AEE: Describe Your Progress - In the Thick of It

Summary

All Ears English Podcast: Episode Summary Title: AEE: Describe Your Progress - In the Thick of It
Release Date: February 22, 2025
Hosts: Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan

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Introduction to the Episode

In this engaging episode of the All Ears English Podcast, hosts Lindsay McMahon and Michelle Kaplan delve into the intricacies of expressing progress in English. Building upon a multi-part series dedicated to describing phases of activities, this episode titled "In the Thick of It" focuses on how to convey that one is currently engaged in an ongoing process. The conversation is tailored for intermediate to advanced English learners aiming to enhance their conversational skills and cultural understanding.

Current Reads and Personal Updates [00:00 - 02:14]

The episode opens with Lindsay and Michelle sharing their current literary pursuits. Lindsay mentions recently finishing a book called The Husbands, which explores themes related to modern dating and identity through a unique narrative. She reflects:

Lindsay [02:00]: "I've heard of Wild. It's a good story. The writing is actually really, really good."

Michelle confirms her engagement with Wild by Cheryl Strayed, noting it's her second time reading the book:

Michelle [02:12]: "It's my second time reading it because I think the book is better than the movie."

Series Continuation and Episode Focus [04:09 - 05:05]

Lindsay introduces the episode as part of a series on progress descriptions, highlighting its continuation from the Business English Podcast:

Lindsay [04:09]: "Today, we are going to talk about how to say that we've already gotten started with something and we're kind of in the middle."

They emphasize the importance of subscribing to both All Ears English and the Business English podcast to follow the complete series, which now includes the final episode on expressing conclusions.

Main Discussion: Expressions for Being 'In the Middle' [05:05 - 09:03]

The core of the episode revolves around different English expressions that convey being in the midst of an activity.

1. "In the Middle of" [05:21 - 07:00]

Lindsay explains that "in the middle of" is versatile and can be applied to various situations, from being busy to sharing personal endeavors:

Lindsay [05:27]: "Telling someone that you're busy. Right. Telling someone that you're fully immersed, you are in. It's not like you just started or just finishing up. No. You're in the middle of it."

She provides examples like:

• "I'm in the middle of the best show right now."

Michelle complements this by discussing the temporal aspect:

Michelle [06:23]: "What's interesting about these expressions is it... it's not so much about a time. Like if I'm watching a movie, I don't have to be at the 45-minute mark to say this. It's more about saying I'm enmeshed in something."

2. "In the Thick of It" [07:30 - 09:03]

The phrase "in the thick of it" signifies being deeply involved in something intense or challenging. Michelle creatively associates it with navigating through a dense jungle:

Michelle [07:30]: "Or I love this one. In the thick of it. For some reason, when I think about this expression, I think of the jungle."

They discuss scenarios where this phrase is apt, such as:

• "I'm in the thick of school exams right now."
• "I'm in the thick of updating my resume right now."

Michelle adds a modern slang variation:

Michelle [08:52]: "I'm going through it," acknowledging someone's struggle in a contemporary context.

3. "In the Midst of" and "During" [09:03 - 11:06]

Lindsay introduces "in the midst of" as another way to express being engaged in an activity, often implying a more chaotic or less-defined process compared to "in the middle of." They also briefly touch upon "during" as a simpler alternative.

Michelle [10:45]: "Or during. So this is just a more simple word. A similar idea basically."

Role-Play Example [11:37 - 14:33]

To illustrate the practical use of these expressions, Lindsay and Michelle engage in a role-play scenario where they act out a conversation between friends discussing their current activities.

Sample Dialogue:

• Lindsay: "Have you seen Wicked?"
• Michelle: "I'm in the middle of it right now. It's a long movie."
• Lindsay: "I'm actually in the midst of applying to new jobs."
• Michelle: "Oh, wow. Good luck. I'm in the thick of updating my resume right now."

Through this dialogue, listeners can observe the natural incorporation of phrases like "in the middle of," "in the midst of," and "in the thick of it," enhancing their understanding of contextual usage.

