Many people may think that pronunciation is a hurdle for ESOL learners. AS a native speaker of English, I do NOT think that perfect pronunciation with a native-speaker accent is necessary. But, for example, can a Chinese speaker of English understand and be understood by a German speaker of English?

And then, there is the question of idioms and cultural metaphors.

Great point! Idioms and cultural metaphors add another layer of complexity. Even advanced learners can stumble over phrases like 'piece of cake' or context-dependent humor. Beyond this, I’d argue pragmatic competence (e.g., reading tone, hedging politely) is equally underestimated but vital for real-world communication. Thanks for sparking this thread!

It involves mastering pragmatic competence, which is the ability to use language appropriately in various social and cultural contexts.

Native English speaking cultures vary, and most English speakers are not native speakers and come from a wide range of cultures. Pragmatic competence implies a particular target culture and an associated variety of English.