Studies have shown that learners confront both positive and negative influences when learning a foreign language. On one hand, motivation is one of the conditions for learning a foreign language. A student who succeeds but lacks drive will almost certainly not obtain the required results. On the other hand, fear may be an impediment to students' success in the learning process. This study investigates the link between motivation and fear when learning a foreign language, as well as how motivation and fear impact foreign language acquisition. The quantitative technique was used in this study. As for the instrument, a survey was employed. Students were given a questionnaire with five sections: demographic profile, motivation to learn, communication apprehension, fear of negative evaluation, and test anxiety. The questionnaire was filled out by 188 students from three disciplines at a Malaysian public institution. The findings indicate that students did experience fear when learning a foreign language. Yet, the desire to study motivated students to exert some efforts to overcome the unfavourable influences. Result also shows that there was a relationship between motivation and fear of learning a foreign language. The research suggests effective teaching demands a thorough approach that considers the educator's beliefs and principles, student motivation, self-confidence, and the learning surroundings in which these elements interact.
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