Klein summarizes the second language learner's task under four headings:

Analysis: as illustrated above, learners have to segment the stream of accoustic signals into constituent units ('words') and have to try to 'make sense' of these units by mapping them onto features of the context, eg [daszalts] or [zalts] = 'salt', rather than 'could I have'.

Synthesis: having identified some 'words', learners have to learn how these 'words' fit together and change, depending on the relations they have with other words, eg das precedes many nouns, but other words eg der, die, des, also occur in that same position. In fact, German changes articles (eg das, der, die, den, des, dem, all equivalent to 'the') depending on the gender of the noun (masculine, feminine or neuter) and its case (nominative, accusative, genitive, dative).

Embedding: learners also have to learn how to use language appropriately in a communicative context. In communicating, we often leave elements of our message unstated because we believe our interlocutors can identify them from a shared understanding of context, eg the German hotel guest in the example above might have said Das Saltz, bitte (The salt, please) meaning 'I would like the salt: could you pass it to me, please?'. So what elements can be left out? What elements must be specified? In what different ways is language adapted in different contexts?

Matching: finally, in order to develop an accurate command of the target language, learners need to continuously compare their version of it with that of more proficient users (eg native speakers).

In addition, lots and lots of practice is required to enable fluent use of the language.