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 function words ‘and’, ‘or’, ‘for’ and ‘of’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: and: and [IPA: ænd] or euhnd [IPA: eənd] or ‘n [IPA: ən] or: awr [IPA: ɔːr] or uhr [IPA: ər] or uh [IPA: ə] for: fawr [IPA: fɔːr] or f’r [IPA: fər] of: uhv [IPA: ʌv]...
Sep 17, 2021•10 min•Ep 158•Transcript available on Metacast You wanted it, you got it! In this episode I’ll talk about the schwa vowel sound. Understanding it will help you sound more natural and effortless, and will help you pronounce words clearly. You’ll learn why the schwa is so important, and what makes it hard to understand. But fear not – you’ll find answers in this episode and learn how to identify and practice it in words and sentences. Are you ready? What’s your favorite word with the Schwa sound? Put it in the comments! The Schwa episode (long...
Sep 14, 2021•26 min•Ep 157•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ‘ clothes ’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: clothes: klow-thz [IPA: kloʊðz] or klowz [IPA: kloʊz] close (verb): klowz [IPA: kloʊz] close (adjective/adverb): klows [IPA: kloʊs] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken En...
Sep 10, 2021•3 min•Ep 156•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ‘strategy’. Here’s a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: strategy: stra-duh-djee [IPA: strætədʒi] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/a...
Sep 03, 2021•3 min•Ep 155•Transcript available on Metacast Is receiving compliments about your English HARD or EASY for you? Do you feel good and respond with a THANK YOU? Or do you start explaining (or thinking) why you’re not really worthy of those compliments? If that’s the case, today’s episode is really for you. I’ll talk about why taking compliments can be so hard, and why we need to start celebrating small achievements to feel better about English. Mentioned in the episode: Why do I feel like a fraud every time I speak English? | The Impostor Syn...
Aug 31, 2021•14 min•Ep 154•Transcript available on Metacast 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 tricky pair -‘thirty’ and ‘thirteen’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: thirty: th’r-di [IPA: θɜːrti] - stress on the first syllable thirteen: th’r-teen [IPA: θɜːrti:n] - stress on the last syllable If you want to improve your accent and under...
Aug 27, 2021•4 min•Ep 153•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode I’m talking about one of the best tools for improving our fluency and communication in general in English: making a video of yourself speaking in English. You’ll get some great tips that will make you a confident and present English speaker. To watch the video and take a behind-the-scenes tour in my studio go here: https://theaccentsway.com/making-videos/ Join my FREE community where we practice with videos https://hadarshemesh.com/influency-community/ Beyond – my incredible Engl...
Aug 24, 2021•9 min•Ep 152•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ‘restaurant’. Here’s a loose transcription of the word as explained in the episode: restaurant: rest-raant [IPA: restrɑːnt] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: https://hadarshemesh.com/...
Aug 20, 2021•3 min•Ep 151•Transcript available on Metacast Do English phrasal verbs stress you out? Are you obsessed with understanding how to use them to the point that you find yourself getting stuck when communicating in English? If you do, this episode is for you. I’m gonna talk about the consequences of not using phrasal verbs when speaking English and how to avoid the biggest mistake when learning and practicing phrasal verbs, using my pronunciation confidence method. What are your favorite phrasal verbs in English? How do YOU learn them? Do you f...
Aug 17, 2021•14 min•Ep 150•Transcript available on Metacast 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 ‘ear’, ‘year’, and ‘here’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: ear: eer [IPA: ɪr] year: yeer [IPA: jɪr] here: heer [IPA: hɪr] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio c...
Aug 13, 2021•4 min•Ep 149•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, you’ll learn how to speak fast in English WITHOUT compromising your clarity. I will also talk about the difference between GOOD fast and BAD fast speech, and how by applying the three points I teach you in this episode you’ll be able to master the American rhythm and intonation. To watch the full video click here: https://theaccentsway.com/speak-faster/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: h...
Aug 10, 2021•18 min•Ep 148•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I’m hosting Ethan from RealLife English and Learn English with TV Series. Here’s what we talked about: • How to identify your motivations for learning • How to build strong learning habits • Speaking and practicing with native vs. non-native speakers • The challenges and advantages of cross-cultural communication. Ethan is passionate about innovative learning strategies, and is dedicated to developing new ways for global speakers to connect and communicate. Check out the Real Li...
