Abstract: Beginning with the pragmatic principle of relevance, Relevance Theory engenders a profound impact on the field of pragmatics and linguistics. SLA, integrating the pragmatic orientation and major theoretical points of Relevance Theory, brings about a new revelation to a number of important issues. Based on the reviews of the mainstream research in SLA within the theoretical framework of Relevance Theory, this paper probes into the explanatory power of RT-SLA from the aspects of theory construction and research methods, demonstrates its advantages and limitations, proposes amendments from three aspects, and puts forward the trend for future research.