Summary

The aim of this review article is to analyze some of the main theories dealing with perlocutionary and illocutionary effects. Based on this review, two groups are determined: a) theories dealing with mainly perlocutionary effect, and reduced illocutionary effect to listener’s comprehension of what speakers say and try to do; and b) theories that reelaborate this notion of illocutionary effect with a more active role on the part of the listener, but without considering perlocutionary effect in a comprehensive way. We conclude that no theory integrates illocutionary and perlocutionary effects in an analysis model of real communicative interaction; which could be a possible topic for future research.