A Classification of Arabic Grammar Rules for Writing Skills Instruction of Persian-Speaking Learners

Document Type : مقالات علمی پژوهشی

Authors
Tahereh Khanabadi 1
Isa Motagizadeh 2
Hayat Ameri 3
Hadi Nazarimonazam 4
1 PhD student, Arabic language education, Tarbiat Modares University
2 Professor of Arabic language and literature, Tarbiat Modares University
3 Associate professor, Department of Linguistics, Tarbiyat modares, Tehran, Iran
4 Associate Professor of Arabic Language and Literature, Tarbiat Modares University
10.48311/LRR.16.6.3
Abstract
Among the challenges of language acquisition, developing writing proficiency is widely acknowledged as particularly demanding. Learners must not only select appropriate vocabulary but also use it effectively within a specific context. For Arabic learners, this complexity is often compounded by the sheer number and intricacy of grammatical rules. However, the emphasis on writing skill development should not solely lie in memorizing grammatical rules. Rather, grammar should serve as a tool to facilitate clear and effective communication of ideas. Consequently, prioritizing and strategically selecting essential grammar rules for instruction can significantly enhance and expedite the acquisition of writing skills. This research employs a descriptive-analytical method and utilizes a questionnaire to investigate the potential effects of streamlining Arabic grammar instruction on facilitating and accelerating the development of writing skills in Arabic among Persian undergraduate students majoring in Arabic Language and Literature. To achieve this objective, the study employed a researcher-designed questionnaire distributed among a sample of 16 Arabic language teachers and experts. This instrument aimed to identify the relative importance of Arabic grammar components across three proficiency levels: beginner, intermediate, and advanced. Informed by expert opinion, the research proposes a tiered approach to Arabic grammar instruction. At the beginner level, priority is given to mastering structural order and interrogative particles. The intermediate level focuses on relative nouns, causative constructions, and the mood system. Finally, advanced learners concentrate on verbal mode and aspects. Additionally, the findings highlight the experts' emphasis on introducing similar Arabic and Persian grammar rules in the early stages of education, and Arabic-specific rules at higher levels.
1. Introduction
Most recent studies in the field of teaching Arabic language to Persian speakers indicate a weakness in the majority of language learners in writing in Arabic. Among the writing errors, grammatical errors have significantly caused problems. It seems that part of this issue relates to the non-applicability (lack of practical use) of Arabic grammar instruction in this field, and the other part is linked to the educational textbooks. Furthermore, in teaching the writing skill, teaching all the language rules is not necessary. Therefore, measures such as simplifying and approximating the grammar to the learner's mother tongue, selecting the essential rules, and classifying the selected rules can significantly reduce the learners' difficulties. In this essay, we intend to use language typology to scientifically and intelligently select and classify the Arabic language rules to help facilitate and accelerate the process of teaching and learning the writing skills. In this regard, two questions are asked:
1.      Based on language typology, what are the priorities for the linguistic components when designing an instructional model for Arabic writing skills for Persian speakers?
2.      How does the typological contrast (similarities and differences) of linguistic components inform the classification of Arabic grammar rules for developing writing proficiency among Persian learners?
 
2. Literature Review
Language teaching has always been influenced by linguistic theories, and grammar is an inseparable part of language instruction. Even in the communicative approach, grammar is not eliminated; instead, it is used in a practical way. In the early nineteenth century, the systematic study of grammar flourished in Europe, and the Grammar-Translation method became the approach for teaching European languages. However, in the early twentieth century, language instructors paid so much attention to the role of grammar in language instruction that they underestimated other aspects of language. English linguists challenged the role of grammar in the early seventies and proposed the idea of functional capabilities of language, emphasizing communicative competence, which led to the formation of the communicative approach. Based on that, it is clear that linguistics plays a significant role in the formation of new language instruction approaches and their teaching methods. Typology is a branch of linguistics that studies the structural similarities of languages, regardless of their history. Despite their differences, the world's languages share common features, which are called language universals. Grammar is one of the necessities for learning any language, as it frees the learner from dependence on vocabulary and context to express meaning. This is of even greater importance for the Arabic language, which has a rich and extensive grammar. The correct selection of rules and the manner of their presentation are important factors that can help simplify the teaching of syntax. In this research, the study uses the science of language typology to classify the rules under the subset of seven linguistic components. These components include: constituent order, interrogative particles, relative clause, causative construction, verb mood, and aspect.The following individuals have conducted research related to the present study:
●       Azarnoosh (1993)
●       Hosseini and Khosravi (2010)
●       Zamani Behbahni (2017)
●       Al-Sha'er (2019)
●       Rahmah (2020)
●       Motaghizadeh et al. (2022)
 
3. Methodology
To achieve the research objective, a descriptive-analytical method was used. This was done by including 33 frequently used rules based on seven linguistic components in a researcher-designed questionnaire. Sixteen experts in Arabic language skills were asked to classify these rules for three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced. To assess the validity of the questionnaire, the opinions of five specialists were utilized. The validity of all questionnaire items was confirmed after applying the specialists' feedback. Furthermore, the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was employed to check for the normality of the data distribution. The table below indicates that the significance levels obtained for all variables are greater than 0.05, which suggests a normal distribution for all research variables. Therefore, parametric tests can be used as appropriate tests for analyzing the data of this research.
 
