Episode Overview

Podcast: All Ears English
Episode: Avoid Mistakes With These English Adjectives
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon & Aubrey Carter
Date: December 13, 2025

This episode focuses on helping English learners confidently use a set of emotional adjectives—"heartwarming," "touching," "moving," and "poignant." The hosts break down when and how to use these words, common learner mistakes, and demonstrate their use in conversation. The episode also explores how these adjectives convey personal feelings and help build deeper connections in English interactions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

Why These Adjectives Matter ([02:30]–[03:18])

• Connection Not Perfection: Sharing what is “heartwarming” or “touching” opens a window into your values, making English conversations richer and more authentic.
  • “Sharing what you find heartwarming or touching is such a great way to connect, because you're talking about what is really meaningful to you.” — Aubrey ([03:06])

Common Learner Mistake ([03:31])

• Learners often say "heart touching" when describing something emotional, but native speakers use "heartwarming" or "touching" instead.
  • “A student said, it's a heart touching story. I can see how this could be a very easy mistake to make... We say heartwarming and we say touching, but we don't say heart touching.” — Aubrey ([03:31])

Detailed Breakdown of Each Adjective

1. Heartwarming ([04:30]–[06:19])

• Definition: Describes something that evokes strong, positive emotions, often warmth or affection.
• Use Cases: Weddings, acts of kindness, uplifting movies or messages.
• Examples:
  • “My friend told me a really heartwarming story about her experience rescuing a dog.” — Aubrey ([05:41])
  • “All those Instagram videos about dogs, rescue dogs… gosh, they're so heartwarming.” — Lindsay ([05:51])
• Memorable Quote:
  • "It's true. They're so nice. I got a heartwarming message from my friend just to say they were thinking of me." — Lindsay ([06:05])

2. Touching ([06:35]–[06:58])

• Definition: Similar to "heartwarming," used for something that deeply moves you emotionally in a positive way.
• Use Cases: Gifts, personal gestures, meaningful videos.
• Examples:
  • “It's touching when my kids give me handmade cards on Mother's Day.” — Aubrey ([06:42])
  • “The tribute video for our teacher was really touching.” — Lindsay ([06:51])
• Insight: Usually interchangeable with "heartwarming"; always positive.

3. Moving ([07:08]–[07:36])

• Definition: Stirring strong feelings, can be positive OR negative depending on context.
• Use Cases: Emotional speeches, tragedy, resilience after disaster.
• Examples:
  • “The life sketch he gave at his mother's funeral was so moving that many people were in tears.” — Aubrey ([07:20])
  • “Seeing the community come together after the storm was incredibly moving.” — Lindsay ([07:31])
• Note: “Moving” is more flexible and can refer to sad or beautiful moments.

4. Poignant ([07:46]–[10:26])

• Definition: Evocative of deep emotion, often mixed with sadness or nostalgia.
• Use Cases: Joyful reunions, memories, tragedies.
• Examples:
  • “It was poignant to see my friend after nearly 30 years.” — Aubrey ([07:46])
  • “After all they had overcome together, it was a poignant moment when the team celebrated their victory.” — Lindsay ([07:56])
• Flexible Usage:
  • “The photograph of the empty playground was poignant. It reminded me of my childhood.” — Aubrey ([09:59])
  • “Those were very poignant photos that marked the moment of what was happening in New York and globally.” — Lindsay ([10:26])
• Key Insight:
  • “Poignant… can also be sadness. It could be negative emotions as well.” — Aubrey ([09:59])

Positive vs Negative Emotions ([10:26]–[11:23])

• "Heartwarming" and "touching" are always positive.
• "Moving" and "poignant" can be used for both positive and negative emotional experiences.
  • “You could say it was moving to see the images after the hurricane, so many people had lost their homes. Here you could use poignant or moving… can be about positive emotions or negative.” — Aubrey ([11:05])

Practical Role Play: Bringing Adjectives Into Conversation ([11:30]–[13:56])

Role Play Example:
At a charity event after a presentation:

• Aubrey: “That presentation was really heartwarming. I loved seeing everything the volunteers have done this year.” ([11:38])
• Lindsay: “I agree. Especially what the kids shared about how the program changed their lives. That was incredibly touching.” ([11:47])
• Aubrey: “Yes. And watching the video montage of the families, it was so moving. Seeing the before and after photos was especially poignant.” ([11:53])

Bonus Vocabulary:

• Montage — A series of images or moments shown quickly, often to convey the passage of time or change. ([12:56])

Lesson Highlight:
Adding intensifiers (“really”, “incredibly”, “especially”) before these adjectives makes them more natural and emotionally expressive.

• “For all of these, it's very native and natural to add an intensifier like that. It almost feels like it's not enough to say that presentation was heartwarming or it was moving..." — Aubrey ([13:57])

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On Emotional Adjectives and Connection:
  • "This is one of those episodes where we get a skill that does so much more, that says so much more than just words." — Lindsay ([03:18])
• On Mixing Up Idioms:
  • "I mix up my... idioms all the time. Lots of native speakers do this." — Lindsay ([03:52])
• On Funerals and Weddings:
  • “Are you someone that cries at weddings, Aubry?... It's not even about the people. It's about, like, the ceremony and the gravity of it...” — Lindsay ([05:04–05:24])
• On Intensifiers:
  • “I feel like for all of these, it's very native and natural to add an intensifier... It just felt like it needed this cushion of or especially or incredibly.” — Aubrey ([13:57–15:27])

Timestamps for Key Segments

• Heartwarming & Touching Adjectives Intro — [03:31]–[06:19]
• Detailed Adjective Breakdown — [06:19]–[07:46]
• Negative Emotions & Flexibility — [09:59]–[11:23]
• Role Play Example — [11:30]–[12:56]
• Explanation of 'Montage' — [12:56]–[13:24]
• Intensifiers in Usage — [13:57]–[15:31]
• Takeaway & Closing Words — [15:40]–[16:11]

Takeaway

Being able to use emotional adjectives like "heartwarming," "touching," "moving," and "poignant" makes your English more natural and lets you share and connect on a deeper level. Remember:

• "Heartwarming" and "touching" are always positive.
• "Moving" and "poignant" can be both positive and negative, depending on context.
• Use intensifiers like “really,” “incredibly,” or “especially” to make your expression more authentic.
• These words don't just describe events; they offer others a glimpse into what moves you, fostering real connection—core to the All Ears English philosophy of “Connection NOT Perfection.”