In this blog, we examine four studies focusing on how individual differences might affect one’s ability in second language acquisition (SLA). The purpose is to provide an overview on the progress in this field of study and to suggest possible research directions for further exploration. From the chosen studies, we have found that an individual’s ability to acquire language is linked to one of two factors i.e. either his cognitive capacity (e.g., how good his memory is etc) or external factors such as his environment (e.g., family background, social circles etc.), education levels and personal experiences. In short, we considered cognitive factors as well as social factors when accounting for individual differences in SLA. Ultimately, beyond identifying the factors that affect SLA, we asked how an individual’s ability to learn a second language could be enhanced or whether it was necessary in the first place.