The InFluency Podcast

517. How to Sound More Confident in English: 4 Speech Patterns to Notice 02.06.2026 16min

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 English is your second language, these patterns may come from your first language or from habits you've built over time. The good news is that once you become aware of them, you can start changing them and sound more clear, natural, and confident in English. In this episode, we'll talk about: how rising intonation can make you sound uncertain why dropping your volume at the end of a sentence affects clarity how separating every word can hurt your flow why speaking too fast can make you sound less confident If you want to go deeper, save your seat to my free Pronunciation Masterclass! https://bit.ly/4cUif4r

516. 15-minute shadowing practice for English pronunciation | Breaking Bad 26.05.2026 18min

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. Download the script to follow along with: https://bit.ly/4v8pa1d Check out my other shadowing videos here: https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t Join my pronunciation masterclass: https://bit.ly/4cUif4r

515. American English Pronunciation: The T Sound in Kitten, Button, and Manhattan 19.05.2026 13min

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 appears before a reduced vowel (schwa) and N, like in the words kitten, button, certain, written, and forgotten. Disclosure: This sound is a nuance of American English! It's not necessary for clear pronunciation. This lesson is here to help you notice the pattern, improve your listening, and practice the details of American English pronunciation if that's something you want to work on. If you want to go deeper into pronunciation and learn how it can improve your fluency, clarity, and confidence, join my free Pronunciation Masterclass here: https://bit.ly/4cUif4r

514. LISTENING and SHADOWING practice with The Devil Wears Prada 2 | FAST ENGLISH 12.05.2026 13min

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, fill in the missing words, then uncover the connected speech, rhythm, stress, and intonation, and finally shadow the scene line by line. This episode will help you: - Understand fast English in context - Identify reduced and connected words - Notice pitch, rhythm, and tone of voice - Shadow naturally full of expression Liked this? check out my shadowing episode with The Devil Wears Prada 1: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/482/ Want to improve your pronunciation and understand fast English with more confidence? Join my free pronunciation masterclass here: https://bit.ly/4cUif4r

513. 5 Great Ways to Practice English (When You're Tired of Everything Else) 05.05.2026 12min

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 myself learning English (and now Spanish!) and I've shared them with my students time and time again. These strategies are simple, powerful, and will help you turn everyday English practice into something more active, consistent, and fun. Do you want to build a consistent English practice routine? Learn more about Beyond, my English practice community: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N More resources for you to practice with: My shadowing YouTube playlist https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t Vocabulary practice YouTube playlist: https://bit.ly/4cZItm4 Impromptu speaking practice episode: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/510/ My membership Beyond: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

512. The #1 Strategy to Improve Your Pronunciation Fast 29.04.2026 24min

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 improve their pronunciation, speak more clearly, and feel more confident in English. A lot of people think pronunciation is only important if you want to sound more polished, that pronunciation is a 'luxury' problem. But the truth is, pronunciation is a core part of fluency. It affects how clearly you communicate, how easily people understand you, and how confident you feel when you speak. In this episode, we'll talk about: Why pronunciation matters so much for fluency and confidence The difference between sounds and the music of English How pronunciation work can improve clarity, credibility, and ease My step by step method for improving pronunciation effectively How to identify what to practice first so you can get better results faster If you're ready to improve your pronunciation, intonation, rhythm, and stress, this will help you build a stronger foundation and start seeing results. Want to go deeper? Join my free Pronunciation Masterclass! https://bit.ly/4cUif4r

511. From afraid to speak to expressing herself fully in English | Real Student Story 24.04.2026 52min

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 herself stuck in a cycle: consuming English every day through music, YouTube and movies, but terrified to speak a single sentence out loud. In this interview, Elisa will share with us the exact shifts that changed everything for her: how she moved from overthinking every word to focusing on the message and what it felt like to finally become not just a more confident English speaker, but a more confident person. If you have ever told yourself, "I'm not ready yet," this one is for you! ⬇️ Resources mentioned: Free Shadowing Practice Playlist: https://bit.ly/4fx9j4t Read Out Loud With Me Series: https://bit.ly/4cFoiJV New Sound Course: https://bit.ly/4cGxbmC Beyond membership: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