Takeaways and Conclusion [15:26 - 17:06]

As the episode wraps up, Lindsay and Michelle summarize the key points, emphasizing the importance of these expressions in facilitating human connection by sharing one's current engagements and challenges.

Lindsay [16:00]: "It's always a good connection topic, even to say, 'Are you in the middle of any good shows right now?'"

Michelle [16:57]: "It gives people signals as to what your life looks like right now... so there's a lot of connection here, Michelle. Huge connection episode. Absolutely."

They encourage listeners to follow both podcasts to fully benefit from the series and to continue practicing these expressions to speak English more naturally and contextually.

Notable Quotes with Timestamps

• [05:27] Michelle: "I'm in the middle of doing this. Can I do it later?"
• [07:30] Michelle: "In the thick of it."
• [08:52] Michelle: "I'm going through it."
• [16:00] Lindsay: "Are you in the middle of any good shows right now?"
• [16:57] Michelle: "It gives people signals as to what your life looks like right now."

Final Thoughts

This episode of the All Ears English Podcast offers valuable insights into expressing one's current state of progress in English. By exploring various phrases and their appropriate contexts, Lindsay and Michelle provide listeners with the tools to enhance their conversational fluency and build stronger connections through language. Whether you're discussing your latest book, a challenging project at work, or personal endeavors, mastering these expressions can significantly improve your ability to communicate effectively in American English.

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Stay Connected:
For more episodes and learning resources, visit AllEarsEnglish.com and subscribe to both the All Ears English Podcast and the Business English Podcast to continue your journey towards speaking American English like a native!

Transcript

[A]

This is an All Ears English podcast. Describe your progress in the thick of it.

[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 hosts, Lindsay McMahon, the English adventurer, and Michelle Kaplan, the New York radio girl, coming to you from Colorado and New York City, usa. And to get your transcripts delivered by email every week, go to allearsenglish.com subscribe in this episode, get part two of our series on how to describe phases of things in English Today. Learn how to say that you're in the middle of something and find out why it matters for human connection. This is your last chance to save $50 on our complete B1 English fluency course. Plus, after February 23rd, the free bonus fast English listening a 99 value goes away. So get it now. To start your study plan and attend our live weekly conversation practice events, go to allearsenglish.com save on B1. Take action now and get your study plan. Go to allearsenglish.com S, A, V, E, O, N letter B number one. See you there. Hello, Michelle. How's it going today?

[A]

Good. Lindsay. Lindsay, are you in the middle of anything right now? Besides recording? Obviously. Maybe a good book, maybe a series?

[B]

Yeah, I'm actually in the middle of. I'm not actually in the middle technically, but I just started a. Another book and you've probably. You may have read it. It's called Wild. I don't know if.

[A]

No, I didn't. I've heard of it. I. I've heard of.

[B]

No, no. Yeah, it's a good. It's a good story. The writing is actually really, really good. As I. It's my second time reading it and as I got started, I read the reviews and she really is a great writer.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

Cheryl Strayed. Yeah.

[A]

Oh, it's your second time reading.

[B]

My second time reading it, yeah. Because I think the book is better than the movie and I just am. I'm always hunting down books in my house. I don't plan ahead enough to research what I should read. So I look on my shelves and think, what can I read?

[A]

Yeah. So. Well, I just finished a book called the Husbands and that was about this. Maybe I told you this woman who. She comes back home one day and she has a husband. And then. But she never had a husband. And then every time the husband goes into the attic, they come down as a different person and keeps on. It's a commentary on kind of the swiping that we did that is now common with dating and just always looking for the next best thing and. Oh, that's not good. That's not good. So. But now I've started reading a book called Lessons in Chemistry. Okay. I'm at the start of that. But anyway, what I was gonna say is normally I always have to have the next book. Book lined up.

[B]

Yes, interesting. Okay. You don't want to have any dead zones right. Where you're not reading something. I love that.

