Abstract
Dramatic tension is an essential component of all captivating dialogues written for theatre. It is what causes the excitement of watching and performing made-up stories of made-up characters.
This paper aims to draw attention to dramatic tension in dialogues written for language learners. Acting out pre-scripted dialogues is one of the few drama techniques that can be considered a commonly established practice in foreign language learning and teaching.
However, not all textbook dialogues that are supposed to be acted out allow for real, exciting drama work. This article argues for more dramatic quality in dialogues for language learners, exploring the possibility of dramatic tension as a crucial factor influencing the effectiveness of script-based work in the language classroom.