The InFluency Podcast

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'symbol'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Symbol: sim-b'l [IPA: ˈsɪmbəl] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-pronounce-symbol/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

I'm used to interviewing other people, whether it's colleagues or students, so it was refreshing to be interviewed by Orsi, an amazing student of mine and one of the ambassadors in my signature program, New Sound! In this interview, we discuss fluency, motivation, language, and identity. Are you ready to join the conversation? Watch the video version of the interview here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/interview-with-orsi/ Want to know more about how you can be a part of my programs just like Orsi? Join the waitlist for my signature program New Sound: https://hadarshemesh.com/newsound/ Find out more about our Beyond membership and join the waitlist here: https://hadarshemesh.com/join-beyond/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words 'lunch' and 'launch'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Lunch: luhnch [IPA: ˈlʌntʃ] Launch: laanch [IPA: lɑːntʃ] or lawnch [IPA: lɔːntʃ] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/lunch-launch/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Have you heard of Binomial pairs in English? They are fun expressions in English that have a very special rhythm ? To see a list of some of the most popular binomial pairs and expressions go here: https://bit.ly/3OhlPqX Practicing the different rhythms of different types of expressions (and their meaning, of course) can really contribute to your fluency and comprehension in English. It's also FUN ? In this episode I dive into the world of Binomial Pairs. If you want to learn more about the meaning of binomial pairs, check out my blog post: https://bit.ly/3OhlPqX Other episodes you might like: Want to improve your speaking vocabulary? STOP LEARNING NEW WORDS PHRASAL VERBS – Do you REALLY need them to sound fluent? How To Learn New Vocabulary? Build Pronunciation Confidence ?

English words can be really challenging sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of challenging words and common names. This week we're going to talk about words with the P or B sound. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Pay: pei [IPA: pʰeɪ] People: pee-p'l [IPA: ˈpʰiːpəl] Picture: pik-ch'r [IPA: ˈpʰɪktʃəɹ] Pack: pak [IPA: pʰæk] Back: bak [IPA: bæk] Bay: bei [IPA: beɪ] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/p-b-in-english/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Do you feel present in your day-to-day life? How about in English conversations – are you easily distracted, too focused on how YOU sound or worrying that you won't understand the other person? As speakers of English as a second language, we are often consumed with the fear of not being able to finish our thought, being misunderstood, or not understanding the other person. These fears have a huge impact on how we show up in conversations, and can cause us to not be fully present in English. Join me for a conversation about being present in English and why it's important that we become more connected with ourselves and the people we interact with in English. More episodes about mindset: Feeling worthy: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/226/ Expectations https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/220/ Feeling Invisible https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/188/ Challenges https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/29/ Watch the episode on my YouTube channel (with English subtitles):

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'colonel'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: colonel: k'r-n'l [IPA: ˈkɜːɹnəl] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/colonel/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'vulnerable'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Vulnerable: vuhl-nuh-ruh-b'l [IPA: ˈvʌlnəɹəbəl] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/vulnerable/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

This month we celebrate LGBTQ+ Pride and call for the self-affirmation, dignity, equality, and increased visibility of LGBTQ+ people. In this episode I explain some English terms that refer to the different minorities that make up the LGBTQ+ communities, so hopefully we can all be more informed when we use or come across these terms. Want to learn the meaning of the 'plus' in LGBTQ+ ? Visit my blog post at https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/lgbtq-meaning/ For more information about LGBTQ+ pride: https://www.genderbread.org/ https://bit.ly/3nG27KR https://www.hrc.org/resources

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'equality'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Equality: i-kwaa-luh-tee [IPA: ɪˈkwɑləti] or i-kwaa-luh-dee [ɪˈkwɑləɾi] or uh-kwaa-luh-dee [IPA: əˈkwɑləɾi] Equal: ee-kw'l [IPA: ˈiːkwəl] Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/equality/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

