




































American International Journal of Education and Linguistics Research; Vol. 2, No. 2; 2019 

ISSN 2641-7987   E-ISSN 2641-7995 

Published by American Center of Science and Education, USA 

 

10 

 

 

Investigating the Causes and Negative Effects of English Language 

Speaking Anxiety: A Case Study among EFL Learners at Kandahar 

University 
 

 

 Ahmad Anwari  

Kandahar University  

Kandahar, Afghanistan 

E-mail: ahmad.anwari1198@gmail.com 

 

 

 

Abstract 

The present study has been conducted to investigate the causes of English language speaking anxiety among EFL 

learners at Kandahar University. Furthermore, the second goal of the study to investigate the negative effects of 

speaking anxiety. This study uses a quantitative research approach. Similarly, the questionnaire had two parts the 

first part had comprised 14 items and the second part 7 items and applied randomly. Besides, the data analyzing was 

performed in SPSS (version, 24) and bring out the mean and standard division. Finally, the findings revealed those 

factors which caused EFL learners to feel anxiety during English speaking and numbered as follow: (1) I feel fear of 

making pronunciation mistakes, (2) I am afraid that my classmates will laugh at me when I speak English. (3) I feel 
worried during Performing communication orally. In addition, the following factors are the negative effects of 

anxiety on learners: (1) Anxiety limits my speaking fluency, (2) Anxiety causes me to become under pressure during 

presentation and (3) Anxiety decreases my oral performance and self-confidence. 

Keywords: Anxiety, Causes, Negative Effects, EFL Learners, Speaking.  

 

1. Introduction  

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in English language, which is the international communication 

language, language of internet, and the language of science, activities, computer, technology, diplomacy and 
tourism, so learning English language in every branch of education is important for socialization. However, that is 

clear that English is an international language since it has been largely spoken among foreign language speakers. 

Equally, Dewi (2015) asserted that English was used in every corner of the world as a medium to interact among 

people from different cultural, ethnic, and social backgrounds. Moreover, farther researches indicate that the English 

language, at present isn’t being articulated by native speakers, but also non-native speakers. Aside from being the 

world language for international communication, English is used in foreign countries in major places, like the news 

station, factories and etc… (Erling, 2011). Therefore, in every language, there are four ways or abilities for learning 

of the literal of a language, which includes speaking, listening, writing and reading, which all of them are 

interconnected with each other and speaking play very important rule in learning a language (Ashari, 2015).  

However, speaking for special communication usually occurs in contexts where speaking performance is conducted 

for an audience in different qualities. The principles of public speaking are also intertwined with the development of 

speaking for special communication. Hence, when a speech involving an audience is taken into consideration, the 

act of speaking is considered to be more complicated than general everyday conversation and a number of other 

skills (Lucas, 2001). 

With the regardless, the point mentioned above, still those countries, which they speak or learn English as a foreign 
language, they have many challenges in their learning or speaking, and the anxiety is one the biggest challenge in 

this language. Unfortunately, Afghan’s EFL learners face with this problem, which may adversely affect the 

learning process in this country (Kamran, 2017). 



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2. What is Anxiety?  

Anxiety is a psychological construct, commonly described by psychologists as a state of apprehension, fear, tension, 
nervousness, and worry associated with an arousal of the autonomic nervous system. Indeed, anxiety as perceived 

sensitively by many language learners negatively influences language learning and has been found one of the most 

highly examined variables in all of psychology and education (Horwitz, 2001). Furthermore, anxiety can be 

classified into three types: trait anxiety, state anxiety, and situation-specific anxiety (Scovel, 1978). 

Traditionally, speaking is one of the most significant parts of language learning. Due to the great influence on the 

process of language learning, Speaking anxiety, one of the affective variables that influences foreign language 

learning, often has a detrimental effect on the students oral performance of English (Melough, 2013). It negatively 

influences the adaptation to the learning atmosphere of students and their achievement (Mohammed & Wahid, 
2009). It can be argued that many learners are afraid of using a foreign language orally. Aydın (2001) categorized 

the reasons of speaking anxiety into four groups: personal reasons, the teacher’s manner in the classroom, learner’s 

beliefs and testing and teaching procedures. In order to be successful in language learning, speaking anxiety must be 

overcome (Chaokongjakra, 2013). 

