Core
Recognise common indefinite forms such as غالٍ and راضٍ.
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
Restore ي in definite and accusative forms.
Stretch
Apply case-sensitive forms in phrases and sentences.
B
Diagnostic start
Try this short check before reading the explanations. Incorrect answers are information, not failure.
🔎 Entry Check
0/51. Complete كِتَابٌ ...
Indefinite nominative drops yāʾ.
2. Complete الْكِتَابُ ...
Definite form restores yāʾ.
3. Complete اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا ...
Indefinite accusative keeps yāʾ.
4. Choose feminine form
Feminine suffix follows the yāʾ.
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. What is a defective adjective?
Some adjectives end historically in an unstressed yāʾ. In the indefinite nominative and genitive singular, the final ي is omitted in writing and pronunciation, and kasra tanwīn remains.
هَذَا كِتَابٌ غَالٍ.
مَرَرْتُ بِكِتَابٍ غَالٍ.
هُوَ رَاضٍ عَنِ النَّتِيجَةِ.
مَرَرْتُ بِكِتَابٍ غَالٍ.
هُوَ رَاضٍ عَنِ النَّتِيجَةِ.
2. When the yāʾ returns
The yāʾ appears in the definite form and in the indefinite accusative.
هَذَا الْكِتَابُ الْغَالِي.
اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا غَالِيًا.
رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا رَاضِيًا.
اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا غَالِيًا.
رَأَيْتُ رَجُلًا رَاضِيًا.
3. Feminine forms
The feminine form normally shows the yāʾ clearly before tāʾ marbūṭa.
حَقِيبَةٌ غَالِيَةٌ · طَالِبَةٌ رَاضِيَةٌ
High-frequency model bank
- كِتَابٌ غَالٍ
- الْكِتَابُ الْغَالِي
- كِتَابًا غَالِيًا
- حَقِيبَةٌ غَالِيَةٌ
Misconception clinic
- Writing غاليٌ in the indefinite nominative when teaching full formal inflection.
- Dropping ي in the definite form.
- Confusing the masculine defective form with the feminine form.
2
Guided practice and transformation
Do not only recognise the answer. Say what changed and why.
🧩 Guided check
0/41. Complete كِتَابٌ ...
Indefinite nominative drops yāʾ.
2. Complete الْكِتَابُ ...
Definite form restores yāʾ.
3. Complete اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا ...
Indefinite accusative keeps yāʾ.
4. Choose feminine form
Feminine suffix follows the yāʾ.
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 كِتَابٌ ...
Indefinite nominative drops yāʾ.
2. Complete الْكِتَابُ ...
Definite form restores yāʾ.
3. Complete اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا ...
Indefinite accusative keeps yāʾ.
4. Choose feminine form
Feminine suffix follows the yāʾ.
5. Complete كِتَابٌ ...
Indefinite nominative drops yāʾ.
6. Complete الْكِتَابُ ...
Definite form restores yāʾ.
7. Complete اشْتَرَيْتُ كِتَابًا ...
Indefinite accusative keeps yāʾ.
8. Choose feminine form
Feminine suffix follows the yāʾ.
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.