Process writing and communicative-task-based instruction both assume productive tasks that prompt self-expression to motivate students and as the principal engine for developing L2 proficiency in the language classroom. Besides this, process writing and communicative-task-based instruction have much else in common, despite some obvious differences. They have common rationales, similar foils, common justifications and comparable procedures. It is argued that they also have a number of limitations, both inherent and circumstantial. The inherent limitations largely reflect a lack of equilibrium between planning, teacher intervention and student initiative, while the circumstantial ones are due to their being hatched essentially for ESL instruction in privileged university contexts. The argument is that, logically, there should be a progression from more to less instructor intervention or support and from less to more student initiative, autonomy and peer interaction, thus including a broader spectrum of pedagogical options.