3. Significance of Study  

This project will provide an important opportunity to advance the understanding of all those learners and lecturers 

whom study or teach English speaking as an EFL learner or teacher at all over Afghanistan especially, those whom 

enter to the Kandahar University. In addition to that, it will help English departments to consider the factors and will 

change their plans accordingly. The findings will make an important contribution to the field of education. 

       This study is an attempt to fill a gap in the foreign language speaking anxiety on EFL learners at Kandahar 

University. In regardless, all the researches that have conducted in this field of education, the researcher still see a 
need to conduct research at Kandahar University because other research has been conducting in other countries and 

their educational system is different from Afghan’s cultures. 

4. Problem statement 

Indicating a problem, anxiety on the most cumbrous challenge in educational background, so in Afghanistan 
especially in Kandahar, province EFL learners when learning a foreign language have many challenges and they feel 

anxiety in their learning. Apart from general foreign language anxiety, many learners are highly anxious because of 

participating in speaking activities. In fact, it is often suggested that speaking is the most anxiety-provoking 

language skill in a foreign language learning situation (Keramida, 2009). The worldwide expansion of the English 

language has increased the demand to acquire good communication skills in English. Nevertheless, learners of 

English language often express a feeling of stress, nervousness or anxiety while learning to speak English language 

and claim to have (Tanveer, 2007). Farther more, the researcher has claimed the problem exists among EFL learners 

from beginning to more advanced levels. Even highly advanced EFL learners feel anxious while learning and 

particularly speaking English in some situations. Liu (2006) conducted a study with Chinese undergraduate non-

English majors at three different proficiency levels. Based on the findings, Liu concluded that more than one-third of 

the students in each group appeared to be anxious in the oral English classroom. The more proficient students tended 

to be less anxious, the students felt the most anxious while talking to the teacher and speaking alone in front of the 
classroom, yet they felt the least anxious during pair work and even much less anxious in speech communication. 

5. Purpose statement 

The major purpose of the research is to identify factors causing anxiety in speaking in EFL learners and the negative 

effects of speaking anxiety on learners’ learning.  

To be more specific, the major objectives of this study: 

 To investigate the major factors that cause anxiety for EFL students in learning English speaking. 

 To figure out the negative effects of speaking anxiety on learners. 

 



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Similarly, this paper investigates the following research questions: 

 What are the major factors that cause anxiety for EFL students in learning English speaking? 

 What are the negative effects of speaking anxiety on learners? 

6. Literature review   

In this part of the study the author has collected other scholars’ findings and results of their studies about English 

language speaking anxiety and negative effects of anxiety on EFL learners at all over the world. According to 

Pathan, Ahmed & Khan (2017) have conducted a study at Pakistan, University of Balochistan, on EFL learners 

accordingly to English language speaking anxiety. Finally, the findings of the research concluded that there are 

many factors that EFL learners feel anxiety in their speaking which numbered as follow; EFL learners feel anxiety 

when they become fail to use correct grammar in their speaking, they also reported that they suffer from anxiety 

when grammar hinders them from speaking in their language class. Secondly, the fear of communicating with 

foreign language instructors caused anxiety among learners since they were afraid of committing grammatical 

errors. Chan & Wu (2004) have figured out in their research the causes of communication anxiety among EFL 

Elementary School Students in Taipei County, which have numbered as follow: firstly, less competent than their 
classmates. Secondly, afraid to speak in English are the major factors that have limited students speaking ability.  A 

series of a recent study which has conducted at preparatory school of a private university on EFL learners have 

indicated that students suffer from anxiety when they speak with the teacher and in front of the classroom (Tercan 

and Dikilitas, 2015). A quantitative study by Alrabai (2015), investigated the level and sources of speaking anxiety 

of Saudi EFL university students. Furthermore, the research findings showed that the main cause of speaking 

anxiety among participants was their communication apprehension due to lack of preparation before the English 

class. 

According to Awan, Azher, Anwar & Naz (2010) the results of their study claimed there are many causes that 

caused EFL learners anxiety in Universities of Pakistan,  “Speaking in front of others is rated as the biggest cause of 

anxiety followed by worries about grammatical mistakes, pronunciation and being unable to talk spontaneously”. 

