What advice would you give someone who's too shy to speak a new language out loud?

A natural way to answer

I'd say lower the stakes. Practise with one patient friend rather than a crowd, accept that mistakes are part of the process, and gradually build up your confidence in low-pressure situations.

Key phrases to use

• bite the bullet — to force yourself to do something unpleasant or daunting that you've been avoiding“I finally bit the bullet and joined a conversation class.”
• come out of your shell — to become more confident and sociable after being shy“Once she relaxed, she really came out of her shell.”