Grammar: Masdar and verb

Grammar (1)

Masdar (verbal noun/gerund)

المصدر  is a verbal noun that is derived from the same root as the verb to imply the activity or action. It is treated as a noun in that it can be definite or indefinite depending on context. For example, it will be indefinite when it falls as the first part of Idafa. Consider the following sentence pairs:

In the previous examples, you can see that the masdar form can equally be expressed b y the structure أن + verb. Note that using the definite article الـ is not necessarily a part of the gerund. It depends on context so you cannot use it in a case which you have an Idafa structure as in number 1 and 2. Otherwise, you must use الـ when you have examples like number 3 above.

Study the following list of verbs and gerunds. Listen and read the forms. 

Activity (5): Decide whether you should use the verb or the masdar form in each of the following sentences.

Activity (6) : With your classmates. Find someone who: survey your classmates to find out who does or does not do these activities. Use the Masdar form in questions and answers. 

1. likes watching football or basketball.
2. enjoys swimming in the winter.
3. likes traveling in the summer.
4. likes playing sports? Which sport?
5. likes reading every day.
6. likes eating in restaurants? Which restaurant?
7. likes living in a big city.
8. wants to obtain the Masters.
9. likes to work in teaching.
10. likes dancing? Which dancing?

Grammar (2)

Expressing purpose and result

• To express the purpose or reason of something you are doing, you can use the letter لـ and connect it with either a verb or a Masdar. Study the following examples:

• To express the consequence or result, you can use the connector لذلك  which literally means “for this reason.” It implies the equivalent of the connector “so” in English. It is only followed by a complete sentence as in the following examples:

Activity (7) : Decide what connector to use to combine the sentences below. 

Activity (8): Translate each of the following sentences in two ways: once using verb and once using Masdar.

Grammar (3)

Present tense case marking

The default case ending for the present tense is ُ as in يأكلُ – يشربُ – نحبُ  .

This default case changes when the following precede the verb : أن – لن – لـ

Study these sentences and compare the case endings of verbs:

With verb conjugations that end with ــن , you drop it after these connectors. Study the following examples and note what happens to the ending of verbs:

What happens here is that the case marking change in these cases is achieved by dropping the final noun in the verb if that verb is preceded by أن- لن -لـ

Activity (9): Choose the appropriate word and structure to complete the following sentences.

Activity (10): Rewrite the following sentences using the verb and make necessary changes.