The research that has conducted by Yahya (2013) asserted in the result of the study that dislike of participation, 

participating in the English class and feeling afraid to express the opinion in front of the classmates, are the major 

factors of speaking anxiety. A recent study by Mukminin, et al (2015) concluded that English language speaking 

anxiety at one senior high school in Jambi, Indonesia have shown five major themes, which were related to students’ 

English language speaking anxiety, including “low speaking skill due to lack of vocabulary and grammar, fear of 

negative responses from others, low self-esteem to speak in English, fear of being evaluated by teachers, and 

cultural influences to speak English due to a more teacher-centered style”.  

 A large and growing body of literature has investigated the causes of English language speaking anxiety at Japans’ 

Universities; the findings of research claimed that in Japanese classes they have the low proficiency of speaking, 

speaking activities and fear of negative evaluation by classmates which cause them anxiety during English speaking 

(Kondo & Yong, 2003). Similarly, the study of Mak (2011) asserted that fear of negative evaluation make many 

foreign language learners experience anxiety. Another research, which has conducted, by Ansari (2015) stated the 

similar result due to the causes of English speaking anxiety, which are the fear on negative evaluation from peers 

and perception of low ability in relation to their peers. In another research the causes of English speaking anxiety 

have been widely investigated by Jackson (2002), results have shown that the lack participation in the classes of 

Japans’ Universities EFL learners injured their speaking and they feel anxiety during the speaking. Regarding to 
Hamouda (2013) has conducted a research on Arabs’ EFL learner’s classroom anxiety and figured out that the 

following causes which caused EFL learners anxiety in their English speaking, the shy and reluctant of Saudi EFL 

learners with communication in foreign language and the lack of motivation from teachers and peers, have 

considered a major factor of speaking anxiety. 

Referring to the views of Qzurk, & Gurbuz (2014) that have conducted research at a state University of Turkish, 

about the causes of EFL learners speaking anxiety. In addition, they have figured out that the following factors have 

been caused the learners to feel anxiety in their speaking; difficult pronunciation of English, immediate questions, 

fear of making mistakes and negative evaluation and these factors have been identified as major causes of EFL 
speaking anxiety. Similarly, the research of Dörnyei (2001) has shown the causes such as fear of making mistakes 

and fear of test, assessment, social comparison and competition.  



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According to Williams & Andrade (2008) have figured out many factors that make Japanese EFL learners fearful 

and they feel anxiety during the speaking of the English language. For instance, the researcher claimed the following 

factors; “Did not know how to say something in English, Speaking in front of others, worried about pronunciation, 

worried about grammatical mistakes and confused between English and Japanese” are the major factors that 

Japanese EFL learners feel anxiety and their speaking become in low level. With regard to the study of Alrabai 

(2014) which, has conducted a study on Saudi EFL learners speaking anxiety. As the result of the study, figured out 
that the follow causes such as; “in language class, I can get so nervous that I forget things I know, I start to panic 

when I have to speak without preparation in language class, I get nervous when the language teacher asks questions 

that I haven’t prepared for in advance and I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules you have to learn to speak the 

English language”. The above causes are the major factors that caused EFL learners anxiety in speaking.The 

findings of the study by Timina (2015) revealed that the majority of the Taiwanese university first-year students 

were unwilling to speak English loudly due to the fear of not getting or misunderstanding the teachers’ tasks. The 

findings reported that the students also complained that English language teachers speak too fast and use many 

difficult words. These factors are likely to cause anxiety among foreign language learners. Bozavli & Gulmez 

(2012) have conducted a study on Turkish native speakers and non-native speakers and asserted that in a language 

class, the activity of speaking by a learner in front of the class provokes anxiety, which means that less self- 

conscious in front of peers when they know that they are better. Furthermore, the study, which took place at 

Tennessee University, and claimed that majority of the learners become anxious when they are asked to perform in 
the foreign language in front of their class (Young, 1990). A study that has been conducted at our neighbor country 

Iran by Yamat & Bidabadi (2012) investigated the factors that caused EFL learners speaking anxiety are fear of 

negative evaluation, test anxiety and anxiety of English classes. 

