5 Hidden reasons you don’t feel confident in your English (…and what to do about it)

You know your English grammar. In casual conversations, you speak confidently. But when it really matters, such as in job interviews, important work meetings, or when meeting new people, your confidence vanishes. Does this sound familiar?

If you’re a non-native English speaker working in the UK, you’re not alone. Many professionals find themselves struggling with confidence in high-stakes situations, even when their English skills are objectively strong.

In this post, I’m going to reveal five hidden reasons why this happens and, more importantly, what you can do about it.

Perfectionism might seem like a virtue, especially for high-achieving professionals. But it could be the very thing holding you back from speaking confidently.

The scenario: You’re in a meeting. Your manager asks for ideas to solve a problem. You have the perfect solution in your mind, but while you’re crafting the ideal sentence and searching for just the right words, your colleague – who also speaks English as a second language – speaks up instead. They make grammar mistakes, but guess what? The manager goes with their idea.

Why this happens: Your desire for perfect English is paralysing you. While you’re polishing your thoughts, others are sharing theirs and getting heard.

What to do: In high-pressure moments, focus on your message, not your grammar. Save the perfectionism for practice sessions. Next time you have an idea in a meeting, speak up regardless of potential mistakes. Your brilliant idea matters more than perfect grammar.

We all want to be taken seriously and appear professional, but when concern about others’ judgments controls us, it destroys our confidence.

Inside you’re thinking: “If I make mistakes, they’ll think I’m incompetent.” “They’ll judge me because of my accent.” “I shouldn’t speak up because I might sound stupid.”

But the real issue is you’re letting other people control your confidence.

An example from my experience is when I was learning Thai in Thailand. I used to practise with taxi drivers. When they praised my Thai, I felt confident all week. When they got frustrated with my mistakes, I spiraled into self-doubt, thinking I’d never improve or get opportunities. I was giving strangers power over my self-worth.

What to do:

• Remember that most people are too worried about themselves to judge you harshly
• Build confidence by deliberately putting yourself in uncomfortable situations and surviving them
• Focus on helping the people you’re speaking with rather than worrying about their opinions
• Recognise that some people might judge you – but don’t let their judgment impact your confidence

Just because you passed English exams or have certificates doesn’t mean you can use English confidently in real-world situations.

 You might know vocabulary for meetings in theory, but if you’ve never actually practised saying them out loud, you’ll struggle to use them when you’re actually in a meeting.

The solution: Bridge the gap between knowing and doing.

If meetings make you nervous, practise those phrases by yourself or with someone else. Say them out loud repeatedly. When words become automatic through practice, they’ll flow naturally in real situations without requiring conscious thought.

Moving from using English with international colleagues to working in the UK presents unique challenges beyond just language skills.

Surface-level challenges:

• Different accents
• Faster speaking pace
• Local phrases and idioms

The hidden challenge: Indirect communication style

Many British people use indirect communication to avoid hurting feelings. Here’s a real example from one of my clients:

A manager asked for ideas in a meeting. My client shared his suggestion, and the manager responded with, “That’s interesting. I’ll think about it.” My client thought his idea was being seriously considered. But, when the manager chose a colleague’s idea instead, my client felt it was personal – that his ideas weren’t valued.

What really happened: The manager was politely saying “no” without being direct. “That’s interesting. I’ll think about it” often means “That’s not a good idea, but I don’t want to hurt your feelings.”

What to do:

• Listen to local radio and British speakers to tune into accents and phrases
• Learn the unwritten meanings behind polite phrases
• Understand that indirect communication isn’t personal – it’s cultural

This is actually two interconnected issues:

The comparison: You arrived in the UK at the same time as a colleague from your country. They seem more confident, make faster progress, and express ideas easily while you feel stuck.

The isolation: You think everyone else is fine and you’re the only one struggling with confidence.

The reality check: That colleague you think has it all figured out? They might feel exactly like you do. People often hide their insecurities well.

What to do:

• Stop comparing your journey to others’ highlight reels
• Focus on your own path and progress
• Have honest conversations with colleagues about confidence struggles
• Remember the English saying: “A problem shared is a problem halved”.  You might be surprised to learn that people you admire also struggle with confidence

If you’re not feeling confident in your English right now and you’re not sure why, consider working with an English coach to help you identify what’s making you feel less confident and work with you to build the confidence you need to succeed in the UK.

To book a free trial session to see how we can work together, click here: BOOK FREE TRIAL SESSION