English Language Teaching (ELT) textbooks in Swedish secondary schools are central tools in developing students’ language skills, such as speaking. However, the extent to which these materials support key competencies such as oral fluency, appropriacy, and communication strategies remains underexplored. This study investigates the perspectives of five English teachers from grades 7–9 across Swedish lower secondary schools to examine whether ELT textbooks effectively foster these aspects of communicative competence. Through a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted, guided by Hedge’s (2000) framework of communicative competence, Goh and Burns’s (2012) model of Second Language Speaking, and their teaching-speaking cycle. Findings indicate that ELT textbooks often prioritise grammatical accuracy and reading skills over speaking tasks and activities that promote fluency, appropriate language use, and communication strategies. Teachers highlighted a lack of dynamic speaking activities, tasks related to adapting language to diverse social contexts, and opportunities to practice essential communication and interaction strategies. This study highlights a gap in ELT materials and implies that a more balanced approach is needed in textbook design to support communicative competence through the inclusion of e.g. more interactive speaking practice. Insights from this research raise awareness of underrepresented areas of ELT textbooks for both educators and textbook designers and may be helpful for future ELT material development.