A study that has conducted on ESL learners by Woodrow (2006) reported the causes of speaking anxiety, which 

were investigated through interviews. The results indicate that most ESL students feel anxiety whenever they are 

facing with native speakers. Furthermore, the result of the study among the first-year License, Master and Doctorate 

EFL students at the Saad Dahlab University of Blida, Algeria, appeared anxiety in their speaking, because of fear of 
interaction, error correction, language proficiency, and low self-confidence cause them to have anxiety in their 

speaking (Melouah, 2013). With regard to the study of Kitano (2001) have conducted a study on learners of 

Japanese college, and revealed that; fear of negative evaluation and self-perception of speaking ability in the target 

language are the two potential sources leading to a foreign language speaking anxiety. According to Çagatay (2015) 

has conducted a study on EFL learners at Turkish state university about speaking anxiety. Furthermore, the result of 

the study shows that anxiety increase in EFL learners when speaking with native speakers.  Mohtasham and Farnia 

(2017) have claimed in their research that students feel anxiety when they speak in front of classmates and teacher 

and When they an important speech they feel uncomfortable.  

A study that has conducted by Aydin (2008) on language anxiety among EFL students and the finding of the study 

claimed many reasons that cause EFL learners anxiety in Balikesir University at Turkish. Thus, the factors 

numbered as follow: Fear of making verbal or spelling mistakes and negative thoughts of others during speaking are 

the major factors that cause EFL learners anxiety in their speaking. According to Rafada (2017) conducted a mixed 

method on Arabs EFL schools students and claimed that peer anxiety causes them to have anxiety in their speaking, 

which means during performing the presentations and discussion others classmates are laughing on them. Similarly, 

Tsui (1996) figured out the same cause on students of ESL feel anxiety when other classmates laugh on them during 

the speaking.   

7. Negative effects of speaking anxiety  

In this part of the literature, the author has collected the literature about the negative effects of speaking anxiety on 

learners learning.  According to Onwuegbuzie (1999) argue that the existence of foreign language anxiety can affect 

negatively the fluency of learners’ speech. Similarly, Chan and Wu (2004) claimed in their finding the same result 

of the negative effects of speaking anxiety cause students to become poor in speaking fluency. Research that has 

conducted by Mahmud (2017) about the effects and problems of English language speaking anxiety among EFL 

learners, the results, they cannot communicate in class, which means they become under pressure of teachers and 
students during spacing and them. Philips (1992) has conducted a study and stated the effects of anxiety on 

speaking, in the result of his study that learners feel anxiety when they are performing oral presentation and they 

cannot perform perfectly. The researcher has brought a solution, which is lack of practice of speaking. With regard 



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to the study of Wilang and Singhasiri (2017) at King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, argued that 

when anxiety increase in speaking, ineligibility, and comprehensibility will decrease. 

According to Na (2007) has conducted a study of speaking anxiety and negative effects of anxiety on learners’ 

learning, the results of his study show that anxiety may negatively affect learners’ performance and decrease their 

self-confidence. Similarly, Spielmann and Radnofsky (2001) have explored foreign language anxiety among 

different EFL learners and have maintained that foreign language anxiety can generally influence negatively on 

learners’ performance. A study that has been conducted at Spanish by Sellers (2000) the finding of the research 

include that the major cause of reading anxiety is to have anxiety in speaking and the students face with many 

challenges in their reading.  On the other hand, a study that has been conducted by Elkhafaifi (2005) on Arabs EFL 

learners, have claimed that those students who have anxiety in their speaking and their anxiety caused them to be 

poor in listening skill. Melouah (2013) has conducted a study in first year EFL learners of License, Master and 

Doctorate at Saad Dahlab University of Blida, Algeria, and the result of his study claim that the anxiety affected 

their oral performance negatively. Liu (2006) have conducted a study on EFL classroom anxiety and have argued 

that the majority of China EFL students believed that anxiety negatively affected their performance in spoken 
English, which contributed as major effects of language anxiety. According to the findings of Zhang (2004) have 

conducted a research on the language anxiety and its effects on oral performance and claimed in the result of his 

study that, when the students have anxiety the oral performance would decrease. Similarly, Park and Lee (2004) 

have asserted that when students have anxiety their oral performance would decrease and when have self-confidence 

their oral performance would increase.    

8. Methodology  

Research Design 

As the present study tried to identify the causes and negative effects of speaking anxiety among EFL learners at 

Kandahar University. The study is descriptive in nature in which a quantitative questionnaire has been used to 

collect data. Descriptive quantitative approach examines the phenomenon by collecting the data numerically. 

Moreover, “Survey research designs are procedures in quantitative research in which investigators administer a 
survey to a sample or to the entire population of people to describe the attitudes, opinions, behaviors, or 

characteristics of the population” (Creswell, 2012).   