How productive are you when it comes to your English practice? Is it easy for you to stay focused, or do you get distracted often? Even if you practice English daily (and I hope you do!) – if you're not productive, you won't see the results you're after! In this episode, I share productivity tips that will help you see real progress, and sooner than you think! Want to learn more? Check out this: Three habits to learn a language: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-learn-a-language/ Stay motivated: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/motivation-in-english/ Practice vocabulary: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-learn-new-vocabulary/ Improving your grammar: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-improve-grammar/ The illusion of learning: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/the-illusion-of-learning-english/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'acknowledge'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Know: now [IPA: noʊ] Knowledge: naa-l'dj [IPA: ˈnɑːlədʒ] Acknowledge: uhk-naa-l'dj [IPA: əkˈnɑːlədʒ] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/acknowledge/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

We grow up learning that to get what we want we have to work hard, behave well and do what other people want us to do. And because of that, sometimes we feel like we need to work really really hard to be worthy of the things we want. And you can BET this affects your experience speaking English. In this episode, I make the connection between feeling unworthy and why you're not seeing the results you want in your English. You can watch the video version with subtitles here: https://youtu.be/xUgS67i7K8s More episodes about mindset: Expectations https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/220/ Feeling Invisible https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/188/ Challenges https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/29/

English words can be really challenging sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing or challenging words. This week we're going to talk about words with TH+R clusters. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Three: three [IPA: θɹiː] Thrill: thril [IPA: θɹɪl] Through: thruw [IPA: θɹuː] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/th-r/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Join the Beyond Waitlist: https://hadarshemesh.com/wait-beyond/ What is the best way to become fluent? Practice! But not every practice is equally effective. In this episode, I'm sharing with you my top 5 fluency practice strategies that my coaches and I have been using with our students for years, and that have gotten great results! Here's a short recap of my 5 fluency practice strategies: 1. Speaking with feedback (even when you don't have anyone to give you feedback) 2. Daily speaking practice on varied topics 3. Imitation 4. Listening & Transcribing 5. Challenging yourself For more details, see this post: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/5-fluency-strategies-for-teachers-and-students/ Wordtune https://www.wordtune.com/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'focus'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Focus: fow-k's [IPA: ˈfoʊkəs] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/focus/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Download my Analysis of Taylor Swift's Speech: https://hadarshemesh.com/taylor-swift-speech-analyses-pdf/ Listen to this episode to learn new phrasal verbs, understand connected speech, and ask the question with me – What makes a good speech a good speech? Because it's not just the words, it's how we say the words, as well. The words we choose to emphasize, the melody we use to tie it all together. And listening to and watching speeches can teach us a lot about reductions, stress, connected speech, and intonation. For this episode I've chosen some parts of Taylor Swift's commencement speech at NYU and analyzed the way she used her speech to convey a powerful message. I also prepared for you a free PDF with my speech notes so you can practice this speech later at home. Here's the PDF with analysis again: https://hadarshemesh.com/taylor-swift-speech-analyses-pdf/ More Speech Analyses for your to practice: America Ferrera's Ted Talk analysis Reese Witherspoon's speech analysis Kamala Harris's Speech Analysis Simon Sinek's Speech Analysis Bill Murray's Movie Speech Breakdown Shonda Rhimes's Ted Talk Analysis Lizzo's Song lyrics Analysis

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words 'interpretation' and 'interpret'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Interpretation: in-t'r-pruh-tei-sh'n [IPA: ɪntəɹpɹəˈteɪʃən] Interpret: in-t'r-pr't [IPA: ɪnˈtɜːɹpɹət] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/interpretation/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Have you ever thought about the expectations you have of yourself when speaking English? And while there's a common belief that high expectations lead to great results – is that really true? In this podcast episode, I discuss how your expectations may affect your speaking experience, and may do more harm than good. More episodes on this topic: Why do I feel like a fraud every time I speak English? https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/11/ 10 Things You Should Stop Doing if you Want to Speak English Fluently https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/05/ Download our 30 Most Powerful English Speaking Affirmations https://hadarshemesh.com/freebie-30-affirmations/ 50 Powerful Fluency Tips (in under 5 minutes) +PDF https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/105/ Watch the video version:

