Episode 348
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Hi! I’m Georgiana, and I’m back with a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast—the podcast that helps you speak English fluently, with no grammar and no textbooks.
Today, I want to tell you about a book that I really love—Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott.
To be honest, it’s one of my all-time favorite stories.
It’s warm, emotional, and full of life. I’ve listened to the audiobook version, and what makes it extra special is that it’s a full-cast recording. That means each character has a different voice. It’s not just one person reading the book—it sounds more like a movie. And it really brings the story to life.
And every year, I watch the 1994 movie adaptation. Yes, the one with Winona Ryder as Jo. It’s my favorite version. I know there’s a newer one, but the 1994 film just feels cozy and nostalgic. I never get tired of it. It has that warm, comforting feeling that makes you want to slow down and dream a little.
This lovely novel tells the story of four sisters navigating the challenges of adolescence and adulthood during the American Civil War. We’ll explore their unique personalities, personal struggles, and the values the story highlights—such as perseverance, growth, and the strength of family bonds.
"Little Women" follows the lives of four sisters: Meg, Jo, Beth, and Amy March.
They live with their devoted mother, Marmee, while their father serves in the war. Although the family doesn’t have much money, their home is full of love, creativity, and moral lessons.
Each sister is distinctly different:
Jo is bold, intelligent, and determined to become a successful writer.
Meg, the eldest, is mature and dreams of romance and domestic life.
Beth is gentle, selfless, and deeply compassionate.
Amy is artistic, ambitious, and concerned with status and beauty.
The novel follows their journey as they grow up, face personal and family hardships, and pursue their dreams. As they mature, each sister must make difficult choices and confront the realities of life, love, and identity.
A key theme is personal development. The sisters’ dreams evolve as they encounter success, failure, love, and loss. But through it all, their strong bond as sisters gives them strength, comfort, and a deep sense of connection.
But don’t worry—you don’t need to read the whole book today. I’ll tell you a short story based on Jo’s dream of becoming a writer. And after that, I’ll tell you the same story again—but in a different verb tense. This is what we call a Point of View Story, and it’s one of the best ways to practice English without thinking about grammar rules.
Now, let’s practice.
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GRAMMAR MADE EASY
POV Story: Grammar in Context
Read the same story in two different points of view and notice how the grammar changes naturally.
Past Tense - Third Person
Jo was a girl with a wild imagination.
She loved writing stories—funny stories, strange stories, even scary stories with ghosts, goblins, and magical hats.
Every morning, she made herself a big cup of tea, grabbed her pen, and sat by the window at her tiny desk.
She wrote and wrote until her hand got tired. But she didn’t mind. She loved every second.
Jo dreamed of becoming a famous writer. She imagined people lining up outside bookstores to buy her books. She imagined signing autographs and hearing people say, “Wow, Jo March is amazing!”
But there was a problem…
The publishers said “No.”
One said, “Too strange.”
Another said, “Too long.”
And one even wrote back, “Too many goblins!”
Jo felt disappointed—but only for about five minutes.
Then she stood up, stretched, and said,
“No one can stop me. Not even a thousand goblins!”
So she kept writing.
She wrote under her bed.
She wrote on the stairs.
And then one rainy afternoon…
She opened a letter.
Her eyes got big. She screamed, “YES!”
A magazine wanted to publish her story!
She jumped, she danced, and she almost stepped on her cat, Whiskers.
She ran to her sisters and shouted, “They said yes!”
Her sisters hugged her, clapped, and made hot cocoa to celebrate.
That night, Jo fell asleep with ink on her hands and a story in her heart.
Future Tense - Third Person
Now let’s tell the same story again—but in the future tense. Everything will stay the same, but we’ll talk about it as if it’s going to happen.
Let’s begin...
Jo will be a girl with a wild imagination.
She will love writing stories—funny stories, strange stories, and scary stories with ghosts, goblins, and magical hats.
Every morning, she will make a big cup of tea, grab her pen, and sit at her tiny desk near the window.
She will write and write until her hand gets tired—but she won’t mind. She will enjoy every second.
Jo will dream of becoming a famous writer. She will imagine long lines at bookstores and people asking for her autograph.
But there will be a problem…
The publishers will say “No.”
One will say, “Too strange.”
Another will say, “Too long.”
And one will say, “Too many goblins!”
Jo will feel disappointed—but only for five minutes.
Then she will stand up, stretch, and say,
“No one will stop me—not even a thousand goblins!”
So she will keep writing.
She will write under the bed.
She will write on the stairs.
And then, one rainy afternoon…
She will open a letter.
Her eyes will get big. She will scream, “YES!”
A magazine will want to publish her story!
She will jump, dance, and almost step on her cat.
She will run to her sisters and shout, “They said yes!”
Her sisters will hug her and make hot cocoa to celebrate.
That night, Jo will fall asleep with ink on her hands and a story in her heart.
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
full-cast recording
an audiobook in which different actors perform different characters.
adaptation
a film or other work based on a book.
nostalgic
bringing back warm feelings about the past.
perseverance
continued effort despite difficulty or rejection.
publisher
a company that prepares and sells books or magazines.
manuscript
the original written version of a book or story.
rejection
a refusal to accept or publish something.
autograph
a famous person’s signature given to a fan.
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