The effect of L2 grit on willingness to communicate: The mediating role of foreign language enjoyment in blended learning

L2 grit and Foreign Language Enjoyment (FLE) have been established as significant predictors of willingness to communicate in a second language (L2 WTC). However, existing research has predominantly focused on traditional face-to-face classroom settings, with limited attention given to the role of grit in blended learning (BL) environments. In such contexts, the potential mediating role of FLE between grit and WTC remains underexplored. Grounded in Control-Value Theory (CVT), the present study investigated how the two components of grit-Perseverance of Effort (PE) and Consistency of Interest (CI)-interact with FLE to predict L2 WTC in a BL context. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to analyze the data collected from 467 Chinese EFL undergraduates. The results revealed that (1) both PE and FLE positively and significantly predicted WTC, whereas CI did not significantly predict WTC; (2) PE had a significant positive effect on FLE, whereas CI did not significantly influence FLE; and (3) FLE mediated the relationship between PE and WTC, but not between CI and WTC. To complement the quantitative findings, qualitative data were collected from a subsample of 60 participants to explore their primary sources of FLE. The findings identified mobile-assisted group work as a salient source of FLE and reinforced the central role of teachers in fostering FLE within BL environments. Taken together, these findings extend CVT to BL contexts and offer pedagogical implications for L2 instructors.