[A]

Well, because if I, if I lose it, like, if I lose the momentum, then it could be gone for a couple years, literally. So. So I, I remembered that my. I didn't want to read. I had a couple books on deck that I just happened to have in my house and I decided against them because I wasn't in the mood for anything scary and I only had scary books. So I chose the book that my sister in law lent me. Me. So. All right, what about you? What are you reading? Oh, you already said Wild. Oh, my gosh. Wild.

[B]

It's a good one. I recommend it for sure. I'm not quite in the middle of it yet, but you know, that's what we're getting into though, right, Michelle? Today to be in the middle of something, to be kind of halfway through. Michelle, what. What exactly are. Why are we talking about this today?

[A]

Yeah, well, because we did a series. We're in the. Actually, we're in the middle of a series now actually about pro progress. And this was part one was actually over on the business English podcast. And that was episode just this past week. Episode 374 was Describe your progress getting started. Yeah, yeah. So we're having fun with the series. In that episode we spoke about getting ready for something. So different vocabulary to say you're about to begin. So guys, but we want to make sure that you hit the follow button. Wherever you're listening, hit it on all yours English. Also hit it over on business English because guess what? The third episode, the third and final episode is going to be back on the business English. Okay, good.

[B]

So we're going back to business English.

[A]

For the third business.

[B]

You do need to be following both shows to get the full series. The beginning, the middle and the end. I love it. So perfect.

[A]

Yes, absolutely. All right, so today we are going to talk about how to say that we've already gotten started with something thing and we're kind of in the middle. So this can be used for a process that you're doing that you want to Express or you want to ask about.

[B]

Yeah.

[A]

Could be used for many different reasons. But Lindsay, why would this be important, do you think?

[B]

Well, I really like the importance of, I mean, often when I'm busy and someone asked me to do something, I'll say, oh, I'm in the middle of doing this. Can I do it later? So telling someone that you're busy. Right. Telling someone that you're fully immersed, you are in. It's not like you just started or just finishing up. No. You're in the middle of it.

[A]

That's.

[B]

That's a big deal. Or when you're sharing something special that you're doing. Oh, I'm in the middle of visiting my kids college campus or something. For example. What else, Michelle? Anything else.

[A]

Right. Well. Or asking somebody what they're doing. Right. You know, this is all about connecting, so this is going to be huge. But yeah, Lindsay, the. In the middle of something that is, I mean, so common. I mean, let's talk about, let's do that and we'll do some other ways to share that we're in the middle. So the first one, like we said, it's I'm in the middle of something. So you could say, I'm in the middle of the best show right now. You have to watch it.

[B]

Yeah. What's interesting about these expressions is it. Yes, it is about a time span, but it's not so much about a time. Like if I'm watching a movie, I don't have to be. If it's a 90 minute movie, I don't have to be at the 45 minute mark. Right. To be able to say this. It's more about saying I'm, I'm enmeshed in something. Like I'm engrossed. I'm engrossed in something.

[A]

Right. Interesting. That's true. Right. It's not so much about being exact. Right.

[B]

Yes.

[A]

Yeah. There could be other ways to say that or to be more clear about that, which we could talk about in the future. But yeah, in the middle of. You. You don't need to be exactly in the.

[B]

Yeah. Like for example, you would, you would probably say something like, oh, I'm halfway through the movie, it'll be done in 45 minutes. If you really want to say you're in the middle of the movie. But yeah, what you're saying here is you are actively engaged in something.

[A]

Right? Yep, yep, exactly. So that one is to me, that one just rolls off the tongue. Right. I would practice that one with the pronunciation just getting really comfortable because it's very. It's. It uses a lot of connecting in the middle of it. In the middle of it. In the middle of it.

[B]

Right.

[A]

Sounds like one word.

[B]

Yeah. Or I love this one. In the thick of it. For some reason, when I think about this expression, I think of the jungle.

[A]

I don't know why, but I. I understand that.

[B]

Yeah. It's like you're pulling back all the ferns and the. Whatever you come into contact with, and the jungle is very thick. I'm in the thick of it. It's more intense. Something is more intense.

[A]

Right.

