A girl walking on the street and eating at the same time

Watch, listen, understand and speak!

What does 'on the hoof' actually mean?

If you do something on the hoof, you do it while doing something else. It's a form of multitasking.

Example: I'm going to learn my English on the hoof today, as I've got to get some exercise and have planned on a 2O min run for lunch.

You see, you can actually learn English while you're walking, running or even driving with the podcasts here.
Simply download the audio and put on your handsfree or Bluetooth and you're away. Couldn't be easier.

The Pecking Order Idiom

Would you believe that many of our everyday — and even business — expressions come from our feathered friends?

In English in the Barn, you’ll discover the origins of common idiomatic expressions and see how they are used in everyday language. Through short videos, we explore these phrases in a fun and memorable way.

Alongside the shorts, you’ll also find free resources for teaching and learning. Test yourself with practical exercises, and if you have a little more time, dive deeper into the vocabulary behind each expression with the longer video.

Vocabulary Deep‑Dive

You might find the 'short' a little fast to understand all the expressions. This is a deep-dive into the expressions used.
You'll see how we use them, why we use them and most importantly when we use them in day to day living. If you enjoyed it, you might like to try this little quiz to see if you can remember them all.

Still having problems mastering those idiomatic expressions and understanding humour?
You've just found the antidote!

Si vous souhaitez apprendre ou améliorer votre anglais, consultez les cours disponibles.

English learning on the hoof! Join the next Class!