This study aimed to investigate the relationship between Iranian EFL learners’ shyness and their speaking skill. In so doing, using intact sampling 39 Iranian EFL students (13 males, 26females) majoring in English Literature and translation in the department of English language and literature, Arak university, aged between 19 to 25, participated in this study. The homogeneity of the participants was determined through The Oxford Placement Test (OPT). The Stanford Shyness Test was used to measure the shyness level of understudying students. For the sake of understanding speaking level of the learners, IELTS speaking test version 9 was utilized. Using IELTS band descriptor, the speaking test was rated by three MA students of TEFL. The data were analyzed descriptively and inferentially by the SPSS software version 25. The study concludes that there were a significant and negative relationship between the EFL learners’ speaking abilities and their shyness. Finally, the findings of the study may have possible implications for teachers, syllabus designers or whoever is responsible for students’ language teaching.