510. Stop overthinking, start speaking faster | Impromptu speaking 21.04.2026 11min

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, even when you have little time to prepare. Impromptu speaking is one of the best ways to improve your fluency because it helps you close the gap between the English you know and the English you actually speak. It also helps you think faster, organize your thoughts, build vocabulary in context, and speak with more ease. Check out this website for impromptu speech topics: https://random-topic-generator-woad.vercel.app Here is a list of other prompts for you to practice with: A skill I wish I had Is social media more helpful or harmful? Are people too dependent on technology? Do we have too many choices today? Is working from home better than working in an office? The importance of discipline Should people follow passion or money? Why presentation skills matter

509. She hit rock bottom in English, then rebuilt everything 14.04.2026 47min

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 interview, Monica shares the heartbreaking moment that changed everything in her English journey. After being invited to interview for her dream position, she realized that all her preparation had stayed in her head. The moment she had to speak, she froze. And that painful experience became the turning point that pushed her to finally change the way she was learning English. Since then, Monica has completely transformed the way she speaks, practices, and shows up in English. In this conversation, we talk about: How one difficult interview became her wake-up call, why passive learning wasn't enough, how daily habits helped her become consistent, the role of pronunciation and prosody in building confidence, and how English helped her reconnect with her purpose Monica's story is powerful, honest, and incredibly inspiring. If you've ever felt like English was holding you back from showing the world who you really are, this conversation is for you. I'm so honored to share Monica's story with you. She is thoughtful, brave, and deeply inspiring, and I know you're going to love her. Check out Monica's Instagram here: https://www.instagram.com/frenchsoundsbeautiful/ Monica discovered me through Luke's English Podcast. Watch that interview here! https://teacherluke.co.uk/2023/06/20/831-learning-how-to-learn-with-hadar-shemesh

508. Not making progress in English? Here's what might need to change 07.04.2026 11min

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: Reason 1: You're not practicing consistently Reason 2: You're learning in a way that is not actually effective This video is focused on how to shift your mindset, build better habits, and create a learning experience that helps you feel more confident, more free, and more like yourself in English. I'm sharing with you 5 powerful values that can completely transform the way you practice English: Action over comfort Practice builds confidence Communication over perfection Lead with care Own your growth These are the same values we use inside Beyond, our English practice community, and they can help you change not only how you learn English, but how you show up for yourself.

507. Do you know the different ways to pronounce 'CH'? 31.03.2026 6min

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! Did you enjoy this practice? Want more? Join my free 14-day pronunciation plan! https://bit.ly/3YAWcJ5 * There are two other pronunciations of CH not mentioned in the episode. Yacht → the CH is silent Loch → in some dialects, it's pronounced as a /x/.

506. Read out loud with me! Practice vocabulary, pronunciation and connected speech | The Housemaid 24.03.2026 31min

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 the episode! https://bit.ly/4sqQeb7 #readaloud #readoutloud #thehousemaid #reading Want more reading practice? Check out my read along playlist! https://bit.ly/4dcJedr

505. Why "don't you" turns into "donchu" in spoken English: American English Pronunciation 19.03.2026 11min

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 linguistic feature of English called coalescence (also known as fusion). It's one of the most common processes in spoken English. Once you understand it, a lot of things that used to sound confusing will suddenly make perfect sense, AND know this will help you understand native speakers so. much. better. To practice more, download the free practice sheet here → https://bit.ly/4sTJH8O For more information about consonants, check out my consonants masterclass → https://bit.ly/4sZkkTb

