Abstract. This article examines the role of speech acts in the development of pragmatic competence among EFL (English as a Foreign Language) learners, with a specific focus on how language conveys social meaning. It explores how explicit instruction in requests, refusals, apologies, and other speech acts can improve learners' ability to communicate appropriately across cultural and situational contexts. The study argues for the inclusion of pragmatic elements in language teaching as a means of promoting authentic, socially aware communication.