Ineffective presentation and communication skills could cause problems in all professions that
require the participants to perform in front of an audience. This phenomenon of effective public
performances by teachers is a key factor in determining the success of the teaching and learning,
particularly in language classrooms. However, there seems to be a gap in the literature regarding the
factors that affect the process of mastering speech competence by pre-service English language
teachers. The present study draws on a research study focusing on the speech competence of 17 ELT
students from a private university in the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus. The data presented
here comes from the qualitative phase of the study where the specific factors that could cause
problems in developing public speaking competence were identified by a thematic analysis of
interviews, observations, reflective essays and artefacts. This analysis yielded seven factors that
could cause students’ minimal public speaking competence: (1) low English language proficiency, (2)
self-reported Public Speaking Anxiety (PSA), (3) low level of self-efficacy, (4) Foreign Language
Anxiety (FLA), (5) general communication apprehension, (6) age, and (7) lack of motivation. The
paper discusses how low levels of English proficiency appeared to influence the mastery of such basic
performance standards as clear language, effective non-verbal behaviour, and effective use of vocal
expression and paralanguage. Being a prospective teacher of English also seems to create an
additional demand for students’ language competence, which in turn can lead to PSA, FLA, and low
self-efficacy in speech situations.