If learners are to develop the competence they need to use a second language easily and effectively in the kinds of situations they meet outside the classroom, they need to experience how language is used as a tool for communication inside it. A task can function as a useful device for developing communicative competence since it involves real-world process of language use. The purpose of this study is twofold: (1) to analyze the tasks in the elementary school English textbooks according to criteria of task classification; (2) to report on the results of the questionnaire research concerning elementary school teachers\' evaluation of tasks. The analysis revealed that the tasks were interesting and motivating. However, they seemed to be deficient in promoting authentic language use and facilitating interaction. The results of the questionnaire also showed similar responses along this line. The teachers looked like thinking that tasks were not appropriate enough to prompt genuine communicative interaction. In the future, further research on the effective use of tasks in the EFL situation and task-based syllabus design needs to be carried out.