Tabel 1
K-S Normality Test Results




variable


T statistic


Significance level


Error value


result




constituent order


0.649


0.572


0.05


normal




Causative


0.773


0.602


0.05


normal




Case


0.646


0.541


0.05


normal




interrogative particles


0.517


0.714


0.05


normal




Aspect


0.633


0.597


0.05


normal




Mood


0.595


0.634


0.05


normal




Relative Clause


0.792


0.756


0.05


normal




 
4. Results
In this section, to answer the research questions, we first described the descriptive statistics of the components studied in the research and compared the index scores across the three levels. Finally, we explained the inferential statistics tests used to determine the relationships and significance of the comparisons made in this research. The two tables below represent the percentage frequency of responses and the frequency of responses from the experts for each component.
Tabel 2:
Distribution of Responses by Component




 


Relative Clause


Mood


Aspect


interrogative particles


Case


Causative


constituent order




No need to teach


6


10


0


2


2


4


8




Beginners


4


60


1


16


12


8


75




Intermediate


14


68


3


13


18


30


36




Advanced


8


85


12


1


0


22


9




 
Figure 1:
Frequency Distribution of Responses by Component

To examine the presence or absence of a significant difference among the three levels—Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced—in the use of the teaching components, the Chi-Square test was used. To prioritize the methods for the different levels, percentage frequency diagrams were utilized. Following this, we proceed to categorize the Arabic language rules into the three levels: Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced, based on the percentage frequencies.
Figure2:
 Proportions of Constituent Order and Interrogative Particles in each Level

 
Generally, the results confirming the significant difference among the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels in the components of Constituent Order and Interrogative Particles, along with the percentage frequencies obtained for these two components, indicate that these components are suitable for the Beginner level.
 
Figure3:
Proportions of Relative clause and Causative structure and Case system  in Each Level

Generally, the results confirming the significant difference among the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels in the components of Relative Clause, Causative Construction, and Case System, along with the percentage frequencies obtained for these three components, suggest that these components are suitable for the Intermediate level.
 
Figure4:
Proportions of Mood and Aspect in Each Level

Generally, the results confirming the significant difference among the Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced levels in the components of Mood and Aspect, along with the percentage frequencies obtained for these two components, indicate that these components are suitable for the Advanced level.
The analysis of the questionnaire data indicated that the rules related to the components of Interrogative Particles and Constituent Order are suitable for teaching at the Beginner level. Furthermore, the rules related to the components of Relative Clause, Causative Construction, and Case System are appropriate for teaching at the Intermediate level. Lastly, the rules related to the components of Mood and Aspect are suitable for teaching at the Advanced level. The results also showed that rules with a common ground (shared features) in both languages are suitable for the initial stages of writing. In contrast, rules specific to the Arabic language or those with a point of difference between the two languages are suitable for teaching at higher levels. To address potential problems and ensure greater success in implementing this classification, it is suggested that, in order to adhere to the principle of progressing instruction from easy to difficult, rules that fall outside the specified level should be taught at the level that the instructors deemed appropriate. The remaining rules should be taught at their specified level. Finally, an overview of the aforementioned classification is presented in the following table.
 
Tabel 3:
Classification of Arabic Rules by Level




Level


Rule


Rule






Beginner


Subject-Predicate sequence


Simple Past tense




Verb-Subject sequence


Past Continuous tense




Types of Subject and Direct Object


Present tense




Verb-Object sequence


Sentence negation




Sequence of multiple Objects in a sentence


Sentence negation




Noun-Adjective sequence


Types of interrogative particles




Sequence of Muḍāf and Muḍāf ilayh


Position of interrogative particles in a sentence




Active and Passive voice


 




Intermediate


Future tense


I'rāb and their markers for the Subject




command and prohibition


I'rāb and their markers for the Object




Sequence of Adjective and Muḍāf ilayh


Transformation of an intransitive verb to a transitive verb




Relative pronoun and its clause


Verbs with the concept of transitivity




Agent noun and Ism Maf'ūl with "Al-" in the meaning of a relative pronoun


 




Advanced


Nominative case


Nominal conditional sentence




Accusative case


Verbal conditional sentence




Muḍāriʿ Majzūm


Particles resembling verbs (Ḥurūf mushabbaha bil-fi'l)




Third person (absent) command


Approximative verbs (Af'āl al-muqāraba)




Gerund and verbal noun in the meaning of command


Incomplete verbs (Af'āl Nāqiṣah)




Conditional sentence


 




 
 

Keywords

Subjects

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Language Related Research
Volume 16, Issue 6 - Serial Number 90
January and February 2026
Pages 73-114