Arabic Writing Examples
الكتابة
Rationale for Rating
This text is an illustrative example of several of the features that characterize writing in Arabic at the Distinguished level. The topic (language rhetoric) is academic in nature. In an attempt to persuade the readers of a specific thesis, the author clearly focuses on a targeted audience (those who are interested in the role and nature of language in understanding political dialogue). The writing is representational because the author does not advocate a thesis of his own (the author conveys various points of views about the topic in a balanced fashion). Additionally, the author delivers the message in an authentic manner which is reflected in a number of textual attributes that include: implicit and explicit cultural references (Najm, Balagha, etc.) reference to traditional concepts (Ahl al-Hal wal-Rabt), and deliberate infusion of colloquial elements for stylistic effect (Bita', Tahriir and KhalaaS). Moreover, the writing is fairly dense and complex and the author demonstrates control a myriad of complex lexical and syntactic elements (embedded sentences, explicit use of connectors such as wahakaDha and al wahiyya). Finally, the writing and argumentation are tightly structured and highly organized.
Rationale for Rating
Topic: Consumption of stuff. Function: Reflecting upon a documentary: Expressing and supporting an opinion. Lexical complexity:
Structural complexity:
Discourse:
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Rationale for Rating
Topic: The elections. Function: Expressing opinion about a current event. Lexical complexity:
Structural complexity: This sample demonstrates a high degree of control over grammar and syntax. Discourse:
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Rationale for Rating
Topic: El Nakba النكبة Function:
Lexical complexity:
Structural complexity:
Discourse:
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Rationale for Rating
In this sample, the writer demonstrates ability to narrate daily and family situations. Narration and description contain detail and are in the past, present and the future. The style is still obviously foreign however the writer shows control over the structure. In this sample, the writer demonstrates ability to write about familiar topics relating to interests and events of, public, and personal relevance by means of narratives and descriptions of a factual nature. This sample also exhibits some variety of cohesive devices, and there is good control of the most frequently used target language syntactic structures. |
Rationale for Rating
Topic: First year in school, negative experiences
Function: Narrating a personal experience, common events
Lexical complexity: Suitable lexicon for writing about school experiences محاضرات – أستاذ – اساتذة – لغويات – متخصصة -
Structural complexity:
- Basic sentences. Good trials to use negation in the past: لم أجد , لم يقولوا , لم يذهبوا , لم تنظف
- Expected grammatical mistakes like defining the noun by both الـ and إضافة الضمير for example: المحاضراتي
- Good use of relative clause once أول سنة قضيتها , and then in another, the effect of English is obvious: هذا الموضوع التي أنا متخصصة
- Inaccuracy in using few verbs such as: و – لأن
Discourse: Limited cohesive devises are displayed: و – لأن
Timeframe: Mostly past tense
Rationale for Rating
Topic: Personal experience, simple description of the city and the house
Function: Writing a letter to a friend telling about self
Lexical complexity:
- Basic verb forms are displayed. Examples: أسكن – أعيش – نسكن
- Everyday vocabulary is displayed: مرحبا – مدينة صغيرة – مطار – شقة – غرفة
- Few spelling mistakes are displayed
Structural complexity: There is evidence of control over structure and grammar of simple short sentences.
Discourse:
- Basic sentences
- A collection of separate sentences strung together
Timeframe: Mostly in the present tense
Rationale for Rating
Topic: Writer produces simple isolated sentences about self
Function: Basic information about self
Lexical complexity:
- Writer strictly depends on learned vocabulary
- Good control of basic vocabulary about self (name, age, home town)
Structural complexity:
- Although sentences produced are still short, there is clearer control of sentence structure (compared to the previous levels)
- Errors in the most basic syntactic structures
Discourse: Short text made of simple unconnected sentences
Timeframe: None
Stylistic Features: None
Rationale for Rating
Topic: Writer produces simple isolated sentences about self
Function: A letter that contains simple greetings and basic information about self
Lexical complexity:
- Writer strictly depends on learned vocabulary
- Limited vocabulary but writer attempts to use it creatively to express ideas
- Capable of shaping and connecting letters with relative success using Naskh script to form word
Structural complexity:
- Simple short sentences which are almost telegraphic in nature
- Errors in the most basic syntactic structures
- Writing produced indicates that writer is only aware of the semantic value of words but not grammatical function
Discourse: None
Timeframe: None
Stylistic Features: None
Rationale for Rating
Topic: Writer combines learned words to write a sentence about a picture.
Function: None.
Lexical complexity:
- Writer strictly depends on learned vocabulary.
- Limited vocabulary but writer attempts to recombine to form a two-word sentence.
- Capable of shaping and connecting letters with relative success using Naskh script to form targeted word.
Structural complexity:
- Simple two-word sentences which are almost telegraphic in nature.
- Errors in the most basic syntactic structures.
- Sentence structure is clearly affected by L1
Discourse: None.
Timeframe: None.
Stylistic Features: None.