This study explores oral interaction in work-related activities within adult second-language (L2) education in Sweden, specifically in the context of Swedish for Immigrants (SFI). Drawing on data from classroom instruction and placement interviews, the study investigates which speech functions and speaker roles are made available to students preparing for workplace language practice. Transcribed material from one lesson and four placement interviews were analysed using speech act theory, with a focus on speech functions, speaker roles, and opportunities for extended talk. The findings show that while interaction was often regulated by teachers and recruiters, students actively contributed through humour, storytelling, meta-talk, and expressions of preference or reservation. Students assumed diverse speaker roles, including novice, knower, peer, and tension releaser, thereby engaging in pragmatically and socially relevant communication. These roles and functions are important for both general language development and workplace interaction. The study highlights the need to create space in L2 classrooms for less typical but crucial functions–such as turn-taking, declining, and expressing disagreement–often underrepresented in classroom discourse. It contributes to research on adult L2 education by demonstrating how structured interaction around work placements can support learners’ oral proficiency and pragmatic competence. © 2025 The Author(s). Published by Informa UK Limited, trading as Taylor & Francis Group.
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