I have the same problem. When I can remember it, this phrase helps me: "People are people." Everybody gets nervous. Everybody makes mistakes. They're probably just as worried as I am, and I will be ok.

Make a list of frequently used words that you find difficult to pronounce and ask someone who speaks the language well to pronounce them for you. the person could be a teacher, a chatting pal, a real native speaking friend. Record these words, listen to them and practice saying them. Listen and read at the same time. * Buy books on tape. Record yourself reading some sections of the book. Compare the sound of your English with that of the person reading the book on the tape. * Pronounce the ending of each word. Pay special attention to 'ED' and 'S' endings. This will help you strengthen the mouth muscles that you use when you speak English. * Read aloud in English for 15-20 minutes every day. Research has shown it takes about three months of daily practice to develop strong mouth muscles for speaking a new language.

I know it is easy said 'don't be afraid', you better try to know why you are feeling so in the first place. Probably you need some self-confidence boost.We are all learning languages and are indeed making lots of mistakes, so it is not only you that don't find the words,it is a natural process and you should be gradually improving and progressing towards higher degrees of influency. So don't let these feelings block your ability to understand ,listen attentively and ask your teacher or the foreigners you talk to about the meanings of new words or expressions. I will give you some hints here as how to improve your oral English ,what you should do at the same time : Observe the mouth movements of those who speak English well and try to imitate them. When you are watching television, observe the mouth movements of the speakers. Repeat what they are saying, while imitating the intonation and rhythm of their speech. * Until you learn the correct intonation and rhythm of English, slow your speech down. If you speak too quickly, and with the wrong intonation and rhythm, native speakers will have a hard time understanding you. Don't worry about your listener getting impatient with your slow speech -- it is more important that everything you say be understood. * Listen to the 'music' of English. Do not use the 'music' of your native language when you speak English. Each language has its own way of 'singing'. * Use the dictionary. Try and familiarize yourself with the phonetic symbols of your dictionary. Look up the correct pronunciation of words that are hard for you to say.

Hi,my friends,you are right,it's not my mother tongue,so making mistakes is unavoidable.Now i become better ,i will try to speak every time .Thank you so much.

Lisa - remember this: Your native language skills are good. My English skills are good. Your English skills are better than my Chinese language skills. Do you think that I should be nervous when I stumble through a Chinese sentence? I am sure you would forgive my mistakes and you would be proud of me for trying to speak your language. So, the reverse is also true.