Aug 06, 2021•46 min•Ep 147•Transcript available on Metacast What do you do when people don’t understand you? Do you repeat what you said? Do you stop speaking? Do you feel bad? When we speak a second language (and even in our first language), people may not understand us 100% of the time. This can be because of pronunciation, sentence structure, choice of words, and many other reasons. There’s no reason to feel bad about it – it’s part of speaking a second language. Yet, it’s always a learning opportunity. In this episode, I’ll share some tips to help yo...
Aug 03, 2021•19 min•Ep 146•Transcript available on Metacast 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 different ways to pronounce the word ‘toward’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: toward: tuh-word [IPA: təˈwɔːrd] or tword [IPA: twɔːrd] or tord [IPA: tɔːrd] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my ...
Jul 30, 2021•3 min•Ep 145•Transcript available on Metacast What makes a good English teacher? So many people settle for English teaching that’s not right for them because it’s comfortable and they don’t believe they can find something better. They keep taking English lessons with the wrong teacher for them because it’s either close to home, it’s familiar, it’s cheap, they feel bad leaving the teacher, it doesn’t require them to do any research, or it simply allows them to stay in their comfort zone. Have YOU ever taken English classes with a private tea...
Jul 27, 2021•18 min•Ep 144•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, you’re going to learn how storytelling can be interesting, relatable and effective, and why it is important if you’re a speaker of English as a second language. With us in this episode is Sun Yi, the founder of Night Owls, a digital branding agency headquartered in NYC. If you’re a teacher, an artist, or a business owner, you definitely don’t want to miss this conversation. Here’s what we’re going to talk about: Impacting people’s lives with one’s own story The power of showing ...
Jul 23, 2021•1 hr•Ep 143•Transcript available on Metacast Download Free English Pronunciation Guide + audio practice for Hindi and Urdu speakers: https://bit.ly/3iqN0BU In this episode, I’m going to talk about the biggest English pronunciation challenges for Urdu and Hindi speakers – 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 Urdu or Hindi speaker? I bet that as a non-native spe...
Jul 20, 2021•26 min•Ep 142•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I’m sharing with you a super helpful way to understand and use the prepositions ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’ correctly when you talk about places. If you missed the episode about prepositions of time, you can find it here: https://hadarshemesh.com/podcast/140/ To watch the video version of the episode go here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/on-in-at-place/ If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English better, download my free American Accent audio crash course: htt...
Jul 16, 2021•11 min•Ep 141•Transcript available on Metacast On Wednesday or at Wednesday? In the summer or at the summer? In this episode, I’m sharing with you a super helpful way to understand and remember how to use the prepositions ‘in’, ‘on’, and ‘at’ correctly. This episode will focus on time. In the next episode we’ll talk about using these prepositions when we talk about place. Stay tuned for part 2! To watch the video version of the episode go here: https://hadarshemesh.com/magazine/on-in-at-time/ If you want to improve your accent and understand...
Jul 13, 2021•9 min•Ep 140•Transcript available on Metacast In this ‘Ask Hadar’ podcast episode I’m answering Silvana, an English learner from Brazil, who wants to become an English teacher. Silvana isn’t sure she can do it, because she still has a lot to learn herself. I get asked this question a lot – whether non-native speakers of English should teach the language. And I always say – absolutely. If pursuing a teaching career is what you want, don’t let anyone – teachers or colleagues – put you down because you’re not a native speaker of English. Becau...
Jul 09, 2021•11 min•Transcript available on Metacast Do you sometimes have trouble understanding native speakers and non-native speakers on television, movies, or in real life? Are you afraid of going into a conversation and not understanding the person you’re speaking with? Well, you’re not alone. When learning and speaking a second language, one of the biggest challenges we face is being able to understand the speakers of that language. In this episode, I’m gonna share with you strategic tips to improve your listening comprehension and practice ...
