Arabic Morphology (Shorof and Wazan) Quiz

1In the science of sarf, the standard pattern (wazn) used to weigh an Arabic word is built from three root letters. Which three?

• Fa, ayn, lam (ف ع ل) Correct
• Fa, lam, mim (ف ل م)
• Kaf, ta, ba (ك ت ب)
• Alif, lam, mim (ا ل م)

Explanation: Scholars of sarf chose the verb فَعَلَ as the standard scale, so a word's root letters are represented by fa (the first radical), ayn (the second radical), and lam (the third radical). The other options use letters that are not part of the measuring formula.

2The word كَتَبَ (he wrote) follows which pattern (wazn)?

• فَعَلَ Correct
• فَعَّلَ
• أَفْعَلَ
• فَاعَلَ

Explanation: كَتَبَ consists of three root letters (kaf, ta, ba), each carrying a fatha, exactly like فَعَلَ. There is no added letter, so its pattern is فَعَلَ (a bare triliteral verb).

3What does the term 'tasrif' mean in the science of sarf?

• Transforming one base word into various derived forms Correct
• Reciting the Quran with tajwid
• Building a complete sentence
• Memorizing new vocabulary

Explanation: Tasrif technically means transforming a base word into several forms to produce the intended meanings, for example from فَعَلَ to يَفْعَلُ, فَاعِل, مَفْعُول, and so on. Tajwid, sentence structure (nahw), and vocabulary memorization belong to different disciplines.

4The word عَلَّمَ (he taught) comes from the root عَلِمَ. Which pattern (wazn) does عَلَّمَ follow?

• فَعَّلَ Correct
• فَعَلَ
• أَفْعَلَ
• اِفْتَعَلَ

Explanation: In عَلَّمَ the middle radical is doubled with a shadda, exactly the pattern فَعَّلَ. This pattern often carries a causative (making someone do) or intensive meaning, so عَلِمَ (to know) becomes عَلَّمَ (to make someone know, i.e. to teach).

5The active participle (ism fail) of the bare triliteral verb نَصَرَ is?

• نَاصِر Correct
• مَنْصُور
• نَصِير
• مَنْصَر

Explanation: The active participle of a bare triliteral verb follows the pattern فَاعِل, so نَصَرَ yields نَاصِر (a helper). مَنْصُور is the passive participle (the one helped), نَصِير is an intensive adjective, and مَنْصَر is not a valid form.

6The passive participle (ism maful) of the bare triliteral verb كَتَبَ follows which pattern (wazn)?

• مَفْعُول Correct
• فَاعِل
• مِفْعَال
• فَعِيل

Explanation: The passive participle of a bare triliteral verb is formed on the pattern مَفْعُول, so كَتَبَ yields مَكْتُوب (that which is written). فَاعِل is the active participle, مِفْعَال is a tool/intensive pattern, and فَعِيل is often an intensive adjective.

7The pattern أَفْعَلَ (like أَكْرَمَ) most commonly carries which meaning?

• Causation, turning an intransitive verb into a transitive one Correct
• Indicating the place where an action occurs
• Expressing mutual action between two parties
• Expressing an action done for oneself

Explanation: The well-known function of the pattern أَفْعَلَ is causation, turning a verb that needed no object (intransitive) into one that takes an object (transitive), for example كَرُمَ (to be noble) becomes أَكْرَمَ (to honor). Mutual action is the function of فَاعَلَ, and action done for oneself leans toward اِفْتَعَلَ.

8The word تَكَاتَبَ (to correspond with one another) follows which pattern (wazn)?

• تَفَاعَلَ Correct
• تَفَعَّلَ
• اِفْتَعَلَ
• اِنْفَعَلَ

Explanation: تَكَاتَبَ has an added ta at the front and an alif after the first root letter, exactly the pattern تَفَاعَلَ. This pattern generally conveys mutual action between two or more parties, so كَتَبَ becomes تَكَاتَبَ (to write to one another).

9The word اِجْتَمَعَ (to gather together) comes from the root جَمَعَ. What is its pattern, and how are the root letters mapped?

• اِفْتَعَلَ, with jim as fa, mim as ayn, ayn as lam Correct
• اِنْفَعَلَ, with jim as fa, mim as ayn, ayn as lam
• تَفَعَّلَ, with jim as fa, mim as ayn, ayn as lam
• اِفْعَلَّ, with jim as fa, mim as ayn, ayn as lam

Explanation: اِجْتَمَعَ adds a connecting hamza at the start and a ta after the first radical, the hallmark of the pattern اِفْتَعَلَ. The root letters of جَمَعَ map as: jim = first radical, mim = second radical, ayn = third radical. اِنْفَعَلَ uses a nun, تَفَعَّلَ has a front ta without the connecting hamza, and اِفْعَلَّ doubles the final radical.

10The word اِنْكَسَرَ (to become broken) follows اِنْفَعَلَ. What is the main functional meaning of this pattern?

• Reflexive result, showing the effect of the action فَعَلَ Correct
• Causation, turning an intransitive verb transitive
• Mutuality, action shared between two parties
• Request, asking for the action to be done

Explanation: The pattern اِنْفَعَلَ conveys a reflexive result (mutawaah), the effect produced by فَعَلَ. When someone كَسَرَ (breaks) something, that thing اِنْكَسَرَ (becomes broken). Causation is the function of أَفْعَلَ, mutuality belongs to فَاعَلَ, and request leans toward اِسْتَفْعَلَ.

11The word اِسْتَغْفَرَ (to seek forgiveness) comes from the root غَفَرَ. What is its pattern and most fitting functional meaning?

• اِسْتَفْعَلَ, request, asking that an action be done Correct
• اِفْتَعَلَ, reflexive result
• تَفَاعَلَ, mutuality
• فَعَّلَ, intensification

Explanation: اِسْتَغْفَرَ adds a connecting hamza, sin, and ta before the root letters (غ ف ر), the marks of the pattern اِسْتَفْعَلَ. Its well-known function is request, so from غَفَرَ (to forgive) comes اِسْتَغْفَرَ (to seek forgiveness). This aligns with the Quranic call to seek forgiveness abundantly.

12A word follows the pattern فَعَّلَ. How many added letters (ziyada) does it have over the root letters, and what is the addition?

• One added letter, the doubling of the middle radical (shadda) Correct
• Two added letters, a hamza and a ta
• One added letter, a hamza at the start
• No added letters, all are root letters

Explanation: In the pattern فَعَّلَ the middle radical is doubled, producing one added letter, a repetition of that radical marked by a shadda. So فَعَّلَ is a triliteral augmented by one letter. A hamza at the start marks أَفْعَلَ, while hamza plus ta is an augmentation of other patterns such as اِفْتَعَلَ.