504. How English helped her say yes to a whole new life 13.03.2026 42min

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 stores, doctor's appointments, and meetings with her supervisor. Today? She's a research fellow, teaches salsa in English, and has a thriving social life she once thought to be impossible. In this conversation, she shares: What it really felt like to be isolated and dependent on her husband's English The turning point that proved she could communicate outside a "safe environment" Why pronunciation work was the key that unlocked her confidence How mindset shifts that changed everything What she'd recommend to anyone stuck in the same loop she was in This is the kind of conversation I love having: a public catch-up with a former student who is living proof that English doesn't have to be an obstacle to the life you want. 👉 Learn more about New Sound: https://bit.ly/4uqgMuD 👉 Practice with my Sprints for free: https://bit.ly/43pCotf Jelena's story is not unique, it's what's possible. If you've ever avoided a doctor's appointment, stayed silent in a meeting, or felt like a different person in English, this one's for you. ❤️

503. How to learn vocabulary the RIGHT way 11.03.2026 14min

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 passive vocabulary is secretly your biggest asset, and the #1 mistake people make when trying to memorize new words (hint: it's all about quantity vs. quality)! If you've ever felt like you know a word but can't find it when you're speaking… this episode is for you! ♥️ Download my FREE vocabulary planner: https://bit.ly/3XiF0qv Join Beyond: https://bit.ly/4nrfM5N

502. Fluency isn't A1-C2: The 5 speaking stages no one talks about 03.03.2026 19min

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 A1 to C2. But those levels measure grammar and comprehension. They don't measure how you show up when you speak. You can be "B2" and still avoid conversations. You can understand everything… and still feel anxious when it's your turn to talk. So what if fluency isn't about levels… but about stages of speaking confidence? In this video, I introduce a different way to think about fluency! With the 5 Speaking Stages. 1️⃣ The Avoider 2️⃣ The Anxious Speaker 3️⃣ The Brave Speaker 4️⃣ The Challenger 5️⃣ The Influencer ✨ Want to find out YOUR stage? Take the Speaking Stage Quiz here! https://bit.ly/3PbGOl0

501. Shadowing Practice: English Pronunciation & Vocabulary | The Matrix 24.02.2026 22min

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, stress, intonation, and connected speech. Instead of just listening, we repeat with the speaker in real time. We copy the melody, the reductions, and the flow. In this episode, we will: Break down key pronunciation challenges Practice connected speech and reductions Learn natural vocabulary from the scene Repeat together step by step And more! Download the Matrix PDF here: https://bit.ly/3MMXI8L

500. English spelling is confusing. Here's proof (native speaker fails!) 17.02.2026 4min

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 lesson 🙈 You'll learn how to pronounce Hepatitis, chihuahua, paradigm, fatigue, stomachaches, Yosemite, Arkansas, Connecticut, chaos, elbow, and manslaughter. I'll explain where the primary stress goes, why some letters are silent, how American pronunciation changes certain sounds, why English spelling can be so confusing and why even native speakers get it wrong! Here's the truth: English is not a phonetic language. You cannot always guess the pronunciation from the spelling. That is exactly why mispronunciations happen. And not just to non-native speakers. If you want more lessons on pronunciation, fluency, and building confidence in English, make sure to subscribe to my FREE Accent Crash Course! https://bit.ly/3BnPC0S

499. Read out loud with me! Practice vocabulary, pronunciation and connected speech | The Alchemist 11.02.2026 35min

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 while reading. Download the book excerpt with vocabulary definitions and audio: https://bit.ly/4tzLMYQ Liked these? Check out more videos like these: Read along with Harry Potter: https://bit.ly/401eST4 Read along with Let Them: https://bit.ly/4tldKHs Read along with Atomic Habits: https://bit.ly/4qyEq4N

498. Can you guess the primary stress? (Pronunciation Quiz) 03.02.2026 8min

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 in Words https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-find-the-primary-stress-in-words/ Everything you need to know about WORD STRESS in English https://youtu.be/QR50k5Kz63o Keep practicing with my FREE Accent Crash Course: https://bit.ly/3BnPC0S