Podcasts · Education

The InFluency Podcast

Hadar Shemesh

300 episodes

The InFluency podcast is your go-to resource for learning, speaking and teaching English. Hadar Shemesh is a pronunciation expert and fluency coach with thousands of students around the world, though she herself was an intermediate speaker of English once. In this podcast she will share her best strategies for learning English, speaking English with confidence and mastering the American accent.

More about the show

Discover how becoming fluent has everything to do with acquiring the right mindset, setting goals and learning how to overcome challenges. Hadar will also share her teaching philosophy and techniques to support English teachers looking to help their students become fluent.

Episodes page 1 of 6

  1. 541. SHEEP vs. SHIP: English Vowel Pronunciation Practice

    · 6:50 · Episode 541

    Can you hear the difference between SHEEP and SHIP, SEAT and SIT, or LEAVE and LIVE? These two English vowel sounds, /i/ and /ɪ/, can be tricky to pronounce, so that's exactly what this short, quick practice episode…

  2. 540. The Psychology Behind Your Fear of Speaking English: Conversation with Kara Loewentheil

    · 29 min

    What if the thing holding you back in English isn't actually your English? In this conversation, I sit down with my friend Kara Loewentheil, bestselling author of Take Back your Brain and host of the UnF*ck Your Brain…

  3. 539. English Tenses Made Easy: Practice Grammar AND Pronunciation

    · 7:37 · Episode 539

    Want to use English tenses correctly without stopping to think about the grammar every time you speak? In this lesson, we'll practice common English verbs across the past, present, and future using the simple,…

  4. 538. Read Out Loud with me! Dare to Lead by Brené Brown | Pronunciation & Vocabulary practice

    · 24 min · Episode 538

    Want to improve your English pronunciation, intonation, vocabulary, and confidence? Read out loud with me! In this episode, we're practicing with an excerpt from Dare to Lead by Brené Brown. We'll practice together,…

  5. 537. Being introverted, sounding robotic, my story, and the Flap T | Answering your questions

    · 44 min · Episode 537

    You asked, we answered! In this Q&A, Christina and I answer questions from our Beyond community, Instagram, and YouTube audience. We got questions about pronunciation, fluency, confidence, creativity, and finding your…

  6. 536. The 3 Ways to Pronounce -ED in English

    · 10 min · Episode 536

    How do you pronounce the -ED ending in English? In this pronunciation lesson, I'll break down the 3 ways to pronounce -ED endings in English and show you how to know which pronunciation to use. We'll practice words…

  7. 535. Relocation Diaries: 3 Years Later

    · 37 min · Episode 535

    It's been nearly two years since I last shared a Relocation Diaries episode. In January of 2024, I relocated to Barcelona, Spain with my family. A few months later, my content-marketing director, Christina, moved to…

  8. 534. Tongue twisters to improve your pronunciation: From EASY to HARD

    · 9:03 · Episode 534

    Let's practice tongue twisters! These exercises are aimed at improving your pronunciation and clarity in English. These aren't easy, but hang in there ;) Want more tongue twisters? Check out this episode:…

  9. 533. 20 Years Later: My Friend From Acting School Wrote the Book I Didn't Know I Needed

    · 52 min · Episode 533

    This conversation is a very special one for me. Danielle and I met many years ago when we were both studying acting in New York, long before either of us knew where life would take us. We were young, ambitious,…

  10. 532. 5-minute TH Practice | Do this every day for 2 weeks!

    · 5:49 · Episode 532

    Want a quick, effective TH practice? Do this every day for 2 weeks and I promise, you'll feel the difference! Practice words, phrases, sentences and minimal pairs.

  11. 531. How to sound powerful in English (shadowing Jennifer Aniston)

    · 21 min · Episode 531

    Want to sound less monotone, more powerful and more expressive when you speak English? Then come shadow this scene! In this week's episode, we're practicing with a scene from The Morning Show, featuring Jennifer…

  12. 530. The 3 things I regret not starting sooner (this is one of them!)

    · 12 min · Episode 530

    How many things have you NOT done because you felt like your English wasn't ready yet? Applied for that job. Started creating content. Spoke up more. Started a business. There were three big things I postponed…

  13. 529. Pronounce Irregular Verbs the Easy Way (Grouped by Sound)

    · 8:49 · Episode 529

    In this episode, let's practice common irregular verbs according to sounds! When you organize irregular verbs by how they sound instead of how they're spelled, everything starts to click. And saying them out loud, in…

  14. 528. How to get fluent when you're on your own | Gilbert's story

    · 42 min · Episode 528

    What does it take to become fluent in English when there is no one around you who speaks English? Meet my student, Gilbert. He's from Guinea, living in Morocco, studying engineering in French, and one of my New Sound…

  15. 527. 3 Things Musicians Know About Pronunciation Practice That English Learners Don't

    · 11 min · Episode 527

    You can spend hours practicing pronunciation and still feel like you're not making progress. And sometimes, it's not because you're not practicing enough. It's because of how you're practicing. There are things…