[B]

I'm in the thick of school exams right now. I can't wait until they're over. So it's an intense period of time, right?

[A]

Yes, exactly. It's not. I wouldn't say I'm in the thick of a good book.

[B]

Right. Or I'm in the thick of my day off. Like my leisurely day off.

[A]

No, no, no.

[B]

Lemonade, Sitting by the pool. No, no, no, no, no.

[A]

Right. And actually, in the thick of it can really also be used to comment on somebody else's experience. You could say, oh, I'm. Yeah, like, I've been working so hard on this, and it's tax season, blah, blah, blah. And you could say, wow, you're really in the thick of it right now, aren't you?

[B]

Right, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. And then one bonus kind of comes to my mind being like, going through it. You're really going through it. Right. So if this is a little different and I don't want to veer the topic too much, we could cover this another day. But, you know, I recently had an. I got a little bit sick recently and I had to heal from my sickness. And, you know, and someone might say to me, you're really going through it. Right? You're going through it.

[A]

Yeah.

[B]

So it's just kind of a slangy thing that's modern right now, that. Acknowledging that someone is struggling.

[A]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[B]

Just going through it. Right.

[A]

Love it, actually. Yeah. This is a great idea for another episode. Yeah. We'll come back to this hit follow.

[B]

We're gonna take a quick break and we'll be right back.

[A]

Okay.

[B]

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[A]

Yes. Moving is no fun.

[B]

Love that. Or during. So this is just a more simple word. A similar idea basically, yo. Being between two bookends. It's two bookends. Right. So we should just relax during the flight. While we're flying. During the flight. Yeah.

[A]

Right. Exactly. So, Lindsay, which. Which is your favorite? I always have to ask.

[B]

I like in the Thick of It. I think that's kind of descriptive language again. It makes me think of the jungle. I'm. I'm bushwhacking with my machete and I'm trying to pull back the ferns and things. I don't know.

[A]

Are you wearing some sort of a hat? Some sort of special hat or outfit? I'm just imagining you. Yes, exactly.

[B]

Park ranger or something. Love it. Yes. Yes. Michelle, shall we do a role play?

[A]

Let's do it. So here we are. We are friends at lunch.

[B]

Oh, my gosh. I'm going to see Wicked soon. In a few weeks, actually. I'm so excited.

[A]

Oh. We're gonna talk about it in this role play. Okay.

[B]

All right, here we go.

[A]

Have you seen Wicked?

[B]

I'm in the middle of it right now. It's a long movie.

[A]

I know. I had to get up to go to the bathroom during the movie three times when I saw it in the theater. Huh.

[B]

So how has everything else been?

[A]

Fine. Fine. I'm actually in the midst of applying to new jobs.

[B]

Oh, wow. Good luck.

[A]

Thanks. I'm in the thick of updating my resume right now.

[B]

I can look it over for you if you want.

[A]

Oh, that'd be great. Thanks.

[B]

Nice. Yes. Love that. Oh, yeah. So Wicked. So we're talking about the movie Wicked, but yeah, I'm Looking forward to seeing the play soon.

[A]

Did you see them? Did you see the play? No, no, no.

[B]

Did you see the play?

[A]

Oh, you have. All right. But did you see the movie?

[B]

I have not seen the movie because I was trying not to see it because. Yeah, I'm gonna save it. Yeah.

[A]

You know, I actually, it's funny, I forgot that I had written this role play and I finally did. We. We. Because now you can stream Wicked at home, Right? So we did. But, yeah, we did have to cut it into two parts. Really?

[B]

Is it that long? Oh, my gosh, It's.

[A]

It's about 2 hours and 40 minutes, I think.

[B]

That's a long movie.

[A]

It's a long movie. So we did. We did. Because we started it too late one night, and so we had to finish it. But I mean, it really, to me, it was. I'm not giving anything away, but it was a beautifully done M movie. Just visually. Visually was absolutely gorgeous. When you do watch the movie, let me know. But when are you seeing the show? Soon.

