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The InFluency Podcast

The InFluency Podcast

Hadar Shemesh 516 Episodes Aug 18, 2026

The InFluency Podcast is a resource for learning, speaking, and teaching English. Host Hadar Shemesh, a pronunciation expert and fluency coach, shares strategies for mastering the American accent and building confidence. She covers mindset, goal-setting, and overcoming challenges, and also offers teaching techniques for English teachers.

Episodes

529. Pronounce Irregular Verbs the Easy Way (Grouped by Sound)
529. Pronounce Irregular Verbs the Easy Way (Grouped by Sound) Aug 18, 2026 08:49 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 groups, in sentences is how pronunciation actually sticks. This episode is the intersection between pronunciation and grammar, and I hope you enjoy it! Want to keep going? My free
528. How to get fluent when you're on your own | Gilbert's story
528. How to get fluent when you're on your own | Gilbert's story Aug 14, 2026 42:02 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 Scholarship winners.  In this conversation, Gilbert shares how he went from silent, afraid and unable to open his mouth to someone who speaks English with confidence, teaches others,
527. 3 Things Musicians Know About Pronunciation Practice That English Learners Don't
527. 3 Things Musicians Know About Pronunciation Practice That English Learners Don't Aug 4, 2026 11:21 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 musicians know about practice that most English learners have never been taught, but they still apply to language learning just the same! In this episode, I'm sharing 3 of them with you.
526. How to say big numbers in English | 10-min Pronunciation Sprint
526. How to say big numbers in English | 10-min Pronunciation Sprint Jul 28, 2026 13:12 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, we're drilling big numbers together out loud, in real sentences, so they actually stick.  We'll practice:  ✔️ Three-digit numbers (like 304 and 989) ✔️ Four-digit numbers the natural way
525. The "ping pong" trick that makes English small talk feel natural
525. The "ping pong" trick that makes English small talk feel natural Jul 21, 2026 23:12 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 go sentence by sentence: you listen and test your comprehension, then we'll break it down, and shadow it together, paying attention to intonation, rhythm, stress, and pronunciation t
524. Do you need to reduce your accent? What that really means
524. Do you need to reduce your accent? What that really means Jul 14, 2026 13:06 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 story, why "accent reduction" is actually a myth, and what really matters, depending on your personal goals. If you want to work on your pronunciation with me, join my FREE Pronunciat
523. She could barely speak English. Now she runs her own business
523. She could barely speak English. Now she runs her own business Jul 7, 2026 54:14 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 call. In this conversation, my student Glenda shares her journey from feeling powerless and dependent on her husband for everything, to building her own dog training business, hosting
522. Daily 10-minute pronunciation exercise (Sprint)
522. Daily 10-minute pronunciation exercise (Sprint) Jun 30, 2026 12:45 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 every morning before you start your day, or before an important meeting, and you'll feel the difference. And if you want 30 daily Sprints just like this, get full access in my cours
521. Read out loud with me! Atomic Habits PART 2 – Vocabulary, pronunciation and intonation
521. Read out loud with me! Atomic Habits PART 2 – Vocabulary, pronunciation and intonation Jun 23, 2026 25:42 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 great book all about building habits that last (and these tips are great for language learning too!) Check out Chapter 1 here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/464/  Get a 30-day Audi
520. The 5 R vowels of English
520. The 5 R vowels of English Jun 16, 2026 24:38 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 R appears AFTER a vowel (car, here, first).  In this focused practice session, we're working through the 5 key R vowel sounds together. For each sound, I'll give you words and ex
519. Rediscovering your identity in English: Interview with my student, Valentina
519. Rediscovering your identity in English: Interview with my student, Valentina Jun 12, 2026 40:22 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 student of mine, to talk about something almost every English learner feels but rarely has the words for: the gap between who you are and how you show up in English. We get into the diffe
518. 10 things I LOVE about being a non-native speaker
518. 10 things I LOVE about being a non-native speaker Jun 9, 2026 24:52 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 languages, to the personal development journey that language learning truly is…this episode is not about pronunciation or grammar. Just the truth about what it means to speak more than o

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