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'quarter'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Quarter: kor-d'r [IPA: ˈkɔːɹɾəɹ] or kwor-d'r [IPA: ˈkwɔːɹɾəɹ] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/quarter/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Sometimes it's HARD to understand the lyrics of songs when you're listening to it for the first time. There's so much information coming your way – the melody, rhythm, stress, and of course words. Yet, I think it's such a great tool to use when practicing English. It strengthens not only our vocabulary but also our listening skills and pronunciation – especially when it comes to rhythm and connected speech. In this episode I'll use a huge hit by Lizzo, About Damn Time, and really break it down and explore the beat, the stress and reductions, and everything that makes this song so awesome. Lizzo About Damn Time | Official video https://youtu.be/IXXxciRUMzE Full About Damn Time lyrics: https://hadarshemesh.com/lizzo Lizzo Youtube https://www.youtube.com/c/Lizzo/videos

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words 'analysis', 'analyses', and 'analyze'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: analysis: uh-NA-luh-sis [IPA: əˈnæləsɪs] or uh-NA-luh-s's [IPA: əˈnæləsəs] analyses: uh-NA-luh-seez [IPA: əˈnæləsi:z] analyze: A-nuh-laiz [IPA: ˈænəlaɪz] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/analysis/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

As a speaker of English as a 2nd language, you simply CANNOT approach important speaking opportunities the same way you approach them when they're in your first language. You just can't. You don't want to survive in English. You want to thrive. In this episode I share 5 tips on how to prepare for any speaking opportunity in English so it'll set you up for success (and not failure). Get the 5 steps to succeed toolkit and step up your performance in English: https://hadarshemesh.com/prepare-meeting-freebie/ Watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/succeed-in-english/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about words with the NG sound. That's right, it's not a sequence of an N and a G sound. It's just one sound. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: sing: sing [IPA: sɪŋ] long: long [IPA: ˈlɔːŋ] or laang [IPA: lɑːŋ] ping: ping [IPA: pɪŋ] rang: rang [IPA: ɹæŋ] wrong: rong [IPA: ɹɔːŋ] or raang [IPA: ɹɑːŋ] longing: long-ing [IPA: ˈlɔːŋɪŋ] or laang-ing [IPA: lɑːŋɪŋ] singing: sing-ing [IPA: ˈsɪŋɪŋ] writing: raid-ing [IPA: ɹaɪɾɪŋ] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/ng/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Do you like learning phrasal verbs in English? But how often do you USE phrasal verbs in English? One of the best ways to internalize phrasal verbs and use them more often when speaking is to practice them in context and attach some emotion to them – just like with any other vocabulary words in English! In this episode I share SIX of my favorite phrasal verbs that relate to when I get angry. I talk about when to use them, what they mean, and how to pronounce them. Here they are: come on – disbelief or frustration at a situation or what someone said or did pissed off – just plain angry about something or at someone cut it out – stop it right now, I've had enough freak out – suddenly feel very angry or panicked blow up – suddenly lose your temper get over it – stop making such a big deal about something More episodes on phrasal verbs and vocabulary: PHRASAL VERBS – Do you REALLY need them to sound fluent? https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/phrasal-verbs-do-you-really-need-them-to-sound-fluent/ ? Download Monthly Vocabulary Builder and use it for learning new phrasal verbs here >> https://bit.ly/3xOEWjN

