nice evening?

[B]

That's, that's a good connection topic.

[A]

Right?

[B]

That's a great. And it's also like a deeper question about how are we living our lives? Not trying to get super deep here, but. Yeah, how are you living your life? Like, are you rushing through everything or are you actually taking time maybe once a week to have more of a, a dawdling walk?

[A]

Right. It's true. A lot of examples. I read them and was like, that sounds lovely. Actually, maybe I need to do that more often kind of.

[B]

Right. This morning I went to take my dog for a walk and there was a weird, really bright sun that was kind of caught behind the cloud. So it lit up the neighborhood in a strange Way for 7am and I was like, maybe I won't put my podcast in this morning. Maybe I'll just kind of slow down and enjoy how beautiful the light looks right now.

[A]

Right. Oh, I love that because it's true. As much as I love listening to a podcast on a walk.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

You don't enjoy as much the sounds of nature, the what you're seeing. So sometimes you do need to unplug and really appreciate where you are.

[B]

So true. And then come back to allersy English after that beautiful walk and. Yes. Yeah. All right, good stuff. Good stuff, Aubrey, we'll see you in the next one. You have a good rest of your day. All right, you too. Awesome.

[A]

See you guys next time.

[B]

All right, bye. Thanks for listening. To all ears. English. Would you like to know your English level? Take our two minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com forward/fluency score. And if you believe in connection, not perfection, then hit subscribe now to make sure you don't miss anything. See you next time.

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