Core
Place the adjective after the noun and match gender and definiteness.
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
Distinguish noun phrases from nominal sentences.
Stretch
Track all four agreement features, including case-sensitive endings.
B
Diagnostic start
Try this short check before reading the explanations. Incorrect answers are information, not failure.
🔎 Entry Check
0/51. Choose “the new school”
Definite noun and adjective.
2. Choose “the school is new”
Indefinite predicate makes a sentence.
3. Where does adjective normally stand?
Arabic descriptive adjective follows its noun.
4. Complete “with the diligent student”
Both noun and adjective are genitive after مع.
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. Adjective after noun
In the ordinary descriptive phrase, the adjective comes after the noun it describes.
بَيْتٌ كَبِيرٌ · مَدْرَسَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ · شَارِعٌ طَوِيلٌ
2. Four-part agreement
A true adjective normally agrees with its noun in gender, number, definiteness and case. For Core work, focus first on gender, number and definiteness; case endings are developed in Stretch.
الطَّالِبُ الْمُجْتَهِدُ
رَأَيْتُ الطَّالِبَ الْمُجْتَهِدَ
تَحَدَّثْتُ مَعَ الطَّالِبِ الْمُجْتَهِدِ
رَأَيْتُ الطَّالِبَ الْمُجْتَهِدَ
تَحَدَّثْتُ مَعَ الطَّالِبِ الْمُجْتَهِدِ
3. Phrase versus sentence
Definiteness changes the structure.
الْوَلَدُ الصَّغِيرُ = the small boy
الْوَلَدُ صَغِيرٌ = the boy is small
وَلَدٌ صَغِيرٌ = a small boy
الْوَلَدُ صَغِيرٌ = the boy is small
وَلَدٌ صَغِيرٌ = a small boy
High-frequency model bank
- الْبَيْتُ الْكَبِيرُ
- الْبَيْتُ كَبِيرٌ
- مَدْرَسَةٌ جَدِيدَةٌ
- رَأَيْتُ السَّيَّارَةَ السَّرِيعَةَ
Misconception clinic
- Putting the adjective before the noun by copying English word order.
- Adding الـ to the noun but not the adjective in a definite phrase.
- Assuming every noun + adjective sequence has the same meaning.
2
Guided practice and transformation
Do not only recognise the answer. Say what changed and why.
🧩 Guided check
0/41. Choose “the new school”
Definite noun and adjective.
2. Choose “the school is new”
Indefinite predicate makes a sentence.
3. Where does adjective normally stand?
Arabic descriptive adjective follows its noun.
4. Complete “with the diligent student”
Both noun and adjective are genitive after مع.
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 “the new school”
Definite noun and adjective.
2. Choose “the school is new”
Indefinite predicate makes a sentence.
3. Where does adjective normally stand?
Arabic descriptive adjective follows its noun.
4. Complete “with the diligent student”
Both noun and adjective are genitive after مع.
5. Choose “the new school”
Definite noun and adjective.
6. Choose “the school is new”
Indefinite predicate makes a sentence.
7. Where does adjective normally stand?
Arabic descriptive adjective follows its noun.
8. Complete “with the diligent student”
Both noun and adjective are genitive after مع.
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.