Why You Freeze When Speaking English Under Pressure (And How to Fix It)

When I was in Brazil recently, I was in an Ice Cream parlour. Just for the context, I speak Portuguese every day, I’m quite competent, and with people I know, I’d even say I’m practically C1 level. But this young waitress started explaining to me about their artisanal ice cream, the variety of flavours and I literally froze🥶 (excuse the pun 😁). I don’t know what happened, but she had what they call a “Caipira” accent (very different) and I understood only every second word. This stressed me out and I could hardly get a word out! I felt so stupid… and very frustrated ☹️

Now I could perhaps be excused for this because of this accent (sometimes even Brazilians can’t understand Caipiras) But this can happen in other situations. For example, you’re in the supermarket, and the cashier asks you a question you’re not expecting. You are caught off guard. You freeze! And you answer all wrong.

Have you ever experienced this?

👉 You understand the question perfectly.
👉 You know the vocabulary.
👉 You could answer it easily… in your head.

But the moment you have to speak (in a meeting, a call, an interview) your English suddenly sounds worse. You hesitate, your sentences feel clumsy, and simple words disappear.

The frustrating part?
You walk away thinking: “I actually speak better English than that.”

And you’re right.

This problem has nothing to do with your real level, and everything to do with pressure.

🧠 What Pressure Does to Your Brain

When you feel stressed or judged, your brain switches modes.

Instead of focusing on communication, it starts focusing on:

• avoiding mistakes

• sounding intelligent

• choosing the “right” grammar

• translating faster

This creates a mental overload.

Your brain is trying to:
👉 think
👉 translate
👉 monitor grammar
👉 control pronunciation
👉 manage stress

All at the same time.

That’s why even advanced learners can sound hesitant under pressure.

🚫 The Big Myth: “I Need Better English”

Most learners think:

“If I spoke better English, this wouldn’t happen.”

But here’s the truth:

You don’t freeze because your English is weak
You freeze because you’re trying to be perfect

Pressure doesn’t reveal your level. It blocks access to it.

🔍 Common High-Pressure Situations

This happens most often when:

• speaking to native speakers

• speaking in meetings

• answering unexpected questions

• phone or video calls

• interviews or presentations

In these moments, learners stop reacting and start performing.

That’s when fluency disappears.

🛠️ What Actually Helps (Practical Solutions)

1️⃣ Use “Thinking Time” Phrases

Fluent speakers don’t answer instantly. They buy time.

Examples:

• “That’s a good question…”

• “Let me think for a second.”

• “How can I put this…”

These phrases:
✔ reduce pressure
✔ sound natural
✔ give your brain time to organise ideas

2️⃣ Simplify Under Pressure

Under stress, simple English is better English.

Instead of:
❌ complex sentences
❌ rare vocabulary

Choose:
✔ short sentences
✔ familiar structures

Clarity > complexity.

Native speakers do this too.

3️⃣ Stop Monitoring Every Mistake

The more you listen to yourself while speaking, the worse it gets.

Your goal in real-life English is not:
❌ “Did I use the right tense?”

It’s:
✅ “Did they understand me?”

Fluency improves when attention moves away from form and toward meaning.

4️⃣ Train English in “Stress Mode”

Most learners only practice English in safe environments.

But pressure is a skill, and skills can be trained.

Try this:

• answer questions without preparation

• limit yourself to 30 seconds

• simulate meetings or interviews

• practice speaking while slightly distracted

This trains your brain to access English even under pressure.

5️⃣ Accept That Pressure Will Never Fully Disappear

Even native speakers hesitate, reformulate, and lose words.

Fluency is not:
❌ speaking without pauses

It’s:
✅ continuing despite them

The moment you accept that imperfection is normal, pressure loses power.

✨ Final Thought

If your English sounds worse under pressure, it doesn’t mean you’re bad at English.

It means:

• you care

• you’re trying hard

• and your brain is doing too much at once

The solution isn’t more grammar.
It’s better strategies and smarter speaking habits.

👉 Want to learn how to stay fluent under pressure in meetings, calls, or interviews?
I help learners build confidence and automatic speaking skills, not just “correct” English.

If you want to learn English with me, I’m Liz Aldam, an English teacher with more than twenty years of experience, having worked with companies like Yamaha, Faurecia, and others. I live in the Val-d’Oise region in France and I teach online.

📲 Click the WhatsApp icon below and contact me. 😉