[B]

Yeah, we're flying to New York in a couple of weeks, actually. Probably after this. Probably before this. This comes out. We're going to fly to New York and go see Wicked. I'm. I'm looking forward to it. It's gonna be.

[A]

I'm excited for you. Have a good time. So. All right, let's do it.

[B]

All right, here we go. So we said, you. I said, I'm in the middle of it right now. You said, have you seen Wicked? You said, I'm in the middle of it right now. Meaning, again, it doesn't have to mean I'm at, you know, exactly at the halfway mark of the movie. Right, Michelle? That's important. It could be really anytime after you started it, Right?

[A]

Exactly, Exactly. So I said, I know about it being a long movie. Had to get up to go to the bathroom during the movie three times. When I saw it in the theater, I didn't see it in the theater, but yeah.

[B]

And then I said, how's everything else been? And you said, fine, fine. I'm actually in the midst of applying to new jobs. So you're mixing up. And you could have said, I'm in. I guess you couldn't have said I'm in the middle of a plot. Could you? Say that I'm in the middle of applying. Doesn't feel right.

[A]

You could. You could. But to me, this sounds.

[B]

Yeah, I'm in the midst of. Just another choice here for our listeners. I'm in the midst of applying to new jobs.

[A]

You Know why I think you could? Because I, I think you feel that way because there's no clear beginning and end.

[B]

Right.

[A]

We don't know when it's going to end. A book, you know when it's going to end, a movie, you know, the duration. Right. So I think that's maybe why it sounds a little bit different. Yes.

[B]

I 100 agree with you. You need, like, an entity that you're kind of consuming and you are in the middle. You know exactly when it begins, when it ends, to use in the middle of something, but in the midst of something, it's a little more chaotic, maybe less clear when it's going to end, when it's going to start. Are you going to take a break? Right. That kind of thing.

[A]

Right, right, right, exactly. And then I said, oh, wow, good. You said, oh, wow, good luck. And then I said, you said, thanks.

[B]

I'm in the thick of updating my resume now, and here's where we get into that intensity a little bit. Right. This one signals intensity a bit more than the others. Again, imagine the jungle. It's very hot and stinky.

[A]

And imagine Lindsay walking through the jungle.

[B]

I'd rather walk through the jungle than update my resume.

[A]

That's funny.

[B]

Oh, God. Good stuff here. All right, Michelle, what is. What should we stay tuned for next in terms of part three, again, remind our listeners where it's going to be.

[A]

All right, so that is going to be again over on the Business English podcast. So remember, just to give you that number before we did episode 374, not all ears English, on the business English podcast, our other show that was describe your progress getting started. So now that you are in the middle of this series, if you haven't listened to the beginning, go and do that over on Business English and be sure to hit follow on both of the podcasts so that you don't miss the third and final episode of the series about endings.

[B]

Perfect. I love it. And what's the takeaway today? Is there any overarching thought here for our listeners when it comes to connection?

[A]

To me, this is really important for connection. I mean, it could be used in the business world today. We've been talking about it a little bit more casually, but it's just really sharing. I like what Lindsay said, like what you're immersed in right now. It doesn't have to be exactly the middle, but it just, it does. It's. It's always a good connection topic, even to say, oh, are you in the middle of any good shows right now? Are you in the middle of the book. Right. It's just a really great way to. Because once you're in the middle, you're kind of in it. You're really in it. And so there might be a lot. There's going to be a lot to talk about at that point.

[B]

Exactly, exactly. It gives people signals as to what your life looks like right now, too. Right. If you're in the thick of applying for new jobs or doing something intense. Right. That gives people signals as to how they can kind of support you potentially. So there's a lot of connection here, Michelle. Huge connection episode. Absolutely.

[A]

Oh, well, glad we talked about this today. And yeah, enjoy Wicked when you go see it.

[B]

All right, Michelle, I'll talk to you soon. Have a good day.

[A]

All right, you too. Bye.

[B]

Bye. Thanks for listening. To all ears English. Would you like to know your ears English level? Take our two minute quiz, go to allearsenglish.com 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.