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'question'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: question: KWES-ch'n [IPA: ˈkwestʃən] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/question/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Want to improve your pronunciation fast? Join our 14-day 'How to Pronounce' Marathon! The marathon is going to happen on my INSTAGRAM page @hadar.accentsway where I'll be sharing a short explanation of how to pronounce tricky and challenging words. Why working on the pronunciation of single words is so useful: ? It helps you become more aware of the actual sounds in words (and not how you THINK they should sound) ? You develop an awareness of your articulation organs and how to control them ? You invest less energy in pronouncing frequent words ? You build confidence ? You enhance your active vocabulary thanks to the repetitions in the pronunciation practice! My students and followers love learning how to pronounce tricky words in English. And this is why I decided to have a 14-day marathon to practice just that. The How-to-Pronounce marathon will start on April 27. I'll share 3 single words every day and invite you to practice them with me. Best part? If you share it in your own story or feed, you might win a live 1:1 coaching session with me.?️?️ Catch up with the latest how-to pronounce video tutorials here: https://bit.ly/3OFaZfW

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words 'serious' and 'series'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: serious: si-ɹee-uhs [IPA:], or si-ɹee-y's in connected speech series: si-ɹeez [IPA:] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/serious-series/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Do you find it hard to let go of control? In life? In your relationships? In your work? You might feel like it has nothing to do with your English but it does. Because we carry this need to be in control when we speak English. What does that look like? – Not speaking before knowing exactly what you're going to say – Not pronouncing words you're uncertain of their pronunciation – Not using words you're unsure of how to use them – Not speaking much to people you don't know And more… But in order to feel more freedom when speaking English, you have to give yourself room to grow and experiment and make mistakes. And that means letting go of control. And unfortunately, many English speakers as a second language don't allow themselves that. In this episode, I share my own experience with holding on to and letting go of the need for control, and how it relates to perfectionism. Tune in and you'll get to hear how I think you can let go a bit more and really be present in your English. Why Perfectionism Will KILL Your Fluency: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/62/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'chocolate'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: chocolate: chaak-l't [IPA: ˈtʃɑːklət] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/chocolate/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://hadarshemesh.com/50-most-mispronounced-words/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words with the H sound as well as words with a silent H. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: hello: huh-low [IPA: həˈloʊ] hi/high: hai [IPA: haɪ] here: heer [IPA: hɪəɹ] home: howm [IPA: hoʊm] house: haws [IPA: haʊs] hair: her [IPA: heəɹ] hate: heit [IPA: heɪt] hotel: how-tel [IPA: ˌhoʊˈtel] hospital: haas-pi-t'l [IPA: ˈhɑːspɪtəl] hour (=our): aw'r [IPA: ˈaʊəɹ] honest: aa-n'st [IPA: ˈɑːnəst] honor: aa-n'r [IPA: ˈɑːnəɹ] heir (=air): er [IPA: eəɹ] herbs: uhrbz [IPA: hɜːɹbz] he: when stressed – hee [IPA: hi], when unstressed – ee [IPA:i] him: when stressed – him [IPA: hɪm], when unstressed – im [IPA: ɪm] her: when stressed – h'r [IPA: hɜːɹ], when unstressed – uhr [IPA: ɜːɹ] his: when stressed – hiz [IPA: hɪz], when unstressed – iz [IPA: ɪz] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/the-h/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

What does it take to feel safe and supported in your workplace or when immigrating to a new country? What is the right way to respond when you feel judged? Or criticized by others? What happens internally (and ultimately, how does it affect your communication abilities) when you feel stereotyped – only because English is not your first language? And why does it bother people when they're constantly asked "where are you from"? In my Immigrant Experience series, I've been sharing stories of students who immigrated to English-speaking countries. But I also want to share insights from people whose work involves supporting marginalized communities, including immigrants. One person who can speak to that experience is Gina Gomez, a business strategist & advisor who has founded a business development company that works with some of the biggest companies in the world. Gina's company specializes in diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. She has helped dozens of clients (myself included) create an inclusive and respectful business. In this episode, Gina and I discuss how being a speaker of English as a second language in certain environments could foster microaggression and micro-inequities. She will explain what those behaviors are, what they look and sound like, and how to manage them in the best possible way. She will also share some insights from her own personal and professional experience, as well as tips and strategies on how to deal with microaggressions and discrimination. To learn more about Gina and her work, visit her at: https://ginagomezandassociates.com and connect with her on Instagram https://www.instagram.com/ginagomezandassociates/ #immigrant_experience If you like this episode, you'd love to meet Rita and Marcelo, who shared with me their immigrant experience. – Battling Discrimination and Discovering Self-Worth in a New Country – She immigrated to the U.S. at the age of 45… this is what happened