  16. 526. How to say big numbers in English | 10-min Pronunciation Sprint

    · 13 min · Episode 526

    Do you find it hard to pronounce BIG NUMBERS in English? You're not alone! I'm not talking about our basic 1-100! As soon as we get to hundreds, thousands, or millions - things get a little messy. In this Sprint,…

  17. 525. The "ping pong" trick that makes English small talk feel natural

    · 23 min · Episode 525

    Sometimes the best conversations are like a ping-pong match. 🏓 No awkward silences, no gaps, just fast flowing conversations. Today, we're taking a scene from the TV show, First Dates to practice exactly that. We'll…

  18. 524. Do you need to reduce your accent? What that really means

    · 13 min · Episode 524

    In this episode, I'm breaking down the real difference between three things people often confuse: 1: Reducing an accent 2: Acquiring a new accent 3: Speaking with clear, predictable pronunciation. I'll share my…

  19. 523. She could barely speak English. Now she runs her own business

    · 54 min · Episode 522

    Who am I? That was the question Glenda kept asking herself when she first moved from Costa Rica to the US. She was not able to communicate and felt terrified to even answer the phone or turn on her camera in a video…

  20. 522. Daily 10-minute pronunciation exercise (Sprint)

    · 13 min · Episode 522

    These Sprints are designed to set yourself up for success using daily articulation and speech exercises to make your pronunciation effortless and to be more clear in English! Do this 10-minute pronunciation practice…

  21. 521. Read out loud with me! Atomic Habits PART 2 – Vocabulary, pronunciation and intonation

    · 26 min · Episode 521

    Get ready to read Atomic Habits Chapter 2 by James Clear out loud with me! Follow along and improve your vocabulary and pronunciation with an excerpt from Atomic Habits! Personally, I love this book. It's such a…

  22. 520. The 5 R vowels of English

    · 25 min · Episode 520

    The R is one of the hardest sounds in English…but it doesn't have to be after this episode ;) In American English, there are two R sounds: the strong R (red, around, crazy) and the soft R, or R vowels. That's when the…

  23. 519. Rediscovering your identity in English: Interview with my student, Valentina

    · 40 min · Episode 519

    If you've ever felt funny, smart, and expressive in your first language, but timid, or smaller the moment you switch to English, this conversation is for you! In this interview, I spoke with Valentina, a longtime…

  24. 518. 10 things I LOVE about being a non-native speaker

    · 25 min · Episode 518

    Today's episode is a bit different. That's because today, I am going to talk to you about the 10 reasons why I ABSOLUTELY LOVE being a non-native speaker. From having multiple personalities and voices in different…

  25. 517. How to Sound More Confident in English: 4 Speech Patterns to Notice

    · 17 min · Episode 517

    Want to sound more confident in English? In this video, I'm sharing 4 speech patterns and speaking habits that may be making you sound less confident, less clear, or less certain without you even realizing it. If…

  26. 516. 15-minute shadowing practice for English pronunciation | Breaking Bad

    · 19 min · Episode 516

    Shadowing is a great way to practice your pronunciation, prosody, grammar and so much more, but the key is knowing what to focus on. In this video, we'll practice pitch and rhythm using a scene from Breaking Bad.…

  27. 515. American English Pronunciation: The T Sound in Kitten, Button, and Manhattan

    · 14 min · Episode 515

    Do you hear people say words like kitten, Manhattan, forgotten, or written in a way that sounds different from what you learned? In this video, I'll teach you how the T is really pronounced in American English when it…

  28. 514. LISTENING and SHADOWING practice with The Devil Wears Prada 2 | FAST ENGLISH

    · 13 min · Episode 514

    Let's get ready to test your listening skills with a fast, fun clip from The Devil Wears Prada 2! First, you'll listen to the full clip and answer a few comprehension questions. Then, we'll break it down together,…

  29. 513. 5 Great Ways to Practice English (When You're Tired of Everything Else)

    · 12 min · Episode 513

    Looking for new ways to practice your English? In today's episode, I'm sharing with you some of my favorite strategies that can help you improve your fluency, listening, pronunciation, and vocabulary. I've used these…

  30. 512. The #1 Strategy to Improve Your Pronunciation Fast

    · 24 min · Episode 512

    If you've been trying to improve your English but still don't feel clear, confident, or fully yourself when you speak, this video is for you! In this lesson, I'm sharing the number one strategy I use to help students…

  31. 511. From afraid to speak to expressing herself fully in English | Real Student Story

    · 52 min · Episode 511

    In today's episode, I'm introducing you to a dear, long-time student of mine, Elisa! Elisa is Italian, and works in hospitality, but her relationship with English started long before any of that. One day, Elisa found…

  32. 510. Stop overthinking, start speaking faster | Impromptu speaking

    · 12 min · Episode 510

    Want to speak English without freezing, overthinking, or needing a full script first? In this episode, I'll show you how to practice impromptu speaking in English so you can talk more freely, clearly, and confidently,…

  33. 509. She hit rock bottom in English, then rebuilt everything

    · 48 min · Episode 509

    What happens when you prepare for your dream interview for weeks… and then get to the interview and realize you can't actually say what you want out loud? That's exactly what happened to Monica. In this student…

  34. 508. Not making progress in English? Here's what might need to change

    · 11 min · Episode 508

    Learn more about Beyond here: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N Feeling stuck in English and haven't seen progress, even though you've been working on your English for a while? This is probably because of 1 of 2 reasons:…

  35. 507. Do you know the different ways to pronounce 'CH'?

