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Beating Speaking Anxiety

Intermediate level

How to be yourself in English

Episode 260310 / 10 Mar 2026

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The fear of not being able to express your personality 

Have you ever felt like you can’t show your true personality in English? Maybe you feel you're funny and interesting in your first language, but when you have to speak in English, it's not always easy to show it. This may be because you have fewer language tools available, or because speaking a foreign language makes you feel uncomfortable. 

Try these tips

  • Practise talking about something you’re passionate about. You’ll naturally feel excited about speaking, and the people listening will feel your passion and interest in the topic.
  • Start a hobby or join a discussion group about something you’re interested in, in English! You’ll meet like-minded people who share your passions.
  • Think of a role model - someone who communicates well in English as a foreign language. How are they showing their personality? What can you learn from them?

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Do you have experience with English speaking anxiety? What do you think of this series? Send us an email to learningenglish@bbc.co.uk and tell us all about it. 

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