Core
Build common expressions such as غير ممكن and غير مناسب.
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
Use غَيْر as the first term of an iḍāfa-like construction.
Stretch
Control definiteness and case in connected phrases.
B
Diagnostic start
Try this short check before reading the explanations. Incorrect answers are information, not failure.
🔎 Entry Check
0/51. Complete غَيْرُ ...
The following word is genitive.
2. Choose “an unsuitable idea”
غير begins an iḍāfa-like negative descriptor.
3. After فِي, choose correct غَيْر form
The whole descriptor is genitive.
4. Meaning of غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ
It negates the following description.
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. Meaning and structure
غَيْر means “other than”, “not” or “non-” in many adjective-like expressions. It is followed by a genitive word because the structure behaves like an iḍāfa.
غَيْرُ مُمْكِنٍ = impossible / not possible
غَيْرُ مُنَاسِبٍ = unsuitable
غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ = incorrect
غَيْرُ مُنَاسِبٍ = unsuitable
غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ = incorrect
2. Definiteness
The complete expression can become definite through the following adjective or participle. In a definite context, one common form is غَيْرُ الْمُمْكِنِ, though many communicative sentences use غَيْر as a predicate or adverbial descriptor without forcing a literal English article.
هَذَا الْحَلُّ غَيْرُ مُنَاسِبٍ.
قَرَأْتُ الْخَبَرَ غَيْرَ الصَّحِيحِ.
قَرَأْتُ الْخَبَرَ غَيْرَ الصَّحِيحِ.
3. Case belongs to غَيْر
The grammatical position changes the ending on غَيْر; the word after it remains genitive.
هَذَا جَوَابٌ غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ.
رَأَيْتُ جَوَابًا غَيْرَ صَحِيحٍ.
فَكَّرْتُ فِي جَوَابٍ غَيْرِ صَحِيحٍ.
رَأَيْتُ جَوَابًا غَيْرَ صَحِيحٍ.
فَكَّرْتُ فِي جَوَابٍ غَيْرِ صَحِيحٍ.
High-frequency model bank
- غَيْرُ مُمْكِنٍ
- غَيْرُ مُنَاسِبٍ
- طَعَامٌ غَيْرُ صِحِّيٍّ
- فِكْرَةٌ غَيْرُ وَاضِحَةٍ
Misconception clinic
- Treating غير as an unchanging particle in advanced case-marked work.
- Putting the following word in nominative instead of genitive.
- Assuming غير always translates naturally as English “un-” in every context.
2
Guided practice and transformation
Do not only recognise the answer. Say what changed and why.
🧩 Guided check
0/41. Complete غَيْرُ ...
The following word is genitive.
2. Choose “an unsuitable idea”
غير begins an iḍāfa-like negative descriptor.
3. After فِي, choose correct غَيْر form
The whole descriptor is genitive.
4. Meaning of غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ
It negates the following description.
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. Complete غَيْرُ ...
The following word is genitive.
2. Choose “an unsuitable idea”
غير begins an iḍāfa-like negative descriptor.
3. After فِي, choose correct غَيْر form
The whole descriptor is genitive.
4. Meaning of غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ
It negates the following description.
5. Complete غَيْرُ ...
The following word is genitive.
6. Choose “an unsuitable idea”
غير begins an iḍāfa-like negative descriptor.
7. After فِي, choose correct غَيْر form
The whole descriptor is genitive.
8. Meaning of غَيْرُ صَحِيحٍ
It negates the following description.
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.