Core
Recognise and use common masculine and feminine colour pairs.
A
Why this matters لِمَاذَا هَذَا مُهِمٌّ؟
Adjective control affects the accuracy of descriptions in every Cambridge topic: people, clothes, homes, school, travel, weather, work and opinions.
Develop
Apply colours accurately with definite, indefinite and plural nouns.
Stretch
Distinguish colour patterns from ordinary adjectives and use compound colour descriptions.
B
Diagnostic start
Try this short check before reading the explanations. Incorrect answers are information, not failure.
🔎 Entry Check
0/51. Choose feminine of أَحْمَرُ
The feminine colour pattern is فعلاء.
2. Complete حَقِيبَةٌ ...
Feminine singular noun.
3. Complete قَمِيصٌ ...
Masculine singular noun.
4. Complete سَيَّارَاتٌ ...
Non-human plural agreement.
5. Which principle best supports this lesson?
The noun controls adjective agreement.
1
Learn the system step by step
Read one explanation, study the worked examples, then pause for the mini-check.
1. The colour pair
Many basic colours use the masculine pattern أَفْعَلُ and the feminine pattern فَعْلَاءُ. The feminine is not made by simply adding ة.
أَحْمَرُ / حَمْرَاءُ
أَخْضَرُ / خَضْرَاءُ
أَزْرَقُ / زَرْقَاءُ
أَصْفَرُ / صَفْرَاءُ
أَبْيَضُ / بَيْضَاءُ
أَسْوَدُ / سَوْدَاءُ
أَخْضَرُ / خَضْرَاءُ
أَزْرَقُ / زَرْقَاءُ
أَصْفَرُ / صَفْرَاءُ
أَبْيَضُ / بَيْضَاءُ
أَسْوَدُ / سَوْدَاءُ
2. Agreement in context
Choose the colour form from the gender of the singular noun.
قَلَمٌ أَحْمَرُ
حَقِيبَةٌ حَمْرَاءُ
قَمِيصٌ أَزْرَقُ
سَيَّارَةٌ زَرْقَاءُ
حَقِيبَةٌ حَمْرَاءُ
قَمِيصٌ أَزْرَقُ
سَيَّارَةٌ زَرْقَاءُ
3. Plural colour agreement
Human plurals follow human plural agreement; non-human plurals normally take feminine singular. In everyday descriptions, non-human plural nouns therefore often use the feminine singular colour.
سَيَّارَاتٌ حَمْرَاءُ
حَقَائِبُ سَوْدَاءُ
حَقَائِبُ سَوْدَاءُ
High-frequency model bank
- قَمِيصٌ أَبْيَضُ
- تَنُّورَةٌ بَيْضَاءُ
- أَشْجَارٌ خَضْرَاءُ
- حَقَائِبُ سَوْدَاءُ
Misconception clinic
- Producing أَحْمَرَة instead of حَمْرَاء.
- Matching colour to the nearest word rather than the head noun.
- Using masculine plural colour agreement for non-human plurals.
2
Guided practice and transformation
Do not only recognise the answer. Say what changed and why.
🧩 Guided check
0/41. Choose feminine of أَحْمَرُ
The feminine colour pattern is فعلاء.
2. Complete حَقِيبَةٌ ...
Feminine singular noun.
3. Complete قَمِيصٌ ...
Masculine singular noun.
4. Complete سَيَّارَاتٌ ...
Non-human plural agreement.
Transformation drill
- Copy each model from the lesson.
- Change the noun’s gender, number or definiteness as appropriate.
- Change every adjective feature controlled by that noun.
- Translate the new phrase or sentence accurately.
- Explain one change using the grammar vocabulary from this lesson.
🎯 Pattern game
Replay the four patterns twice; the order changes each round.
Press Start.
3
Apply through four skills
📖 Reading and noticing
فِي مَدِينَتِي أَمَاكِنُ جَمِيلَةٌ وَشَوَارِعُ وَاسِعَةٌ. هَذِهِ الْمَدْرَسَةُ الْجَدِيدَةُ قَرِيبَةٌ، وَذَلِكَ الْمَتْحَفُ الْقَدِيمُ مُثِيرٌ لِلِاهْتِمَامِ.
Underline each adjective, draw an arrow to its noun, and label the agreement feature that made the form correct.
🎧 Listening without audio
Ask a partner or teacher to read the model paragraph twice. First record the nouns; second record the adjectives. Reconstruct the correct pairs and explain the agreement.
🗣️ Speaking
Describe two people, places or objects for 45–60 seconds. Include at least six accurate adjective structures from this lesson.
🛠️ Editing clinic
Write four deliberately incorrect adjective phrases, exchange them with a partner, then correct and explain every error.
✍️ Extended writing workshop
Write 90–120 words describing a person, place, object or experience. Include at least eight target adjective structures from this lesson and underline them after writing.
Quality check: identify the head noun first, then check gender, number, definiteness and any lesson-specific form.
Create a labelled grammar map or handwritten draft. Connect every adjective to its noun.
Complete the task on paper. Underline the target forms and annotate the rule used.
✓
Final mastery check اِخْتِبَارُ الْإِتْقَانِ
Complete this without reopening the teaching cards.
⭐ Mastery Check
0/81. Choose feminine of أَحْمَرُ
The feminine colour pattern is فعلاء.
2. Complete حَقِيبَةٌ ...
Feminine singular noun.
3. Complete قَمِيصٌ ...
Masculine singular noun.
4. Complete سَيَّارَاتٌ ...
Non-human plural agreement.
5. Choose feminine of أَحْمَرُ
The feminine colour pattern is فعلاء.
6. Complete حَقِيبَةٌ ...
Feminine singular noun.
7. Complete قَمِيصٌ ...
Masculine singular noun.
8. Complete سَيَّارَاتٌ ...
Non-human plural agreement.
Interpret your result
Below 70%: revisit the misconception clinic and guided check. 70–89%: replay the transformation game and improve one paragraph. 90–100%: continue, then complete a spaced retrieval check in 3–7 days.