Population & Sampling 

The participants of the study were EFL learners of Kandahar University from which 103 EFL students from English 
language and literature department of education faculty and English language and literature department of Literature 

faculty has been selected based on (Morgan) through simple random sampling. According to Creswell (2012) in 

simple random sampling, the researcher selects participants for the sample so that any individual had an equal 

probability of being selected from the population. The intent of simple random sampling is to choose the individual 

to be sampled who will the representative of the population.  

Instrument 

This study adopted a questionnaire on Foreign Language Classroom Anxiety Scale designed by AL-Saraj (2014). 

The questionnaire comprised of 33 items but only 14 items were included in the first part of the questionnaire and 

the second part of the questionnaire had 7 items which, made from the literature review and self-experience of the 

author. In addition, the first part of the questionnaire comprised of demographic information of the participants and 

the second part comprised of items based on five-point Likert-Scale, which were the causes of foreign language 

speaking anxiety and the last part were the negative effects of speaking anxiety on learners. 

Validity and reliability of the Questionnaire  

Before the dividing of the instrument (questionnaire) among learners, for the establishment of the questionnaire’s 

validity, the researcher consulted with supervisor and instructor lecturer for creative feedback and comments. The 

lecturer advised for the structure, statements and Likert scales of the questionnaire and the adjustments with 

objectives. After entering the data to SPSS, the consistency of the questionnaire items was 0.88 Cronbach’s alpha. It 

seems that the questionnaire was reliable.  



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Data Collection Procedure 

Prior to data collection, the researcher sought consent from the head of the faculty. Students were also informed of 
the nature of the study and they were assured that their participation is voluntary and their names would not be 

revealed in the publication of this research. After seeking the consent of the research participants, the questionnaire 

was distributed among them and they were directed to fill up the questionnaire in the presence of the researcher. All 

the research participants were assured that they would be given access to this study once it is completed. All the 

participants responded to the questionnaire and handed over to the researcher.  

9. Data Analysis procedure 

In order to answer the first and second research questions, data were performed in SPSS (version, 24) in which 

researcher calculated means, and the standard deviation to determine the causes of English speaking anxiety among 

the participants. To answer the second research question cited above, the negative effects of speaking anxiety on 

learners’ learning was also performed in the SPSS to determine the negative effects of speaking anxiety. 

Findings 

The below table 1 shows the demographic information of participant in the categories of gender, age, level of 

education and faculty.  

Table 1: Demographic Information. 

 Characteristics  No of Participations Percentage 

Gender  Male 94 91.3% 

Female 9 8.7% 

Age of participants 18-20 21 20.4% 

21-25 71 68.9% 

26-30 10 9.7% 

upper30 1 1.0% 

Level of education Freshman 13 12.6% 

Sophomore 23 22.3% 

Junior 32 31.1% 

Senior 35 34.0% 

Faculty Education faculty 49 47.6% 

literature Faculty 54 52.4% 

 

The first research question aimed at determining the causes of English speaking anxiety among EFL learners at the 
University of Kandahar, Afghanistan.  

 

 



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Table 2: The Causes of Speaking Anxiety. 

Statement Mean SD.DIV 

I feel fear of making pronunciation mistakes 3.60 1.38 

I am afraid that my classmates will laugh at me when I speak English 3.54 1.33 

I feel worried during Performing communication orally. 3.50 1.21 

Even if I am well prepared for English class, I feel anxious about it. 3.33 1.30 

I feel overwhelmed by the number of rules I have to learn to speak English 3.29 1.08 

Lack of participation causes me anxiety during speaking.  3.24 1.29 

I feel Fear of making verbal or spelling mistakes. 3.23 1.25 

I get tense and confused when the teacher does not understand what I mean in English 3.22 1.23 

In my language class, it bothers me when I cannot speak English very much because of 

my grammar  

3.13 1.34 

I think that my classmates’ English is better than me. 3.11 1.23 

I feel fear of negative evaluation in the class from students and teachers. 3.07 1.33 

Error correction style of the teacher causes me anxiety. 2.88 1.32 

I start to panic when I have to speak without preparation in English class. 2.82 1.44 

I feel shy when speaking English in front of other students. 2.8137 1.41932 

Likert scales: 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=somehow agree, 4=agree and 5=strongly agree 

