Core
Use هذا، هذه، ذلك and تلك with singular nouns.
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 هؤلاء and أولئك with human plurals and feminine singular forms with non-human plurals.
Stretch
Distinguish demonstrative phrases from complete nominal sentences.
B
Diagnostic start
Try this short check before reading the explanations. Incorrect answers are information, not failure.
🔎 Entry Check
0/51. Choose “this school”
Feminine singular.
2. Choose “those teachers (m.)”
Human plural distal.
3. Choose “these books”
Non-human plural acts feminine singular.
4. Choose “that car”
Feminine singular distal.
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. Near singular
Use هَذَا with masculine singular and هَذِهِ with feminine singular. The noun following a demonstrative in “this/that noun” is definite.
هَذَا الْبَيْتُ · هَذِهِ الْمَدْرَسَةُ
2. Far singular
Use ذَلِكَ with masculine singular and تِلْكَ with feminine singular.
ذَلِكَ الشَّارِعُ · تِلْكَ السَّيَّارَةُ
3. Plural decision
Use هَؤُلَاءِ / أُولَئِكَ principally for human plurals. Non-human plurals are grammatically feminine singular, so use هَذِهِ / تِلْكَ.
هَؤُلَاءِ الطُّلَّابُ · أُولَئِكَ الْمُعَلِّمَاتُ
هَذِهِ الْكُتُبُ · تِلْكَ السَّيَّارَاتُ
هَذِهِ الْكُتُبُ · تِلْكَ السَّيَّارَاتُ
High-frequency model bank
- هَذَا الْبَيْتُ
- هَذِهِ الْمَدْرَسَةُ
- هَؤُلَاءِ الطُّلَّابُ
- تِلْكَ الْكُتُبُ
Misconception clinic
- Using هؤلاء for every plural.
- Leaving the following noun indefinite in a demonstrative phrase.
- Confusing “this book” with “this is a book”.
2
Guided practice and transformation
Do not only recognise the answer. Say what changed and why.
🧩 Guided check
0/41. Choose “this school”
Feminine singular.
2. Choose “those teachers (m.)”
Human plural distal.
3. Choose “these books”
Non-human plural acts feminine singular.
4. Choose “that car”
Feminine singular distal.
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 “this school”
Feminine singular.
2. Choose “those teachers (m.)”
Human plural distal.
3. Choose “these books”
Non-human plural acts feminine singular.
4. Choose “that car”
Feminine singular distal.
5. Choose “this school”
Feminine singular.
6. Choose “those teachers (m.)”
Human plural distal.
7. Choose “these books”
Non-human plural acts feminine singular.
8. Choose “that car”
Feminine singular distal.
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.