This study examines the performance of Hungarian secondary school students on two
types of unscripted task - an argument task and a narrative task. It focuses on
grammatical patterns of learner language, and reports significant differences in the
learners’ performance. The article discusses implications for the use and
design of such tasks. It concludes by suggesting how their use can contribute to
language development by leading learners to establish a routinized relationship
between task and language. More generally, the article argues the value of
predicting, on the basis of attested patterns of use, the classroom learning that is
likely to ensue from the use of particular tasks.
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