This article considers the theoretical background of developing the concept of “motivation to communicate” in foreign language learning. It also traces the interrelation of key theories of motivation in the field of teaching foreign languages, discusses the concepts of “communicative competence”, “readiness to communicate”, “desire / unwillingness to communicate”. The article offers an overview of current foreign and domestic research, considers the model of willingness to communicate in a foreign language and the role of motivation to communicate in the model.