The results of Table 2 illustrate that EFL learners feel anxiety because of making pronunciation mistakes (M=3.60, 

SD=1.38). Furthermore, they also reported that they suffer from anxiety when other classmates laughing on them 

during speaking (M=3.54, SD=1.33), the third major cause of speaking anxiety is that students feel anxiety during 

the oral communication in class or presentations (M=3.50. SD=1.21). Therefore, the teachers of EFL learners in 

Kandahar University don’t paying attention to the learners’ participation in class and the lack of motivation of 

classmates cause them to have anxiety. Furthermore, the items with the lowest mean and standard division are 

scored: I feel shy when speaking English in front of other students (M=2.81, SD=1.41), I start to panic when I have 
to speak without preparation in English class (M=2.82, SD=1.44), Error correction style of the teacher cause me 

anxiety (M=2.88, SD=1.32).  

The second research question of research aimed to determine the negative effects of speaking anxiety on learners’ 

learning. 

Table 3: The Negative Effects of Speaking Anxiety. 

Statement Mean SD.DIV 

Anxiety limits my speaking fluency. 3.65 1.16 

Anxiety causes me to become under pressure during the presentation. 3.60 1.44 

Anxiety decreases my oral performance and self-confidence. 3.56 1.31 



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Anxiety stops me to remember vocabulary. 3.30 1.27 

Anxiety stops me to learn grammar practically.  3.24 1.33 

With have speaking anxiety I feel anxiety in reading and listening. 2.79 1.38 

Anxiety causes me to leave the class. 2.42 1.31 

Likert scales: 1=strongly disagree, 2=disagree, 3=somehow agree, 4=agree and 5=strongly agree 

The above Table 3 shows the negative effects of anxiety on EFL learners’ learning, which have noted that the 

learners’ anxiety causes them to be poor in their speaking fluency(M=3.65, SD=1.160)  the second effect of anxiety 

that learners become under pressure during presentations and participating in the class (M=3.60, SD=1.44). 

Furthermore, Anxiety decreases my oral performance and self-confidence. (M=3.56, SD=1.31). Even though, those 

items with the lowest mean and standard division are scored: Anxiety causes me to leave the class (M=2.42, 

SD=1.31) and with have speaking anxiety, I feel anxiety in reading and listening (M=2.79, SD=1.38).  

10. Discussion 

The present study confirmed the findings of the research questions. From the short review above, key findings 

emerged: the major factors, which caused EFL learners’ anxiety in speaking, numbered as follow: first Kandahar 

University EFL learners feel anxiety in speaking because they are not familiar with the hard pronunciation of 

English language. The pronunciation of the English language is a little hard for those who learn English as ESL and 

EFL; in this research, this is the major cause that students feel anxiety during speaking. Similarly, this finding is in 

line with the findings by Ozturk and Gurbuz (2014). Contrary to the findings of Pathan, Ahmed & Khan (2017) we 

did not find and they have demonstrated that students feel anxiety when they become fail to use grammar 
practically. Secondly, the laughing of other classmates cause them to feel anxiety, which refers to the lack of 

motivation and peer anxiety from other classmates and friends, it means that other students do not know how to 

behave with other classmates and motivate them. The finding is in line with the finding of Rafada (2017) and Tsui 

(1996). Furthermore, the third highest cause of anxiety is the being of oral performance, which students feel anxiety 

during oral communication. It means that the lack of confidence for getting oral presentation and speaking is one of 

those factors which cause them to have anxiety in speaking. This finding is in accordance with findings reported by 

Hamouda (2013). 

In addition, the answers of the second research question show the following results: the highest negative effect of 

anxiety on learners’ learning is the limitation of speaking fluency, which means with having anxiety the students 

will become poor in the speaking fluency and they couldn’t speak as well as possible. This is consistent with what 

has been found by Onwuegbuzie’s (1999) study. In contrast to the finding of Alemi, Daftarifard and Pashmforooshs’ 

(2011) study. Hence, the second highest effect of speaking anxiety is that learners become under pressure, which 

itself need to conduct research on. It means that anxiety is one of the big challenge for learners, with having 

speaking anxiety learners become under pressure of teacher and students and couldn’t to present their presentation 

perfectly and the same couldn’t understand their audiences. Similarly, the finding is directly in line with the finding 

of Mahmud (2017). Thirdly, with having anxiety EFL learners loss their self-confidence and oral performance. It 

means that when students feel anxiety they couldn’t say, read and presents their speeches confidently. Similarly, this 

basic finding is consistent with the findings.   

