Abstract-Task-based language teaching (TBLT) with its emphasis on the application of meaningful tasks seemingly undermines the importance of teaching language forms to the extent that many teachers and learners around the globe have come to believe that TBLT is the easy way out of the maze of English language learning. Nevertheless, a close inspection of the practical aspects of the approach may prove otherwise. The researchers of the present study have investigated the applicability of TBLT in the Iranian setting where English is taught as a foreign language (EFL). In so doing, a 15-item questionnaire with two versions for EFL learners and teachers was developed in Farsi by the researchers based on the one used by Schulz (2001). It was administered to 145 learners and 36 teachers in a language school in Tehran, Iran. Based on the findings it could be concluded that ELT in Iran is not fully compatible with TBLT and form-focused instruction which includes both Focus on Form as well as Focus on FormS is more promising in the EFL setting of Iran.

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The role of grammar teaching is one of the most debatable issues in language teaching. In the early years of the twentieth century the crucial part of language instruction was grammar teaching, while other aspects were either ignored or down played (Richards and Renandya, 2002). During that time, as Ellis (2006) states, "grammar teaching was viewed as the presentation and practice of discrete grammatical structures" (p. 84), which inevitably required learners to memorize grammar rules. He considers this approach to grammar as somewhat narrow on the grounds that there are different possibilities for a grammar lesson: (i) having presentation and practice, (ii) giving practice and no presentation, (iii) leading learners to discover grammatical rules on their own with no presentation and practice, (iv) exposing learners to input containing multiple exemplars of the target structure, and finally (v) providing corrective feedback on learners' errors while performing communicative tasks. Nevertheless, "for most teachers, the main idea of grammar teaching is to help learners internalize the structures taught in such a way that they can be used in everyday communication. To this NAEIMEH BAKSHIRI** By end, the learners are provided with opportunities to practice the structures, first under controlled conditions, and then under more normal communicative conditions (Ellis, 2002, p. 168). Richards and Renandya (2002) believe that" in recent years, grammar teaching has regained its rightful place, in language curriculum; people now agree that grammar is too important to be ignored, and without a good knowledge of grammar, learner's language development will be severely constrained" (p. 145). In the same line, Ellis (2005) warns that acquiring language naturally without any form-focused instruction would not allow adult L to achieve 2 full target language competence, especially because there seem to be some linguistic properties that cannot be acquired without instruction and assistance. According to Ellis, Loewen, and Basturkmen (2002), a close analysis of the discussions on how to teach grammar indicates that they usually center around the possible pedagogical options available to teachers and the relative benefits of each for learners. They complain that not enough "attention has been paid to the actual methodological procedures that teachers use to focus on

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