We're gonna need a bigger boat. - Jaws.

Here's Johnny! - The Shining.

Be afraid. Be very afraid. - The Fly.

Do you like watching horror movies?

I don't really like them, but I know that millions of people do, so I thought Halloween would be a good opportunity to look at the genre.

In today's episode, you'll learn about:

• the vocabulary we use when talking about horror movies (and the way they make us feel!);
• the reasons why people like them and the reported benefits of watching these types of movies & TV shows, or reading horror books;
• the most popular and enduring horror movies of all time - be afraid!

Horror is a genre we see in movies, TV shows, video games, and books, and Halloween is often the occasion when fans rewatch their favourite scary movie, or perhaps dress up as their favourite character. Are you a fan? Do you have a favourite?

I hope you enjoy the episode and that you learn a new thing or two. With this episode, I challenge you to listen for the most common sound in English, the schwa /ə/. Make a list of words you hear that have this reduced sound. It's not easy, but I'm sure you can notice a couple, and maybe even a few.

If you'd like to dig deeper into the sounds of spoken English, the advanced vocabulary in the episode, and join the monthly live discussion, remember to become a member of HEAR WE GO, a podcast community over on Patreon. I'd love to see you there!

Our next Zoom meeting is this Saturday, November 4th at 9 AM EST (that's Toronto/New York time zone).

Thanks for listening,

Catherine

P.S. The Harvard Business Review article: The Psychology Behind Why We Love (or Hate) Horror.

**********

I'm always over on Instagram, and you can also learn more about me and my work at English With Catherine.

Stay tuned for E32, another conversation with an English Language Teacher, coming on November 14th.

**********

As always, special thanks to Amos the Transparent for the theme music.