11. Conclusion  

In summary, this academic study aimed to investigate all those factors that caused EFL learners anxiety in their 

speaking and the negative effects of speaking anxiety on their leaning. However, all the participants showed their 

satisfaction toward the study. Anxiety is a psychological emotion, which the people show the apprehension toward 
it. Furthermore, the literature review showed different findings and results such as; fear of negative evaluation, 

pronunciation mistakes, grammar mistakes, lack of participation, lack of motivation and etc… In spite, the method 

of the study included a quantitative research approach and the data have been collected by questionnaire from 

participants. In order, the findings of the study show the major factors of anxiety, which are the fear of learners from 

English pronunciation, fear from the presentation and the lack of motivation. Furthermore, the second part shows the 



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major effects of speaking anxiety among students, which are the limitation of speaking fluency, the pressure among 

students and the decreasing of self-confidence. 

12. Limitation 

The limitations of the present studies naturally include that the author had many challenges during conducting the 

study; the biggest challenge was the lack of time for investigating the study. It means that there was not enough time 

to conduct the study perfectly. Another limitation of this was the weaknesses of internet during downloading the 

articles and using for other function of the study. An apparent limitation of the study was that participants didn’t 

participate honestly. 

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Alrabai, H., (2015). Improving students’ speaking proficiency in Saudi public schools. International journal of 

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Appendix 

Dear participants, 

This academic research is conducted by a senior student of English department of education faculty for the purpose 

of identifying all those factors that cause anxiety in speaking of EFL learners at Kandahar University and the 

negative effects of anxiety. This study will help students, lecturers and other responsible circles to understand the 

present situation your anxiety of speaking. All the given information is for the research purpose. We will be grateful 

for your volunteer participation.    

Part one: Demographic Information 

Gender:  Male □  Female □ 

Age:  18-20 □  21-25 □ 25-30 □  upper 30 □ 

Class:   Freshman □      Sophomore □           Junior □    Senior □  

Faculty:  Education Faculty □  Literature Faculty □ 

Part two: Statements (1) through (14) describe how you feel about speaking English. Please read the statements 

carefully and give your first reaction by choosing an answer for each statement: (1) Strongly Disagree, (2) Disagree, 

(3) Neither Agree nor Disagree (4) Agree, (5) Strongly Agree.  

No Statements Strongly 

disagree  

Disagree  Somehow 

agree  

Agree  Strongly 

agree  

1 I think that my classmates’ English is 

better than me. 

     

2 I am afraid that my classmates will 

laugh at me when I speak English 

     

3 I feel overwhelmed by the number of 

rules I have to learn to speak English 

     

4 I feel shy when speaking English in 
front of other students. 

     

5 I get tense and confused when the 

teacher does not understand what I 

mean in English 

     

6 I feel Fear of making verbal or 

spelling mistakes. 

     

7 I feel fear of making pronunciation 

mistakes 

     

8 Lack of participation causes me      



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anxiety during speaking.  

9 In my language class, it bothers me 

when I cannot speak English very 

much because of my grammar  

     

10 Error correction style of the teacher 

causes me anxiety. 

     

11 I feel worried during Performing 

communication orally. 

     

12 I feel fear of negative evaluation in 

the class from students and teachers. 

     

13 I start to panic when I have to speak 

without preparation in English class. 

     

14 Even if I am well prepared for 
English class, I feel anxious about it. 

     

 

Part three: in this part of the questionnaire there are many negative effects of speaking anxiety that adversely affect 

learners’ speaking ability.  

No Statements Strongly 

disagree  

Disagree  Somehow Agree  Strongly 

agree  

1 Anxiety limits my speaking 

fluency. 

     

2 Anxiety stops me to remember 

vocabulary. 

     

3 Anxiety stops me to learn grammar 

practically.  

     

4 Anxiety decreases my oral 
performance and self-confidence. 

     

5 Anxiety causes me to become 

under pressure during 

presentation. 

     

6 Anxiety causes me to leave the class.      

7 With have speaking anxiety I feel 

anxiety in reading and listening. 

     

  

 

Copyrights  

Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the journal. This is an 

open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution license 

(http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 