Jul 06, 2021•24 min•Ep 138•Transcript available on Metacast English words and phrases 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 how to pronounce “there are” and “they are”, as well as the challenging TH-S transition. Here’s a loose transcription of the phrases as explained in the episode: They are = They’re = There: ther [IPA: ðer] There are: the-r’r [IPA: ðerər] Is the: iz-thuh [IPA: ɪzðə ] H...
Jul 02, 2021•7 min•Ep 137•Transcript available on Metacast Are you a lawyer? Or do you like legal drama in TV or movies? If yes, you must be familiar with words you rarely hear in the ‘real world’ – like ‘attorney’ or ‘warrant’. Since I love ‘Law and Order’, ‘Better Call Saul’ and any other show that has the phrase ‘Objection, Your Honor’ at least once every episode – I decided to devote one podcast episode to talking about legal vocabulary. In this episode I’ve compiled just for you some of the most common terms in the field of law so you’ll know how t...
Jun 29, 2021•14 min•Ep 136•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, you’ll learn about language learning from AI (Artificial Intelligence) linguist and English teacher, Yazzy Ares. In this podcast we’ll talk about the field of NLP (Natural Language Processing) and AI, and the difference between humans and computers when it comes to language processing and language acquisition. We also talked about biases and discrimination when it comes to language learning and what we can learn about it from computers. And if you are an English student or teach...
Jun 25, 2021•47 min•Ep 135•Transcript available on Metacast Are you pronouncing these names correctly? Barbara? Arthur? Siobhan? Not sure how to pronounce these names or you find it really challenging with all the R’s and TH’s?! This episode is for you. Join me on an 11-minute journey through these 11 challenging names to pronounce if English is your second (or third, or fourth) language: Arthur Rory Cory Jonathan Carl Ethan Barbara Aaron and Erin Joaquin Deirdre Siobhan The Schwa: How One TINY Sound Can Make a HUGE Difference https://hadarshemesh.com/po...
Jun 22, 2021•12 min•Ep 134•Transcript available on Metacast Long words can be really challenging to pronounce and we sometimes find ourselves trying to avoid them, especially if we’re not sure how to stress them. But there’s actually a good way to know where to place the primary stress in such words. And it’s all about the suffix. In this episode, I’m going to talk about some common suffixes and how to stress words that have them. Want to practice? Here’s a list of words with the most common suffixes + audio: http://theaccentsway.com/long-words/ Here’s a...
Jun 18, 2021•8 min•Ep 133•Transcript available on Metacast In this episode, I’ll talk about phrases and how the stress and rhythm in a phrase may CHANGE based on the function of the phrase in the sentence. For example, if you take a phrase like ‘last minute’, then in a simple sentence like “They finished their project at the last minute”, MINUTE is usually stressed in a neutral intonation. But if you take the phrase and use it before a noun, as in “a last-minute decision”, LAST will be stressed more than ‘minute’. Listen to the episode and find out abou...
Jun 15, 2021•14 min•Ep 132•Transcript available on Metacast 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 how to pronounce the words ‘recipe’ and ‘receipt’ . Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Recipe: re-suh-pee [IPA: ˈresəpi] Receipt: ri-seet [IPA: rɪˈsiːt] or ruh-seet [IPA: rəˈsiːt] If you want to improve your accent and understand spoken English bet...
Jun 11, 2021•3 min•Ep 131•Transcript available on Metacast What if I told you there was one thing you could do daily that would improve everything about your English communication: how you organize your thoughts, how to think in English, how to quickly find the words, your pronunciation, your vocabulary, your voice, your public speaking skills, your confidence and your overall flow. It’s absolutely free and all you need is your phone, 2 minutes of your day, and your commitment. I have talked about it many times before, but if you’re not YET doing it – m...
Jun 08, 2021•10 min•Ep 130•Transcript available on Metacast 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 how to pronounce the words ‘angry’, ‘hungry’, and ‘hangry’. Here’s a loose transcription of the words as explained in the episode: Angry: ang-gree [IPA: ˈæŋɡri] or eing-gree [IPA: ˈeɪŋɡri] Hungry: huhng-gree [IPA: ˈhʌŋɡri] Hangry: hang-gree [IPA: ˈhæŋɡri] If you want to improve your ...
Jun 04, 2021•4 min•Ep 129•Transcript available on Metacast 
