Abstract: Based on Halliday's register theory, this paper, adopting both qualitative and quantitative methods, attempts to integrate the register theory and the recent development of language-based cognitive view of SFL, which is applied in the present experimental study.Two types of contextual configurations (CC) are designed to test their effects on promoting listening and speaking: 1) the experimental group is required to write role-play tasks after listening to native speakers' conversations and then role-play;2) the control group is required to do traditional after-class listening exercises after listening to native speakers' conversations and then role-play.The results show that the first type of CC has a significant effect on promoting listening but marginal significance in speaking.Based on the experimental results, the study holds that CC should incorporate task variables and cognitive/psychological factors for EFL learning.