Explain the Joke

Why do English speakers laugh at jokes that leave learners puzzled? In this engaging book, ESL teacher Sean Tomás Fleming unpacks the hidden layers of English humor—puns, double meanings, and idioms that often slip past non-native speakers. Drawing on years of classroom experience, he transforms the question his students often ask—“Teacher, why are they laughing?”—into a journey of discovery.
With clarity and wit, Fleming shows how understanding humor is more than entertainment; it’s a key to cultural fluency and deeper language mastery. By the end, readers won’t just recognize the joke—they’ll laugh along, confident in their grasp of English’s playful side.