    · 6:43 · Episode 507

    In this pronunciation episode, we're breaking down the most common "CH" sounds you'll find in English (hint: there is more than one way to say it!) Follow along and repeat out loud in today's pronunciation practice!…

  36. 506. Read out loud with me! Practice vocabulary, pronunciation and connected speech | The Housemaid

    · 32 min

    Improve your vocabulary, pronunciation and pace while reading a story out loud with me! We're reading a part from The Housemaid by Frida McFadden. Download the PDF to read along with me and learn the vocabulary from…

  37. 505. Why "don't you" turns into "donchu" in spoken English: American English Pronunciation

    · 11 min · Episode 505

    Have you ever listened to a native English speaker and thought… wait, that sounds funny! You HEAR one thing, but you SEE something completely different when it's written. Today, I'm going to share with you a…

  38. 504. How English helped her say yes to a whole new life

    · 42 min · Episode 504

    In this interview, I'm bringing Jelena to the stage! Jelena is one of my New Sound and Beyond students from Serbia, who now lives in the US. When she arrived, she could barely leave her apartment. She avoided grocery…

  39. 503. How to learn vocabulary the RIGHT way

    · 15 min · Episode 503

    Are you actually learning vocabulary the right way? Most English learners aren't, and it's holding them back from real fluency! In this episode, I break down the vocabulary groups every English learner has, why your…

  40. 502. Fluency isn't A1-C2: The 5 speaking stages no one talks about

    · 19 min · Episode 502

    Take the quiz and find out your stage: https://bit.ly/3PbGOl0 Want to move up and need a boost to make it happen? Join Beyond Community? https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N For years, we've been told that fluency is measured from…

  41. 501. Shadowing Practice: English Pronunciation & Vocabulary | The Matrix

    · 23 min · Episode 501

    Get ready to practice with me! In this lesson, we're going to train our pronunciation and vocabulary by shadowing an iconic scene from The Matrix. Shadowing is one of the most effective ways to improve rhythm,…

  42. 500. English spelling is confusing. Here's proof (native speaker fails!)

    · 4:59 · Episode 500

    Have you seen that trend going around on social media where native speakers share a word they mispronounced once… and it still haunts them years later? Today we're turning those viral confessions into a pronunciation…

  43. 499. Read out loud with me! Practice vocabulary, pronunciation and connected speech | The Alchemist

    · 36 min · Episode 499

    Are you ready for another read out loud practice? In today's episode, we're reading The Alchemist by Paulo Coelho. This is an excellent way to grow your vocabulary, practice your pronunciation, and improve your flow…

  44. 498. Can you guess the primary stress? (Pronunciation Quiz)

    · 8:13 · Episode 498

    How well do you know primary stress? In today's lesson, we're doing a quiz to test your knowledge of just how much you know. For more primary stress practice, check out these videos! • How to Find the Primary Stress…

  45. 497. Pronunciation Practice: Consonant Clusters

    · 16 min · Episode 497

    Do you say estrong instead of strong? In today's video, we're talking about consonant clusters. Consonant clusters can happen at the beginning, middle or end of words, and today, we'll practice pronouncing words,…

  46. 496. 10 words even advanced speakers mispronounce

    · 12 min · Episode 496

    Today, we're stepping into the world of just how confusing English spelling can be! In this video, we're going to analyze words that even advanced speakers mispronounce. Want to keep practicing your pronunciation? Get…

  47. 495. Speaking monotone can lower your IELTS score. Here's what to do

    · 32 min · Episode 495

    Do you ever feel like you speak monotone in English? In this episode, Aubrey from the amazing All Ears English podcast is here to talk about how monotone speech can affect your IELTS speaking score (and the other ways…

  48. 494. 5 Truths About Making Mistakes in English (That Will Set You Free)

    · 16 min · Episode 494

    Are you afraid of making mistakes when you speak English? In this episode, we're talking about something that silently blocks fluency for so many people: the fear of making mistakes. In today's episode, you'll learn…

  49. 493. 10 everyday English expressions to level up your fluency in 2026

    · 11 min · Episode 493

    Today, we're learning 10 super common English expressions that will help you start the year with energy, confidence, and momentum. You might already recognize some of them, but today you'll learn what they really…

  50. 492. 5 things to LET GO OF in 2025 for better English

    · 18 min · Episode 492

    As we wrap up 2025 and step into 2026, I want to invite you to leave a few things behind with me: the need to be perfect, the fear of judgment, habits that aren't working for you, comparison, and that old story you…

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