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'pretty'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: pretty: pri-dee [IPA: ˈprɪɾi] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/pretty/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

If English is not your native language, does that mean you have to compromise on the things you want to achieve in your life? Listening to the stories in this episode, you'll see that the answer is absolutely not. For my students who you will meet in this episode, English used to be a huge obstacle that was impossible to overcome. But with the right strategy, practice technique, and mindset, they were able to make an incredible transformation in their English that led to making incredible changes in their lives, well-being, confidence, self-worth, and even salary! These are the stories of my New Sound students. Each of these remarkable individuals shares stories about their English journey, and especially their moments of success – a true testament to the fact that English doesn't have to be a barrier in our lives. And if you have the right roadmap, getting to that point is closer than you think. Watch the episode and hear Oscar Montez, who joined NS after watching my previous student success panel… now HE is the one sharing his success story today; and Francis Kodama, who felt like he lost his super powers when he moved to Canada, but has now gained them back again; as well as Jelena Tosovic, who doesn't let her fear of making mistakes hold her back from achieving professional success! You'll also get to know Jessica Anderson, who landed a job in the US after taking New Sound; and Aline de Souza, who found freedom in English; and Šárka Mitterwaldová, who now loves speaking in English and does it proudly and joyously. Learn more about my signature program: https://hadarshemesh.com/newsound/

Does a native accent guarantee ultimate confidence and freedom? Recently I've been getting a bunch of questions from people who want to speak with a native accent because they don't feel confident in English. But is that the solution? In this video, I'll answer that! I'll also share with you what has REALLY helped me and thousands of my students reach limitless fluency (Hint: YES it's about pronunciation, and NO, it's not about sounding native!) You'll get to hear some of my students too, who will share their experiences and how they have changed. Check out more episodes on this topic: Speak English Like A Native Speaker – THE MYTH https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/speak-english-like-a-native-speaker-myth/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words, common names, and expressions. This week we're going to talk about the words 'eventually' and 'actually'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: eventually: uh-ven-shuh-lee [IPA: əˈvenʃəli] or uh-ven-chuh-lee [IPA: əˈventʃəli] actually: ak-chuw-uh-lee [IPA: ˈæktʃuəli] or ak-shuh-lee [IPA: ˈækʃəli] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/eventually/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words, common names, and expressions. This week we're going to talk about the saying 'figure it out'. Here's a loose transcription of the saying as explained in the episode: Figure it out: fig-yuh-ruh-dawt [IPA: ˈfɪɡjər əɾ aʊt] or [IPA: ˈfɪɡjər əɾ æʊt] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/figure-it-out/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

How do you feel about yourself when you speak English? How do you handle criticism about your English? The way you experience your English is key to your communication, confidence, and growth as a speaker. In this episode I'll discuss two types of mindsets: fixed mindset and growth mindset, and how you can shift from a fixed mindset to a growth mindset in specific situations, so you can achieve more freedom in your English. Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck https://youtu.be/hiiEeMN7vbQ My episodes about mindset in English: The Single Most Effective Way To Improve Your English https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-improve-english/ 5 things I wish I knew about English Fluency when I was 20 https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/finally-fluent-in-english-2/ 10 ways to DESTROY your English Fluency https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/speak-english-fluently/ Why English learners Fail https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/why-english-learners-fail/ What Do You Do When Someone Criticizes Your English? https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/how-to-handle-criticism-of-your-english/

