Motivation is acknowledged as a determinant factor in the process of second/foreign language (L2) learning. However, being a multidimensional construct, it includes some aspects which are not explored yet. Hence, considering the newly proposed dual continuum model of motivation, this study set out to first, examine the relationship among active/passive motivation, L2 willingness to communicate (WTC), and foreign language achievement (FLA); second, evaluate the power of active/passive motivation to predict L2WTC and FLA; and finally, find the mediating role of L2WTC in the prediction of FLA by active/passive motivation. To achieve this, the L2WTC and active/passive motivation scales (APMS) were administered to 216 public high school English as a foreign language (EFL) learners who aged from 14 to 19 years old. The construct validity of the modified version of APMS (for high school EFL learners) was revalidated by conducting confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). Using structural equation modeling (SEM), the correlational analyses indicated significant relationships among active/passive motivation, L2WTC, and FLA. Additionally, six models were proposed for the active/passive motivation prediction of the learners’ L2WTC and FLA. The findings demonstrated that active motivation for socio-cultural and sensory-perceptual concepts as well as passive motivation for cognitive and sensory-perceptual concepts significantly predicts learners’ L2WTC. The results also revealed that only active motivation for cognitive concepts predicts FLA, whereas passive motivation is capable of predicting FLA in all the sub-constructs namely, cognitive, socio-cultural, and sensory-perceptual. Finally, it was found that active motivation is a negative predictor of FLA if it is mediated by L2WTC. In the end, the findings of the study are discussed and the implications and suggestions for further studies are presented.

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