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Beating Speaking Anxiety

Intermediate level

What to do if you can't understand someone

Episode 260203 / 03 Feb 2026

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The fear of not understanding someone

The fear of speaking a foreign language is often talked about, but what about something that is just as important during a conversation – listening? Not being able to understand what the other person is saying can contribute to language learning anxieties. It’s hard when, outside the classroom, people often speak fast and use idiomatic language. Plus, there are many English accents to get used to from around the world.

Try these tips

  • Ask questions to clarify what the person means.
  • Don’t be afraid of asking someone to repeat themselves more slowly.
  • Make sure you listen to and get used to many different accents and voices. Try 6 Minute English or Work in the future – both podcasts feature a variety of experts with different voices.
  • Listen to things that include natural speech such as interviews, talk shows and chatty podcasts, like Real Easy English, or Our Stories.

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Learn more from experts and learners in the podcast epsiode:

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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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