Episode 200! Woo-hoo! In this podcast-convo, I'll share with you what I loved most about making the previous 200 episodes and what I'm hoping to do more in the next 200 episodes! I'll also share with you a list of the 10 most downloaded episodes of the InFluency podcast, and what I think about them! And here they are!! The Schwa: How One TINY Sound Can Make a HUGE Difference How to effectively practice your intonation in English Why I Quit Acting and Became an Accent Coach | My story 10 Things You Should Stop Doing if you Want to Speak English Fluently American Intonation: What They Don't Teach You In School How to Stay Motivated When Learning English Why pronunciation is important when learning a language Why Perfectionism Will KILL Your Fluency How Small, Smart Choices Can Transform Your English | The Compound Effect Why do I feel like a fraud every time I speak English? | The Impostor Syndrome If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

In this Immigrant Experience interview, we'll hear the story of Marcelo Silveira, who moved from Brazil to the U.S. for work. In this interview Marcelo openly talks about his experience as an immigrant and the rough start he had when he first moved to the U.S. He talks about the loss of identity as an immigrant and the need to reinvent himself. He also talks about what it was like to be facing small incidents of discrimination, that affected his self-worth and confidence. But most importantly he will tell us about overcoming all obstacles and reinventing himself in this new country. Marcelo is an inspiration and an active member in our community, and I'm proud to call him our student. Every immigrant has a story. A story about their journey, their identity, their accomplishments and struggles, and of course, the place of English in it. Many of my students are immigrants, I was an immigrant myself. There are commonalities, for sure, but each story is unique, a story worth telling and listening to. If you'd like to share your English story as an immigrant, we'd be happy to hear it (click here https://bit.ly/3GSp6d4). During the next few months I'll share some of your stories, answer questions you might have, and host immigrants, as well as people whose work involves English and the immigrant experience. Some videos on the things we talked about with Marcelo: How to gain confidence in your English https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/confidence-in-english/ Why it's not cool to talk about people's accents https://www.instagram.com/p/CRCErfFCplG/ DON'T ASK me about my ACCENT https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/dont-ask-about-my-accent/ Other guests of the Immigrant Experience Series: Rita's Immigration journey https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/192/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the words 'her' and 'hair'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: hair: her [IPA: heəɹ] her: h'r [IPA: hɜːɹ] or h'r [IPA: həɹ] hurt: h'rt [IPA: hɜːɹt] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/her-hair/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Do you use shadowing when practicing English? Shadowing is one of the best ways to improve your English speaking skills as it helps improve pronunciation, intonation, and vocabulary. It can also help you improve *unconsciously* things like rhythm, stress, grammar, and more. Sounds like fun, no? But, it can also be a WASTE OF TIME! Without proper guidance, it's easy to fall into the trap of practicing it in an ineffective way! And then you won't be seeing the results you COULD be seeing. ? If you've been using the shadowing technique for a while, in this episode you'll discover the biggest mistake people make when shadowing, and also learn a bunch of other tips to optimize your practice ? ? If you have no idea what shadowing is – this episode is definitely for you as you'll learn about one of the best practice techniques, and how to do it right! ??I collected a list with all the best apps and resources for shadowing, for you! You can get it (and watch the video version) here >> https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/shadowing-in-english/ ?? Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'particularly'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: particularly: p'r-ti-kyuh-l'r-lee [IPA: pərˈtɪkjələrli] or puh-ti-kyuh-l'r-lee [IPA: pəˈtɪkjələrli] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/particularly/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Tongue twisters can be a pain in the b**t in ANY LANGUAGE! They can be frustrating, discouraging, and you may even think they're pointless. So why am I obsessed with tongue twisters?!? Listen to this episode to find out, as I try to make a case for tongue twisters. Maybe I'll even convince you Once you're convinced, go to my website to access my tongue-twister playlist! Something fun to add to your daily practice routine ?? https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/tongue-twisters-in-english/ Join the In-fluency Community here: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/ More episodes for daily practice to build pronunciation confidence: A List of Short & Sweet daily pronunciation exercises https://bit.ly/3pQPvAV Sprint #1 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr1 Sprint #2 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr2 Sprint #3 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr3 Morning Pronunciation Routine https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/pronunciation-practice-english/ R Bootcamp https://bit.ly/3rO0EF1

