Translation elongation factor that catalyzes the GTP-dependent binding of aminoacyl-tRNA (aa-tRNA) to the A-site of ribosomes during the elongation phase of protein synthesis. Base pairing between the mRNA codon and the aa-tRNA anticodon promotes GTP hydrolysis, releasing the aa-tRNA from EEF1A1 and allowing its accommodation into the ribosome. The growing protein chain is subsequently transferred from the P-site peptidyl tRNA to the A-site aa-tRNA, extending it by one amino acid through ribosome-catalyzed peptide bond formation