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the minimal pair, 'pool' and 'pull'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: pool: puwl [IPA: puːl] food: fuwd [IPA: fuːd] you: yuw [IPA: yuː] who'd: huwd [IPA: huːd] kook: kuwk [IPA: kuːk] Luke: luwk [IPA: luːk] fruit juice: fruwt djuws [IPA: fruːt dʒuːs] pull: pul [IPA: pʊl] foot: fut [IPA: fʊt] cook: kuk [IPA: kʊk] look: luk [IPA: lʊk] book: buk [IPA: bʊk] cookie: ku-kee [IPA: kʊki] hood: hud [IPA: hʊd] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/pool-pull/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'luxury'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: luxury: luhg-juh-ree [IPA: ˈlʌɡʒəri] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/luxury/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Every immigrant has a story. A story about their journey and the place of English in it. Many of my students are immigrants, I was an immigrant myself. There are commonalities, for sure, but each story is unique, a story worth telling and listening to. In this episode, I'll be interviewing Rita Ramirez. Rita is a real estate salesperson, originally from Colombia, now residing in the US. Rita was a student in my program Accent Makeover and is a member of our practice group Beyond. As a real estate salesperson, one of her goals is promoting real estate investment within the Latino Community in Las Vegas. If you'd like to share your English story as an immigrant, I'd be happy to hear from you (click here https://bit.ly/3GSp6d4). During the next months I'll share some of your stories, answer questions you might have, and host immigrants as well as people whose work involves English and the immigrant experience. #immigrantexperience If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the minimal pair, 'bed' and 'bad'. Here's a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: bed: bed [IPA: bɛd] red: red [IPA: rɛd] head: head [IPA: hɛd] set: set [IPA: sɛt] left: left [IPA: lɛft] send: send [IPA: sɛnd] bad: bad [IPA: bæd] cat: cat [IPA: kæt] happy: ha-pee [IPA: hæpi] that: that [IPA: ðæt] sat: sat [IPA: læft] had: had [IPA: hæd] sand: sand [IPA: sænd] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/bed-bad/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/

Download Free English Pronunciation Guide + audio practice here: https://hadarshemesh.com/english-for-arabic-speakers-pdf/ In this episode, I'm going to talk about the biggest English pronunciation challenges for speakers of Modern Standard Arabic – all broken down and explained. You'll learn what those main challenges are, why they are difficult, but more than that – you'll learn how to overcome them and become a more confident and clear speaker of English. Not an Arabic speaker? I bet that as a non-native speaker of English you can still find at least one challenge that is relevant to you Let me know what it is in the comments below! I also created for you a free pronunciation guide with 5 MORE challenges to practice that are not discussed in the video. Download the guide here: https://hadarshemesh.com/english-for-arabic-speakers-pdf/ Video about English Consonants: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/english-consonants/ Video about English Vowels: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/english-vowels/ Check out my SPRINTS – Effective Practice to boost your vocabulary, grammar and pronunciation: Sprint #1 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr1 Sprint #2 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr2 Sprint #3 https://hadarshemesh.com/spr3 Morning Pronunciation Routine https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/pronunciation-practice-english/ Daily Pronunciation routine https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/english-practice/

English words can be really confusing sometimes. In these how-to-pronounce episodes published on Fridays, I'll help you with the pronunciation of confusing words and common names. This week we're going to talk about the word 'months'. Here's a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: Months: muhnths [IPA: mʌnθs] or muhns [IPA: mʌns] You can watch the video version here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/months/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/audio-accent-course/ You can also download an interactive list of 50 of the most mispronounced words in English and master the pronunciation of those tricky words: https://theaccentsway.com/mispro-signup/ Join our Facebook community to connect with non-native English learners from all over the world: https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/